Ventura, CA · punk · hardcore · metalcore

Initiate

2 upcoming festivals ↓

Bay Area hardcore with a metallic edge and a vocalist who does not let up — pit fuel from the scene's deep bench.

Initiate formed in Southern California in 2016 and currently comprises Crystal Pak on vocals, Michael Morales on bass, John Hodges on drums, and Manning Gray and Draven Carter on guitar.

The band works in hardcore punk with a metallic edge, pulling melody from bands like Turning Point and aggression from bands like Uniform Choice. Songs move between fast, riff-driven passages and breakdowns, with Pak's vocals holding at full intensity throughout.

Their album Cerebral Circus, recorded with producer Zach Tuch, was named to Brooklyn Vegan's list of the top 55 albums of 2023. The single "Too Much" deals with the weight of constant exposure to death and the moments of light that come through it, according to Pak.

Initiate remain known primarily through the American hardcore circuit of small venues and independent labels rather than radio or streaming exposure, releasing material that stays short and direct.

punkhardcoremetalcore