Stretch Arm Strong
Columbia, South Carolina12 reviews across 4 releases
Stretch Arm Strong is a hardcore punk band from Columbia, South Carolina, formed in 1992. Its early sound joined old-school speed to melodic guitar lines, piano or acoustic openings, and shouted vocals that could give way to clean harmonies. Chris McLane's singing was central once he became the frontman, but the records worked as full-band arrangements rather than vocal showcases. The 1999 Rituals of Life established the contrast: "When Sorrow Falls" moves from classical guitar into fast hardcore, while "For Now" begins with piano before the guitars take over. The 2001 A Revolution Transmission expanded that approach with more singing and layered voices, including male and female parts and an a cappella passage. By Engage in 2003, the band still paired melody with aggression, though reviewers heard less force and fewer new ideas, alongside an unexpected rap track.
Scott Dempsey left in 2004 after twelve years with the band. In early 2005, Stretch Arm Strong moved from Solid State to We Put Out Records, which issued Free At Last later that year. The change was greeted harshly in the contemporary reviews: the record was described as predominantly pop, with the hardcore element reduced to a small remainder, after the earlier blend had helped the band cross between Christian and secular hardcore audiences. Stretch Arm Strong then became largely inactive. It reunited for benefit shows in 2009 and for a one-off appearance in 2011, before returning to the stage at Furnace Fest in 2021. The reunited lineup recorded The Revealing in 2024, its first new music in nineteen years.
4 releases reviewed
Rituals of Life
A Revolution Transmission
Free At Last