Who exactly are The Armed? It’s a question that’s bugged the hardcore scene since the anonymous, amorphous collective first emerged from the Michigan underground with 2009’s self-released debut LP, These Are Lights. Separating the artist from the art has, for better or worse, become a hot topic over the years since, but rarely has it been so integral to an outfit’s mission – or executed with such absurd, outlandish verve. “We don’t lie,” stresses their chosen representative – a man calling himself Adam Vallely – on our hour-long Zoom call to discuss latest album ULTRAPOP. “We have, however, definitely played into the convolution of identity.” No shit. Misdirection, subversion and disorientation are as much a part The Armed’s appeal as cutting-edge heavy sound...
