USELESS ID (ISR) Chelsea, 01 Aug 19

While celebrating their twentieth year as a punk band in 2015, USELESS ID were determined to make a strong, back to their roots, explosive punk rock record that would sum up their frustration, anger, love and hope. What they endeavored to create is a defining Useless ID album: State Is Burning.
For over two decades, Useless ID has been writing, recording and touring all over the globe. No college, no military service (nearly mandatory in Israel), no careers, just doing what they love. Doing what they felt incredibly lucky to be doing, never resting, never complacent, and never making the same album twice.
Vocalist and bassist Yotam Ben Horin, who has spent the past couple years recording and touring his solo acoustic music, talks about his approach to State Is Burning: “I reverted back to the records I grew up with and listened to them endlessly and obsessively; all the early Bad Religion records, Descendents, Propagandhi, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, and NOFX. With more emphasis on the lyrical content, the goal was to write the best punk record we could possibly write. We took a more urgent approach this time and relied on our instincts. If it had a good energy, felt explosive or could go over well live, we kept it.”
State Is Burning marks Useless ID’s return to fast, energetic, galloping, youthful punk rock—hardcore punk rock—the music they originally fell in love with and what formed the basis for starting the band in the first place. Ishay continues, “Our band is more obsessed with this music than ever, collecting every album from every corner of the world, keeping in touch with the local scene and totally happy to be a part of the worldwide hardcore scene. We’re ready as we ever were to go out and share our world with everyone, keeping in mind that this music is more than just music, it’s our life.”