ROIL would have fit in nicely with early '90s East Bay fare, though I don't recall seeing the name until I recently came across this demo. The (209) area code implies Central Valley, and since third tier scenes seem relegated to just one historically important band per era, maybe they were overshadowed by PLAID RETINA...? Or maybe they just popped in to record at House Of Faith (if you know, you know)? Or maybe they existed in a different orbit? Farmhouse released a 10" so they weren't complete outsiders, but...? Regardless, the material is extremely strong - emotive DIY hardcore that drinks from the same stream as the black clad Gilman bands (MULTI FACET, PAXTON QUIGGLY), but they dip into full on '90s basement emo on "New One," the title of which is a veritable ode to the genre. A distinct Cobain rasp lingers throughout the entire recording ("Heritage" in particular) - an indicator of the era and also a minor piece of familiarity for first time listeners (as I was). It's gotten better as I've listened more...which makes me wonder how many more second tier bands are waiting to be unearthed. The answer is, undoubtedly, "many." And that's why we keep digging.
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