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We are happy to premiere 'A Crime Against No One,' the latest track by Vancouver's progressive hardcore punk band Selfist. The song is taken off the band's debut full-length, 'A Better World Rejected,' set for release on June 10th. Heavily inspired by East Coast melodic hardcore bands, particularly bands like Ruiner and Another Breath, 'A Better World Rejected' compiles six years' worth of songwriting into its 31-minute runtime. Channeling a variety of punk rock subgenres, from melodic hardcore to youth crew, the album walks a meandering path through familiar territory, challenging the listener to expect the unexpected.

“A Crime Against No One” was written in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016," says the band about the inspiration behind the song. "Although this act of violence was shocking in its scope and savagery, patterns of cruelty against LGBTQ+ people are deeply embedded within our culture, with violent attacks being extreme manifestations of this omnipresent bigotry. While it has been seven years since the song was written, the issues that it addresses are just as prevalent today. In particular, the anti-trans rhetoric being spewed by the far-right, and the war against representation being waged within the school system have perpetuated a climate of hostility. The talking points that conservative pundits are using to target the trans community are eerily similar to the ones used by anti-gay crusaders generations ago, and it really does feel like history is repeating itself. From our experience, the DIY punk scene has always been a space to foster inclusivity towards people that don’t fit into ascribed social parameters, whatever those may be. We feel it is important to keep that tradition alive."

Selfist began playing local shows in 2011 and released their debut EP, 'Life Is Too Long For Optimism,' the following year, marrying the emotional desperation of their influences with the existential crises of our culture. In 2015, Selfist enlisted the services of recording engineer Matt Roach to produce their sophomore EP, 'Dystopia Now.' This recording introduced a more polished sound without compromising any of the angst that lies at the foundation of Selfist's music. For the next several years, Selfist would continue to play local shows and embark on short tours throughout British Columbia. During this time, the band provided support for touring bands such as Strung Out, The Casualties, PEARS, Valient Thorr, CKY, Expire and more. In the fall of 2021, the band entered the studio to record their debut full-length album, 'A Better World Rejected,' engineerd by Jesse Gander (Brutus, Japandroids) and mastered by Alan Douches (Converge, Every Time I Die).