My first Red Hex experience was not one of little consequence. Acting as an arbitrary milestone of my youth, my first witnessing of a Red Hex show lent me insight to how a band of real substance operated and performed. Don't let them catch you off guard - because when Red Hex begins its set, it most closely simulates jumping off a moving train. You have to hit the ground running, for the Tacoma trio will exercise no sympathy when trampling you underfoot with the sonic manifestation of tenacity.

Even through the chaos and destruction of that evening, afterward I couldn't get the jangling guitar lead of "Weird Bruises" out of my head. My friends and I would mess about with that guitar bit, but it never seemed as genuine as it did blaring out of Red Hex guitarist Sam Olsen's reverb tank. Olson, along with drummer Isaiah Tankiewicz and bassist Spencer Russo make up this straightforward garage rock band.

A friend handed me with a CD of rudimentary Red Hex recordings. I've exhausted each and every track. The driving force of Red Hex has always sounded good in every situation; walking down Sixth Avenue, skipping school, in the car, washing the dishes ... you get the point. But, where these songs really come alive is in a hot, dingy hellhole that could loosely be categorized as a basement, covered in the sweat of 50 other Red Hex fans.

I was thrilled to hear Red Hex has a Jan. 29 release date for its new 7-inch, Shoulda Known, on Negative Fun Records.  I was even more thrilled when I got a hold of it early.

This hard-hitting record lacks neither attitude nor energy. The A-side, "Shoulda Known," is archetypal garage rock and roll, with the band slogging through with an unmatched steadfast authority. Driving rhythm, guttural vocals, fuzzy leads and a generally grimy overall tone give this track its effectiveness, and will have you pleading for more. The B-side, "Down In The Dirt," compliments the record with a groove that weighs a ton, and nearly assaults the listener with its demanding tone and in-your-face sound.

Shoulda Known is currently available for pre-order through Negative Fun Records. The record is available in 7-inch vinyl format - which comes at my strong recommendation - or, if you so choose, you can also pre-order a digital copy. Either format gives you an immediate download of three tracks, and will surely have you hooked on Red Hex.

LINK: Red Hex on rock, Reatard and living the freak scene