The Armed

Emerging in Detroit in 2009 in the wake of Slicer Dicer, The Armed was built as a variable-geometry collective, long shrouded in intentional obscurity about its members' identities and sustained by an open approach that welcomed numerous contributors. The Armed's music crosses hardcore punk, post-hardcore, metalcore and experimental rock, featuring very dense tracks where speed, dynamic shifts, gang vocals and noisy textures coexist with more melodic choruses. After These Are Lights in 2009, the band circulated several EPs before Untitled in 2015, followed by Only Love (2018), Ultrapop (2021), Perfect Saviors (2023) and The Future Is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed (2025). A significant part of The Armed's trajectory involves the work of Kurt Ballou, who was involved in recording or producing several releases, as well as collaborations with musicians from the hardcore and rock scenes, including Chris Pennie, Ben Koller, Troy Van Leeuwen and Julien Baker. On stage as well as on record, The Armed moves between hardcore, punk and indie-rock circuits, adopting a collective approach that varies lineups and underscores the project's changing character.