In the mid to late 2010s, American hardcore saw some of its brightest years, particularly on the metal-influenced side of the spectrum. That resurgence of interest led to a ton of beloved releases from bands like Soul Glo, Year of the Knife, Ecostrike and Vein, but it also put the spotlight back on genre classics like Disembodied, Martyr A.D., Racetraitor and Terror, all of whom enjoy new, broader audiences today than when they initially formed.
During that time period, This is Hardcore ruled as the United States’ number one hardcore festival. Its 2017 edition, which happened nine years ago this week, featured numerous reunion sets, including some of the aforementioned bands. One of those sets belonged to American metallic hardcore heroes Pulling Teeth, who reunited that weekend for what remains their final show. Their performance, which you can view in full on Youtube, was a celebration of the past and future of hardcore, and a reminder of what the genre should be.
Pulling Teeth got a lot done in their initial seven-year run as a band but 2007’s Martyr Immortal is undeniably the band’s crowning moment for most listeners. They reunited that night to celebrate the album, which is now approaching its 20th anniversary. At the time, guitarist Dominic Romeo told Decibel of the album:
“Pulling Teeth was constantly evolving musically from its inception to its demise — and that’s probably my favorite overall aspect of the band. For us, Martyr Immortal came from a time and place where the only thing we cared about was sounding vicious and playing as many shows as possible.”
Musically, the set went off without a hitch; Pulling Teeth tore through Martyr Immortal while throwing in other songs and two Left for Dead covers. Though it had only been 10 years since Martyr and five years since Pulling Teeth broke up, the world felt much darker already, a fact that vocalist Mike Riley addressed numerous times on stage.
Halfway through the set, before “Rains,” Riley slowed things down to praise bands that have progressive social messages. “All I’m saying is don’t shut the fuck up. You’ve got a voice: use it,” he told the audience. Numerous times, he makes direct references to the policies of the first Donald Trump administration and its attempts to target transgender people, immigrants and others.
During “Stonethrowers,” the vocalist stopped mid-song to speak to the crowd more directly, challenging them to have a conversation with him after the show. Riley tied it back into the song’s “What are you so afraid of?” breakdown, but it led to a minor viral moment on social media.
Nine years later and some things have changed while others haven’t. Pulling Teeth have remained inactive, the members pursuing other musical projects, and This is Hardcore didn’t happen in 2026. The message (and the riffs), however, remain vital. At worst, shows like this are a fun walk down memory lane. At best, they’re a reminder of what heavy music can be at its best.
The post Pulling Teeth Played Their Last Show Nine Years Ago Today appeared first on Decibel Magazine.