Rectify

Rectify was a straight edge hardcore band from Oslo, Norway, consisting of Kim Amundsen (drums), Hans Enger (vocals), Simen Strandås (guitar), Mats Engen (bass) and Espen Follestad guitar). They played their first show at Gamle Posten, Porsgrunn June 1995 and broke at the new Gamle Posten, Porsgrunn spring 1997.
 
Most of the members (Amundsen, Strandås and Enger) started playing together in junior high school under the moniker Skew. Together with Håkon Olsen, the heavily Youth Brigade-influenced quartet recorded a demo at a local youth centre in 1995.

Later that year, Enger met guitarist Espen Follestad at Oslo squat Blitz and decided to start a straight edge band. Together with HC-veterans Onward - and later, Tiebreak - Rectify became central players in a scene worshipping late 80’s US hardcore.

In the course of a weekend, Rectify recorded a batch of songs written during the band's first year. 4 songs made it on to the 1995 7" How We Feel, released by Crucial Response records, the prolific label that 5 years earlier had released Norway’s first sXe recording: Onwards self titled debut 7”. The response was overwhelming. Rectify played its first show ever as support for Sense Field and 4 Walls Falling.

Just before recording the 7” By Your Side at Stovner Rockefabrikk in July 1996, Mats Engen joined the band. Even though this EP was received even better than the first, Rectify never toured outside of Norway.

When Enger started drinking and broke with the straight edge ideology, Rectify disbanded. Follestad and Amundsen continued playing in straight edge bands like Sportswear, Tiebreak and Hands Tied, while Rectify (minus Follestad) morphed in to the Adolescents/ SoCal-HC-influenced band Team Spirit.

Related bands:
Damage Control, Insurance Risk, Sportswear, Team Spirit, Tiebreak