Only Crime is a combination of 5 veterans of the punk/hardcore scene who have pooled their collective experience to create a truly refreshing musical statement. Fusing elements of heavy rock and roll with the furious energy of punk rock from the 1970’s & 80’s, Only Crime has also adopted the creative abandon pioneered by jazz’s seminal protagonists. The band’s sound is heavy without being the least bit “metal”, melodic without sounding “pop”, and experimental without treading into the arcane realm of “art” rock. While the members of Only Crime aren’t new, their music is like nothing you’ve heard before.

Only Crime was formed in 2002-2003 when vocalist Russ Rankin(Good Riddance) and guitarist Aaron Dalbec (Bane/Converge) realized they would have the time to pursue a band together; something they had talked about during a Good Riddance/Bane summer tour. Needing another guitarist to round out the sound, the two contacted Zach Blair (Hagfish/Gwar/Armstrong) who signed on instantly. As the trio, who all lived in separate states, began searching for a bassist and drummer they stayed in constant contact and began writing the original batch of Only Crime material. Soon Bill Stevenson(Descendents/ALL/Black Flag), who had produced projects for Russ and Zach separately, got wind of the project and, excited at the chance to play some drums and revisit a musical landscape he had helped pioneer, became the band’s drummer. The last piece of the puzzle was bassist Doni Blair(Hagfish/Armstrong) who joined the group just as they were preparing for their first record entitled To the Nines.

After rigorous touring schedule with Strung Out, Rise Against, Lagwagon, Boy Sets Fire and Strike Anywhere, Only Crime spent much of 2005-2006 convening at the Blasting Room for writing sessions as they began developing their second full-length album Virulence. This new album not only picked up where To the Nines left off, it utterly surpassed it. Shortly After some brief touring, Only Crime saw some big changes. Zach Blair graduated on to join Rise Against, and Doni Blair found a new home with the Toadies. With a need to maintain the relentless rhythmic and proficient sound that the Blair brothers had given the band, Only Crime brought in Matt Hoffman(Modern Life Is War) on guitar and Dan Kelly(The Frisk/Tegan And Sara) on Bass. With a new lineup in place, Only Crime spent an extensive amount of time at the Blasting Room cultivating the next evolution of their sound.

With their latest release Pursuance, the band pushes their limits with rhythmic experimentation and ambitious arrangements, while Matt Hoffman articulates moody melodic hooks.