Groupoem are back with ‘Dirt Church’ after 25-year hiatus

After nearly 25 years apart, Vancouver, Canada’s Groupoem have gotten back together and released Dirt Church, a collection of 18 tracks new and old—the old being unreleased from 1987! After parting ways before the ’90s, each of the four members of Groupoem—Terry Robinson (guitar), Marph (vocals), Christopher Lee (drums), and Darren Katamay (bass)—coincidentally migrated west from Toronto to the Vancouver area which would eventually, many years later, result in the band’s reunion.

Dirt Church, the band’s newest release, features nine newly recorded tracks and nine old from the band’s “early days.” Listening through in order is surprisingly seamless. The age and maturity is there and the band might have slowed it down just a tad over the years (steering away from the noisy punk of old), but in a lot of ways it’s almost as if the band never really left. Dirt Church is gritty and intriguing and may immediately sound to some modern hardcore-punk fans like an influence to the works of Patrick Kindlon (Self Defense Family, Drug Church).

You can listen to Dirt Church in its entirety on Groupoem’s website and check out a short documentary about the band’s reformation below. Keep an eye on Groupoem’s Facebook page for information on more new music and tour dates in the future.