Convulse Records Pushes the Denver Hardcore Scene to New Heights

In the past five years, Convulse Records has solidified its presence in the Denver punk scene: The name is inscribed on countless concert fliers, shouted out by bands at shows and proudly presented by music fans on stickers and T-shirts. From bacing some of the city's most titillating up-and-coming punk acts to booking local DIY shows, the record label is a driving force behind a thriving music scene — not to mention it operates solely on the time and dedication of volunteers.

“Some of our releases are profitable and make money, and that’s cool,” says Convulse founder Adam Croft. “But for some of our releases, no one’s making money — it’s all just about commemorating and celebrating this thing that we all think is really cool and believe in, and making it exist in a way that hopefully stands the test of time.”

Joined by friends and fellow Destiny Bond bandmates, as well as members of the Denver scene who wanted to support the label, Croft has operated Convulse Records at a grassroots level since the beginning. Cloe Janzen, also in Destiny Bond and Croft's longtime friend, says the punk scene is "like a family, even before I knew Adam. I’ve been coming to [DIY venue Seventh Circle] and other Denver shows for thirteen years now. It’s all I want to do. I turn thirty this upcoming week, and it’s still the one thing I love unquestionably."

Croft grew up in a small town in Wyoming and started driving to punk shows in nearby cities while in high school. He played in bands that worked with DIY labels, which provided him useful tools and lessons to start one of his own. He initially founded Convulse in 2018 to help out friends' bands and to stay connected to the DIY scene. “I’d also reached this point when...my bands at the time were running out of gas, people were sort of moving on, and I was like, 'I need to find something to keep me busy and keep me connected to this,'” he explains.

Croft moved to Denver the next year as the label began to grow. Once in the city, he was able to see how a label can be used as a unifying force for a grouping of bands at a specific place and time. “Seeing the way a label can kind of represent a scene and a community was really cool to me,” he reflects.

“I think Denver is a rare exception in an era where hardcore is more of a national genre than it’s ever been. … We’ve got a really healthy relationship with the current moment, where those bands come here and they respect what happens in this city; they enjoy being a part of our really thriving scene," Croft adds. "Our scene has an identity all to itself that’s not really dictated by what’s popular nationally."

Convulse is home to a handful of artists, from one of the first bands the label brought on, Blood Loss, to rising hardcore acts Militarie Gun and Gel, as well as local bands such as Candy Apple and, of course, Destiny Bond. Croft explains that his process of approaching bands typically starts with seeing them at shows or naturally coming across their music; if his interest is piqued, he’ll reach out after a group's set or send an email asking if the members want to work with his label.

The day-in and day-out functions of the label are a feat in terms of independently run entities in the music industry. Croft and his team of volunteers handle everything from packing vinyl and sending out mail orders to organizing inventory and overseeing a never-ending influx of email chains. Croft works directly with bands to plan releases, which includes a handful of meticulous steps, such as the creation of ad-mats, deciding on a release’s artwork, planning music videos and creating the social media content that will coincide with the rollout of an album.

“Everyone gets involved, everyone looks over things as a team — we all work together," Croft says. "The goal is to just have a really strong collaborative relationship with the artists so it's all sort of happening together."

Another element of Convulse that sets it apart and orients the label at the heart of Denver’s punk community is its dedication to and support of live music. “That’s why we book shows at Convulse. I’m as interested in putting out cool records together as I am in building community here in Denver," Croft explains. "Bringing bands together, creating a scene and relationships, I think, are ultimately the best part of doing this stuff." Convulse books shows at DIY venues such as Seventh Circle and D3, as well as larger spaces including the Marquis, all with the intent of fostering a space where people can connect through the music that they love and the scene they call home.

Even with its already noticeable impact, the label is still relatively young and has years ahead to expand its reach. “We just want to continue growing it without losing touch with what was cool about it when it started,” says Amos Helvey, a volunteer at Convulse. “If we can help bands that we believe in do what they're doing, then that's the goal.”

Croft and his small team of friends agree that the music and the bonds forged through it are what Convulse is all about. “That’s the spirit of it. ... It might turn into a business at some point — that would be cool. But if it doesn’t, that’s okay, too," Croft concludes. "As long as we’re only putting out records that we believe in, then that’s all that matters.”

Find more information at convulserecords.com.