Terminal City was the place where punk rockers came to stay and revel in the groundswell of energy that was rising up from the mosh pits of underground venues, following in the footsteps of bands like Nomeansno and D.O.A. But The Black Halos stuck out from the get-go, dressed in their uniform all black, a young Hopeless leading the pack with his signature snarl and a sound that recalled late-70s NYC trash rock bands like Dead Boys and the New York Dolls.

The Halos called it quits in 2009, having earned their place in Vancouver’s storied punk history. After an unofficial reunion in 2016 for a Spanish tour and a short string of reunion shows just before the pandemic hit, the band returns this summer with the same old outlook on life and a brand new EP, Uncommonwealth. The album is a return to form for Hopeless and, like lions in a cage, the band is poised to roar and rampage their way back onto stage the first chance they get. 

Hopeless held no punches when we checked in with him to talk about the band’s first single, “Uncommonwealth” and their forthcoming EP of the same name that will be released in July via new Toronto punk imprint, Cursed Blessings. 

Congrats on the new EP. Can you tell us a bit about the conversations that took place when you and guitarists Rich Jones and Jay Milette started talking about getting the band back together?

Billy Hopeless: I put out a solo single and Richy played on it, which got us talking and rocking again. I had received a request for a Spanish tour (in 2016) and asked Rich if he wanted to come with me and we both decided we might as well do it as the Halos. That and a lot of drunken good times got us writing together again, and once Jay saw what a good time we were having, he decided to rejoin the party. Then we suckered in—oops, I mean enlisted—John Kerns from Age of Electric on bass and Danni Action from Midnight Towers on drums. This lineup slays, not only in having my original brothers back at my sides, but the rhythm section’s tighter than the government’s pockets.

If you could sum up the time between now and the last Halo’s album, We Are Not Alone, in a sentence or two, how would you put it?

BH: I thought it was dead but people kept telling us they missed us, and although we might not have wanted to admit it I guess we did too. I’m sure our livers are cursing this choice, but the world needs the Black Halos.

This new single, “Uncommonwealth,” is classic Halos, from the anthemic chorus to the ripper chord progressions and your raspy wails. Can you take a minute to describe the new EP?

BH: It’s truly raw, street animal punk rock with more hooks than a Cenobite convention. You got two originals and one cover of a killer song from the “delete cassette” bin at an old Sam the Record Man store Jay and Rich used to work at. There’s no ballads or brooders on this one; it’s a solid kick in the rocks. Al ‘Big Fan’ Nolan of Cursed Blessings Records says it’s the best we’ve done to date.