Oakland-based project Lethal Limits has released its new EP Elevate, a four-track burst of punk energy driven by melody, grit, and decades of underground experience. The project is the work of Bay Area musician Jeff Corso, whose roots run deep through the East Bay’s punk and hardcore scene.

Elevate lands as a concise and focused statement. Across four songs — including standout cuts like “Love Bleed,” “Trippin,” and “Along The Way” — Corso blends punchy power pop hooks with the raw edge of 90s punk and alternative rock. The result is a sound that feels immediate and lived-in, pulling from the lineage of bands like Hüsker Dü and Pixies without slipping into imitation.

There’s a strong sense of place running through the EP. Corso’s writing reflects the DIY culture of the Bay Area, where songs were built to survive chaotic live shows, blown-out speakers, and distracted crowds. That ethos carries into Elevate, where sharp hooks cut through layers of distortion and the energy feels grounded rather than polished.

Released nearly four years after the project’s self-titled debut, Elevate shows a noticeable evolution. The songs retain their rough edges, but the arrangements feel more deliberate. There are flashes of classic rock influence in the guitar work, a heavier low-end presence, and a clearer emphasis on dynamic contrast, all while keeping the core focus on melody.

The EP was recorded by Corso at Vam Vam Studios in Oakland and later mixed and mastered by Jack Shirley at Atomic Garden. Corso handles the bulk of the instrumentation himself, including guitars, bass, vocals, and keys, while Aesop Dekker contributes drums that add weight and precision to the tracks.

Lethal Limits draws from Corso’s long history in bands like Nightstick Justice, No Dice, Coffin Party, and Second Opinion, but Elevate feels like a distillation rather than a continuation. It captures the instincts of someone who has spent years inside the scene and refined what matters most: songs that hit fast, carry emotional weight, and stick long after they end.

At its core, Elevate is rooted in survival and persistence. It’s music shaped by experience, built with intention, and delivered without excess — four songs that say exactly what they need to, then get out.