Hardcore (Walter Trout album)

Hardcore is a studio album by American blues rock guitarist Walter Trout, released in 1989. It marked Trout's solo debut after his previous work with Canned Heat and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers.

The album features a blend of blues rock, hard rock, and touches of funk. It showcases Trout's distinctive guitar playing, characterized by its intensity, speed, and emotive phrasing. The songwriting on Hardcore encompasses themes of love, loss, and personal struggles.

While Hardcore didn't achieve mainstream commercial success, it is considered an important album in Walter Trout's discography, establishing him as a formidable solo artist and garnering him a dedicated fanbase within the blues rock community. The album helped define Trout's signature sound and paved the way for his subsequent releases. The personnel on the album included, besides Walter Trout himself on guitars and vocals, musicians like Jim Trapp on bass, and various drummers like Bernard Pershey. It was originally released on Provogue Records.