By Rory Axelrod Canton punk trio Yet To Define is a dystopian train run free, careening on derailment as it threatens to leave a trail of nihilistic destruction through the countryside. The group sounds as if the Dead Kennedys grew up during the early ’90s and seeped into the hardcore scene of the time, picking up on band’s like Hammerhead, Fugazi and its predecessor, Minor Threat. Music for the sake of playing and being a part of something. “Music should be about loyalty and the love of music,” said Adam Miller, the band’s frontman and guitar player. “It shouldn’t be about money and getting laid. There should be more to it.” Miller, the group’s driving force and songwriter, who is joined by Chris Sheperd on bass and Kevin Owens on drums, said Yet To Define was founded on the classic punk ethos and the need to shed light on the darker sides of humanity, which often receive a blind eye out of fear or intrepidation. In an effort to break down these social taboos, Miller said he employs offensive tactics to demand the attention of the listener. “I try to be obscene and vulgar. I try to cross the line as much as I can,” Miller noted, adding this helps grab audience members and makes them consider an idea they might not have seen previously. Unlike typical rockers, he does not use his music to glamorize drug use and reckless behavior, knowing the damages rendered. On the contrary, Yet To Define’s music points out the pitfalls of that lifestyle. “There’s girls sucking dick for drugs; people don’t even think about that. That’s happening right now. Someone’s shooting someone in the head for a paycheck right now. How come no one chooses to care about it? Is it because they can’t change it? I guess people just don’t really care. It’s easier to ignore.” Yet To Define is his first time fronting a band for Miller, who had previously played drums in a number of local acts, such as The Most Beautiful Losers, and derives his material from life experiences. A reformed junkie — one of the reasons he is no longer with the Losers — he lived a life of woe, lending him an authority on careless decisions. It was after splitting from the Losers that Miller’s then-girlfriend, who also was a user, became pregnant. Following the birth of his daughter, the mother continued to use, eventually leading to the child being taken away. As a result, the songs he pens are a soul-purging of pent-up anger and guilt, poured forth as if haste can speed the route to salvation, or at least forgiveness. “A lot of it is about how society is dirty and we all choose to ignore how dirty it is,” he explained. “[We] live in our little fantasy worlds and don’t really care about the facts. I try to write about that.” This built-up tension informs the group’s live set, driving everything to its breaking point, even as gears grind and the lines between raw adrenaline and pure panic-inducing fear blur. “The good thing is a lot of people can’t understand what I’m saying anyways, but it makes me feel better,” Miller said. “I figured if I didn’t get it all out, I’d go back to drugs or just go back to being a complete waste. I had to do something with all the angst to not go back to drugs, not go back to hustling and doing a bunch of crazy shit that would’ve got me locked up.” While Miller said he doesn’t judge people on their own choices, he does hope some will listen to what he has to say and perhaps consider a different direction. “I hope maybe one out of 200 people might say, ‘Whoa, this dude’s been through some shit!’ and might actually listen and stop,” Miller explained. “Maybe one out of 200, and in my head that’s a realistic goal to maybe affect one person’s life.” Yet To Define will be releasing its self-titled EP on Aug. 31 at the Buzzbin Art & Music Shop in downtown Canton.