Originally released in 2003, En Garde introduced Criteria as Stephen Pedersen’s post-Cursive debut, rooted in Omaha’s early-2000s indie and post-hardcore scene. Blending driving guitars, sharp dynamics, and melodic urgency, the album captures a band establishing the balance of weight and immediacy that would define their sound. Repressed on vinyl by Thirty Something Records, this edition revisits the foundational first chapter of Criteria’s catalog.