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Maximum Rocknroll wants to review everything that comes out in the world of underground punk rock, hardcore, garage, post-punk, thrash, etc. No major labels or labels exclusively distributed by major-owned distributors, no reviews of test pressings or promo CDs without final artwork. We reserve the right to reject releases on the basis of content. Music without vocals or drums will not be considered. All music submitted for review must have been released (or reissued) within the last two years. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!
Solid first offering from San Diego’s AGGRAVATE. The band has one foot firmly planted in traditional USHC thanks to the straightforward vocals, but otherwise the proceedings are more atmospheric and heavier than your usual fare, almost approaching stadium crust. Overall not bad; I’ll be curious to see what direction they go from here.
The title says it all, folks. A double LP full of campy, over-the-top, ’60s-inspired monster madness straight out of Philadelphia. It’s worthy of a seasonal spin during your next Pagan house party or seasonal sockhop. Songs like “Dracula’s Castle” and “She’s in Love with Frankenstein’s Monster” are loaded with all the reverb and tremolo of your fave ’60s and ’70s novelty records, and much to my enjoyment, they lean into the humor and campiness. It reminds me of the kind of stuff I would find in a used dollar bin and would scoop up without hesitation. It’s pressed at 45 RPM on 12” which adds to the novelty vibe. Overall, it’s a fun record without a ton of memorable moments, but deserving of a listen if you’re into the schtick.
Good mix of post-punk and more classic punk rock—their ability to go from the classically post-punk guitar in verses into a distorted explosion in the choruses was awesome. I really appreciated the noise and intensity that they kept up throughout, definitely a solid record.
Extremely solid effort that kicks into full gear immediately. Blistering guitar solos paired with a blood-curdling screamer and a tight, lightning-fast rhythm section. There’s a little bit of keyboard action laced throughout that I wish was a bit more consistent and louder, but that’s my only real complaint. Sounding a bit like their labelmates GUMM, DESTINY BOND also combines the best parts of youth crew hardcore (gang vocals and groovy, mosh-inducing tempos) with classic rock’n’roll mentality (charismatic singer, catchy riffs, and palpable energy). This is a great record and a fantastic addition to the Convulse library, which has hosted some real ten-out-of-ten albums over these last few years.
Insanely catchy collection of garage punk tunes from Australia that was almost scrapped by the band? Folks, why? It’s so good. If you like JAY REATARD or TEE VEE REPAIRMANN, give it a listen and soak in the rock’n’roll grit, the near-bubblegum vocals on tracks like “Mine Tonight” (“Make you mine toooo-niiiiiighttt”), and the old school keys that bubble up like ? AND THE MYSTERIANS playing with the SPITS. Hooks hooking into more hooks on every song had me writing one word next to each song while listening: classic. Like the song “Borned to Rock,” ELECTRIC PRAWNS 2 were in fact borned to rock.
Burly, punishing hardcore that draws from the wellspring of ’80s NYHC like the ABUSED or the MOB (the good stuff). Everything is outsized and menacing, with gang chants and guitar leads as you might expect, particularly if you’ve encountered their demo from 2023. Sharing members with FORESEEN may also be a helpful bit of knowledge to have, another band to masterfully modernize old school influences. FORCED HUMILITY doesn’t spare the hooks and isn’t afraid to introduce a harmony, but make no mistake—this shit is brutal and unsparing. An ass-beater, to be sure.
I love splits. This one is a cool showcase of the current dirt pop scene, with each band contributing two original songs and one cover. If that’s not enough for you, it even comes with a fifteen-page zine. The whole affair gives off heavy MARKED MEN or RADIOACTIVITY vibes, so it should come as no surprise that three of the bands either recorded or mastered their tracks with Jeff Burke. The original songs are a good example of what each band brings to the table, but the covers are the real gems here. TV COP covering MOLLY HATCHET just might be my favorite track on the split; pop punks covering Southern rock and doing it justice??? I’m into it. The TEENAGE BIGFOOT originals remind me of walking into a Hot Topic circa 2003. Not into it. On the other hand, their cover of “Dreams” by the CRANBERRIES was stuck in my head for days, and I really dislike that band! For the uninitiated, I don’t feel like anything on here will make any of these bands your new favorite. But for existing fans, Jeff Burke worshippers, or anyone looking for a few killer dirt pop covers, this LP will feel right at home in your collection.
Static Shock delivers the second LP from IMPLODERS, a maddeningly fast, no-frills hardcore strike. Quick riffs, shredded vocals, constant energy—tight and well-executed, but familiar. A solid, enjoyable record that stays in its lane. Ideal for listeners wanting straightforward speed and power.
Static Shock trae el segundo LP de IMPLODERS, un ataque directo y enloquecedor de hardcore rápido y sin aditivos. La banda ejecuta bien: riffs veloces, voces mordidas y energía constante. Es sólido y disfrutable, pero no sorprende ni rompe el molde. Hardcore bien hecho, ideal para quienes buscan velocidad pura.
Until about five years ago, JET! was seemingly a complete unknown, nary a footnote in the annals of New Jersey power pop (which is actually New Jersey’s top export as a state, not “chemicals” as the internet may try to make you believe). JET! formed in Toms River, cut two of the greatest power pop 45s ever, and disappeared. Luckily, a NJ collector uncovered a stack of deadstock copies of those two singles, and soon us obsessives got our grubby little hands on copies of our own. And now, the immaculate Fish & Cheap Records continue to do what they do best and get another obscure slab to the masses. “Everybody Plays the Game” and “Here Me Sheila” represent the band’s second single, with the A-side being a little more driving than their first single “Please Mister Radio.” While the decision to be a bit more rocking may have caused the rift in the band that led to their split, they still managed to capture lightning in a second bottle. If you have even a passing interest in punky power pop, all four of their songs are an absolute must, and Fish & Cheap are making it so the sounds aren’t confined to the greasy collectors shelves. With any luck, they’ll give the first release the reissue treatment as well. Get this, now.
Cleveland duo KNOWSO, consisting of Nathan Ward (CRUELSTER, PERVERTS AGAIN, the CARP) and Jayson Gerycz (CLOUD NOTHINGS), return with Hypnotic Smack, a wiry, offbeat LP that fits neatly into the city’s long tradition of bent punk weirdos. Earlier MRR reviewers have namedropped DEVO, CAPTAIN BEEFHEART, NOMEANSNO fronted by Steve Albini, and SERVOTRON when trying to pin this band down, and those touchpoints still make sense: jerky rhythms, odd vocal phrasing, and a nervous, sci-fi pulse that feels both mechanical and human. Must be something in the water in Cleveland, turning out band after band of weirdos who twist punk into performance art and still make it catchy. It’s got humor, it’s upbeat and angular, but it doesn’t quite stick for me. All those reference points are ultimately more interesting than what comes through here. Maybe I’m just wishing they’d lean harder into it. The track “Sacred Mystery” was a high point, a glimpse of the extra bite I wish the rest of the record had. In today’s world, this isn’t that weird or abrasive. Maybe it’s a nonthreatening entry point for a voyage toward more esoteric pleasures. Eleven songs, thirty minutes.
Sophomore album of shambling, poppy indie punk from Minneapolis. They pull from multiple influences—Motown, ’60s pop, Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, Flying Nun Records, and contemporaries the BABIES—in the same way Fred Thomas did with SATURDAY LOOKS GOOD TO ME. They nail that mix of scruffy punk attitude with melodic hooks the way that ex-BANANAS drummer Scott Miller did with his bands NAR and especially BRIGHT IDEAS.
Jesus Christ, did they find enough labels to help release this thing? Classic fastcore powerviolence, but both bands sound different enough to keep things interesting. MEXOFF pulls double grunting vocal duties, sounding like MAN IS THE BASTARD and CAPTAIN THREE LEG with a very prominent, heavy bass. There’s a bit of a crusty edge here as well. NEGATIVE PATH leans a little closer to the D-beat side of the spectrum and is a tad more guitar-heavy, with thrash-like solos and unique vocal tones; they sound like a pack of wild coyotes. There’s over two dozen tracks piled onto this disc and none of them go over a minute-and-a-half. That’s pure perfection right there.
MORWAN began as a solo project by Alex Ashtaui in Kiev, Ukraine around 2019, but now MORWAN is a full band out of Berlin with Alex at the helm to guide the band into the darkest and heaviest post-punk territory ever to be explored. Their new album Vse Po Kolu, Znovu is an emotional journey through inspirations, ranging from things that sound like KILLING JOKE and MINISTRY to noisy psych rock à la OH SEES. The guitar work on this album is really cool with its maximum-velocity plucking that is very surfy but also very rhythmic at times, and with its droning repetition, the sounds begin to distort in your mind as other influences emerge. This album would be perfect for a winter night while watching snow fall, especially the epic, nearly eight-minute closer “Не чекай” as it enters a shoegaze/post-hardcore realm.
Powerviolence is a micro-genre that strives at extremes, be it in velocity, tempo shifts, drama, or self-awareness. It became somewhat oversaturated some years ago with the rise in popularity of some bands, then went back ”underground” (it was never mainstream, but it used to be very niche), and only the strongest survived. NECK BREATHER is one of those cases—some of the freshest-sounding modern powerviolence that I’ve heard in a while, not the silly comedic powerviolence but the apocalyptic, nihilist kind like IRON LUNG. The sonic violence only gets amped up by the genius mastering by maniac James Plotkin (go check out OLD LADY DRIVERS or KHANATE if you’re ready to die).
The aspiration here is to make nostalgic, gritty rock’n’roll, but there’s something charmingly off-kilter about the presentation that makes it more than just a pale shade of something we’ve all heard before. Mark Death’s vocals have that sort of monotone sociopathy to them, while the guitar has a direct-in compression that gives everything a sort of detachedness that manages to elevate the tightly-written material from “JOHNNY THUNDERS knock-off” to something much more odd and a hell of a lot of fun. There’s a meager few tracks here to sink your teeth into, but the hand-hewn quality (see also: the horrorcore high school notebook cover art) makes it worth your time.
“PROFIT AND MURDER? Are they still around? How long have they been playing? Since the 19th century?” is likely to be the most common reaction to this brand new album, Doomed to Fail. It was certainly mine as I strongly, and perhaps irremediably, associate this German band with the ’00s so that I am constantly surprised to hear about them. I hadn’t listened to them in ages and only had a vague memory of what they were supposed to be about: rather typical old school crust punk. And to my great relief, Alzheimer’s is still a long way off, because PROFIT AND MURDER plays precisely old school traditional crustcore, with two vocalists and something to say. Hurray! Despite being around since 2000, it seems that trends and fashion have had no effect whatsoever on the band’s sound, impervious to change, which in this case is commendable in my opinion. Doomed to Fail can be said to be a trip down the ’90s and early ’00s Eurocrust memory lane, one I am happy to take, not out of nostalgia but because it’s very well-done, with sincerity. Pummeling, fast, with a Scandi touch and a sense of confident simplicity that clicks. Bands like HIATUS, ’00s VISIONS OF WAR, or 3-WAY CUM got invites of course, and PROFIT AND MURDER is one of the last instances of this peculiar species. I love that one.
A short-lived unit out of early 1980s Valencia, REGIMIENTO SPANSUL left only the four tracks on this 7” behind as evidence of their rowdy little run. The sounds here range from spirited first-wave inspiration (“Haciendo Surf en Marte”) to prickly and groovy post-punk (“La Ejecución”). If you’ve been itching for some catchy and obscure Spanish nuggets, pick up this EP and consider yourself scratched.
Wow. This is almost like perfect pop music. Vocals are soft, but assertive. The music itself is also soft, but with some excellent distortion. They marry remarkably well, which I suppose shouldn’t really be a surprise, but it was noteworthy to me. The pace is measured and deliberate. Kind of reminds me of early BLUR or the DANDY WARHOLS. If you’re familiar with the band GLITZ, that also comes to mind.
Blistering punk from Mexico City masters SOGA. Their 2018 demo made a huge splash, ultimately making its way to vinyl thanks to the good folks at Iron Lung, so naturally their debut album has garnered a frenzy of excitement. No need to be coy here, it’s fucking good. I think what sets SOGA apart is the curiosity they employ, pulling on threads that are woven into the broad tapestry of hardcore punk. At times they’re unrelenting and ferocious, like on “La Respuest,” and “Aniquilar.” Without breaking character or missing a beat, they can flip a switch and delve into a catchy, ’77-style rave-up like “Voy Por Un Mai Camino.” Gloriously genre-bending, pissed-off, political punk. Sign me the fuck up!
Birmingham hardcore (with a capital H) born from the ashes of SUPPRESS. Massive-sounding hardcore in the vein of STRIFE (or, as they put it, “bands that sound like they’re straightedge but aren’t”), with mosh parts and melody standing side-by-side, and hyped-up sing-along queues. This is the type of hardcore that gets the blood boiling, or the dance moves in check.
From Ohio in the late ’80s and early ’90s, this is definitely my sort of thing, but they’re brand new to me. It’s definitely got a REPLACEMENTS feel to it. It’s jangly and raw and has a good dash of country and folk going on. I gather from the liner notes and some online research that this is a reissue, but that’s not a certainty for me. There’s an honesty in this one that’s compelling. It’s also pretty well-done. It’s catchy and melodic, gritty, and really both fun and cool to listen to. Other similarities…what if you crossed the DILS with RANK AND FILE? And does anyone remember (IMPATIENT) YOUTH? Good shit.
Buckle in for this Ohio-based adventure; an ever-meandering river of jangle pop/lo-fi bedroom pop/egg-punk/indie rock awaits on this seven-song cassette. As soon as you think you’ve got the band figured out, WINSTON and co. throw you a curveball, leaving you guessing once more. The unexpected post-punk track “Subject of Interest” is unbelievably catchy and memorable, from its repetitive bass lines, noodly guitar leads, and impressively lackadaisically delivered vocals. It almost feels like the band is trying to play a slightly different sub-genre of the greater punk world with each track on this cassette. Perhaps this is being done to show us, the listener, that all of these sub-genres can in fact exist in Perfect Harmony.
This starts with a real heartbreaker of a seasonal song about not singing door-to-door because the singer is awfully sad about things and stuff (sad face emoji). I bet these songs were a real hoot to write (hoot emoji). The songs are mostly upbeat in sound but downbeat in jolliness, and are peppered with language that will get you on the “naughty list” for certain (uh-oh emoji). My friend Derek loves Christmas-themed punk stuff so he can sprinkle in a few tunes he enjoys between the MARIAH CAREY and BING CROSBY family favorites Xmas playlist (thumbs up emoji), so at least one of these is already in a stocking in Michigan (shrug emoji).
It’s time to face an uncomfortable truth—a lot of modern Oi! is complete and utter shite. It’s either hardcore lite made by people in big shorts, or it’s pop punk about the pub made by people in flat caps they bought off Amazon. It’s bland, overproduced, insipid bollocks. So when I get the chance to listen to something truly good, not just “genre good” but actually good, it’s a real treat. AN SLUA is that treat. The Sligo skins have released a modern classic in their debut. Joining luminaries like OI POLLOI and the OPPRESSED in being fiercely political and not being afraid to nail their (correct) colours to the mast at a time when cowards are happy to be fencesitters, they also know their way around a tune. Catchy as fuck, lyrically whip-smart, and choruses that beg to be shouted on the terraces. This is, quite simply, class. Any time you don’t bother listening to this is time wasted.
One of those bands that isn’t really sure what they want to sound like. Swapping between an amalgamation of HOT WATER MUSIC, O PIONEERS!, CRO-MAGS, and CHOKING VICTIM, the only consistent variable is the vocalist who maintains the same dynamic throughout the entire record. While the stamina is impressive, the lack of vocal nuance is a tad dry. The gang vocals laden throughout sound great and pepper in a much needed charisma boost. A release where everyone involved is obviously quite talented, but it all sounds a bit dated. The whole orgcore motif combining the posi-tough-guy image with the sentimental longing for “home” was fresh fifteen years ago but still hasn’t hit its nostalgia period, it just sounds stale. However, if you still pine for that era, then you’ll love this.
As is more often than not the case, Knuckles on Stun brings us yet another absolute smash hit! BETA MAXIMO is a wildly prolific garage punk band from Spain with more releases than some bands have songs. Eight catchy and driving tracks, most of which are pushed over the top by having almost sickeningly poppy synth licks. I absolutely love this! I truly hope that my Spanish not being very good might mean there is a chance that Último Asalto is not the band’s way of telling us that this is their final release. If that is the case, then I really hope I am of the lucky 25 people to get a copy of the forthcoming BETA MAXIMO discography cassette on Knuckles on Stun, as that is the standard amount that label makes of each of their releases (this one included), so get one while you can.
Belgian hardcore band BEZETTE STAD has been releasing music for about five years now. Their latest release F.A.N.O.N. is a six-song 12″ that explores our contemporary global scenario with articulate hardcore blended with D-beat, as if PAINT IT BLACK started hanging out with DISCHARGE. From the bass-heavy opener of “Reform” to the metallic pummeling and digital glitching in closer “28 Days” the F.A.N.O.N. 12″ is six slices of hardcore hellion heaven, and you need to put it in your ear holes posthaste.
Recorded live at The Fest, DCxPC Live, Volume 42 pairs CELEBRATION SUMMER from DC. with Florida’s WOLF-FACE for two distinct takes on melodic punk energy. CELEBRATION SUMMER lean into earnest, ’90s-style melodic punk showing their JAWBREAKER and TILTWHEEL influences. WOLF-FACE counters with a more playful set that mixes their Teen Wolf basketball-punk personas with solid, tuneful, orgcore-flavored “whoaaaaa” sing-alongs, including a cover of TV ON THE RADIO’s “Wolf Like Me” and a live version of “I Wanna Be a Homo(sapien)” with a hirsute wink toward SCREECHING WEASEL. The recording quality is rough, but it feels like an honest snapshot of two bands connecting with a crowd. Limited to 200 copies on this yellowish color that someone decided to call “summer moon.”
This Bay Area grindcore outfit mixes with sludge and powerviolence in a recipe for chaos at its most unrelenting. CELL ROT’s Parasite is a slab of total aggression—eleven tracks that sound like they were recorded inside a pressure cooker. The production is dense but not dull; each blastbeat and low-end rumble slices through with terrifying precision. Vocals are guttural, halfway between a scream and a cave echo, backed by riffs that refuse to stay in one tempo for more than two seconds. There’s a sharp political and existential edge here—nihilism meets confrontation. Convulse keeps releasing records that make the underground feel dangerous again.
Well, there’s a confusing one in every batch. This C.A.D. cassette, which doesn’t have the full name of the artist on it anywhere (and the top of the “C” on the front cover is cut off to the point that I would have sworn it said LAD), is a solo acoustic cassette of four-track songs recorded by CHRISTOPHER ALAN DURHAM. He is a member of a full band out of Detroit, Michigan under the name C.A.D. AND THE PEACETIME CONSUMERS, which is more throwback, freak-out rock’n’roll stuff. This tape, however, I just kind of can’t understand. Super lo-fi, jangly guitar, jazzy, jammy art. There’s drums on at least one of the songs which kept my interest a little more, but the acoustic stuff just feels like a budget bastard amalgamation of REED, DYLAN, and BEEFHEART, and I’ll let you in on a little secret…it doesn’t mix well. The final track, “Walk in the Park,” certainly did not live up to its name—what an absolute slog to get through, clocking in at over four minutes and confusing me the entire time. It did receive a little baffled interest from one of my cats though, looking around with complete bewilderment whenever the sampled bird whistles were peppered in.
Catalan Oi! that tosses an interesting curveball. Of all the stylistic mashups, an indie rock twist was about the last thing I was expecting. Musically, this lands squarely in lo-fi Revolution Summer territory, but the vocals are pure boot boy fodder. I’m convinced that with a different vocal delivery, this would fall into a vastly different genre altogether. Smash together RITES OF SPRING with the TEMPLARS, if you can imagine such an amalgamation. Nine tracks, with a NEGATIVE APPROACH cover for good measure. A pioneering attempt to be sure, but the incongruity is hard to get past.
Formerly known as LYSOL, Seattle’s FAN CLUB hits a new high on Stimulation, a five-song, six-minute blast of incendiary hardcore punk with a rock’n’roll undercurrent. The songs tear forward with relentless motion and sharp, swaggering energy—closer to SEUDO YOUTH in pace and delivery than the slower grind of a lot of their earlier material. It recalls “Blessures Graves,” the standout from LYSOL’s Soup for My Family, where they ditched mid-tempo for full-throttle attack but somehow held on to the strut. It’s a sound that feels urgent, alive, and fully realized. One of the best things I heard all summer, and I swear this band keeps getting better the faster they move.
My comparisons will draw some very solid lines as to whether you want to grab this: stir in some modern MOVING TARGETS + FEELIES + GIN BLOSSOMS + later 2024-era SOUL ASYLUM, pleasant-sounding indie rock, and you get the picture. These FRETBUZZ songs hover in a cloudy space where if they actually had some fret buzzing going on, or pushed a little harder in any direction, it would stand out more. Look, at the end of the day, this is a great single that hits on power pop in the ’90s Midwestern style and has all the right points of a good record. The flipside “It’s So Hard” is a bit more driving, but still not speeding through any school zones.
This is short, to-the-point, and excellent. Bouncy cowpunk that inevitably brings to mind stuff like THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS and maybe the spirit of Hitler Bad-era VANDALS (in a good way!). Consistency is impressive for these guys, they continue to deliver bouncy-to-the-point-of-dance-y jams with clever, even poignant lyrics. Music like this rewards multiple listens if you click with it, though I imagine the overall sunny disposition may put some people off. Not me though, this world is a fucking nightmare and spending eight punk, fun minutes with some clever music is decidedly on the menu.
It seems not so long ago since HELLSHOCK’s 2022 LP came out, a record I could not quite totally get into, I must admit, because it relied too much on classic death metal and it basically lost me—of course, it was certainly more than good enough when in the mood for mean, BOLT THROWER-flavoured music. The fantasy-themed cover of this new LP looks like a scene from The Lord of the Rings and is (I can barely write it) in colour, undeniably a blasphemous cardinal scene in the crust realm. I was more than a little skeptical before playing this, and how wrong I was. The lugubrious BOLT THROWER worship still rules, but the recruitment of Todd Burdette on second guitar brings a significantly different vibe to the songwriting, making it more epic, murkier, but still generating that ominous atmospheric heaviness. The songs are rather long, thoughtfully built, and tell great, albeit really fucking dark, stories. HELLSHOCK are still certainly themselves, and the album will not disappoint fans of gruff metal crust and stenchcore revivalists, but they also offer something more articulate, progressive even, and dare I say it, subtle here (assuming the perfect soundtrack for a malevolent skeleton armies and being growled at by a zombified bear fit the concept of subtlety). The LP has been on heavy rotation here, and I see it as the perfect evolution for the band. XXV is bound to become a classic crust album, not because it abides by the rulebook, but because it creates something new and inventive without discarding the band’s identity. They do not sound alike, but I see records like COUNTERBLAST’s Balance of Pain or SKAVEN’s EP in much the same way. You know what to do.
Presumably compiling their entire oeuvre, the ever-reliable Good Times Rock N Roll Club out of New York has provided us with the works of a mid-2000s gem of a project entitled LOVE STORY IN BLOOD RED. With 27 tracks in all, there is more than plenty to digest here. For fans of the vocal stylings of JONATHAN RICHMAN, this collection comes highly recommended. The main brainchild here, Jason Frederick, along with a handful of bandmates over the lifetime of the project, has a real knack for attention-grabbing lyrics and instrumentation. The band/project seemed to exist for only about four years in the Chicagoland area, and while I can’t speak to their influence or impact at the time, getting the chance to dig into these songs twenty years later is a real treat. Surely meant to be digested over time, these dozens of tracks feel like an awesome time capsule that is worth the time to take in in its entirety, even if that takes several listens.
Absolutely legendary early ‘80s Wisconsin hardcore. The “Mechanical Men” tore through the dairyland with mechanical precision when they dropped one holy grail of Midwest punk, the Acceptance EP, in 1983, a furious little record that nailed paranoia, politics, and pure punk anger to the classics wall. They didn’t stick around long, but their sound seeped into the underground. No Coast resurrected MECHT MENSCH’s entire recorded catalog with Anthology, pulling together the aforementioned Acceptance EP, compilation tracks, demos, and live recordings, all remastered from the original reels, even sourced from Henry Rollins’s archive. To complete the deluxe treatment, there is a gatefold sleeve, full-size zine packed with flyers and interviews, plus a huge poster. More than a nostalgia piece, it is a hardcore time capsule. A loud reminder that hardcore will never die.
Lumbering and nasty hardcore from West Yorkshire’s PERSONAL HELL, who occasionally wade into neo-crust territory on their new LP Window Painted Shut. It sounds like the band spared no expense on the production of this album: the guitars are thick and crunchy, the rhythm section is low and burly, and the vocals are desperate and right at the front of the mix. There isn’t a bad song in the bunch, but I prefer the quicker cuts, like the excellent “The Brine.”
A year after putting out one of the best 7”s of the ’90s (1998’s Forfeit Intent EP) on one of the greatest labels of the ’90s (Slampt Underground Organisation forever), Helen White and Layla Gibbon of PETTY CRIME took their short, sharp girl-gang post-punk missives to the domestic interior space of a literal bedroom, recording three new tracks to cassette that remained unheard until now. Intimate, immediate, and with a joyously shambolic recklessness, Brighton, UK, 1999 is not unlike eavesdropping on conspiratorial plots being devised from the other side of a paper-thin wall—when Helen and Layla sing and shout about truth and detachment and misplaced trust, it’s always with an underlying sense of danger. Taut bass weaves around sparse scratches of guitar, desperate rhythms are pounded out on household objects functioning as makeshift drums, and the ultra-lo-fi presentation of it all truly underscores the feeling of stumbling on a radical secret straight from the organizing committee of the boy/girl revolution. A life-affirming document!
Heavy goth and deathrock-inflected synth punk with fuzzy low-end crunch, pounding electronic drums, and melodic, melancholic vocals. Tempos range from creepy crawlers like the gorgeous shoegaze-y alternate reality club hit “Dream Eater” to the faster punk beat of “Broken Moon,” but all maintain the same morose power. Recommended for fans of bands like HORROR VACUI and PINKISH BLACK, RUBY RASH creates dark, subwoofer-rattling atmospheres perfect for those of us who enjoy spooky season year-round.
Vinyl re-release for the originally CD-only debut album by this ’90s pop punk standout. I have a pretty positive memory of this band from that era; they seemed more invested in songcraft than a lot of their contemporaries, and listening to it now that rings even more true. There’s just more going on musically even when the goal is catchy, melodic punk rock. The recording has a new mastering job that elevates the different components, putting the guitars and melodious vocals right in your face. I will say, the band always lacked a little bit of bite for my taste and that still holds true now, but not to the massive detriment of the record. Somewhere between WESTON and SQUIRTGUN with a dash of GAMEFACE, this is very, very ’90s. It sounds a lot better than it did in ’94 and has a couple comp/single bonus tracks too, a fine release overall.
Loved these guys! Their layering really made the songs feel super whole and created this tense, thick atmosphere. I loved the bass lines and cascading vocals, which were both screamy and melodic at the same time. If you like anything punk, check these guys out.
“Kill,” the first song, is terrific, with melody, clarity, and drive. I love songs that can pin a time of year outside of basic imagery associated with color, touch, smell. When Saoirse sings about cicadas, it collapses on time of year with sight, smell, and sound with one word; she has delivered a near-perfect line. However, after this song the LP starts some twists and turns that flow into dream pop, indie rock, and things like that. There are two distinct songwriters, and their styles vary in a way that makes me wish this were a split LP with two different bands. Both styles are similar but different enough to make the Gaman LP not flow. Also, I personally get a bit bored with broken-hearted boys with troubles, and half of this LP is that. I’d say this is for folks that like the MEASURE, P.S. ELIOT, RADIATOR HOSPITAL, the AMBULARS, and such.
With a creative flavor of hardcore out of Serbia, this first full-length from STATICØ mixes influences to create a unique cohesion. Infused with relentless Scandi-punk pummeling, it pushes the spirit of UK82 to aggravated extremes, creating a fitting backdrop for their intensely passionate social and political commentary. This union is surprisingly natural, demonstrating the unspoken handshake that exists between the styles while creating a futuristic feel that rings maybe loudest in the chaotic title track. When the closing “The End” comes on, echoing the morbid march of SIEGE’s “Grim Reaper,” it’s hard to imagine a cooler conclusion.
Get ready for the TOP DOLLAR stomp! Objects of Misfortune is an eight-track beast of an EP from New York’s TOP DOLLAR released on 11PM Records, the go-to label for all the best “modern” hardcore releases. Two years after their excellent demo, TOP DOLLAR unleashes their New York youth-crew-styled hardcore played at maximum velocity, with an unpredictable edge à la Youth Attack Records. All bangers, no fillers, with impeccable energy throughout, this is a record that will be spinning on my turntable for a long time.
I’ll be the first to admit that my knowledge of the Basque language leaves much to be desired, which is an enormous shame since Mendeku Diskak has been instrumental in spotlighting what continues to be a verdant and fertile scene of top-notch punk. AŔESI is no different, having already impressed with a few potted releases, and now a full(er)-length 12”. A potent mix of rock’n’Oi! which has a nod to BLITZ and some of the more rockin’ CROWN COURT tunes to boot(boy). It really is impressive to write such compelling sing-alongs in a language I can’t speak, let alone shout along to. And yet I do.
Described as “old fuckers on a PV bent,” and that’s exactly what it is. Very raw-sounding, unpretentious powerviolence with obligatory intro samples. INFEST and NEANDERTHAL are high on their influences list, as they take some of their cues and use them to perfection. Old school to the core. What else to say? Let’s fucking go!
Following in the lineage of Jay Reatard and Drew Owen, DRU THE DRIFTER is a prolific young purveyor of lo-fi garagery, and the A-side of this tape showcases four new transmissions from this the incorrigible punk upstart. On the flip, BURGERS GONE WILD is a tambourine-shakin’ one-man force to be reckoned with in the spirit of King Louie Bankston (R.I.P.) If you like it cheap and cheeky, you’ll be rocking this one until you need a pencil to help spin its guts back inside.
Two new tracks of pure, unadulterated rock’n’roll from Virginia Beach’s own CANDY SNATCHERS, now entering their thirty-third year of existence. What’s left to say about a band that’s been consistently active for the last three decades? Vocalist Larry May sounds like a combination of MEAT LOAF and Lux Interior of CRAMPS fame. May’s range and energy is equal parts impressive and inspirational. Some folks begin phoning it all in after a measly ten years, but Larry’s still out there spitting venom—full of piss, vinegar, and Mountain Dew. I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the music itself. This slab sounds fantastic; beautiful production and tight as hell. I’m a tad shocked at how much I love this little piece of wax. Proof that punk can get better with age.
CLASS ACT from Kansas City follows their debut tape with Malaise, a grimy and offbeat LP that toggles from full-speed West Coast-style hardcore punk to lumbering mid-tempo noise rock. There’s offbeat, angular guitar work, some instrumental interludes, and vocals that gleefully rant and rave throughout. It’s a frantic and at times chaotic listen; fans of MINUTEMEN and SACCHARINE TRUST will find lots to love here.
