Reviews

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Please send one copy of vinyl (preferred), CD, or cassette releases to MRR, PO Box 3852, Oakland, CA 94609, USA.

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!

Ancient Lights Reclamation LP

Reclamation by ANCIENT LIGHTS has been cycling the underground for a few months now, and if you haven’t imbibed yet, let this review be your ultimatum to get your ass in gear. ANCIENT LIGHTS play peace punk in the tradition of the MOB or ZOUNDS, while keeping things fresh by exploring new rhythms and sounds. Aggro social discourse is balanced with moments of melodic play, the production is dense, and the whole album has the vibe of an epic tome when consumed in full. Sporadically, there are riffs that remind me of the BUZZCOCKS, while intermittent tongue-in-cheek lyrics recall PROPAGANDHI circa How to Clean Everything. Frankly, there are far too many references cited in Reclamation to cover here, and you should just go check it out yourself.

Blood Trace Retaliation EP

Although they play old school, American-style hardcore punk, BLOOD TRACE is indeed from Athens, Greece. I confess I was previously unaware of the band, but they do quite well what they intend to do. I do enjoy the POISON IDEA vibe that some songs have here, but unfortunately I cannot say that I really dig this record. This production is fine and energetic, the songwriting does the job with stomping, mid-paced numbers answering beefy, fast ones, and the vocals are the strongest point, rough-hewn but dynamic and expressive. I am sure they can be very enjoyable live, but at the end of the day, it’s just not my style of hardcore punk. Sorry, guys.

Brat Farrar Group LP

This one was a little different than I expected. It sounds like DINOSAUR JR. or the REPLACEMENTS, but if they started five years earlier and were new wave bands. BRAT FARRAR is Sam Agostino, previously the frontperson for DIGGER AND THE PUSSY CATS, backed by a band featuring members of the BLOWERS and BROWN SPIRITS. Collectively, there is a lot of ground covered by all the musicians and there’s some cool songwriting going on, but I found the record to be mediocre at best. They are a good band, tight as hell, but none of the songs really stuck out to me aside from the first couple of tracks. The opener “Tower of Lies” has a killer driving rhythm and hook, and “More Money Meathead” is a true bonehead song, just dumb fun. I would have liked this more if it were an EP.

Cut-Rate Druggist Blistering LP

This two-piece from Oakland, CA comes out swinging like a three-piece (or even a four-or-more-piece). Rock’n’roll punk delivered with a smoldering attitude and swagger. However, under these driving tunes, the lyrics and sound have a dark and heavy quality like some of those AmRep bands from the ’90s. I’ve come to expect a level of intensity of live performances from the DCxPC label, so reviewing a studio LP had me a little cautious—the label has been great at capturing the inertia of a band’s live recordings, and I was wondering if they’d be able to meet that same standard. I can tell you that they completely nailed it, and if it weren’t for a couple studio tricks, I would have thought that this was live-to-tape and then to press. CUT-RATE DRUGGIST is a great starting-off point to build confidence for future DCxPC studio projects coming our way.

Downside Cruelhead/Something’s Off LP

A solid hardcore band thrives on urgency and attitude, and this one delivers both without overcomplicating things. DOWNSIDE plays frantic hardcore punk, raw in nature and with a very growly voice, making the whole thing sound much more aggressive. In 2019, the L.A. band showed us Something’s Off, and in 2026 they are back with a new record—Cruelhead on Side A, plus the old one on Side B. Some songs are in English, some songs are in Spanish, but all of them have the same anger directed at the world. They channel hardcore effectively into short, punchy tracks that leave a lasting impact.

Error de Paralaje Imagen Latente LP

This Granadan trio casually swung in at the tail end of 2025 and dropped off one of the year’s best records. Maybe too casually. Unlike other recent bands who you could similarly describe as jangly or power pop-y, they haven’t been buried under mountains of praise. I’m not sure if that’s due to a lack of exposure, or the fact that they can’t obviously be lumped in with the current jangle/power pop revival. In any event, they are a band you should be paying attention to. ERROR DE PARALAJE isn’t simply reheating BIG STAR or GUIDED BY VOICES; they’re taking a rich post-punk stock and clarifying it into a bright, delicate pop consommé. This 12”, the band’s second release since forming in the late 2010s, is a record dripping with a nostalgia not conveyed via obvious signifiers like a band donning period costumes, but via melodies that genuinely ache for a past that promised something other than the bleak reality we inhabit. The music walks such a fine line between sweet and melancholic, often sounding something like a stripped-back LOOK BLUE GO PURPLE mixed with BLONDE REDHEAD’s “Hated Because of Great Qualities.” Or a track like “Mi Mundo Gris” has you imagine a world where the  FEELIES were heavily inspired by ENNIO MORRICONE. It’s such a strange, beautiful record that I want more folks to love, so please check it out!

Flatwaves Tell Me Secrets LP

Oh, this is quite nice, no doubt about it. Has a modern MY BLOODY VALENTINE shoegaze-y vibe, but also incorporates a little bit of blackgaze—very atmospheric and vast, as if LITA FORD started singing with SWERVEDRIVER. This album is a master class in songwriting and production; you can really tell that a lot of care went into both facets of the recording process. Really fantastic work here, and well worth a couple dozen spins.

Guimauve Effondrement LP

There is a long-standing tradition in punk stating that some good bands willingly shoot themselves in the foot by picking too odd a name as a moniker. Time will tell if GUIMAUVE belongs to that heroic category—GUIMAUVE meaning “marshmallow” in French. This Parisian hardcore unit does not, however, indulge in sweet, lush punk music. Paris is hardly known for its scarcely populated hardcore scene, so bands like GUIMAUVE are always a breath of fresh air (in a manner of speaking). On a lot of levels, the band is of its day, as their hardcore punk sound borrows a number of different influences and uses diverse paces and atmospheres to get their political lyrics (in French) across. GUIMAUVE deals in mid-paced, dark hardcore as much as they can deliver the faster, wilder moments you’d expect from the genre. As a result, this first album does not feel redundant or repetitive, and even if they use effects on both the guitar and the vocals, they do not overwhelm the listener or try to hide simplistic compositions. The songs are usually well-thought-out, and I really enjoy mid-paced numbers like “L’apogée du Spectacle” or “On Aurait Pu.” The vocals are raucous and direct, but remain intelligible in spite of the rapid delivery. Old school ’80s US hardcore bands clearly got invites, but as mentioned, GUIMAUVE sounds more like a contemporary take on the old school rather than worshipping the old school, and I can see them appealing to fans of NEGAZIONE, POISON IDEA, or BAD BREEDING alike. Give this one a chance.

Isotope Soap The Rise of the Centaur LP

Since their inception, Stockholm’s ISOTOPE SOAP has been a gift that keeps giving. Even though there is a whole genre based around ripping off DEVO—which I myself am guilty of—ISOTOPE SOAP finds the best parts of what makes that sound great, and just takes it in another direction of their own. The Rise of the Centaur has subtle nods to a wide array of genres like darkwave, power pop, and weird punk. I believe what makes this record great is the combination of all these style cues. There are many directions you can go with hysterical vocals, super-tight drumming, pounding bass, tastefully written synth melodies and guitar riffs…yet ISOTOPE SOAP takes a road of their own between the lines. It’s a great record from start to finish and definitely one that you wouldn’t want to miss out on.

Kaukolė / Subscum split EP

KAUKOLÈ is from Lithuania and SUBSCUM is from Ukraine. Both play unflinching, old school grindcore that occasionally drifts into more metallic delivery, while still maintaining a punk bite. Warp speed riffs, blastbeats, and guttural vocals—no bullshit, no soundbites, no wasted time, just good, solid grind. KAUKOLÈ has a sound that is tight and definitely reminds me of Earache material from the late ’90s, while SUBSCUM is a bit more gritty and had me recalling BATHTUB SHITTER. Definitely a fun recording and worth checking out.

Listerine Listerine LP

Eleven tracks of skull-cracking hardcore punk from Paris with no frills, only the good stuff. LISTERINE takes the No Way Records catalogue (think GOVERNMENT WARNING) and adds a heaping scoop of Italian hardcore (think WRETCHED), ending up with something strikingly close to contemporaries GOLPE. If, like me, all of these names excite you, this will be right up your alley.

悶煮悶 Mengzhumeng Social Reintegration cassette

What a wild hog-ride of an introduction to this band! MENGZHUMENG is the solo bedroom recording project of WeiWei, based out of Chengdu, China. Originally released as a series of cassettes on YeYeYe Records, XTRO has since compiled the project’s first three demos into a single limited-run cassette. Each release—Social Reintegration Demo #1, Social Reintegration Demo #2, and Social Reintegration Demo #3—features six tracks (five originals and one cover). The covers might be the strangest part of this collection, leaning into weird novelty takes on each of them. It’s an eclectic mix including the STALIN, a modern Chinese bedroom pop outfit the COLUMBIAN COLA LTD (who incidentally have some absolutely beautifully-crafted pop songs), and 69, a late-’90s Chinese punk band. They’re handled with a tongue-in-cheek, slightly off-kilter approach that admittedly ends up feeling like a bit of a distraction from the originals, although perhaps that just highlights how strong those originals actually are. MENGZHUMENG delivers a set of irresistibly catchy tracks, a mixture of revved-up egg-punk and catchy lo-fi bedroom pop, all of which have a strong new wave undercurrent. Very cool collection released in such a limited number that getting a copy might be difficult, but thankfully it doesn’t seem like WeiWei has any shortage of songs coming our way.

Neon Belly Live at the Rusty Nail 7″

Pressed on a limited edition, single-sided lathe-cut 7”, this offering from Wilmington, NC’s NEON BELLY presents two tracks of gut-level hardcore punk with basement-level recording quality. Recorded live at the Rusty Nail, just like it says on the tin, this second release from the group brings 100% down-and-dirty ruckus, from the brooding “Down on Your Luck” to the chaotic “Last Song.” Not many of these were made, so if you have one, you’re special.

Oi!takus Two on One: Oi!takus EP and How to Date an Anime Girl cassette

A cassette compiling two EPs about anime, with songs having the sound structure of punk, Oi!, and hardcore. I have a tribute record to Sesame Street songs, so I’m down with silly stuff. However, I’m a bit outgunned here. The songs are fast punk/Oi!-core and probably right-on for what they are trying to do. Look, if you are into hardcore and punk and want possibly scathing hot takes on the world of punk and anime and how they crossover, then I’d say look no further. There are only a few of these tapes that exist, and after they are gone, you’ll have to wait until there are more.

Plastic Lung Demo 1 (Electric Therapy) CD

PLASTIC LUNG’s Electric Therapy is a four-track demo from this southern Italian three-piece that threads noisy post-punk with lyrics (in English) about surveillance capitalism, digital alienation, and self-destruction. The playing runs on tension: high-pitched, escalating guitar lines pulling against vocals that stay weirdly calm given the subject matter. The guitar solo about two minutes into “Surge of Destruction” goes completely sideways (in the best way), and the saxophone on “Deckard’s Way” isn’t just a JOHN ZORN panic squeal, it’s woven into the song like it belongs there. The recording sounds solid for a demo, the musicianship is there, and while the vocals don’t always match the intensity of everything happening around them, they don’t sink it, either. Four songs, and enough good ideas to make me curious about what comes next.

Retain Mind Street Box Fighting cassette

Four tracks of sloppy, dingy, lo-fi punk that lean somewhat toward the garage side of things. This is the second cassette release by RETAIN MIND, a three-piece project from Poland. Vocal duties are shared between the guitarist and bassist. There are times that this almost has an early MEAT PUPPETS feel to it. While there are moments where it seems like the band is about to go off the rails and completely fall apart, it’s still a pretty solid cassette, even if the songs are somewhat forgettable. The tape itself doesn’t list a title, however the band and label both universally refer to it as Street Box Fighting. That name appears on the tape only as the title of the fourth and final track.

Shelter Cat Visual Distress Signals for Recreational Boaters LP

Hyper-scruffy punk rock from PA. Melodic but not too melodic, with cowpunk-ish moments, not really tied to a particular beat and open to explore. There is some clear JAWBREAKER love here (the vocal line for one of the songs might sound very, very familiar) and it’ll remind you of early Lookout! Records catalog, but to me that’s a feature, not a bug. The mix puts the rhythm section up front which makes for some pleasantly complex moments, particularly from the hell of a bass player they have here. Vocals have a very effective sardonic detachment with a tinge of melancholy that makes all the elements come together really, really well. I’m quite impressed with this record.

Soft Circuit Night Fruit CD

Post-punk with an emphasis on punk. I loved the dual vocals and some funky slap bass with a dribbling of synth here and there. The songs were overall quite catchy, with my favorite track being “Washed Out,” which felt super ’80s and overall very full and immersive.

Straggler Without a Country EP

Powerviolence-flavored hardcore with all the bells and whistles from Oakland. Without a Country‘s runtime is only four minutes, but it feels significantly longer thanks to the sheer density of these songs. Each sub-two-minute track is crammed with bouncy riffs, vocals that oscillate from low growl to high shriek, blastbeats, and quickly shifting tempos. Not entirely in my wheelhouse, but good shit. For fans of GULCH.

Taste Testors Taste Testors LP

Bubblegum punk with a hint of pub rock. Has a classic ELVIS COSTELLO vibe, but of course brings to mind the RAMONES. Reminds me a bit of radio darlings the OUTFIELD, except more lo-fi. Poppy guitars and catchy-yet-haunting vocals. Nothing groundbreaking, but this is some solid punk rock here. Perfect for a drunken summer beach day.

Voluntary Redundancy Voluntary Redundancy cassette

Absolutely wild UK anarcho fastcore, irreverent to a glorious fault. This is the kind of punk you can only make if you know better and you don’t give a shit, and “not giving a shit” energy is exactly the kind of energy I want in my punk. Political in the most specific and no-bullshit manner imaginable, raucous, bass-heavy hardcore rumbles with barked, uncompromising missives that will make you smile knowingly and question your own damn self. To call this “refreshing” would be a criminal understatement—punk needs VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCY more than VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCY needs punk.

V/A Sniffing Glue UK Punk: 1979–1982 LP

Arriving starkly with a cut-and-paste sleeve and plain white labels, this Sniffing Glue compilation is as deliciously unofficial as it gets, opening an illicit portal to some excellent unsung first-wave action. Regardless of your punk snob pedigree, there’s a heavy chance you haven’t heard most of this stuff yet. Opening up with a dopey little sing-along and clumsily bouncing bass line, the title track performed by ANTI STATE CONTROL quickly shifts into some of the snappiest UK82 this side of the PARTISANS. The band’s spirited sound continues across two more tracks, kicking this collection off on a high note. Next up is VERTICAL STROKERS, a Bishop’s Stortford unit that once shared stages with the EPILEPTICS. These scrappy lads serve up a lighthearted and poppy number in “Saturday Girls” that’s followed by the darker “Holidays,” whose piercing urgency comes from the inclusion of a shrieking violin. From the same scene, URBAN DECAY provides two four-chord stompers, each thick with roughshod DIY charm. Their slow-burning “Sex Assault” ends the A-side in a smoky haze. EASY ACTION starts the flipside sounding like a cross between MICK FARREN & THE DEVIANTS and the DRONES. Their catchy “Burning a Hole” is easily the closest thing to a Top 40 hit that you’ll find on this record. Up next is the GROOVE, whose “I Want to Be a Pygmy” has a distinct early BUZZCOCKS vibe, while “I’m in Love” echoes Leamington Spa’s cheeky SHAPES. Finally, we have the SODS from Essex (not to be confused with the better-known, Danish SODS), who, like many acts of the era, brought a bit of pub rock influence to the party. Their organ-driven bop comes off like a lo-fi STRANGLERS mixed with the RADIATORS FROM SPACE. In the end, this unexpected round-up scrapes the edges of the punk history barrel to pull out some surprisingly satisfying B-list material. Now run along and track your copy down.

24/24 / Strage Di Stato split EP

Quick, no-bullshit hit of raw D-beat straight from the DIY gutter on this total ripper split from 24/24 and STRAGE DI STATO. Tracks are over before you catch your breath, blasting by in under a minute each with nothing but stripped-down rage. 24/24 from Brno play super fast crust, beginning the chaos with an unrelenting assault of blown-out distortion, tight riffing, and drums that keep a steady path of destruction. STRAGE DI STATO, blistering punks from Kisújszállás, answer back with the same fast-paced ugly attack, almost sounding like a grindcore band without blastbeats and full of dissonance. No reinvention here, just pure execution. Loud, short, and savage. Exactly how it should be.

Apéro Cold Drinks, Cool Snacks cassette

Contrary to what you’d imagine given the band’s name, it’s straight to the main course as soon as you push play on this debut APÉRO cassette. Thumping, revved-up drum machine beats paired with tasty synth lines that seem to perfectly emulate the NACHTHEXEN tone push this kooky German/French egg-punk band forward. To look at the song titles, you may be a little confused if it’s just going to be total nonsense time or a tribute record to the strangest amalgamation of things, but the jokes seem to stop with the song titles. This is eleven songs of non-stop, synth-heavy, head-bopping mayhem with no shortage of catchy riffs. The tape culminates with an absolutely killer cover of “Safe Neighborhood (Shit on the Ground)” by MADONNA with her early group the BREAKFAST CLUB. I have always wanted to cover that song, but never followed through on it. Congrats, APÉRO, you win this round. If you’ve been paying attention to cassette releases over the past handful of years you certainly must recognize the label XTRO for their continually consistent scrambled output. Easily one of the big names to be mentioned when discussing modern synth and egg-punk releases, and APÉRO fits in nicely with the label’s output. As always though, wildly limited release numbers—only 25 of these exist, and I’ve already got one of them. Get on it if you want one.

Betrayer Betrayer cassette

Straight-up POISON IDEA worship from, you guessed it, Portland.  I mean, really, it is uncanny how much this sounds like them, down to the Jerry A vocal stylings. I don’t hate it, the tunes themselves are good, but you wouldn’t be wrong for calling this derivative.

Bludgeoned Pigs Live at the Smilin’ Buddha, 1980 EP

BLUDGEONED PIGS were a blink-and-gone Vancouver band from the late ’70s/early ’80s who never managed to put out a proper record during their brief run. This six-track EP, rescued by Supreme Echo from a 1980 set at the legendary Smilin’ Buddha Cabaret, is probably the closest we’ll get. And look, the sound is rough. The performance is sloppy. The singer is picking fights with the audience like it’s his actual job. The audio drops out entirely more than once, possibly because someone unplugged a microphone. But the SEX PISTOLS were clearly this band’s north star, and fidelity was never the point. For anyone who was in that room, or in any room with BLUDGEONED PIGS during their short window, this is probably a priceless piece of their youth. For the rest of us, it’s a short scrappy document of a band that existed mostly in the memories of the people who were there.

Catastrophe Cries From the Gutter LP

London-based champions of anarcho hardcore CATASTROPHE have returned with a full-length, and you’re going to want to check it out. Nine blistering tracks of rage-filled dissent rip by in short order and will demand a replay. Inspiration seems to be drawn from CONCRETE SOX, DISCHARGE, and the body of crust, which gives CATASTROPHE a vast catalog of noises to use as fodder. As the album title implies, much of the lyrical content surrounds the theme of poverty and the turmoils caused by capitalism.

The Dumpies Lub Dub LP

I would put this somewhere between BLATZ and the FLESHIES, but with a finer ear for melody. Surprisingly catchy punk more on the lo-fi end of the spectrum, with a bass-forward mix that keeps the songs from sounding thin. As the record unfolded, it made me think of  CRIMPSHRINE, maybe more in feel than in sound. Punk rock/queer lyrics, focused and interesting songwriting, and shit that will make you sing along and circle-pit in your heart. Standout tracks “Work Song” and “Life in Hell” will be staying with me for a long, long time. This one’s a banger, strongly recommended.

Durs Coeurs Crise Cardiaque LP

DURS COEURS have booted down a door (and perhaps a wall) to fuse proto-metal, post-punk, and street rock. Melodic without being overtly pop-influenced, gritty and tough yet not impenetrable. The instrumentation across these eight cuts is impressively tasteful. They keep things wound tight and in the pocket when it counts, and sprinkle in the right amount of flourish when called for. As the opening track foreshadows, there’s a surfy twang splashed across the album that adds a buoyancy that lifts DURS COEURS to level beyond many of their peers. Fans of CAMERA SILENS in particular will want to take note.

Greg Wheeler and the Poly Mall Cops Slimephone Surveilance LP

With their goofy name and Rod Farva-esque drummer, GREG WHEELER AND THE POLY MALL COPS could easily have been another wacky garage knockoff. Instead, these innovative Iowans use the chicanery as a fun front for their layered and entertaining music, and this second LP demonstrates a smooth evolution to their subtly surfy sci-fi sound. It’s got a winning combination of classic candy riffs, buzzing energy, and infectious melody, but there’s also a tinge of chill early 2010s style like JACUZZI BOYS and WAVVES, which is another agreeable flavor. By the time we reach the closing “Your Quiet Charm,” the tide has turned entirely, leaving us with a sickly-sweet synth/acoustic indie ballad as a final surprise.

Highway Patrol In Tears cassette

This is the third full-length release from Germany’s HIGHWAY PATROL. Recorded live to tape, this somehow ended up sounding more produced than a majority of the recordings I get sent to write about. While that aspect is certainly impressive, beyond that, I’ll admit it, I just don’t get it. A self-proclaimed “country” and “wild rhythm ’n’ vodoo [sic] blues” band, a made-up genre name so bizarre it even comes with a glaring typo. Twelve tracks of sleepy, sing-song meandering with the occasional fuzzed-out solo. There is a very real possibility that I am just not the target audience for this music, although I do consider myself pretty versatile in my knowledge and tastes. If this band were a patrolled highway, I imagine the many crash reports would indicate “fell asleep at the wheel” as the cause for the crash, with the drivers having been lulled off to sleep by the lullabies found within.

Kalle Hygien Mount Meru LP

Reviewing records can be super rewarding and fun; getting exposed to new stuff, getting to be effusive of your favorite artists, maybe even turning some people on to a brand new thing. And in the past, it even felt the tiniest bit “important” because if you wanted to check out an artist, you probably had to buy the entire record/CD/tape, so a review could help you decide how you’d spend your hard-earned bucks. I don’t have to worry about imploring you to save said hard-earned bucks by avoiding spending them on this record. You should not buy this record. But in 2026, you could easily listen to it without much cost besides your time, I suppose. This is not good. But maybe you get your rocks off on that stuff? I’m not going to say “don’t listen to this” because it’s, well, it’s something. If those indie bands of the late 2000s that tried too hard to show they were weird (THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’T THEY, MAN MAN, later OF MONTREAL) tried to ape GORILLAZ beats, it might sound something like this? Maybe? Either way, I listened to it so you don’t have to.

Lovebomb Chainmail & Gagball cassette

Mannheim’s solo egg-punk extravaganza LOVEBOMB absolutely stuns with their super lo-fi shenanigans and claustrophobic quirkiness. Seemingly recorded between a dungeon’s sweating walls with nothing but a dusty multitrack recorded looted off of a low-level warlock, Chainmail & Gagball is the perfect record to scratch your early POWERPLANT itch. Vibes are truly immense on this one.

Mental Slaughter Feedback // Warfare cassette

Members of GAOLED and NO FUTURE infrequently play together as MENTAL SLAUGHTER, a raw, munitions-grade, LANGUID-worshipping D-beat band. Screaming guitar leads sweep over a rumbling and banging rhythm section that supports the gnashing and disgusted vocal delivery. Noisy and distortion-laden, MENTAL SLAUGHTER offers eight songs on this initial cassette, and if you’re into the D-beat that gets your fist pumping and head banging, then this is for you.

The Normals Anorexia Nervosa / Monkey Out of Me 7″

Not the KBD degenerate NORMALS from New Orleans, but rather one of the earliest punk bands to form in Wellington, New Zealand, making their first appearance on vinyl here almost a half-century after they broke up. Kiwi DIY enthusiasts should immediately pick up on some clues in these songs, recorded in 1979 shortly before the band splintered, that help situate the NORMALS within a very specific, time-fixed regional context—right off the bat, the lyrically direct, personal/political femme-punk of A-side “Anorexia Nervosa” effectively foreshadows Wellington’s late ’70s/early ’80s Terrace scene as documented on the essential **** (Four Stars) comp, in particular LIFE IN THE FRIDGE EXISTS and the WALLSOCKETS (see the latter’s “Euthanasia” for some clear musical and thematic parallels). B-side “Bananas” (alternately referred to as “Monkey Out of Me”) is far more lighthearted, a no-frills, pogo-primed and pop-minded first wave rush like a North Island counterpart to TOY LOVE, complete with a big, dumb (positive) “Going tutti frutti!” chanted hook from vocalist Dazee Day. Go ape for both of them!

Offend Your Friends Almost Didn’t Make It CD

From Fond Du Lac, WI, we get the punk/ska/hardcore/Oi! of OFFEND YOUR FRIENDS, who have been smashing the state since George W. Bush was in office. I really don’t know what to make of this. The song topics range from being upset about things to eating poop. Spanning the aggressive, melodic ranges of punk, ska and hardcore, Almost Didn’t Make It is globbed full of sing-along choruses and adorable saxophone solos. I can’t single out what specifically makes this so appealing, but overall, it’s the entire bundle of everything they are throwing at me. I bet they bounce off the walls live, play way too long, and everyone in the room loves every second of it. Popping with the energy of firecrackers tossed under a picnic table, the jokes timed with power and purity make this album more than just a passing glance. The twelve songs start to run out of steam around track ten. This is going to resonate with someone somewhere, and that person is going to go on to do something miraculous and attribute it to these fucked-up punk/ska songs outta Fond Du Lac. Also, the exact opposite might happen, where something horrible occurs and the manifesto references this release. Look, you don’t come here for fortune-telling services, but you could still check out this album and maybe be the person you’ve always wanted to become.

Pisssniffers Pisssniffers LP

You know what? I am very pleased that I got assigned this LP for review, not just because I actually already own and love the thing, but because I find the prospect of wearing a PISSSNIFFERS top during a job interview hilarious. Unless you want the job, of course. Greece has no shortage of ace hardcore bands these days with acts like ΠΥΡ ΚΑΤΑ ΒΟΥΛΗΣΗ or ΠΛΕΚΤΑΝΗ delivering the goods. I am a sucker for Greek punk and I find the language works with every punk subgenre, and PISSSNIFFERS, unsurprisingly, indulge in shitlicking käng hardcore punk, a style I am fond of indeed. Our sniffers don’t necessarily aim for a perfect replica of Sweden though, and I am reminded more of other Scandi-inspired but non-Scandinavian bands such as TOTÄLICKERS, PISSCHRÏST, and other bands who dick around with umlauts. The songwriting is simple but effective, and the energy certainly makes up for the relative typicalness of the music (which I monomaniacally don’t mind, personally), and production-wise, it sounds perfect—studs-oriented, pummeling, and still raw with angry vocals. Nothing new under the nuclear sunrise, but PISSSNIFFERS have that je ne sais quoi that makes their classic dispunk recipe stand out. And don’t forget that wearing a shirt can also make your parents mad if you are still fifteen.

PLQMRX Upside Yer Head 12″

This record sucks so profoundly that I don’t have the words to express how pissed I am that I wasted 22 minutes of my finite lifetime listening to it. Look at the cover for some clues: we have two guys in gaudy vintage suits, clown sculptures, and a font from the Man’s Ruin Records design bible. If time stopped for you in 1995 and these dudes look like a chill time, go ahead and order the “Crackhead’s Bundle” of records, shirts, and shit from their Bandcamp. Crank it up and bond with your favorite estranged uncles over this overworked, overblown casserole of psych, funk, doom riffs, and noise rock. And please understand that they wear wacky costumes when playing live. I wish I could do a citizen’s arrest on guitarist (let me check the notes) Midnight Moses—that’s right, the members have goofy pseudonyms like vocalist Cleetus Alreetus Alrightus and drummer Vinniehana, rumored to be Vincent Signorelli of UNSANE—for egregious wah pedal abuse with intent to harm. The songs, from the bombastic opener “Us vs. Them” to the deeply stupid “Hundred Dollar Hot Dog,” are an unceasing blast of psyched-up wah soloing, distorted bass grooves, and groaning, growling vocals. It’s loud and unyielding, but in the most annoying way possible, like a guy on a bus screaming his best Jim Carrey impersonation in your face. They namecheck FLIPPER, BUTTHOLE SURFERS, and FUNKADELIC as influences, and sure, whatever, this shit kind of sounds like those bands, with touches of LAUGHING HYENAS, RED FANG, and COWS. But much, much worse. Reptilian has released some great records, but this is not one of them. I would honestly rather sit in silence than play this again.

Problem Addict Timmy is a Monster cassette

Aggro, spooky garage rock that’s over in a blink. Seriously, I threw this on without paying heed to the track lengths and was shocked when the record came to a sudden end! Lots of fun, melodic tracks that don’t run over two-and-a-half minutes each. If you love BOBBY “BORIS” PICKETT and the QUEERS, then this will most likely be your new favorite band. I think this band has a dedicated sampler, which I would love to see in more punk bands.

Red Devil Ryders Is It Love? LP

Very cool sounds coming out of Cleveland here. Lots going on, not easy to pin down, track times ranging from two minutes to over seven, half a dozen genres listed on their Bandcamp page—and yet, it all seems to work pretty well. There are plenty of other sounds you’ll find yourself thinking of throughout these thirteen tracks, and they’ll keep changing as you go along. The Ohio connection jumps out right away with GUIDED BY VOICES, but then you might think of the GIZMOS, or a more contemporary SMARTHEARTS, and then maybe ROYAL HEADACHE on the standout track “Rude Awakening.” The vast sounds and references make for a less than singular, cohesive collection, but it never really veers into feeling too disjointed at any point. A fun collection that will draw you in and out throughout its runtime.

Savage Beat Bright Lights, Tall Shadows LP

SAVAGE BEAT’s Bright Lights, Tall Shadows is the latest from this Amsterdam five-piece, now a decade into their run of TURBONEGRO- and DEAD BOYS-worship filtered through glam and pub rock. The ingredients are all here: gang vocals, rock’n’roll keys, big choruses, and a general air of leather jacket celebration. The band clearly knows how to work this lane, the playing is tight, the vocals fit the material, and you can hear the fun in it. Where it loses me is that the songs started running together after a few listens. If you’re already sold on this style, nothing here will offend you. The problem is that almost nothing here will surprise you, either. The record as a whole could use a few more sharp turns, but if you’re already deep into this style and want another slab of it, SAVAGE BEAT delivers exactly what’s on the label.

Skelett Skelett cassette

This self-titled release from SKELETT sticks to a pretty minimal formula that works: wiry guitars, tight but slightly loose-feeling drums, and explosive vocals. It leans into that in-between space of punk that isn’t fully hardcore but not quite post-punk either, just kind of hovering in its own grey zone. Tracks like “Electric Sledgehammer” and “Blut” have a nice forward motion without going overboard on speed. They’re direct, but not overly frantic. There’s a bit more room to sit with the riffs, which gives the whole thing a colder, more controlled feel compared to other hardcore demos. A lot of the record works on repetition and tone rather than big moments. “Digital Dumpster” and “Allergic Reaction” especially feel locked into a groove with their simple structures. By the time “Rot” closes things out, it feels more consistent than anything else. A solid run of songs that stick to their lane.

Soji / Urban Waste DCxPC Live Presents, Vol. 38 split LP

Killer split LP featuring Queens legends URBAN WASTE and Philadelphia’s SOJI. The URBAN WASTE songs are exactly what you’d expect; technical, fast, and brutal NYHC. There’s something to be said for a band 40 years into their career and still laying it down like this, respect! The SOJI side keeps the energy and takes things in an entirely different direction. It’s hardcore that pairs chugging metal riffs against these groovy and melodic passages. It’s not my thing, but the execution is excellent and it’s fucking cool to see bands taking things into their own hands and doing it their way. Lyrically, it’s confrontational and subversive. They are speaking about the shit that needs to be talked about and I love to hear it. Oh yeah, this is only available on LP through the label and limited to 200 hand-numbered copies, you can’t stream it! Community over corporations, motherfuckers!

Static Friction Static Friction 12″

Absolutely smitten with this 12”. Melodic hardcore out of Boston that combines all the best elements of the genre: yelping vocals, soaring power chords, and catchy riffs that go on for days. Very reminiscent of KID DYNAMITE, NONE MORE BLACK, and ARMALITE. Insane to me that this is their debut recording; sounds like they’ve been playing together for decades. The songs are masterly crafted and are super-tight. They wrap the whole thing up with a classic AFI cover, which is just pure perfection. This is an exceptionally solid slab and I require you to listen to it. Do it now!

Tremors Love is War Now LP

This is what I mean when I tell people I listen to pop punk—catchy, energetic pop songs played with grit and hollered ‘til you’re hoarse. More RAMONES than BLINK-182, and the genuine article. These Germans sit in that sweet seat at the table alongside Dirtnap Records-type garage revival revival with non-stop hooks and guitars you can sink your teeth into. You can tell they know what they’ve got and how to use it, too, because there are nine tracks here and not one is over three minutes long. Verse/chorus/verse/chorus perfection, makes a splash and politely leaves before outstaying its welcome. I love it!

Tri Groše Koniec Jednej Epizody LP

Very ’90s-coded melodic punk here. Musically, this album hits like a less street-sounding version of the SWINGIN’ UTTERS, with accordion-like keys sprinkled throughout and plenty of Eastern European-influenced beats (even a couple that push out so far that it’s basically ska). The production is a little too clean for me and the vocals aren’t my favorite (they have a “dad at the pub” vibe to them), but generally the songs are fun, if maybe forgettable, little exercises.

Xray Xeroxx Art Rock! cassette

XRAY XEROXX brings medium-fi garage punk that is stylistically all over the place. The first two tracks revel in thick, fuzzy chord progressions with catchy, gruff vocals, resulting in grunge-meets-garage Warped Tour fodder—essentially NOFX with a Big Muff pedal, which is probably a cup of tea quite a few people enjoy. The second half sucks in a different way. Not to weaponize the band name, but “Art Rock!” and “1.21 Jiggawatts” sound like cheap, bad copies of quirky egg-punk bands without the nervous weirdo energy and rawness that make the microgenre tolerable. The tracks feel calculated and inauthentic, and while snappy with their squiggly synths and jerky vocals, smack of forgettable genre tourism. Lyrics to “Art Rock!” say, “Is this new wave or no wave? / Who’s to say? / Is this grunge, is it shoegaze? / Is it cliche? / Is this new wave or no wave? / Who’s to say either way? / But would I listen to it? / No way!” Yeah, same.

V/A Notes From the Northeast EP

With every compilation I have ever listened to, I always look for a few distinct things. First, did these bands give their best, or did they submit throwaway tracks? Second, do I get the feeling that I’d want to stop into their hometown for lunch and record shopping? Third, and most importantly, do I want to seek out music from bands I’ve never heard before? Here we have four bands stretching from Staten Island, NY to Philadelphia, PA, each showing off their brand of hardcore. All are tight and premier for what they do. It is clear from the first go-round and round (see what I did there) that there is no filler. Oh my golly, there are no weak links on this little spinner. The only reason that I gotta call the CABLE CAR THEORY song my favorite track is because they start with a movie quote from The Golden Child. So, do I wanna grab lunch in their town(s)? Yes. Regions of the country that have bands that sound like this most definitely have good eats around. Lastly, do I want to seek out other tunes by these bands? Yes. Coming into this, I knew GREY C.E.L.L. and would have picked this up in the wild just knowing their name alone, only to find that they keep good company. If you are in the market for a tight, solidly interesting plastic slab of ’90s–’20s melodic hardcore, screamo, and post-hardcore, then look no further. And guess what, it has five or so vinyl colors to choose from, and an eight-page booklet printed at Kinko’s with stolen copy cards that were later purchased for pennies at Michigan Fest.

Arüspex The Death Instinct LP

ARÜSPEX is a relatively new band from Northern California, and I was not familiar with their work until this review. Their name refers to the priests who practiced divination through the inspection of sacrificed animals’ entrails in ancient Rome, and although for all we know, they may have been a bunch of merry lads, this choice for a band’s name does signal grim bleakness rather than upbeat optimism. Fittingly, ARÜSPEX plays what is often referred to as “blackened crust,” and if the term tends to be used improperly, I think it is relevant here. The post-HIS HERO IS GONE neocrust of the ’00s (EKKAIA, AMBULANCE, or FALL OF EFRAFA of this world) is definitely summoned, but the black metal influence is also very strong here. It sounds quite versatile, with epic, melodic D-beat crust moments, full-on black metal blastbeats, and mid-paced atmospheric bits working together to tell an overall good cohesive story. The extreme vocals reek of anger and despair, and the production matches the genre’s prerequisites. I’d be lying to claim I’m an ecstatic fan of the blackened crust genre, but ARÜSPEX does it very well, and I can imagine them being praised quite highly by the certified amateurs.

Bleakness Blurred Visions LP

Gothic death-punk with a tinge of orgcore coming to you straight from ol’ Paris, as if PAINT IT BLACK collaborated with the DISPOSSESSED to bring you a melodic hardcore version of the CURE. Fantastic production; the natural distortion on the guitar is absolutely classic and clean, while the bass is punchy and crisp. For a trio, these folks pack a huge punch. It doesn’t sound like they did a lot of overdubbing either, so I’d have to assume this is a pretty faithful recreation of how they sound live. Everything feels huge and soaring—vocals, guitars, and hell, even the drums. Really solid slab and well worth checking out.