Reviews

For review and radio play consideration:

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!

All Beat Up / Cockring Humiliation Ritual split LP

Humiliation Ritual shifts between noise-soaked hardcore and ugly, angular punk without ever losing momentum or sense of purpose. COCKRING leans into groovier and unhinged hardcore, channeling the “damaged” repetition of GAG and HOAX. ALL BEAT UP brings the curveballs to the table with tracks that land somewhere between the savagery of CONVERGE and the harsher, dissonant edges of BOTCH. What ties the split together is the forward momentum itself. Everything sounds fresh and original. Both bands do genuinely honest takes on hardcore, and both sound very, very different from each other. Sometimes that’s just what a good split is.

Bad Motivator split 7″

This is a two-song split with each band leaning in with their best. BAD MOTIVATOR’s is a jerky ’70s punk tune that lyrically pulls you into themes of “turn on, tune in, drop out.” “Information Overload” is budding with nervous energy that keeps you learning forward anxiously for the entire song. The flip with WOOLLY BANDITS caught me completely off guard. With an aural garage attack that blends the fierce lyrics of Christa Collins and the raw guitar energy of Rik Collins. “A.I. Must Die” balances between unharnessed Paisley Underground, a wall of ’60s proto-punk, and a ’70s punk sound, while managing to be on-topic and present. It takes guts to do a two-sider split but this wins. I’m gonna go check their other offerings.

Crocodiles Greetings From Hell LP

CROCODILES have been making music for almost two decades, which is always impressive. Their latest offering kicks off with a really solid opening track and ends with an equally intriguing number, with everything in the middle varying from fine to pretty good. And that construction is always a bit tough. You drop the needle and immediately think it might be a fun ride, but then a lot of the ensuing numbers just feel a little too plodding, a little too polished. But I do think they nail those opening and closing moments. Perhaps the most interesting point on the album for me was “I Dream of Genet,” which plays out like a gender-swapped version of KISS’s “Nothin’ to Lose”—not something I ever really expected to hear, let alone a sentence I ever really expected to write.

Crying Form / Regulator split cassette

Some new slammers out of Athens. REGULATOR comes in on some smooth, “slow nod” hardcore with a damaged sound and hip hop edge. Their second song is a speedier number that reveals a bit of the BAD BRAINS influence you might expect from the band’s name. Then, CRYING FORM comes in and just melts the skin off your face. Good tape.

The Dracu-Las I’m Blue (The Gong-Gong Song) / Time is a Maze 7″

Mixing up a retro surf vibe with a girl group soul sound of the ’50s and ’60s, Jersey City’s DRACU-LAS pack a lot into these two tracks. It kicks off with a cover of the IKETTES’ “I’m Blue,” with vocalist Kyna Damewood channeling Rachel Nagy of the DETROIT COBRAS, and the second track, “Time is a Maze,” takes more of a punk-a-go-go approach. The two additional digital-only songs accompanying the single have a spirit reminiscent of the COATHANGERS and SUICIDE NOTES.

Extracts Extracts cassette

Oh my holy mother of HOT SNAKES, did I enjoy this EXTRACTS release from the very first note strummed. Fantastic four-piece outta New Orleans, a city whose scene awesome gives us dirge-y and heavy and humid, but this self-titled recording, released February 6, 2026, is light and airy and high-flying. The album’s second song, “Currency,” conjures JAWBOX in its cyclic guitar riffs and hoppy-skippy drum syncopations. They sound like four guys who have played together joyously for a long time. It’s nice to encounter bands with two guitars where they seem to have perfected the art of back-and-forth and sharing space. I love the decaying American flag over a doorway on the cover art, too. “Gold Plated Skeleton,” the final song, has a quiet sadness woven in and shows that they know the value of bending a string here and there. I wanna go see these folks!

Franky and the Slight Incline DCxPC Live, Vol. 46: Live at the Cave LP

Another DCxPC live release lands in the pile, and this is a pretty good one. FRANKY AND THE SLIGHT INCLINE careen through fifteen tracks recorded at Chapel Hill’s The Cave in 2024, and the sound quality is rough, but let’s be honest, nobody’s buying DCxPC recordings to pamper their precious audiophile ears. What you get is sloppy, zippy punk rock with lyrics that are mostly idiotic until they aren’t, the kind of dumb that occasionally winks at you and reveals that maybe there’s something sharper underneath. One minute they’re dropping a pretty, surfy instrumental interlude like they got confused about what’s happening, and the next they’re ripping through “Entfremdung,” an anti-consumerist rant, “Aus-ccent,” a gleeful hack job on Australian accents, or “Death Row Americano,” where it sounds like the singer (or singers?) got possessed by a committee of demons who can’t agree on whose voice is next. Spiritual descendants of the DIESEL QUEENS, maybe, with the same gift for making a mess sound like a party. The vocals are strong, the energy never dips, and the whole thing is a pretty good time.

GNP 1985 Demo LP

Formed in Birmingham in 1982, GROSSEST NATIONAL PRODUCT (GNP) was one of Alabama’s first hardcore bands. These goofball thrashers cut this sixteen-song tape in 1985, preserving songs with titles like “Teenage Abortion,” “Rabid Lassie,” and “I Married an Astro Zombie” for posterity. It’s wacky old school stuff with remastered sound that cuts some of the dirt of the demo. If your collection includes the fine works of the ANGRY SAMOANS, DAYGLO ABORTIONS, and ADRENALIN O.D., you may want to slap this in there, too.

Here’s Your Warning Here’s Your Warning LP

This record took one hell of a trip to reach its final destination; i.e. completion. With the writing and recording beginning all the way back in 2019, this slab would go on to be re-recorded each time there was a lineup change, totaling five different recording sessions. Holy smokes, talk about a passion project. The end result? Your standard West Coast punk rock affair; skate punk with a bit of thrash and Oi! influences, almost like a less-melodic BAD RELIGION meshed with MDC and BLITZ. Tackling topics such as the coronavirus and our current political climate, this album is certainly the soundtrack of our times, even if it sounds like it came straight from the ’80s. If you’re a fan of “traditional punk,” then you’ll love this one—classic “fuck you” energy melded with that sloppy chaos you only get from the veterans of the scene.

Laughing Torso Dead Homies EP

Humid and dense, like their hometown of New Orleans. Their suffocating sound is hard to map cleanly as it leaves a swampy trail. The whole record just runs on hatred and forward motion with the deadliest of insistence. Repetition becomes erosion with every riff, feeling like it’s sanding another layer off the original idea. They sound like the ’00s hardcore bands that sprinkled a little crustiness in their punk—CATHARSIS comes to mind, especially because of the smothering, screeched vocals. Overall, a great EP for those who like dangerous music. Plus, the cover has a flail that is also a skull. How could you go wrong?

Man With Rope / Mindclot split cassette

Only a label like Noise Merchant could bring a split where both bands are deviously raw and equally heavy. MINDCLOT and MAN WITH ROPE are both out of St. Louis, Missouri. They each have two tracks on this split, with MINDCLOT playing their D-beat-infused hardcore and MAN WITH ROPE offering their crust-blended hardcore. If you’re curious about the punk scene in the Show Me State, then check out this split.

Oral Slagen I Blod LP

ORAL. What a weird name for a band. Not really a shirt you would wear comfortably in 2026. To my great shame, I only discovered the band a couple of years ago when FOAD Records reissued an early discography of this Swedish band, Dystopisk Framtid. To be fair, I was a little upset that I didn’t know this mid/late ’80s band before, as they played a cracking style of raw and absolutely furious abrasive käng reminiscent of CRUDE SS or AVSKUM, but a with a more pronounced metallic thrash influence at times. The dog’s bollocks. ORAL’s only proper recording came out in 1994 and included nine songs originally written during their first run between 1984 and 1989 (I assume they were no longer active by then) and recorded with a heavier, not to mention more metal-oriented, production. Seeing the prices of the CD-only release, Slagen I Blod must have been considered as something of an obscure classic that was difficult to acquire, so the reissue on De:Nihil Records (a label that was kind enough to reissue CRUDITY last year) is welcome indeed. The basis of the songs are still to be found in the second part of the ’80s, back when primitive brands of hardcore and metal started dating for real. Slagen I Blod sounds like a bridge between the aggression of Swedish extreme metal of the ’90s and the brutality of the D-beat hardcore of Distortion Records from the same time, and it is quite excellent. Many current bands try hard to pull this “metal käng” style, and very few succeed like ORAL did. But then, guitar player Alf also played in AT THE GATES, so clearly he knew what he was doing. An essential reissue in my opinion.

Pretty Baby Layaway Plot LP

You know what the toughest thing a punk band can do in 2026, a year dominated by horrible people doing and saying horrible things to each other? Be radically vulnerable; emotionally transparent and available. Charlotte, NC, post-hardcore band PRETTY BABY purges stories of grief, loss, and hope on their gorgeous debut LP that sounds like amplified heartbreak. Buffeted by lush instrumental interstitial tracks, the songs ride quiet/loud dynamics that move from hushed, finger-picked passages to propulsive post-punk bass grooves to full-chested emoviolence screaming, all while remaining tonally consistent and affecting. “Ghost Teller” opens with a melodic guitar hook that sounds like TITLE FIGHT at their shouty best before erupting into blastbeat hardcore by the end. “Hector’s Loop” goes from a filthy noise rock riff into textural indie punk like a PISSED JEANS/JAWBOX best friend handshake. There are raw moments too, like the ripping chaotic violence of “Grappled and Poisoned,” but even then, shards of layered beauty shine through in the form of melancholy piano and reverse reverbed synth. It’s a complex and rewarding listen and totally recommended.

Sick Shooters Super Sonic Rock Saga LP

Another excellent record. Three for three this month. This is fairly straightforward melodic punk rock that is very good. It’s mid-tempo and catchy. With most of the songs clocking in at right around two minutes, this is right up my alley. Get in. Get out. Get the job done. If I didn’t use the term “power pop” in this review, I’d have done you a disservice. Really nicely done. Reminds me of later BUZZCOCKS stuff at times.

Sonic Youth of Today AKA SYT cassette

Spain’s SONIC YOUTH OF TODAY gathered all the synthesizers they could find and made some of the catchiest “straight to Gameboy Color” music you could think of. Layers and layers of synthesizers, captivatingly haunting vocals, and pounding drum machine beats create this warm on the outside, cold at heart, slightly unsettling but primordially familiar sound. I not only enjoyed this album, but also connected with it deeply.

Sprgrs EP2 cassette

SPRGRS from Granada, Spain are a mid-tempo, drum-machine-driven egg-punk band, heavy on the catchy bass lines and repetitive grooves. Despite having succumbed to the SNOOPER virus and doing Jazzercise throughout their entire live sets, this band is an all-around good time. I played with them in the summer of 2024 when they toured the States and absolutely loved it. Hell, I even picked up this cassette from them when they were here! A year-and-a-half later, and XTRO has reissued this cassette in a limited run of 25 copies. Hope you packed your Dramamine, fellow voyagers, as these are some of the most warbly guitars I have ever heard! On top of that, the flutter and tape fluctuation warble on the dubbing of this tape has me feeling incredibly lost at sea. There are five songs total, three with emoji titles, all of which sound incredibly similar and kind of blur together. There are some cool licks for sure, but ultimately this cassette ends up feeling like one long, disjointed, herky-jerky track. All in all, SPRGRS is a killer band with solid songwriting and a ton of live energy. If you’re into lo-fi egg-punk, grab a copy before it disappears.

Streets of Separation Faux Fur EP

Dark punk lurches from the most isolated city in the world. From the harsh, plodding “My Pleasure,” with its deadly intense vocals giving way to slow and deliberate moans, to the desperate, amped-up, sub-minute-long “Motorbike,” Perth’s STREETS OF SEPARATION defy modern convention, channelling ’90s riot grrrl, primitive Australian punk, and steely determination for a modern reality. The guitar is wild, the vocals are intense, the rhythm section grooves like the Goner archives…and I’ve never heard anything like it.

Total Wolf World Wolf III / Defcon 4 LP

The Wolf World III side was released in 2022, while the Defcon 4 side just plopped out in 2026. TOTAL WOLF has gotten tighter in the four year gap between releases, but their message of being mad picks up perfectly from where it stopped in 2022. TOTAL WOLF has grunt-loads of punk’n’roll melody with ”shut the fuck up” shouted gang vocals that inspire you to not “shut the fuck up.” Imagine tough-guy melody with guitar solos and driving rock’n’roll punk, like if NASHVILLE PUSSY’s ass-kicking fast pace and relentlessness were bottled and corked. They like to get fucked up, as they said in one of their songs from 2022. They curse a lot and probably do some high kicks and bring it hard to every show. In a 2026 song, they are still committed to getting fucked up. Live, I’m nearly almost maybe certain that they are possibly unhinged. One thing is undoubtedly certain, TOTAL WOLF brings the party. Man, two records on one record is a great savings too, and also shows their attention to budget-conscious punks. Thanks, TOTAL WOLF.

United Stare Voice of Change EP

I’d never heard this band, and the first track blew me away. It’s a killer slab of UK-style punk brewed in Pittsburgh, PA. It’s gritty, the chorus is a crusher, and the vocals have a real Oi! quality to them. You could have probably convinced me this was a 7” lost to time, discovered in the attic 30 years after the band broke up. That is, until I got to track two and the band switched gears into DINOSAUR JR. riffage complete with slacker/loser vocals. Not nearly as cool and memorable as the first track, but will scratch the itch of anyone into the mid -’80s SST releases. I was starting to wonder if maybe the band has two principle songwriters who each brought a track to the table, but any interest I had in exploring that further was over as soon as I started the B-side. It’s one seven-minute instrumental track that isn’t worth the time it takes to flip the record. Shoulda kept it lean and mean. The title track is a goddamn banger, though.

V/A Punx Against Ice CD

A commendable anti-ICE benefit comp with proceeds going to Border Kindness, “a charity that provides asylum-seekers, migrants, and refugees with things such as food, shelter, clothing, medical care and legal services.” The music here doesn’t really hit for me personally, ranging from street punk to crust to powerviolence and lots of other styles in between. Mileage will vary, and you should check it out for yourself, but regardless of your taste, this is for a worthy cause and what punk subculture is all about.

Agita Commercials cassette

Fifteen tracks of scabby, unsettling noise rock with only one song clocking in over a minute. In a genre where repetition and endurance are cornerstones, the brief blasts here never overstay their welcome, hitting you with barf vocals, syncopated dirge riffing, and pounding drums like a HARVEY MILK or MELVINS Whitman’s Sampler. It’s rad gutter noise punk in small doses, perfect for short attention spans or repeat listens.

Burned Up Bled Dry Next Stop… Dead Stop… LP

Arkansas cannot be said to be the most glamorous place of the Empire (or is it?), and judging from the ferocity of BURNED UP BLED DRY’s first album, it might be an additional source of anger. If Next Stop… Dead Stop… is indeed the band’s first LP, they have been going (on and off) since 1996, so they are not exactly in a hurry (contrary to their style). I had not heard of the band before, but they were apparently classified as a powerviolence act back when the scene was replete with representatives of the genre. From what I hear on this LP, in spite of the shortness of the songs (26 songs in 25 minutes, so there’s no arsing around here) and the (very) fast numbers, I wouldn’t call them a strict powerviolence act. The songwriting is diverse, somewhat progressive, with many breaks and changes, from sludgecore songs to crusty moments, blasting hardcore madness or high-energy stomping hardcore, but heaviness and despair are always at the helm. A wild pony with many tricks, if you like. Because they developed in the ’90s and the LP is released on Prank Records (a defining label from that era), comparisons to works by the likes of HIS HERO IS GONE, DAMAD, and DEATHREAT are relevant, but BURNED UP BLED DRY sounds more urgent somehow—the powerviolence influence definitely affects this feel. The production is heavy and very guitar-driven, the angry vocals are raucous and expressive, and it stands as a very convincing work that could appeal to a wide audience of extreme music lovers (people with bad backs will definitely be into that), although the LP’s relentlessness can sometimes be a little overwhelming and might be hard for some to digest in one sitting.

Caspa I Hate Caspa cassette

Finding the right words for a review can be tricky when you don’t want to lean on quick subgenre labels. CASPA is a San Antonio synth punk band, in that they are a punk band with a synth player. What I hear in them isn’t a standard breakdown of a synth punk band or the modern-day simple equivalent of egg-punk, and requires separate assessments. The guitars, bass, and drums sit in mid-tempo punk/pop punk territory. The synth, sounding like a Fisher Price keyboard with only the highest octave working, plink-plunks catchy lines over the pop-laden songs. The final layer, the vocals, swing between sing-songy hooks and high-pitched squeals, sitting roughly three times louder than the instruments. While I know everyone doesn’t share my mindset that vocals should be treated as just another instrument, the idea that the vocals are somehow three times as important as anything else is confusing to me. So much of this cassette is very high-pitched, and I’m relieved that my advanced tinnitus from years of loud gig attendance hasn’t deprived me of the ability to hear the frequencies on this CASPA cassette. CASPA exists on a frequency all its own, above 3,000 Hz. It’s clear that the label releasing this cassette and the one that has already done a vinyl version are both incredibly excited about the band, and there are surely reasons for that. Based on this cassette alone, however, I feel nothing but exhaustion after just one listen. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to check on the dog, who bolted as soon as the tape started. Perhaps there are even higher CASPA frequencies not perceptible to the human ear equally prevalent on this release.

Crache Éclaircie Sauvage cassette

Following a couple singles and a full-length in 2023, CRACHE is out with the Éclaircie Sauvage cassette (via XTRO in the States and Howlin’ Banana and Ganache Records in France). This synth punk quartet hailing from Marseille brings us five tracks of full-send energy, with everybody slamming their instruments and voices to a breaking point, bringing synth and hardcore to a mostly holy union. That said, they aren’t relentless, and offer plenty of moments of moodiness (“Rigoletto), of doomy outros (“Confusion Générale”), and what I assume is tongue-in-cheek lyrics (“Ballade”) featuring a more typical, slower tempo and high-register “la la la”s over the chorus. No way to not have fun with this one.

Dogfightt / Pogowolves split EP

POGOWOLVES are tough to nail down—there are elements of wild Japanese hardcore (thinking about the backing vox and the You-esque bass), and they seem to be leaning towards a metallic STARVING WOLVES approach; it’s a lot to handle. On the flip, DOGFIGHTT is early UK trash and ’80s Sunset Strip energy, total ENGLISH DOGS and INEPSY vibes with searing lead vocals. Both bands are from Kuala Lumpur and both demand further investigation.

Ekibyo Condemned to a Worthless Existence cassette

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—I’m a sucker for lo-fi, noisy, crasher punk, and EKIBYO out of Florida does not disappoint. The Condemned to a Worthless Existence cassette contains five original songs and a RUDIMENTARY PENI cover, all slathered in distortion so dense you’ll swear there’s a swarm of bees coming through your speakers. Indignant lyrics critique multiple aspects of imperialistic societies with a rapid-fire delivery while a heavy rhythm section pounds out primal beats. EKIBYO certainly isn’t attempting to reinvent the wheel, but Condemned to a Worthless Existence is worth a listen if you’re in the mood.

Fake Lighters Sinking In LP

This has a real OFF WITH THEIR HEADS/DILLINGER FOUR feel to it. It’s sloppy but authentic, and chock-full of hooks and sing-along parts. This has all the perfect elements of a “windows down, car full of friends shouting along with the songs” record. I feel like Long Island, NY has been churning out more and more of this kinda stuff in recent years. Simple and memorable, passion-filled, with vocals bleeding through the guitars with melody and honesty. Apparently they’ve been cranking out the hits for four years. Also, I gotta talk about the sleeve with a big ol’ grizzly holding a dandelion as the fish jump past him. I love it. I’d wear that shirt.

Gold Cup The Piss Has Been Taken cassette

GOLD CUP’s The Piss Has Been Taken is a six-song cassette from a Manchester four-piece who’ve been kicking out really solid rockers since 2023. This release is a little less egg-punky than some of their earlier material, but the fuzzed-out vocals over hard-driving rock’n’roll keep things moving and let a killer bass tone do a lot of the heavy lifting. At times, it reminded me of the KIDS, that same kind of locked-in, no-frills energy where the songs don’t need to be clever because they’re too busy being good. The playing is tight, the recording suits the music perfectly, and every listen pulled me in a little deeper. The limited cassette run is already sold out, but the whole thing is up on Bandcamp, so do yourself a favor and check them out.

Huge Prick Psycho Chair cassette

Vancouver is absolutely filthy with excellent punk bands, so it’s no surprise to see yet another show up in my review pile. HUGE PRICK (great name) plays totally blown-out and over-the-top hardcore that sounds fried to a crisp and grimy in the best way possible. This seven-track, six-minute-long tape boasts all the abrasive fun you could ask for, including the riff from BLACK SABBATH’s “War Pigs” and a quick refrain of the chorus of “We’re a Happy Family” by the RAMONES. Check this one out; start with “R’N’R Dickhead.”

Ismatic Guru Crocbrain, or, Two Big Steps for Mankind cassette

Another wild release from the gutters of Buffalo, NY. ISAMATIC GURU sounds like Mark Mothersbaugh fronting early WEEN. At times, the music sounds like it could be theme music for an episode of Pee-wee’s Playhouse, and at other times, it sounds like a mad scientist drum machine experiment gone awry. There’s a feeling that it could all fall apart at any moment, but it never does; it’s tightly orchestrated with skronky guitars, drum machines that move like a cityscape, and bass lines that hold the fort and keep a cohesive thread throughout. Clocking in at just over five minutes, the songs themselves feel like short bursts of punk-fried krautrock, rather than fully fleshed-out tunes. It’s a fun listen and it sounds like they had fun making it. The vocals add to the chaos; they feel like they are part of an inside joke that you weren’t part of but now you’re in on it, too. I found myself repeating the line “Go a little easy on the salt next time” randomly for like a week straight. No frame of reference or context provided, but it wormed its way into my brain and that’s gotta mean something. Overall, it’s fun and dare I say funky, but funky in more of a “my bandmate hasn’t showered this whole tour” way than a “did you hear that dentist shred that eight-string bass solo” way. It won’t please everyone but I found it to be a breath of fresh funk in a season dominated by hardcore releases.

Julian Heresy Julian Heresy LP

One of those doom vehicles that teeters on the edge of stoner rock and the more metal-oriented grunge acts like ALICE IN CHAINS and SOUNDGARDEN. Those last two bands might not be the favorite flavors of your average MRR reader, but I am absolutely smitten by this album. Slow, low, and fuzzy, but a bit more nuanced than your typical doom venture as the vocalist swaps between brooding, melodic crooning and blood-soaked snarling. The same can be said about the actual music as well—sweeping, atmospheric desert jams melded with your classic BLACK SABBATH-esque riffs. Each song is its own epic adventure, and I got lost wandering around each one. This is a fantastic record, and you would be doing yourself a favor by spinning it a couple times. When it comes time to discuss great Midwestern music scenes, Madison is not talked about nearly enough. Spread the word!

Massacre System Massacre System cassette

MASSACRE SYSTEM out of Richmond, Virginia plays noisy, raw D-beat punk. Their self-titled cassette offers four tracks that blur, blend, and bleed with squelching lead-ins and outros. My personal favorite is “War Crime Technology.”  If you like things like ENZYME, HERESY, or YELLOWCAKE, then be sure to check out MASSACRE SYSTEM.

M.O.T.O. Kill Moto LP reissue

I’ve been aware of this band forever, but never listened to any of their music. I’m not sure why. Maybe I didn’t like the name? Or the logo? Both terrible reasons not to at least check a band out. I just did some checking. They’ve been around since 1981. Jesus. This record originally came out in 2002. Well, it’s been my loss. I can’t speak for all of their records, but this one is memorable. Punk at times and more poppy at other times, but it’s always catchy and melodic. There’s also a goofiness (in a good way) that seems to be a consistent theme. At some points, it reminded me of WALL OF VOODOO. Might be the vocals. I’m glad that I’ve finally seen the light.

Northeast Regional In the Desert LP

The ten-song In the Desert opens with a short, slow number powered by Jeff Byers’s scratchy vocals before swinging into “MR,” a noisy post-punk rager that hit me like a slightly less chaotic HOSE GOT CABLE and ended up being the high point of the whole record. NORTHEAST REGIONAL is a Richmond-area five-piece with three guitarists, which may or may not be strictly necessary, and a roster pulled from a deep bench of Virginia and D.C.-area bands. When Mike Morris takes over vocals on three of the tracks, the energy shifts hard toward indie rock, like, I dunno…the LEMONHEADS? That’s where the album loses me. The band bills themselves as post-hardcore, but a chunk of this lands closer to alternative rock, and the gulf between those two worlds gives the album a bit of an identity problem. The musicianship is sharp and the recording sounds great. I just wish they’d committed more to the aggressive side, where the songs really come alive. This could have been a killer 7”.

Out. Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Songs LP

Think about those ’90s garage bands that were punk but heavy on the rock’n’roll—talking GAUNT, NEW BOMB TURKS, KARMA TO BURN, NINE POUND HAMMER here, the kind of shit that still felt pretty redneck, but the shit sounded punk. Enter Kentucky’s OUT., who were all of those things with a measured dose of AVAIL hooks and should-have-been grunge riffs thrown in because it was the ’90s. Noise Pollution released this stunner three decades ago on CD and are celebrating the birthday with a vinyl edition…it’s been a while since I listened to something that so clearly came from a different and specific time, and I like a record that takes me on a trip back in (to my own) time. Worth the price of admission for “Love Can Break Your Back” alone, a track that takes all of the above influences and still sounds like an early punk classic—this band was on some kind of trip, and this record is a welcome addition in a modern sea of copycats and try-hards.

Pure Intention Pure Intention CD

I would have never guessed that these guys were from Chicago. This has that pure punk’n’roll energy that you get from bands like ANTISEEN, HOOKERS, and HELLSTOMPER—the type of acts you can really only find south of the Mason-Dixon line. They’d fit like a glove with that whole Confederacy of Scum gang. Sloppy and raw, but powerful and catchy. The bassist has this interesting picking style where they scratch the strings on each downstroke. It’s a neat touch that adds a little more chaos onto this pile of madness. According to their socials, the band is currently on a hiatus. I hope they make a return soon, cuz this is good stuff!

Reaktörí 反応器 demo cassette

This is a new band from Vancouver that I have seen mentioned several times but never actually checked out. Don’t you feel overwhelmed by the number of new music being released all the time? How can one focus long enough on a given record in order to relate to it? You have four hours, and I want the copies on my desk tomorrow by 9:00 am. Thanks. I understand REAKTÖRI’s drummer also hits things in PHANE, and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the other two fellows have been involved in bands before as well. Because of the moniker’s translation into kanji, I was expecting a full-on Japanese-style hardcore band, but the main influence here is closer to beefy Swedish hardcore. ANTI CIMEX or DRILLER KILLER are not far, but the production is rawer (it is a demo, after all). There is a lot of echo and effect on the vocals, a little too much for my taste, and it took me a couple of listens to get used to it. It also reminds me of ’00s PDX bands like BLOOD SPIT NIGHTS or DOG SOLDIER, especially with the “charged punk” vibe of the recording. Pretty good shit, and I can imagine them being great live.

Sounds Familiar She Loves to Live CD

SOUNDS FAMILIAR does, in fact, sound familiar. This has all the elements of best friends who were most certainly in basements watching bands in the early ’90s. These four songs take on the sort of self-aware quality that came from that era. If you are into the PROMISE RING, FACE TO FACE, SILENT MAJORITY, SERPICO, etc., then you will absolutely love the transportive effect this will have on you. To be clear, this isn’t a mirror of past styles, but moreover a transfer point from then to now. Some call this melodic punk, some call this emocore, I call this a fine listen that will probs have folks over forty remembering their twenties for tens of minutes.

Squelch Chamber Drag You In cassette

Brief tape containing four tracks of ultra-blown-out, low-end noise rock in about ten minutes. The good news is that these bad boys rumble with distortion stacked on distortion that will have the BODY or THOU enjoyers doing that clenched-jaw head nod along with the heaviness. The other good news is how quickly the tape is over, because the vocalist is not great. He sounds like Chris Cornell fronting CLUTCH, with a wailing, bluesy twang/growl situation going on that doesn’t quite fit the tectonic-plate-shifting riffage. Maybe it’s the perfect Venn diagram center for a certain subset of listeners, but not this one.

Stranded Still LP

Is this smart music for dumb people, or is it dumb music for smart people? I really can’t decide, but I can say that it’s a good time. I was reminded of MILK from Japan while taking this in. Not because they sound alike, but more in the approach and the end product. While MILK’s hardcore is aggressive vocals paired with clean guitars, STRANDED flips that often on this LP. The instrumentation is indisputably aggressive, while the vocals feel rather clean. This obviously isn’t a groundbreaking approach, it still makes for a nice listen. Beyond that initial comparison, this album also takes some time to explore some other sounds, at times slowing down to sound a little like SPIRITUAL CRAMP, especially on the one-two grooves of “Helpline” and “Garage.” So if you’re a genius, give your brain a break and crank this one. And if your brain is fried from sniffing glue, feel free to crank this one as well to fill your head with something. 

Sux Sux Sells LP

Oh, hell yeah! The St. Louis Horrendous New Wave-rs are back! Or, wait, that was a band called SHUX. Bummer. This here is SUX, a quartet of Seattleites cosplaying as HUNX before he got actually hunky. I gotta admit that I was not psyched to dive into this record after looking at its cover. But I also gotta admit that I was pleasantly surprised once I was in. “Get Outta My Way” kicks off the album with a revved-up garage punk number with quite a melodic hook. It reminds me of GAUNT, a comparison that I haven’t had the pleasure of making in I don’t know how long. Sick! Subsequent tracks never quite reach the heights of the album opener, but are solid enough. The tinny vocals are a result of being sung through a telephone receiver, which is a gimmick that I’d like to see die, and one that makes me groan a bit looking back at this record cover. But, whatever, these are kids who grew up post-landline, so I kinda get the allure, and the lo-fi aesthetic largely works. A thoroughly fine record.

Whose Reality Whose Reality demo cassette

Australian raw punk that is exactly up my alley. Raw production, D-beat for days, echoed vocal effect, and fuckin’ great riffs add up to a total crusher of a demo that deserves to be on your radar. If you dig fellow Aussies NO FUTURE and SHOVE, this is for you. Highly recommended.

(+39) 375-649-94-64 My Telephone Number Album #01 LP

The duo of Wilson and Dani bring their debut LP stateside by way of Feral Kid Records. Album #1 was released in their home country of Italy in 2024 on the heels of their Demo #1 cassette (all four songs of which appear on this debut). Their sound blends bedroom pop, on songs like“Goldfishes,” with oddball electronic/techno/hardcore breakdowns the band dubs “ROK”—perhaps most notably on the song “Spongebob ROK.” Wilson and Dani take turns signing, groaning, and delivering some fun-as-hell tunes throughout the whole album, though I think I still prefer the more typical song arrangements from the demo. That said, “Friends With Benefits” is my favorite of the new material, with a guitar that oscillates between picked-apart chords and palm-muted fifths, and more melancholic feel than the rest of the offerings. Great track. Between the mouthful and strange concept of a name (has anybody called??), and that ROK sound, this one will keep you guessing, but never leave you disappointed. Excited to see what’s next from these two.

Amass / Cress What is the Government Scared Of? split LP

The DIY spirit of Grow Your Own Records must be commended. Loyal to the ethos and principles of the original anarcho-punk wave, the label has steadily put out records from old school anarcho bands, be they old-timers or newer acts. This new split LP is somewhat in between, since AMASS is a new act made up of old-timers and CRESS has become this seemingly indestructible, lovable band since the ’90s. In any case, I always have a lot of time for the label and usually enjoy its releases. AMASS is made up of current members of ALTERNATIVE and the SYSTEM, and ex-members of much noisier bands from Northern England like EMBITTERED or BOXED IN. The band plays fairly traditional fast UK punk with dual male/female vocals. From the four songs included, I love the more aggressive, darker ones more (what a surprise, right?)—reminiscent of AUS-ROTTEN or a metal-free ANTI-SYSTEM or ANTISECT, but the clarity of the vocals gives more of a rather welcome punk rock feel, if you know what I mean (like CIVILISED SOCIETY?, maybe). The main criticism is that the production is clean, too much so for my taste anyway, and a more abrasive sound would have been more fitting for the genre. Great lyrics about consumerism and the class war. On the other side are five songs of the mighty CRESS, also hailing “from up north,” and showing for years that using a drum machine for your punk band could actually sound great and that drummers are a liability. CRESS is one-of-a-kind; the riffs are simple but very catchy and dynamic, they are one of the few bands that can have me dance (and when you know how much of a shit dancer I am, it’s not necessarily for the best). Clever, psychedelic, energetic (and yet hypnotic and dark at times) tribal anarcho-punk somewhere between CRASS and their followers SMARTPILS or CROW PEOPLE, but they have really created their own sound and they are a genuinely unique band so comparisons are really unnecessary. All in all, a good record with a relevant message. Old punks never die, indeed.

Bolt Swallower 26 Spring Tour Promo cassette

Obsessed with the production of this tape. Lo-fi and blown-out, it has that garbage noisecore element that was huge in the mid-2000s when everyone was still recording their albums straight to cassette through a single pen microphone and immediately uploading it to MySpace. I mean that as a compliment! I hope the tour went well. Tennessee Cold Cuts is an eclectic label and has been dropping some of the best releases over these last couple of years. Give this a play, and then dive into the rest of their discography.

Crying Form Cause in a Much Damaged Society cassette

Ripping hardcore punk from Athens, Georgia. Fast and no-frills, just the way it should be, CRYING FORM sounds like they’ve got some FIX and KORO in their DNA, and remind me a little of CHAIN WHIP as well as fellow Georgians CONSEC. Highly recommended, and looking forward to whatever these guys do next.

Diet Tea Other Cola Murder Pop Ringtone Emporium cassette

Every month when I get my cassettes to review, I scan the covers for something recognizable, either a band I already know or a release on one of a few labels that always puts out solid stuff. I then save those for the end of my review pile, as I often need a bit of a palate-cleanser after listening to some of the not-so-great releases coming out. XTRO has been one of those standout labels for me for a while now, always and consistently cranking out fun, synth-heavy egg-punk. Well, unfortunately they have really let me down with this one. What in the hell am I listening to? This has got to be the most confusing, nonsensical, unlistenable garbage I have ever had the displeasure of sitting through. I feel utterly betrayed. A lazier reviewer would have turned it off after the first godforsaken track, but this glutton for punishment is pushing through trying to find even a single positive thing to say about this horrible fever dream of a cassette. Twenty-six tracks. Over an hour long. Overstimulating hyperpop vomit spewing like a firehose strapped to my skull. A soundtrack seemingly written to accompany some modern, unfunny meme that I also don’t understand. Look, I get it, I’m in my forties, I’m sure this review will have me labeled as some old punk who “doesn’t get it,” but holy hell, the replay value of this is completely non-existent. I am halfway through and have begun fantasizing about self-immolation to escape the obligation of flipping the cassette. The hands of time are cruel. Oh analog gods, I implore you, feed your hunger, take a little nibble, eat this cassette mid-play and free me, free me from this auditory hellscape! I have always believed that there is beauty in simplicity when it comes to music. Well, this surely isn’t beautiful. Words cannot express how much I truly and utterly disliked listening to this cassette. Apparently this recording was released digitally in 2020, and XTRO just reissued it on cassette. Normally the label makes only 25 copies of their releases, but they did twice their normal run for this. All 50 have already sold out. Well, I’ve got a copy here if some moron who hates music wants it, otherwise it’s getting placed under one of my kitchen table legs to even out the wobble, or dubbed over. Horrid. Just horrid.

Earthfucker Why Should You Survive? cassette

I have to admit that I am not well-versed in the Oklahoma punk scene (and even this would already be an understatement). This recording is the first from this young punk band, but you wouldn’t know it listening to these seven songs, as the music is focused, well-written, with many changes of pace and vibe requiring solid musicianship, and overall, it just sounds really good. Impressive indeed. Oddly, EARTHFUCKER (admittedly a bit of a mouthful for a name) sounds a lot like a ’90s band with their raging blend of sludge, crust punk, and destructive hardcore punk. I would bet that bands like HIS HERO IS GONE, BORN AGAINST, or DAMAD get some airplay at their headquarters. The production has an organic sensibility and retains a dirty feel that perfectly matches the intensity of songs that, in spite of tackling different subgenres, remain somewhat cohesive. Had you told me that it was an unreleased recording from 1997, I would have believed you (but hey, I am pretty gullible). The tone of the tape is desperate, too—you can tell that EARTHFUCKER is to be taken seriously, and while I cannot say that I regularly listen to this sort of band, Why Should You Survive? was certainly a pleasant ride.

Fashion Bathers From the High Desert cassette

Social media is trying to turn the world into a lifeless monoculture. AI slop and LLMs are trying to do the same to the written word. But it’s not all doom and gloom, because this FASHION BATHERS cassette exists. This is genuinely one of the most refreshing things I’ve heard in forever. If TONY MOLINA moved to Australia and got lost in the eggy scene out there, I suppose the outcome might be similar to From the High Desert. But these 30-second-long earworms hail not from down under, but from the mighty north in Manitoba. Only two of the eighteen tracks here even crack the one-minute mark, with almost half of them not even hitting thirty seconds. And while on paper that sounds like something that might not pull me in, in practice it destroyed my brain. Also, as these tracks come and go so quickly, I didn’t even realize until I finished the entire tape that it was the same nine songs done two different ways to make up the full tracklist—because it felt so fresh, I almost missed the repetition completely. Hell, make it 36 tracks next time.

Gunner Reality Soldier EP

Totally violent hardcore from Perth, featuring members of the now defunct SEMTEX 87. Reality Soldier sounds absolutely brutal, each track a blown-out burst cranked all the way up. The guitars are a fuzzy wall of noise, the vocals bark along foaming at the mouth, and the drumming is particularly gnarly, recklessly pounding away with plenty of machine gun fills peppered in throughout. GUNNER has some great song titles too, paying homage to Abel Ferrera’s infamous sleaze-fest with “The Bad Lieutenant,” as well as the brilliantly lifted “Here Comes the Warm Jets,” a song that is definitely not a cover of BRIAN ENO. Excellent and mean, for fans of Youth Attack Records.