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!

Axe Collector Unforced Damage EP

Human Future continues to prove why they’re one of the most exciting labels in today’s hardcore landscape. Evil-driven AXE COLLECTOR unleashes a full-force EP of ripping, steel-cut aggression: sharp riffs, collapsing-wall drums, and vocals that spit fire without a pause. Every track hits like a thrown brick—fast, raw, and absolutely determined. Fury with intention, nothing sloppy, all deadly precise. Hardcore with no filler, no posturing. A record that feels urgent, necessary, alive, like it was tracked inside a street riot. One of my favorites this month.

Human Future continúa demostrando por qué es uno de los sellos más emocionantes del circuito hardcore actual. Guiados por una fuerza maligna, AXE COLLECTOR entrega un EP que es pura metralla: riffs filosos, baterías que parecen detonar paredes y una voz que te escupe la realidad sin descanso. Cada tema cae como un ladrillazo—rápido, crudo, decidido. Hay furia, pero también claridad en la ejecución, nada suena atolondrado, todo está apuntado a matar. Hardcore sin relleno, sin poses, sin descanso. Un disco que se siente urgente y necesario, como si estuviese grabado en medio de un incendio en una manifestación. Uno de mis favoritos del mes.

Ayucaba Operación Masacre LP

Here’s a searing debut from this Barcelona powerhouse. Featuring members of killer bands like MURO and INYECCION, the bar for this slab is quite high, but goddamn, my expectations were fully exceeded. Not unlike INYECCION, there’s a prominent UK82 backbone, yet AYUCABA eschews the street punk bent for metal leanings in a BROKEN BONES kind of way. Ripping solos, chaotic, thrashy riffage à la BLACK UNIFORMS, Operación Masacre is a behemoth album. Impressive instrumentation is bolstered by straight evil vocals, launching this into a whole other galaxy. This whispered part of the opener “Sistema Siniestro” has Sakevi vibes, and there are nods to Japanese hardcore found throughout the album’s ten tracks. A potent formula executed with deftness and precision. Can’t seem to keep this one off the turntable.   

Body Minus Head An Exercise in Self-Sufficiency LP

BODY MINUS HEAD hail from Kitchener, Ontario, and play a blend of hardcore and crust punk that is emotive and gnarly. On An Exercise in Self-Sufficiency, the first full-length by the band, you’ll find vocal blasts that give goosebumps, guitar licks that make you say “hell yeah,” and a rumbly rhythm section that gets your head nodding. The majority of the songs on this ten-track album are over in less than two minutes each, so you know BODY MINUS HEAD isn’t wasting time noodling around, and most of the songs hit so hard you may experience shellshock. Tracks like “Reset to Factory Default” and “Unconditional” are full-on sonic pummelings, while the lyrics speak truths about the failures of the human condition. If you’ve ever listened to MURDERESS’s The Last Thing You Will Ever See… and said to yourself, “This could be heavier and faster,” then you should absolutely check out BODY MINUS HEAD.

Citric Dummies Split With Turnstile LP

Minneapolis cut-ups CITRIC DUMMIES return with their fourth LP, Split With Turnstile, which—consider yourself warned—is not a split with TURNSTILE at all. They put up a snotty front, but all hijinks aside, across eleven high-energy songs in twenty minutes they blast out buoyant, tongue-in-cheek punk propelled by D.V. Tinner’s hyperactive drumming. It’s fast without tipping into hardcore, landing somewhere between the BROKEDOWNS and DEAN DIRG. My buddy Tom says parts of it sound like a less crusty ANNIHILATION TIME, and he’s not wrong. Even when they’re yelling “I Don’t Like Anything,” the whole thing still bursts with this dumb, irresistible sense of fun. I fucking love this record. Immediate top ten material.

Die Benjamins In 10 Jahren / Pas de Deux 7″

Synth-spiked German post-punk casting backwards glances to the pop-leaning (but still properly asymmetrical) side of the Neue Deutsche Welle—think ÖSTRO 430, IDEAL, NEONBABIES, etc. That was enough to pique my interest after cueing this single up with zero background context, so imagine my surprise when I clocked that DIE BENJAMINS’ vocalist Annette Benjamin was the same Annette who had been the singer (and occasional saxophonist) for late ’70s/early ’80s femme-punk paragons HANS-A-PLAST! Her voice is as powerful as ever here, with all of the shouty defiance and boundless energy that made “Rank Xerox” and “Sex Sex Sex” such indelible rippers, but while these two songs are clearly informed by her musical past, they’re definitely not shackled to it. Thick, distorted bass drives the quirky/arty A-side “In 10 Jahren,” periodically dissolving into washes of echoing electronics straight out of the modern Leipzig school (not unlike a punchier/less coolly detached MARAUDEUR), with the darker and more desperate atmosphere of B-side “Pas de Deux” only heightened by Annette’s soaring, passionate pleads. Totally unexpected, in the best way.

East End Redemption Crashing Down LP

Pop punk out of Maine that combines the melodic sensibilities of your average RAMONES-core outing with a hint of early PROPAGHANDI—mainly in the vocals. In other words, this sounds like it came straight from the early years of Fat Wreck Chords. Good mixture of lighthearted lyrics paired with dystopian themes, specifically with tracks like “Lost Town” and “Lacking Motivation.” Nothing groundbreaking here, but it really scratches that itch if you’re a fan of this era of punk. I would be remiss not to mention how great the bass tone is on this here slab. Solid production all around, actually. In my research, I came across a recycling center of the same name from the same town the group calls home. I love when bands pull their monikers from shit like that. Fantastic stuff, and would recommend for a couple spins.

Fen Fen In Yer Sights 12″

Pumping stripped-down and rugged rock into the Motor City, FEN FEN unleashes a tough rip of tunes on their debut 12″. Loaded with foreboding riffs and catchy lyrics, the songs are propelled by a triumphant power, at times coming across like a warped version of the HIVES. Snappy and snotty, its clean aggression makes for pure punk catharsis.

Fog Spring EP

FOG is a four-piece anarcho-punk band that has been very active for the past couple of years. The band’s latest release, Spring, is a four-track EP that takes a hard look at the genocide of Palestinian people in Gaza with poetic and articulate lyrics. Sonically, FOG reminds me a lot of France’s TOXIC RITES, with fast-paced, quick-switch punk rock forming a backdrop to the vocals. When compared to FOG’s previous output, Spring comes out feeling more focused with its concise lyrical theme. The closer “No Fate” is perhaps my favorite song on the EP, as it lets the instrumentals come through fully and has a playful energy while still being serious as hell.

Gerinc Reklamáció cassette

Not everyone has an ear for melody, but certainly everyone in this group does. The guitars have a satisfying crunch, interplaying with the bass in a way that surpasses the bare minimum root note playing most punk asks of its players. In just eight brief tracks, this international Budapest-headquartered band shows a refined and biting sound brimming with harmonic turns that keep the ear on end. Citing the iconic WIPERS as a reference, tracks like “Dolgozz” earn the right to the influence, with downpicked chugging that gives way to Greg Sage-like chiming open chords, to say nothing of “Mindent Belep” which all but echoes the opening arpeggios of “D-7.” But the sound is novel and all their own. The energy never lets up, with earnest, ganged-up vocals and a drummer who keeps it close and tight. An immensely satisfying listen. Grab a tape while they’re still around (they won’t be for long).

Hurt Hawks The Big Sweat cassette

Ever wonder what it would sound like if Charles Bukowski had a Casio keyboard? Oh, are you ever in luck. HURT HAWKS are here to spit gravelly, liquor-soaked tales of debauchery and hard living in your face, accompanied by a drum preset. The opening track goes something like this: “Libation! / Liberation! / The last mad days of a hedonist / If you want to bitch about it / Dial 1-800-Eat-Shit!” The next track features the chant, “Bad whiskey, bad women, bad sex / My goddamn life is rudderless.” Reading these lines, you are either snapping your fingers at your new favorite tough guy poet laureate, or rolling your eyes back into your skull like a slot machine. That’s really all you need to know.

The Icks The Icks cassette

Five tracks of fuzzed-out, overblown four-track fidelity, with bratty vocals and drenched in Florida humidity. The ICKS ride the line between angular, fuzzed-out punk and slow and gritty mid-tempo bore-core. “IDMTMTM” is killer and will end up on a mixtape or two. If the tape ended here, I would love it, but they use the dreaded disco beat to lead off the next song, and that is an automatic point deduction from me. This would be best played loud while skating curbs in your local cul-de-sac, or taking resin hits from a dirty bong.

Kibera / Solitär split LP

In sci-fi movies, especially in the ’80s, time machines are always a big deal: incredible technological feats involving years of studies, vast amounts of unstable nuclear energy, and the possibility of changing the course of history. Listening to KIBERA is a much safer way to travel back in time, although it will not get you farther than the mid-’00s crust dimension. This Czech band plays raw, dark, and aggressive neocrust with harsh female vocals. I am definitely reminded of bands like AMBULANCE, EKKAIA, or even SCHIFOSI, back when the core of the subgenre still relied on the punkier, more direct side of the spectrum rather than the more emotional or polished “post-hardcore” one. The six songs on this LP are firmly rooted in primitive, angry hardcore, and the listening experience is therefore pleasant if you like depressive crust. KIBERA shares the split with SOLITÄR, a rather new Prague-based unit that delivers direct, fast, and furious crustcore. Of course with a name like this, it’s hard not to get the heavy nod: yes, these people are into TOTALITÄR. But, even though there is an influence (especially riff-wise), I would not place the band in the käng drawer overall, but clearly in the crust basement. There is a lot of energy on this recording, and it certainly more than makes up for some moments that don’t totally work for me. The relentless feel really works well here, and on that level I am reminded of bands like INFEKCJA, local classics like MASS GENOCIDE PROCESS or even MASSGRAVE, or some Brazilian thrashing hardcore at times (because of the fast-paced vocals, probably). On the whole, a solid split LP, and a relevant display of fast and aggressive punk music from Czechia.

Lebende Tiere Uwaga cassette

New release on Berlin, Germany’s Flennen label from LEBENDE TIERE with their Uwaga cassette.  From what I can tell, this is the band’s debut, and I assume they are also from Berlin?  The songs are fun and fast, featuring bouncy drums and bass, and higher-register guitar tones with a perfect amount of crunch that squabble in some forever-turmoil under the shouted direction of a lively vocalist.  Everything feels electric, frantic, and…a little odd or eggy? For example, the vocals in “Achtung Pferde” are replaced by the neighs and whinnies of a horse.  So that’s fun. They may have had me with the red-on-pink cassette jacket, but the music rips, too!

Middle-Aged Queers Theatre of Shame CD

I guess this might be the feel-good, laugh-steady queer punk album of the year, unless there’s another one. These are catchy songs, not unlike PANSY DIVISION or some DIESEL QUEENS tunes. Among the laughs and fun-time-party-guy stuff, the MIDDLE-AGED QUEERS pepper in some lyrically heavy songs, exemplified by the tunes “Big Sisters” and “Nobody Wants.” I initially was ready to toss this into the WEIRD AL punk category, but MIDDLE-AGED QUEERS have more than that to offer. Look, WEIRD AL punk is a fine place to be, I like a lot of it, but all I’m saying is that MIDDLE-AGED QUEERS have more than just songs funny about slumber parties, kinks, and anal beads. And just in time for Xmas, the MIDDLE-AGED QUEERS have a fully stocked online merch presence!

Nape Neck The Shallowest End LP

I won’t beat around the bush, folks—Leeds trio NAPE NECK’s first LP The Shallowest End utterly and totally stunned me. This thing is a perfect mess of puzzling bass lines, proudly no wave guitars, and incredibly fucked-up drum beats. What’s crazier is the fact that all three members are singing while breezing through those dazzling signature changes and sharp turns in composition. I mean, how? How is it possible for three people to make that much noise and make it make sense? It’s an absolutely explosive and electrifying noise rock freakout, and I’m head over heels in love with it. Ring-ring: Hey Alex, I know I already submitted it, but is it possible to make a few changes to my year-end top ten?

The Problem With Kids Today Take It! CD

These guys come out of the gates swinging, with some straightforward, melodic, and catchy punk’n’roll. When the vocals themselves are melodic and also a group effort, I just find that kind of infectious. There’s a rawness that reminds me of early REPLACEMENTS, without really having that sound. It’s just the energy. But then they take a different turn and sound almost like the CLEAN. Towards the end, they put together back-to-back-to-back songs all under a minute each. That’s how to win my heart. Excellent album.

Reds The Truth of Impermanence 12″

REDS! Liked the movie, love the band. Full disclosure, I have known these folks for some time and we cut our teeth on the same kinds of punk rock. Kids of the ’90s, I tell ya. This new release is called The Truth of Impermanence, and it is out on Council Records. “So You Say” showcases vocalist Evan Kilgore’s sass and snarl, with quiet vocals reminiscent of some of my favorite Ian MacKaye vocals both in FUGAZI and MINOR THREAT. This record is quite polished in terms of production, but the essence of punk is foregrounded and intact. “Energy” reminds me a lot of my favorite Louisville bands, and the first couple of guitar and vocal lines reached into my core, surprising me with how emotional it made me. There are creative and inventive bass lines peppered throughout, as well as driving, solid drumming. Some of my favorite patterns emerge in the song “The Body,” with well-placed call-and-response instrumentation and noodling. These are the anthems I think we all need in these times, especially as they relate to human dignity and bodily autonomy themes. The treble at the end along with Evan’s shouts makes me wanna punch a fist in the sky. Fans of Dischord will like REDS, and fans of liberation writ large will find something in this as well.

The Sinꓘs Pleasure to Burn EP

The A-side is a slow-burner that doesn’t really hold my interest. The B-side has two more punk’n’roll tunes that are a bit faster but still not very interesting to me. These three tunes feel a bit uninspired, which seems weird since the members have been in bands such as POISON IDEA, SMEGMA, OILY BLOODMEN, EXACERBATORS, LOVESORES, and so on. I guess I’m a bit surprised by the lack of impact.

The Sleeveens Downtown / Drowning 7″

The hits keep on coming for the SLEEVEENS. The latest offering from this Nashville/Dublin combo shows their continued ability to take three-minute songs and make them feel like epic journeys. A lot of this amplification and magnification of sounds and sensations surely comes first from the emotive vocal delivery, but the instrumentation across the board definitely bears load on these creations. “Downtown” specifically just feels larger than life, and also shows that the band is really finding their sweet spot. Their first single, “Give My Regards to the Dancing Girls,” was an awesome way to debut their sound, but it did leave me wondering a bit about the decision of the over-five-minute runtime. When the song appeared again as the opening track to their debut full-length, the track was cut down by almost three minutes, which then ironically left me wondering about all that was left off of it. The three-minute runtime of “Downtown” hits every note with every second sounding vital, surely pleasing even the fussiest of the punk rock Goldilockses.

Spatter Pattern Atomic Dinette / TV Casualty 7″

Two tracks of DIY minimal synth punk from Michigan. Both sides throb with thick, warmly produced synth tones, crisp drum machines, and cynical spoken/sung vocals. “TV Casualty” got a few extra plays due to its noisy buzzing frequencies that accompany the main dancefloor rhythm and infectious chorus railing against the influence of television (a quaint concern these days). Bleak, catchy, and worth a listen.

Sweepers Sweepers cassette

Self-released cassette version of an LP released on Abandon Everything Records. I can’t remember the last time I was this confused by a band. A novelty punk project about sweeping? I guess it’s impressive that one can write that many songs about sweeping. Between this full-length recording and the band’s initial demo, that’s over 25 songs, of which the only subject matter seems to be…sweeping. Hell, I don’t think I’ve swept the floors of my house as many times as this band has songs about the act of sweeping. To make it all that much more confusing, musically this is something of an artsy free jazz project, wrapped in novelty punk packaging. Maybe I’m the wrong person for this kind of “punk.” Halfway into this band’s eighteen-song LP (too long), and I’m ready to sweep this under the damn rug.

Toy Tiger Meow Sabotage LP

TOY TIGER, a DIY five-piece from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, dish out ’70s glam- and Oi!-influenced street rock built around steady, down-the-middle playing and explicitly anti-racist, anti-authoritarian, pro-LGBTQ2+ lyrics. Meow Sabotage, their second full-length, sticks to that formula and spends most of its time parked in the same mid-tempo lane. The overall effect reminded me more of ’80s L.A. sleaze rock—like they could have opened for FASTER PUSSYCAT on the Strip—than T. REX’s shimmer. Nothing here knocked me sideways, and a lot of the tracks blur together, but Bugsy Faithfull’s vocals were a standout, shifting between a controlled street punk snarl and a ’50s-tinged Danzig croon. I have a feeling these songs hit harder when you’re shoulder-to-shoulder in a bar, singing along and getting swept up in the message with the people around you.

Who Pays Hard Times EP

What a year for NYC’s WHO PAYS—they wrecked stages across the country, dropped this killer EP, and (checking notes) loaned Captain Sensible a pair of pants. Anyway, that new EP, Hard Times, features five original cuts of powerhouse HC and an equally aggro BABY HUEY cover. They sort of remind me of Cleveland’s INMATES if they traded the AGNOSTIC FRONT influence for POISON IDEA. You get the picture, this thing fuckin’ rocks. Highly recommended.

V/A Somos El Peligro Social: Un Homenaje a Ultimo Resorte LP

Seminal early ’80s act ULTIMO RESORT left a lasting impact on not just their home turf of Barcelona, but on Spanish punk as a whole, which would explain the wide scope of groups united in homage on this sprawling tribute album. During their original run spanning from 1979 to 1984, the band channeled numerous styles, ranging from speedy hardcore to anthemic UK82, and the lineup of groups covering them here is equally diverse. Everybody from the ass-kicking DISTHROAT to technopunk experimenters ECM showed up to drop a track and pay respect. There are 24 tracks in total, packaged with a poster in this fitting follow-up to the retrospective LP that came out in 2023.

The Action Party The Action Party CD

The ACTION PARTY is a tepid rock’n’roll band. Maybe you could say this is like a flaccid JONESES and stuff like that. I’m betting their shows are a rocking good time, maybe. I’m not sure this was quite the right place to send this for review. This is fine, well-produced rock’n’roll that might fit in better on a “Best of the ‘90s” college/alternative rock CD.I guess the one positive thing I can say is that I dozed off a couple times while listening to this, so if you are a little sleep-deprived, then this is the CD for you.

Bahia de Kotxinos Bahia Kotxinos LP

This is a strange piece of ephemera; a long-abandoned debut by Euskara band BAHIA DE KOTXINOS, who by all accounts were a leading light in an active scene and had a record ready to go that was left on the shelf, gathering Basque dust for the next 30 years. Now lovingly remastered and released into the world, it’s a peculiar document of a very specific scene. It has the taut, frantic energy of yer DEVOs, yer WIREs, yer ADVERTS of the world. However, it also has the sort of wacky, clever-dick stylings of a kind of proto-egg-punk too, which is unfortunate. It’s certainly a lot more interesting than I was anticipating, and well worth your time, albeit three whole decades later than you should have enjoyed it.

Bootcamp Time’s Up LP

Who doesn’t like a great hardcore record that makes one punch a hole through a wall? Strap on your boots, because it’s time to slam with Iowa City’s BOOTCAMP. Proper USHC delivered in an intense manner, sounding fresh but remaining true to the classic tropes. You will find them on the same record store shelf as ARMOR and some of the 11 PM releases. Time’s Up, go listen to this! Now!

The Dick Spikie Ultra Punk 4Cycle Vol. 1 EP

Three fantastic Japanese Oi! tracks that will bring you to your feet to pogo with the best of them. Much like the BUSINESS and BLITZ, this trio of D-beat classics are equal parts catchy and rowdy as hell. “Restriction & Freedom” is the cream of this crop, an earworm that led me to spinning the A-side quite a few times. On the B-side, we have a song called “You’re a Bastard” that features some of my favorite lyrics of the year. Here’s a taste: “You’re a bastard / Wipe your arse yourself.” Fair enough. For my money, Japanese Oi! has always sounded the most authentic, and this is no different. Grab this slab today!

Erosion Invasive Species LP

The perceived amount of bands can often feel staggering in the internet age, and as much as you try to keep in tune with new releases, it feels like an impossible task that even a mythological hero would fail to complete. I normally feel comfortable among crust-related bands, so if even I have never heard of EROSION, I am not lost as far as what they are trying to achieve is concerned. In fact, besides MASSGRAVE, I have to admit that I don’t know any of the bands the members of EROSION have been or currently are involved in. Who said the world was small? If EROSION includes a Swedish-flavoured dark metallic crust influence, I would not put them fully in the crust category. A lot is happening on their second LP Invasive Species, sometimes too much so for my basic brain, as this Vancouver act also incorporates elements of extreme metal (black or death) into their behemoth recipe that borders on blackened crust. The record is punishing, heavy, and mean, no doubt about it, and will appeal to metalheads and fans of modern crust alike. The label Mechanized Apparatus Revolt rightly compares them to MARTYRDÖD, but they are more versatile and diverse. I would also add käng-driven metal bands like ADRESTIA adopting a blackened HIS HERO IS GONE approach (assuming that makes sense). It’s a little too technical at times, and sometimes I have the impression that the band wants to do too many things in their songs. However, the sound is great and crushing, definitely an intense listen.

Frente Norte / The Old Breed split EP

Broadly fine split between two Midwestern street punk-y types. My heart initially sank when I saw the cover and bore witness to not one but two fellas wearing the kind of daft flat cap only seen in Peaky Blinders, or on a Victorian chimney sweep or a fight at Cheltenham races, which is usually the sign of the worst kind plodding, midtempo, faux Oi! shite that makes me wish for an inner ear infection, but I was mostly pleasantly surprised. FRENTE NORTE, the stronger side of the split for sure, comes across like a janglier, more pop-oriented FUERZA BRUTA. OLD BREED’s side is boring as fuck but not offensive; can always use that side of the split as a coaster or something.

Gnats Gnats demo cassette

First demo from Florida-based, self-proclaimed bubblegum rock band. It’s a little confusing reviewing a band’s first release, which is a year-and-a-half old, when the band has dropped two releases since, but we happily write about what is assigned to us. Six tracks of lo-fi drum machine music with a keyboard seemingly set to emulate the sound of a swarm of bugs, hence the band’s name. That’s a funny idea and all, but not all ideas seem worth following through to fruition. This just comes off sounding like someone is badly playing a slide whistle over all of the songs, some of which actually seem well-crafted and have a fair amount of pop sensibility to them. The final song, “Serial Mom,” is really cool and driving right up until the point that the swarm of slide whistles comes in. Don’t get me wrong, I love a stupid-sounding synth, but this reoccurring aspect through all six songs is just too commanding and makes the songs hopefully forgettable.

Gruntwork Violence in the Workplace cassette

Noise-addled, shit-fi punk that just might drive ya to the brink of homicidal rage if you’re listening too close in proximity to your place of employment. Four snappy, over-before-you-know-it jammers that kick harder than your grandpappy’s shotgun, this whole affair will take up less than five minutes of your precious time. For fans of HOAX, FRIED EGG, long stretches of unemployment, etc.

Ignorantes Las Promesas Que Te Hacemos Te Las Puedes Meter Por El Cul 7″

Chilean punks IGNORANTES usually deal in scorched, blown-out, hyper-abrasive recordings—the kind of raw tupa-tupa punk that is so harsh it feels like it’s stripping paint. But this two-song 7″ is a bit of a curveball, serving up super lo-fi but almost poppy Oi! with plasticky keyboards that give it an odd sweetness. While digging through their catalog for this review, the release that grabbed me most was No Hemos Inventado Nada, Ni Nos Interesa Hacerlo, even though the recording quality is so brutal it made my ears bleed. By contrast, this 7″ is lighter and bouncier. Side A’s “Adiós Camarada” even carries a hint of that CURE “Boys Don’t Cry” tune, which gives the whole thing an oddly familiar flavor. I respect the swing into new territory, even if it doesn’t fully land for me.

Kolpeka / Revert split 12″

Perfectly executed split 12” showcasing two bands from the Basque Country, a region whose punk and Oi! scene Mendeku Diskak has pretty much put on the map. On the A-side is REVERT, whose tooth-chipping stompers take cues from early Boston hardcore. REVERT’s vocals are particularly rough and pissed, taking these songs up a notch or two on the aggro-meter. KOLPEKA follows up on the B-side, and while they retain some of the East Coast brutishness of their fellow countrymen, they have a little more spring in their step. I’ve read from a couple of sources that KOLPEKA are avid skateboarders, so maybe that explains the slight uptick in energy. Regardless of its source, their speediness compliments the more mid-tempo pace of REVERT nicely, making for a well-rounded split. Top it all off with the killer artwork this is wrapped in, and Mendeku Diskak once again proves why they’re one of the best in the game.

Liquid Cross Don’t Think cassette

In reading the Bandcamp description for this release, three things feel undeniable—the SAINTS, the WIPERS, and the Pacific Northwest. I might add RADIO BIRDMAN here as well to round out what the listener might expect. These songs have a palpable desperation to them that really draws the listener in and along. The image of a fresh smelling pine tree enshrouded in a dense fog makes sense here as well; you can sense the presence of melody, but you can’t easily see it through the wonderful sonic din. These tracks are timeless DIY.

Making Friends as Adults New Road CD

I’m never sure what’s going to happen when an acoustic guitar starts off a record, but dang, it’s in and out fast. Pulling from BRAID, DISCOUNT, LEMURA, POHGOH, FIFTH HOUR HERO, and so on, these are catchy songs delivered in a thoughtful, melodic way that can bring early ALKALINE TRIO to mind. Although MAKING FRIENDS AS ADULTS pulls from these bands, they also are clearly carving their own path. There are eleven songs on here and I think they maybe could have gone with eight or nine, but overall, this CD is a great listen. One bit of advice for MAKING FRIENDS AS ADULTS would be to not do it. I’m in my fifties, and at a certain point, you know enough people and making friends is overrated and tiresome.

Mask Appeal Slice & Slice EP

Debut release from Los Angeles-based MASK APPEAL. With members from DETROIT COBRAS, OOZELLES, and the STARLITE DESPERATION to name a few, this lot is well steeped in a noisy, industrial death wail akin to the BIRTHDAY PARTY. The bass is way up front in the mix, propelling this creature forward, with big, hall-reverb drums, and both set the stage for a writhing, shimmering guitar and howling vocals that inspire a morbid fascination. A tragic poem recited to an anxious pulse. Thank you to whatever forces of good and evil brought these three together, MASKED APPEAL truly rules.

Okres Demo ’85 / Jarocin ’85 LP

Pulled from obscurity and into your stack of questionable records, this archival LP remembers OKRES out of Ostrów Wielkopolski, Greater Poland. The first half of the album features the band’s demo recordings from 1985, and the second portion brings us another blast from the past of the legendary Jarocin music festival of that same year. It’s fast and loose first wave hardcore driven by pure energy—“Liban Nie Żyje” has a wicked swarming guitar attack like Government Issue’s “Sheer Terror.” There’s nine crude tunes from the demo and nine from the festival, but Bandcamp only teases four songs, so if you want to hear the whole thing, you’ll have to pony up.

The Pages Ordinary Love / I’m a Bullet 7″

From Portugal, these guys remind me of the TRANZMITORS, if only because they bring a sound rooted in mod and power pop. The music is straightforward and mid-tempo. The vocals are soft and almost whispery at times, just sort of calming. The B-side is particularly catchy and a total toe-tapper/head-bouncer. This is definitely worth checking out.

Rude Television I Want to Believe EP

Another entry in the egg-punk universe: bouncy synths, wiry guitars, playful neon energy. RUDE TELEVISION executes it well, though the formula feels reused, with the record´s explosive highlight being “Artificial Paint.” A fun, energetic listen—enjoyable, but not essential.

Otro capítulo del universo egg-punk: sintes saltarines, guitarras procesadas y ese pulso juguetón que define el estilo. RUDE TELEVISION lo hace bien, aunque la fórmula se siente reutilizada, siendo el punto álgido del disco su track “Artificial Paint.” Un disco simpático, energético y disfrutable, aunque no esencial.

Spares / Treasure Pains split 12″

Alright, I’ve griped about this before, so I wanna get it out of the way first—please stop halving split albums between two different Bandcamp accounts. It defeats the purpose of said split! I know it’s all together on the record, but the vast majority of people will be listening online. Keep it together, folks! SPARES play classic post-hardcore and remind me a bit of RUSSIAN CIRCLES (with vocals), and THRICE. TREASURE PAINS are in the same realm and have more of a dissonant edge like RIVAL SCHOOLS and HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE. Production for both bands is crisp and loud as hell. Really solid stuff here. I’d go as far as saying it’s worth bouncing between two Bandcamps.

Speed Week Weak Speed 12″

With players from the excellent Australian bands the BRAKES and SPLIT SYSTEM comes a snarling slab of punk with conviction. SPEED WEEK presents here with an assured confidence and maturity that perfectly tempers their wild-eyed energy. Reminiscent of more mainstream acts like SHAME or FONTAINES D.C. but with a wiry cool, this band sounds poised for bigger and better things without the fear of losing their edge. It’s well-read, high-energy punk rock that doesn’t miss a step. Impressive as so few new acts are.

Subversive Intent Subversive Intent demo cassette

A solid debut from San Diego’s newest hardcore outfit SUBVERSIVE INTENT. Plenty of speed and leads on top of leads call to mind SoCal legends BATTALION OF SAINTS. Better than average production pushes this one past usual demo fare, making it more than worth a listen. Check out “Payaso” and “Weathervane.”

Sympathy Flowers Dreams of Lurking Fear LP

Dreams of Lurking Fear is the first full-length by Oakland, CA dark punk band SYMPATHY FLOWERS. However, Dreams of Lurking Fear is an expansion of last year’s Through the Veil cassette (which was SYMPATHY FLOWERS inaugural release), with most of the cassette tracks being reworked with a better density and richness for the LP. There’s something in SYMPATHY FLOWERS’ sound that reminds me of the below-the-radar punk that cemented my relationship to our illustrious genre in my teen years. Maybe it’s the driving rhythms blended with the quick shift guitar riffs, or maybe it’s the poetic-but-direct lyrics that are defiant while deviant. Whatever it is, Dreams of Lurking Fear scratches an itch I didn’t even know I had.

TTTTurbo Modern Music cassette

Someday people who write great pop songs won’t be so scared of themselves, obscuring their catchiness with lo-fi tricks and budget ethos. But in the meantime, it’s still lovely to spend time with a tape like this that sounds like California underwater with the good vibes still intact. The bouncy bass lines walking up and down the throbbing synths and half-muttered bedroom vocals can’t hide forever that these are bangin’ pop songs. I hear you, TTTTURBO, and I know what you’re up to. You can throw an egg on top while you’re at it. Sounds great like an artifact from the future.

Uzu À Qui La Liberté? لمن الحرية ؟ LP

Symphony of Destruction has quite the knack for bringing us bands that push the boundaries of punk. Case in point: UZU returns with their second full-length, building out their deathrock gloom ship for further exploration. Based in Montréal, the group is an international outfit with ties to Algeria and Colombia, delivering their lyrics in Arabic. To the latter point, the vocal delivery is one of the elements that sets UZU apart, with an inflection falling somewhere between Jello Biafra and Rozz Williams. While CHRISTIAN DEATH is certainly a jumping-off point, UZU charts a path of their own, much like fellow Canucks HOME FRONT and ULTRA RAZZIA (with whom they share members) have. Inspiration is more a point of departure than an anchor. À Qui La Liberté? is a bold, forceful album. Don’t sleep on this one.

Why Bother? Case Studies LP

Prolific punks WHY BOTHER? are back with another LP on the heels of an EP released earlier this year. While the former relied heavily on a synthesized version of ’80s-inspired Midwestern punk, Case Studies sees the band, yet again, charting fresh ground, but I’m not so sure that’s such a good thing. Make no mistake, every few songs, there is a song that rips. They shine on tracks like “I Take Back,” “There She Was,” or the album closer “Galaxy Eyes,” where they effortlessly combine heavy ’70s psych melodies with SPITS-style lo-fi goodness, and vocals that call to mind early GUIDED BY VOICES. Unfortunately, the rest of the record felt boring and longwinded. Songs often drift in and out of ambient and instrumental explorations that would best be saved for a Friday jam session rather than on a recording. Repeated listens could change my mind, but I’m not sure I have the attention span to reach for this one again.

Xray Xeroxx Social Media Made Me Hate My Friends cassette

Short and sweet four-song cassette EP by an incredibly active Los Angeles-based solo project. This is the third cassette release by XRAY XEROXX (two EPs and a full-length), all of which came out this damn year! Juvenile, upbeat, poppy, garage-infused RAMONES-core filled with both self-deprecation and societal deprecation. There sure is a lot to hate in this world, but I do not hate XRAY XEROXX. Looking forward to the three releases this project is due to shit out throughout 2026.

1-800-Mikey / Gee Tee split EP

Split release pairing Sydney’s 1-800 MIKEY and GEE TEE. 1-800 MIKEY is a project from Michael Barker, who also plays in GEE TEE. His tracks are lo-fi, innocent, and achingly whimsical, similar to fellow Sydneysiders TEE VEE REPAIRMANN and Portland’s CHEERY CHEEKS. GEE TEE has been referred to as the Australian SPITS, but on their track, they slow it down with a tune that sounds beautifully crafted like NOBUNNY covering DANIEL JOHNSTON in a bedroom on a four-track.

Alibi Alibi cassette

Yet another contemporary German throwback to the Neue Deutsche Welle, and I’m not mad about it. Opener “Irgendwas Ist Immer” builds plenty of tension and drama over three-and-a-half minutes, and there’s a sharp, Zickzack’d angularity cutting through in the staccato guitar stabs and rigid rhythms of “Attitüde” and “Zustände,” but on a whole, Kiel’s ALIBI are far less shrouded and goth-influenced than the Berlin-based contingent of modern XMAL DEUTSCHLAND disciples like AUS, DIE SCHIEFE BAHN, and MISERE, landing somewhere closer to the second HANS-A-PLAST LP that bridged their late ’70s speedy punk spark with an expanded early ’80s post-punk palette. Impressively tight and locked-in for what’s essentially a first demo, and if whatever comes next plays up even more of the latent art-damage that I’m picking up on here, it could be genuinely savage.