Reviews

For review and radio play consideration:

Please send 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. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!

Drivel A Gracious Favor From Our Creator cassette

Samples! This is enough to get a powerviolence enthusiast excited! Powerviolence and samples go together like peanut butter and jelly. They are used to set an atmosphere and “say” what can’t be said in the songs. This helps to paint a visual picture, in this case, of decadence. DRIVEL is a raw powerviolence project that follows the guidebook written by NO COMMENT, adding a bit of the MAN IS THE BASTARD weirdness, with characteristic super slow and super fast dynamics. It is not overproduced, which is something that is great for old school powerviolence enjoyers, as modern bands tend to homogenize productions so it all sounds the same.

Encierro Doomsday Still Bleeds Red LP

ENCIERRO is a blackened crust band from Melbourne who recently released their first full-length, and it’s a fantastic album if you’re into things that sound like NUX VOMICA, AGE OF COLLAPSE, and perhaps especially MURDERESS. Stenchcore epicness combined with vocalist Nettlenet unleashing their ferocity really makes for a great listening experience. The over eight-minute-long song “Doomsday” might be a bit much for the pogo crowd, but is perfect for those who enjoy the riffing. Lyrically, ENCIERRO is very hardline with their stance, which I dig, and poetic in a blackened sort of way. “Alerta” is probably my favorite song off Doomsday Still Bleeds Red, with its anti-fascist lyrics and heavy tones. I’m definitely looking forward to spending some winter afternoons with this album.

Flegma Dead Angels Abyss LP

Crossover/D-beat with squeaky-clean production. This seems to be a maiden voyage for FLEGMA, who bill themselves more in a D-beat vein while covering all the metal bases you really can on this projectile. FROM ASHES RISE meets NILE? You could name the usual lineups of both genres. At times, it even comes off a bit proggy. Not sure where to start or end with this without conjuring some real bro/AMA-type shit in my head. I’m going to leave this here.

Flower Hell of the Next / Physical God 7″

FLOWER is old school. They walk the walk, and it feels good to have a band that values the proper anarcho-punk lifestyle and politics over Instagramability. Speaking of which, we should all be grateful no one has come up with a crust filter yet. That would just be the official end of punk. The first album of these New Yorkers, Hardly a Dream, took our microcosm by surprise and by storm. Was a band ever quite as bombarded with NAUSEA comparisons? Probably not, but then there are much worse bands to be compared to. Anticipation and expectations were quite high regarding the follow-up and, where most bands would have gone for a cleaner, rounder sound, which would be a logical step, a conventional progression, FLOWER decided to go crustier and rawer. That’s probably a poor career choice, but one that I salute solemnly. The basis of the music remains the same, rooted in dirty, old school metallic crust with Danny’s half-shouted, half-spoken vocals conveying a serious anarcho-punk vibe—I am reminded of NAUSEA obviously, and of ’90s crusty anarcho bands like RESIST AND EXIST or HOMOMILITIA at times, at least in terms of intent—giving FLOWER an original edge and emphasizing the political nature of their lyrics, which you can actually understand (you won’t need a Grizzli dictionary here). Musically, this is pretty much heaven for me, if angels wore crust pants. The late ANTISECT influence prevails here, and FLOWER manages to recreate that primitive, dark metal punk vibe with ease. The production is raw but still highlights the interplay of the instruments, and the music is not lacking in aggression. There is a cracking atmospheric introduction on “Physical God,” top chugging riffs, and some creepy bass lines that make me think that early EXTINCTION OF MANKIND, SKAVEN, and weed must have been involved in the creative process. The 7” has one long crust song on each side, rather traditionally, and comes in an impressive foldout cover (drawn by guitar hero Willow) displaying in great details a nightmarish and demented (post)modern war-obsessed dystopia, full of dark symbolism befitting a tortured and abused world. Both the music and the visuals complement one another, expand the meaning and contribute to telling a great punk story. A very strong and cohesive single.

Guiding Light Guiding Light cassette

First recorded outing from this new group of Austin punk provocateurs, with five tracks whipping by in a flurry of jangly hyper-strummed guitar (bordering on early WEDDING PRESENT velocity), incessantly bobbing bass, breakneck drumming, and mile-a-minute bilingual German/English femme vocals—it’s the dream world collision of BIG FLAME and HANS-A-PLAST that I never knew that I needed! I’m especially partial to ”Lost in Voices,” which careens for a minute-and-a-half like KLEENEX if they’d existed in the age of Lumpy Records, so restless and wired that it’s almost easy to overlook how intricate and complex the songwriting truly is, as well as the dusty lo-fi tumble of “Spiegelbild,” where GUIDING LIGHT ties knots in the loose threads left hanging by the two-headed dog of 2010s Lone Star art-damage excellence (VIVIENNE STYG/BLUE DOLPHIN) with the addition of some highly Neue Deutsche Welle-inspired off-kilter melodies and warbling synth. Get on it, mess(thetics) with Texas.

Hall Last Days of Youth LP

Gothic, dark garage rock by a three-piece from Berlin. Hall sounds as if BAUHAUS and the ORWELLS had a baby; they utilize a variety of tempos, mostly midrange, in combination with haunting vocals. The instrumentals didn’t “wow” me, as they mostly seemed to be in support of the vocals rather than standing on their own, and some of the songs seemed a bit repetitive in terms of melody. However, the songs overall are all very catchy and slightly off-putting, in a great way. The standout track on this album to me is “Last Days of Youth,” as it has a stronger presence than some of the other songs and delves into a slightly heavier vibe.

Illuminati Illuminati cassette

Santiago punks ILLUMINATI breathe new life into a project started back in 2001. This self-titled EP has four songs from a combination of this January’s En Vivo Sala Master EP, their 2003 demo, and one new track, “Recursos Humanos.” Inside, we find fairly aggressive hardcore with shouted/screamed vocals and riff-heavy lead guitar, with the rhythm and bass guitars chugging to keep up with drumhead-annihilating percussion. High-energy, great blistering summer music. Two EPs of new material are set to follow.

JJ and the A’s Eyeballer EP

Really blown away by this EP. High-energy garage punk that reminds me of MARKED MEN/MIND SPIDERS and all those similar Texas bands. The addition of the synth brings it to a whole other level, sounding as if DILLINGER FOUR was smashed together with QUESTION MARK AND THE MYSTERIANS. Production is super crisp and the drums sound massive but not too overpowering. Great stuff here, I’m looking forward to what they do next.

The Kulprits The Kulprits CD

Wow, on that first cut, the vocals immediately remind me of the FASTBACKS. The first track is kind of a power pop gem and just fun to listen to. It’s not crazy original, but it’s really well done and the vocals set it apart. Only four cuts, but they’re all different enough to make the record really interesting. The second cut has male vocals. Then it gets sort of country-ish. This one is really worth checking out, and I’ve got a new label if anything like this ever comes around again: power country pop punk. It’s a thing.

Møld Dajcie Mi Żyć EP

Poland’s MØLD sounds like a golem-crushing destructive machine. Most may pigeonhole them as a powerviolence or grindcore band, but there’s a unique texture in the recording, reminiscent of Peru’s DIOS HASTIO from years back. Rather clean and technical-sounding, but definitely on the hardcore punk edge of things rather than metal.

Neutrals New Town Dream LP

NEUTRALS follow up their awesome 2022 EP Bus Stop Nights with their second full-length, New Town Dream. Picking up right where that EP left off, we’re treated to thirteen tracks filled to the brim with wonderful pop tunes in the lineage of TELEVISION PERSONALITIES, classic-era Sarah Records, and early Creation Records. All that is to say, an absolute no-brainer for the mighty Slumberland Records to have put out in the US. Throughout the record, there is plenty of variety to keep your ears tuned in and the volume set high. Tracks like “Travel Agent’s Windows” and “Substitute Teacher” detail the humdrum lives of these new town inhabitants so clearly that the mundane transcends to humor—“He was a triumph in the Scottish play / He’s only here for a day.” These details throughout the album make for a truly satisfying listen that will have you returning to check in on the new town’s population again and again.

Poison Idea Feel the Darkness 2xLP reissue

POISON IDEA from Portland, Oregon are the kings of punk, and this is what many consider to be their best album. This is an all-time classic record, and when you add in that the sound on this reissue is bigger and fuller-sounding, you can’t go wrong buying this! You can hear POISON IDEA’s influence in bands like LONG KNIFE and SPAZM 151, just to name a couple that wear their POISON IDEA influence on their sleeves. The truth is that they influenced too many bands to name. POISON IDEA is equally at home playing a fast hardcore song or adding some steamroller rock to their sound. One of the best guitar sounds I have ever heard. The bonus LP includes remixes, alternate mixes, original mixes, and 7″ tracks, and it comes in a really nice gatefold jacket. This is an amazing record by an amazing band.

Positive ID Live on the 27th Hour cassette

With fourteen cuts from Canadian rockers POSITIVE ID, this thick set was originally broadcast on Montreal college radio. It’s lo-fi rock’n’roll that you can imagine blaring out of someone’s garage in the late ’70s. Fed through a noxious wall of distortion, this is first-wave punk getting the ’90s budget rock treatment to take you on a cheap, gnarly, and timelessly fun ride.

Rotura Al Otro Lado LP

The Oi! label is predisposed to a certain musical monotony, despite being formed against the status quo, which infects this LP. While melodic and political, each song on Al Otro Lado is punctuated by nothing, it all sounds the same. Listen to “Al Otro Lado,” followed by “Nadie Escucha” to understand my point. Spain-based ROTURA is idyllic in theory, with fast-paced instrumental pop energy and a powerful vocalist, Silvia, yet they fall flat in practice. The frenetic drums were enjoyable on most tracks, but it’s hard to appreciate them between the guitar’s almost-buzzing quality and the one-note vocals. I applaud the album’s production and creativity and perhaps others will enjoy it, but Al Otro Lado, translating “to the other side,” may just have to stay on that side.

Solvent Mockery of Life cassette

The debut EP from Brooklyn post-hardcore outfit SOLVENT is a captivating and visceral introduction to the band’s distinctive sound. Post-hardcore can be more of an umbrella term—in this case, as the tag may serve several distinctive bands that sometimes sound nothing alike. In this case, I am referring to them as post-hardcore in relation to bands like SACCHARINE TRUST or UNWOUND, and maybe some of the SST and Dischord titles. In under eight minutes, SOLVENT delivers three tracks that are impressively nuanced, and showcase their songwriting abilities. With its raw emotional power, technical prowess, and uncompromising vision, this release is an essential listen.

Sound of Disaster Välfärd 1984–1985 CD

The complete discography of Swedish sonic tormentors SOUND OF DISASTER. These guys ate battery acid with TOTALITÄR and shared a scene with all your favorite Swedish D-beat pioneers, with this CD being a conveyance to that crusty motherland. There isn’t much throwaway here, it’s pretty abrasive shit and does not come up for air at any point. The drumming is akin to windows smashing in time, guitars are hammered in a tuning unknown to any, and there is mayhem in each song with an earnest and cracking scream coming from a floor vent. Each ballad on this is pure and intense. Highly recommended.

Teen Cobra Buzzkill LP

This is right up my alley. It’s a husband-and-wife rock’n’roll duo on a budget, with crunchy guitars and primal drums. This formula can become one-note very quickly, but they’re able to switch up the pace very nicely, like the slow stomp of the intro to “Closer (Satan’s Watching)” and the upbeat chorus of “I Don’t Wanna Walk Alone.” I love the female backing vocals, they almost remind me of BEAT HAPPENING and they add a lot to the music. I don’t think the LP would be what it is without them, because it would be harder to ignore the fact that the singer sounds a lot like KING KHAN. They don’t reinvent the wheel, but this group is very good at taking the limited skills they have musically and just playing with as much energy as possible. Good LP, but I bet they sound even better live.

Union of a Dying Sun Union of a Dying Sun CD

Tulsa trio of crust punkers who merge sludgier forms of hardcore punk with a pinch of thrash in the mix. Tempos are mid-paced all the way with few stops, deep pinch-screaming vocals with some chorus on the back of what appears to be their first published work, and almost mirrored string sections that never stop ranting. Complex and extensive lyrics that are politically compromised and crudely felt, and that are included on their Bandcamp page, so extra points for that. Keep on!

The Vamps Used to Be Cool LP

A glaring omission in typical proto-punk conversations, the VAMPS began penning their original jams in the early ’70s and are regarded by some as “the first punk band from San Antonio, Texas.” Playing a soulful take on ’60s garage, classic R&B, and looser rock’n’roll acts of the era, the band’s music was adept but delivered with a marked irreverence for critical expectations. These early-to-the-game dudes left us with the eight smooth tracks on this archival LP collecting their four 7” releases. Fusing smoky blues (“I Need Somebody”) and CHUCK BERRY-style piano jump (“Nowhere to Go”) into their world-weary and organic rock stylings, they forged a compelling sound that has aged particularly well. Whether intentional or not, singer Frank Pugliese’s vocal intonation is strikingly Johanasen-ian, making the NEW YORK DOLLS one of the group’s most apt comparisons, though the STOOGES influence is also particularly obvious. Cementing their relevance in the history of the burgeoning punk movement, they landed a gig as the sole opener at one of the SEX PISTOLS few US gigs at San Antonio’s Randy’s Rodeo venue in 1978—the stuff of legends. Standout songs on this comprehensive compilation include the wildly catchy title track (whose sentiments are all-too-relatable for myself and most others who would be interested in this record) and the scathing cool of “What’s Your Excuse,” but every tune here is solid, and I can safely deem this an excellent and essential slab for fans of the oldies.

V/A All Hell Breaks Loose: A Tribute to the Misfits LP

This record raises the age-old question: do we really need another MISFITS tribute comp? Does that band, who long ago moved from cult favorite to Hot Topic mainstay, truly warrant more attention? I mean, we’re talking about a band whose “crimson ghost” shirt became so ubiquitous by 2010 that it threatened to undercut the value of the North American Punk Point. Well, whatever your view, it exists, so let’s deal. A lot of these songs play it straight, so if you enjoy a loving rendition of a popular standard, you will find it here. There’s an acoustic take on “Some Kind of Hate,” which will remind you, as if you needed it, just what a remarkable ear for melody these guys had. There are also some truly head-turning interpretations by the LOST LOVES and ST. DIGUE which I will not soon forget. So, like it or not, the MISFITS and their legacy will continue to lurch through the subculture like the living dead.

(+39) 375-649-94-64 My Telephone Number Demo #01 cassette

Lo-fi, garage-infused pop duo from Brescia, Italy, a self-described “hardcore techno” band. To me, the cassette is half anthemic garage punk bops and half mid-tempo dancy art-punk. However you choose to categorize them, (+39) 375-649-94-64 MY TELEPHONE NUMBER is sure to become a household name. That is, if it can be figured out exactly what the band name is. I have seen it listed by the Italian label that released it locally, Pollice Di Fuoco, as being (+39) 375-649-94-64, the release by US label Knuckles On Stun lists the band as simply MY TELEPHONE NUMBER, and the band’s official Bandcamp page has it listed as the combination of the two. Confuse me all you want, Wilson and Dany, just keep putting out these wacky, zany, catchy punk tunes!

Alex B Kurbis Never Had a Chance, Mind CD

This is punk rock with layers and textures. It reminds me of PEGBOY in that sense, though I wouldn’t say they remind of PEGBOY otherwise. It’s catchy and melodic, and each of the instruments and the vocals seem to all work together. It’s purposeful in that way. It’s a strong sound that grabs your attention. From Switzerland, if that’s the sort of thing you pay attention to.

Buio Omega I Wanna Crash My Car (On Purpose) / Highway Star cassette

This is some rockin’ hardcore here out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. My first thought was a slightly more punk version of ANNIHILATION TIME. The first song gives me that vibe, along with reminding me of SCREAMER from England. When the second and final song came on, I was surprised since it is a cover of DEEP PURPLE’s “Highway Star.” I figured there was no way this band was going to be able to pull off that guitar solo, but they really did a fine job; I was legitimately excited by how well they did it. Nice job! Two songs, they are both fun to listen to and I can’t wait to hear more.

Caveman Something’s Got to Give EP

CAVEMAN is the ideal music for any hardcore pit. It has the perfect formula for a good time pushing, shoving, or slamming: groovy, mid-tempo stompy parts that may be a direct result of having a SPY member, fast powerviolence-esque blast parts, the human equivalent of a rabid dog on vocals, and the slamming always comes full circle for a climactic resolution. These six songs are not too short and not too long, just the right length to get the blood boiling. The lyrics deal with a range of subjects, from the malaise of modern living to strawberry banana smoothies?!? Knuckle-dragging hardcore fanatics will want to add this one to the collection.

Celebrity Handshake Earth Last LP

This newest recording from Portland, Maine’s prolific skronk-blues outfit CELEBRITY HANDSHAKE is definitely an acquired taste. Imagine BIRTHDAY PARTY stripped of any sense of songwriting or musical prowess, leaving only raw, chaotic energy. Layered on top are vocals that meander between stream-of-consciousness jazz poetry and the unfiltered oddity of WESLEY WILLIS. Most people are just going to hate this, but if you appreciate the truly weird, give them a shot. Highlights for me: these songs all blur together, so feel free to dive in anywhere.

Clickbait At Your Leisure LP

At Your Leisure is the debut record from Chicago’s CLICKBAIT, a self-contained minimal DIY disco dance party to heat up even the chilliest Midwestern basement. These thirteen songs are all unwavering testaments to rhythm, propelled by roundabout, ESG-descended bass lines and four-on-the-floor, hi-hat-rattling beats, with sparse shocks of single-note guitar dropping in judiciously alongside equally concise lyrical missives from vocalist Sandra, whose matter-of-fact deadpan delivery periodically slips into more animated shrieks. The neo-no-wave needling of “Audacity” leaves plenty of negative space for posing rhetorical questions (“What do I want? / Do I need it?”), while the GAUCHE-like “So-So” digs deep into a perpetual motion groove as Sandra’s coolly detached speak-sing gets increasingly intense, ultimately breaking into a pointed, impassioned wail (“Being a woman is not a competition / That I want to play in”). The dry, frills-free recording imparts the LP with a certain out-of-time feeling, like listening to a years-weathered cassette capture of a clandestine PYLON rehearsal in the studio art building of a state college circa 1980—there’s a scribbled precariousness and sense of spontaneity in CLICKBAIT’s wound-up sound that’s particularly refreshing in a modern world of BODEGAs and GUSTAFs sanitizing this sort of funky art-punk for IPA-drinkers at gentrifying rock clubs; bless them for that.

Deef Real Control LP

Real Control is DEEF’s second individual release, originally put out on tape in 1984. They started as teenagers, a time when within a short period, significant changes can happen within your taste of music. Luckily, they did not approach songwriting drastically differently. It is still aggressive, exciting punk, in its most raw and primitive way without being overly noisy or filthy. Again, it’s speed that introduces most of the vehemence, but intensity is present in slower jams such as “We Kill All Punk Rock Heroes.” The same info sheet that is included for the Nou reissue is also present here, mentioning DEEF’s isolation. Sonically, this makes them rootless in the sense that it’s so visceral that sometimes it sounds as if they have only read about hardcore punk and tried to reproduce it from imagination, not that it is so out-of-place or sort of avant garde, and it’s rarely reusing lifted gimmicks from other classic records. This is why these reissues are relevant and still sound fresh, because the music on them, even if heard many times, remains new because teenagers made it without having a clue or caring too much about whatever things current bands consider when playing music. The bass sound is more meaty; the distortion has been turned up on the guitars yet they are at the back of the mix, so you have to pay attention to get the real noise-punk element. I like the mid-tempo evil songs and the overdriven vocals, but it is still very rock’n’roll. It’s not only an interesting artifact from an old scene, but this record would be a hit even today. The goal of today’s bands would be to make something this fresh after having heard this record, too. The LP includes an info sheet, a photo booklet of the era, a postcard, and a sticker. One of the great second acts of hardcore punk is the possibility that decades after your existence, maniacs like General Speech could re-release your stuff.

Drug Czars Compendium CD

With nineteen studio tracks and eight live cuts, this CD compiles what I believe is the entire recorded output of ’90s South Florida weirdos DRUG CZARS. Commandeered by former members of the EAT and ROACH MOTEL, the band played punchy outsider rock with indie and pseudo-country inflections. The tunes cover a wide spectrum of energies. Some display a driving kind of post-punk, but then they’ll break out into the rootsy hardcore of “God’s Got a Gun,” slip into a sordid din like on “Let’s Go Satan,” or reveal a Doc Dart-esque sinister side on “Someday I’ll Crush Them All Like Bugs.” They also do some covers ranging from JEFFERSON AIRPLANE to WIRE, and some of the best songs here are buried in the raw sound of the live recordings. It’s dank and infectious stuff, a strangely compelling soup that may appeal to fans of later-era GUN CLUB and THOMAS JEFFERSON SLAVE APARTMENTS.

Easy Kill What a Blow! cassette

Not awful. Though it does seem like the production is the only thing to phone home about, the short length saves me from completely eviscerating it. I kind of had fun listening to it. The vocalist has some lines that made me laugh, and the guitar tone is nice and clear. I think if they work on it, they could be something special. However, some of the drum parts felt out of place, and I just don’t find anything super engaging going on here. It’s a decent listen if you just have it playing in the background, though.

Fuckcrusher / Penny split LP

Listen, I’m a huge fan of unique vocalists, especially in a genre like punk music which requires you to think outside the box if you ever plan to shine among the crowd. And I’m really sorry here because, again, I absolutely love when bands try something different, but both of these acts are marred with grating and unlistenable singers, which is a real shame because the music is fantastic. FUCKCRUSHER plays classic multi-vocal powerviolence akin to MAN IS THE BASTARD. One of the singers sounds fine, but the other one loves to hit this piercing shrill that I cannot handle. Maybe I’m just getting old? It seems like they’re trying to go for an ULTIMATE WARRIORS vibe, but it just sounds like they’re blowing a referee whistle. PENNY plays sloppy punk rock that I was pretty excited about at first, but their singer sounds like Mickey Mouse on a bender. You know what though? The more I listen to this, the more I kinda like it. It’s oddly wholesome and charming. The whole band joins in on gang-vocal duties for their track “Tree,” and it’s truly the breakout single of this whole ordeal. Fuck it, this album is an experience, and I recommend you listen to it at least once. Maybe there is a little bit of shine here.

Giuda Louder Than Action / It’s Not About the Money 7″

After roughly five years, the Italian royals of bootrock return with yet another pair of soaring anthems. The driving verses of “Louder Than Action” pull you in right away and reward you with a big chorus replete with handclaps and the group shout of “gun it!” On the flipside, “It’s Not About the Money” manages to raise the bar even further with a classic mid-tempo stomper, letting you put those boots to good use. If you haven’t been introduced to GIUDA in the last fifteen years, you can’t go wrong picking up any of their singles, but this is a perfect entry point.

Heather the Jerk Surreal Good Fun Exciting Tape cassette

I’d say this is some solid, catchy pop music backed with an electronic drum kit. And given the name Heather and the fact that they’re from Wisconsin, I’d say this is Heather Sawyer, formerly with the HUSSY. It’s mid-tempo and catchy as all hell and the vocals just draw you in. This is perfect for dancing without even having to leave the couch. You just bounce around. Fun fact: when the HUSSY was a thing, they stayed at our place! And if this isn’t Heather Sawyer, you should just feel honored that you even got mentioned in the same breath.

Kriegshög Love & Revenge LP

KRIEGSHÖG return with their unpolished but anthemic D-beat in working order. Personally, I like this middle ground between the overproduced, two-minute-mark-breaking stadium crust of years past and the wave atonal noise just now receding from its 2014 high water mark (no disrespect to either, just a personal preference). It’s satisfying to hear a familiar but well-done D-riff delivered with just the right amount of schmutz on top. All that and a run time of just over twenty minutes, which is just as long as a punk LP should be.

Motorsav Dødsløse Nætter LP

Copenhagen punks MOTORSAV released this fifteen-song album earlier this year, and I’ve only now gotten around to listening to it. K-Town-style hardcore punk that incorporates synthesizers, and has a bleak, post-punk sort of vibe: I’m in. The opening song has a long, atmospheric opening that spontaneously becomes a punk song, and that’s just the first track. Creative arrangements emerge throughout this album, with MOTORSAV using their instruments’ full capabilities. Towards the end of the album, there are a few cover songs, with one being “Girl U Want” by DEVO. I guess what I’m trying to say is that Dødsløse Nætter is a good time.

Hayes Noble As It Was, As We Were CD

There’s a generally believed legend that the best punk-inspired music, in its heyday, came from Washington. HAYES NOBLE has proved this tale extends past the ’90s on his sophomore album, As It Was, As We Were. Upon listening, the album cordially invites you to a marriage between wonderfully layered shoegaze soundscapes and the hurried noise of post-hardcore. HAYES NOBLE provides the vocal hallmark of any indie band, singing of young, sultry summers and dreamy disillusionment with reality. There are many great details in the album’s composition, such as the smooth transition from the opener “Escape” to “In Search Of,” or the lovely scenic imagery evoked by “On Montrose.” The album is peppered with magic moments of gritty feedback, auric revivals of MY BLOODY VALENTINE, and an atmosphere of bedroom danceability. As for musicianship, solid bass by Everett Noble and catchy drums by Brett Noble excel on tracks like, “Blue To Grey” and “The End.” I wonder if they’re a family-comprised band, which would be cool. This June release is a definite addition to my summer soundtrack.

Osbo Say It to My Face EP

USHC-inspired downer punk from Down Under. Sydney has cultivated a reputation for producing eclectic acts, and OSBO maintains that tradition in a wholly distinct way. Following up their 2020 demo, the band has honed their sound some, but make no mistake, this is just as heavy, noisy, and unhinged. They eschew the standard hardcore formula in a way that has me imagining what PISSED JEANS would sound like covering NO TREND. There is a tension arising from their oscillating tempos, where just when it seems like things have gone completely off the rails, the meandering instrumentation will snap back into a focused assault. Atop it all, the snot-addled, back-of-throat vocals propel the songs forward. OSBO pulls off the rare feat of being frenetic, unpredictable, and tight all at once. An ample reminder that it pays to keep it freaky.

Pershing Boys Versteckt EP

It is always very tricky to review a band like PERSHING BOYS. I assume that because of their longevity and because they formed in 1985, they must have an aura locally that cannot quite be grasped from the outside, and therefore the perspective that someone familiar with their status holds is necessarily different to mine. I had never heard of the band and was never much of a Deutschpunk expert, so here we go. They are from Konstanz, South Germany, and this is their new EP, with four songs of beefy hardcore punk with lyrics in German. The production is probably too polished and clean for its own good and is lacking in aggression, especially in the band’s faster moments. However, the clever songwriting highlights the band’s energy, reminiscent of the classic German punk bands that combined melodies with direct angry punk. PERSHING BOYS manage to remain quite catchy, whether through dark choruses or epic guitar leads (there are quite a few of them, be prepared), and the songs are never dull—overall, the mood is quite dark and the EP works. I love the introduction to the last song “Fortschritt” that sounds incredibly epic and triumphant and could have been lifted from a legendary Japanese hardcore record. I suspect fans of Deutschpunk, those who have a genuine connection with the genre, will enjoy this, because it is objectively a fine EP.

The Pox Graveyards I Have Robbed cassette

Four songs of spooky-themed, garage-tinged rock’n’roll from Montreal. A blown-out recording done “in glorious mono,” with long “scary sounds” clips between songs. This is super fun and seems like it would be an absolute blast to see performed live, especially if the POX really ham up the horror-loving aspect in their live show. An incredibly low number of these seem to have been made; mine is number 15 of 23, and while I am stoked to have a copy, I can’t help but be a little jealous that a deluxe edition of the cassette exists, which includes a bunch of different inserts as well as a “suspicious bag of dirt” all packaged within a plastic VHS clamshell case.

River City Rebels Pop Culture Baby EP

Long-running pop punk New Englanders RIVER CITY REBELS return with a new four-track EP that’s brimming with cultural and societal critique, just as they’ve been doing since the turn of the millennium. Tracks like “Rock a Cross” and “Unless You’re White” are outward-looking indictments that could be about one specific person or a broad gesture to half the damn country. The big payoff on this record is the closing track “Abuse Myself.” Here, the critique turns inward and we are treated to a sub-90-second scorcher. Ending with the mirror flipped on themselves, RIVER CITY REBELS remind you what can happen to yourself, perhaps as a byproduct of the dumpster fires happening all around you.

Saddam Death Cave Planned Obsolescence 10″

SADDAM DEATH CAVE, a hardcore punk outfit hailing from the streets of Atlanta, is a musical force to be reckoned with, featuring members that play or played in PRIMATE, OTOPHOBIA, and RENT BOYS, just to name a few, which just might catch your attention. On their second release, they reshaped their focus and re-recorded the songs from their The Third Battle of Tikrit demo and added three songs, including a great rendition of NAKED RAYGUN’s “Rat Patrol.” Planned Obsolescence demonstrates an honest band that just wants to be able to express itself, and play some POISON IDEA-influenced hardcore. This band shows a cohesive sound and leaves no ambiguity about their bleak worldview and nihilistic tendencies. As abrasive as it is captivating.

Shop Regulars Shop Regulars LP

With seven self-released cassettes and six years behind them, Portland, Oregon’s SHOP REGULARS now put out their first LP. I hear vocals akin to the dourest moments of a STROKES song, and tricky rhythms that rattle on and on like White Light/White Heat-era VELVET UNDERGROUND. The latter comparison comes to mind with song length—at the shortest, “Off Season Walker” comes in at 2:22, while the B-side opens with the 11:09-long “Emerson Run Down” that jangles and ker-lumps along, dismissive of harmony, all the while lead-line side bars and quirks sun-flare over an uncompromised rhythm guitar and drum repetition that sounds like the dogma of the band: repeat, repeat, skew/deliver, repeat. Founder, guitarist, and vocalist Matt Radosevich fronts this experimental band, with drummer Patrick Barret being the only other constant since the group’s inception. Seven other musicians are credited in the notes, lending themselves (in a sound and structure) to the sort of freewheeling hippie punk thing of FAMILY FODDER. Comparisons aside, SHOP REGULARS have created their own mélange of art, oddball, electric, irreverent, and at times irksome music, in the best way possible. I’m feeling a little wobbly after so many listens, and to lift a line from the LP jacket, “it can happen to you.”

Snitfit Snitfit demo cassette

Nothing screams punk more than a group of teenagers making hardcore music, and SNITFIT, a group from Newfoundland, is a testament to the importance of it. With classic punk and garage-y instrumentals combined with riot grrrl lyricism, they bring a fresh style of punk feminism reimagined. Reminiscent of the yowling screams of Amy Taylor of AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS, combined with a deep passion bloomed from youth, SNITFIT has an enticing edge. Songs like “Bitch” and “Grope” show how SNITFIT uses blunt lyricism to strike through to the listener, as it feels like their instruments are somehow going to burst through the speakers and, quite literally, hit you in the face.

Tension Pets Cubey CD

Six tracks of synth-accompanied punk from this Chicago band that nestles close to the DEVO tentpole of the egg-punk umbrella. These songs are fairly traditional in their careful and accomplished arrangements, not unlike the hook-laden garage punk of TEE VEE REPAIRMANN with added interlocking synth and guitar lines. Whereas some of this genre can head down a noisy, buzzing nerdcore path, TENSION PETS deliver melodic verse-chorus-verse songs with backing vocals and quick solos. The only slight exception is the near-hardcore stomping beat of “Mansion,” although it too is catchy. It’s all very accessible and likeable, if you don’t mind some sugar in your punk. Enter the heart-tugging “Magnolia (She’s Back),” a never-was new wave classic that sounds like the CARS in the best way. Had it come out in the ’80s, its sweet melodies and lost-love lyrics would have played in every car and over countless romcom movie trailers. Total melodic gem. Check it out if you like bands like CHERRY CHEEKS and have some romance hiding out in your jaded punk heart.

Ultra Lights Nostalgia / Clockin Out 7″

I was driving around with my wife the other day, listening to a playlist of my MRR review assignments, when this release came on. It followed up the latest album from FEN FEN, and the transition from tight, unhinged hardcore punk to languid power pop apparently got my wife’s attention, because she blurted out “What is this? It sounds like the STROKES.” She wasn’t wrong. The two tracks on this Atlanta four-piece’s debut don’t sound a million miles away from what you got on Is This It. Maybe mix that with an extremely sanitized version of the EXPLODING HEARTS, and you’ll probably get a good enough picture. In any event, it’s much less contrived-sounding than anything you’d associate with the indie sleaze set, and these are two genuinely catchy numbers. I don’t know that I’ll be dipping back into this, but I’d still be interested to see where they take things.

Waldo Faldo Nueva Especie Humana EP

Madrid-based histrionic new wave-y synth punkers filled with energy. This is their second piece of work, pinching up the synth influence in their music. Lyrics verse on new world order and biotechnology applied to humans, carrying such prospects to the table in tracks “Año 2033” and “Nueva Especie Humana.” Monotone clean vocals follow the drum machine but especially the synth lines mixed with keyboards, which tend to be addictive and create a great atmosphere for egg-punk lovers. All four tracks carry a similar intention, giving a feeling of passing through videogame levels in the same tones. Interesting enough, eager to hear more from them.

X Hate City EP

Hate City is a collection of previously unheard material from ’77-era X (not that X).  This is the band that Ian Rilen was in; he’s the guy that briefly played bass in ROSE TATTOO for a bit, having written one of the band’s earliest songs, “Bad Boy For Love.” Aside from X’s Aspirations LP, Hate City seems to be all from this period that is out there for these cats, and it’s near perfect in its sleaze and swagger. In another world, they could have been a drunker DEAD BOYS, who wouldn’t take themselves seriously and light a fart on fire for giggles. Kind of a cousin to PETER AND TEST TUBE BABIES? I don’t know…this is a limited run that Green Noise/Dirt Cult put out, buy one for your neighbor.

Yield to None Both Demos LP

A collection of a couple of demos from YIELD TO NONE on one LP. Sonically reminiscent of the hard streets of the Lower East Side in the 1980s, but they’re from Tampa, where I’ve never been. If squatter-era Harley Flanagan’s dog Lucifer had a band in the ’80s, it might have sounded like these vocals. For fans of OUTBURST and BREAKOUT.

V/A No Genocide: A Benefit for Mutual Aid in Gaza cassette

The brutal mistreatment of Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli government is not something that started in 2024. For decades, the people of Palestine have been on the receiving end of ruthless displacement, and as of October, that displacement accelerated to full-blown genocide. As we now live in the age of social media, these atrocities have been pushed to the forefront of our minds, as they should; these are real people being killed on a daily basis, with the death toll reaching approximately 39,000 with many more likely unaccounted for. It’s difficult to wrap your head around, especially as many of us live thousands of miles away from the conflict, seeing it streaming from our phones alongside our usual daily content. It’s surreal and soul-crushing in equal measure, and ultimately leads to the question: what can be done locally to show support for Palestinians whose lives are being systematically annihilated? Fortunately, I’m proud to say I’ve been able to find humanity and inspiration in the punk scene. From bands speaking out and displaying the Palestinian flag during shows, to printing “From the River to the Sea” in liner notes, it’s no surprise to know that the punk community cares (mostly, there are always shitty exceptions). In addition to the aforementioned instances, over the past ten months there have been a plethora of pro-Palestinian comps released featuring countless bands proudly throwing their support behind the cause. One of the first on my radar was No Genocide, a cassette put together by the DISSIDENTS from Philly and featuring a variety of punks offering something for everyone. Every track here is a heater, my favorites being the vicious “Rabid Dogs” by SCARECROW and RAT CAGE’s excellent cover of the VARUKERS’ “Another Religion Another War.” If the raw punk stuff isn’t your thing, there’s plenty of post-punk, anarcho, and hardcore to be enjoyed as well. Regardless of taste, head over to the Bandcamp and download, donate, share, and support. Thank you to the DISSIDENTS and all of the bands involved here, thank you to all the punks standing up and giving a voice to those who don’t have one, and thank you to anyone who has contributed to the Palestinian cause. Free Gaza, Free Palestine!

208 Possession EP

On paper, 208 is a noisy guitar-and-drums garage punk duo out of Detroit. But it’s best not to go into this release with that as your primary frame of reference. You’d likely come out the other side thinking it sounds like an unlistenable mess. Because it is…sort of. The production sounds like someone held a cheap microcassette recorder up to a boombox with blown-out speakers blasting one of PUSSY GALORE’s lowest-fidelity songs. It’s extreme. It wasn’t until I got to the record’s instrumental title track that I think I finally got things. I’d zoned out while it was on, to the point of forgetting what I was listening to. When I snapped back into focus, all of a sudden it sounded like I was inside the engine of some rusty steam engine, barrelling through some industrial hellscape. So, being able to recontextualize this as something closer to a pure noise project, maybe something like CHROME meets the DEAD C meets Metal Machine Music, I was able to get into it a little. Not sure if that was their intention. In any event, I think I’m OK with this now. I’m really curious to see how this would translate live.

Aliento De Perro Más de 30 Años… LP

Villa Rosa’s group of four that’s been around for decades in the Argentinian punk rock scene delivers nine tracks of well-executed, mid-paced classic punk rock in less than sixteen minutes—anthemic and deeply felt, bursting with passion, existentialism, and love adventures, with a twist of nihilistic, gloomier humor and views. Punk rock poetry lessons from the barrio with uplifting but also laconic, melancholic features between the lyrics and music, as the whole album is a progression through feelings, experiences, and situations from touring, lovelife, and the regular course of living. The band replicates highly energetic live gigs with a deep connection with the audience, anthemic palm-muting, and sing-along encores, exuding attitude and feeling that creates a great atmosphere. Favorite tracks: “Antisocial,” “Montevideo Me Dicem” and “Nada de Nada.” Go pogo with them, highly recommended.