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!

Çayîr Çayîr demo cassette

ÇAYÎR from Budapest just released a demo cassette, and you’re absolutely going to want to hear it. Ballistic-grade hardcore punk of the noisy crasher pedigree is ÇAYÎR’s specialty, which they play with the gusto and charm of bands like GLOOM, ZYANOSE, and CONFUSE. Raw, brutally heavy, and packed with as much noise as possible, this style is not for the weak. Ten tracks packed into about as many minutes are over and done before you’re ready, and will demand a replay. By the third track, you’ll begin to hear the D-beat influence and punk groove, but you’ll still need to wade through a deep layer of noise muck to get there. “What Will You Concent” is just beyond the midway and invites a heavy rocker-fueled rhythm that sounds similar to Scandi punk bands from the mid-’80s.

Cimiterium Verdict EP

Aussies delivering their debut 7” achieve a putrid blend of stenchcore and metal forms of punk. Mastering crossover stances with dungeon killer riffage, fast, caustic cadences, and low vocal mayhem on two tracks per side, it sure represents a great first EP effort. Gloomier headbangers, you have been notified.

Coffin Pricks Semi-Perfect Crimes LP

COFFIN PRICKS were a short-lived group from Chicago in the early 2010s. Featuring members of CIRCUS LUPUS, CAVITY, and DAYLIGHT ROBBERY, they made a bit of a splash in their time, but only managed to release a single three-song EP before disbanding. It turns out that the band had recorded a few more songs back in 2011, and following an apparent dose of friendly pestering from the good folks at Council Records, COFFIN PRICKS resurface in 2024 to grace us with all seven of their studio recordings, plus an additional seven cuts taken from a 2012 gig at Saki Records. While I’m often skeptical of both live recordings and posthumous releases by bands with abbreviated lifespans, Semi-Perfect Crimes upends convention on both fronts. COFFIN PRICKS embody the spirit of 1978 post-punk by striking a masterful balance between melody and aggression. The instrumentation is impressive without being too flashy and the vocal lines are catchy without being too obvious. I presume that the FALL is a big influence here, along with WIRE and MAGAZINE. This has me t-t-totally wired. 

Deviated Instinct Dance of the Plague Bearer 12″

With DEVIATED INSTINCT being one of my favourite bands, I cannot reasonably be expected to do anything but rave beatifically about how great this new record is. This cult Norwich crust band does not need any introduction, but suffice it to say that they coined the philosophical term “stenchcore” and contributed to making crust pants a fashion statement that all mums hated in the ’80s. Like many old bands (and not always for the best), DEVIATED INSTINCT reformed in 2007 and they have been going strong since, gigging and releasing solid, convincing records. What has always made them stand out is their ability to offer a relevant version of themselves, a progression (sonically and visually) that synthesizes their best traits and updates them, without mentioning playing better overall, rather than just trying to play their old tunes exactly the same as before—this almost never works, and it can make so many reformed bands so disappointing. They are still playing old school, heavy, dark metallic crust, but you can tell the members have been keeping in touch with the evolutions of the heavier side of hardcore music so that DEVIATED INSTINCT keeps making sense and is no longer seen as “the reformed band.” Dance of the Plague Bearer is fascinating for that reason, as it is a rerecording (from 2017) and reworking of five old songs (including my favourite, “Stormcrow”) that highlights the band’s talent to bring their classic ’80s crust into the new age. Dark and heavy ferocious stench-crust with brilliant growling, threatening vocals and dirty, metallic guitar riffs, produced just right and amazing artwork from guitar hero Mid. They invented that shit. Ace.

Distante Cada Acci​ó​n Cuenta EP

Excellent  Argentinian punk coming from a thriving scene I’ve been unaware of until the writing of this review. DISTANTE reminds me a lot of TOZCOS, but with a heavier straightedge influence, citing bands like MINOR THREAT and YOUTH OF TODAY as inspiration. The songs hit hard and fast with wall-to-wall riffs and breakneck drumming, but the stars of the show are the bass lines and vocals, both taking these songs to another level. I recommend flipping over to their Bandcamp and listening to “Circunstancias,” one of the best punk songs I’ve heard so far this year, which is saying a lot.

Genre Genre demo cassette

Martin Meyer, the head honcho over at Rotten Apple and Inscrutable Records (not to mention the now-defunct Lumpy Records), has been digging up cool and/or weird bands for well over a decade at this point. Still, it never ceases to amaze me the amount of genuinely unique stuff he’s able to find that’s also good. Take GENRE for instance: a group of Kansas City punks who aren’t really doing anything new, but nevertheless sound unlike most other acts going these days. It’s hard to pigeonhole their music (I’m sure their name is a dig at folks who try). The Bandcamp copy asks us to imagine the FALL as a math rock band on Crass Records who’ve kicked out Mark E. Smith. I don’t totally agree with that assessment—I don’t think the music they play is nearly as intricate or heavy as your typical math rock band—but I think it successfully conveys the ramshackle restlessness and general ’90s vibe of their sound. Over the four tracks on this cassette, the band ping-pongs from post-hardcore, to dance punk, to slacker rock, to jagged post-punk, never really lingering on any particular sound. And it mainly works—at the very least, it’s incredibly engaging. They sound a bit like a less erudite, less polished PATOIS COUNSELORS (a band I really love). My only complaint is that I wish they had that band’s knack for burying a silly synth in the mix. Even so, it’s a cool release, and I’m really eager to hear how these folks evolve over time.

Homeless Cadaver Champale Wishes and Cadaviar Dreams EP

Fun and gross punk rock stripped right down to the KBD garage essentials that fits in well with ERIK NERVOUS or the SPITS. “Cadaviar” adds some squiggling synth and tambourine jingles as finishing touches on a great rock opener that tastefully beeps out the curse words. “Baloney Hands” is like a lost WEIRD AL punk experiment with nasally vocals about snacking on (behold the conceptual genius) hands made of baloney. It’s dumb and awesome. “Emergency Circumcision” features call-and-response vocals and fulfills the promise of the song title. It’s also dumb and awesome. Really, the whole record is—if you want to turn off your brain and get loose for a few minutes, HOMELESS CADAVER has you covered.

Inzest Violence Not Words CD

Prepare yourself for a brutal thrashcore assault straight from Osaka! The short-lived but impactful INZEST combined blistering hardcore with furious, thrashing riffs and intense screams. If you’re a fan of bands like S.O.B., OUTO, and GUDON, and crave the relentless speed and aggression they offer, you won’t be disappointed with this release. This CD is a reissue of the previous LP by F.O.A.D Records, and it features the early collection of tracks from INZEST from 1987–1988—the cult flexi disc Another Religion Another Violence and the rare Motive of Genocide demo tape. Just play it and brace yourself for a blood-soaked onslaught of manic ferocity!

Clifton Lee Mann Ömghost CD

CLIFTON LEE MANN’s latest is half bluesy rock’n’roll unencumbered by punk updates, and half conventional punk tunes with a carefree, shaggy approach. The difference between the two can be a little sharp and made me feel like I was constantly listening to cover songs. I could almost imagine this playing to SHELLSHAG fans. The razor-thin lead guitar screeches over a fuzzed-out rhythm guitar and a farting bass. The unpolished sound quality was a wise choice. LEE MANN mostly delivers a mild sing/talk, but occasionally croons a note.

Joey Nix Another Way to Do It LP

Cleveland’s JOEY NIX, also of MA HOLOS and SHITBOX JIMMY, presents fifteen songs in the garage/power pop wheelhouse. Originally out on cassette from HM R&T in 2019, Just Because has put Another Way to Do It on vinyl. With the use of an acoustic guitar throughout, this album brings to mind the carefree qualities of Muswell Hillbillies-era KINKS, with NIX’s “Small Reward” even having some lyrical similarities to “Alcohol.” “Purple Peet” gets the most experimental with a nervous rhythm, a squeaky fiddle, and Mark E. Smith-styled vocals.  “Jousting” blasts that acoustic guitar through a blown-out amp and has the most grit, with snarled vocals—at a minute-and-a-half, I want it to keep going!  “I’m a plumber at night / And a janitor by the day” is crooned softly throughout “Jobs,” with a melancholic harmonica in the background producing a tender love song and another dimension to this multifaceted album.  Admittedly, we’re a little late to the party, as this re-release came out in October of 2022, but not so much that we can’t shine a light on this excellent album that is lighthearted, heartfelt, clever, and catchy.

Plexi Stad Siren Dance EP

Antwerp’s PLEXI STAD reinvented themselves so quickly and dramatically in the time since their debut EP last year that it’s a little whiplash-inducing. 2023’s Probation Baby was a fairly nondescript and generic mishmash of loose garage strut and post-egg angularity (think early URANIUM CLUB after a caffeine crash), but if the lean mutant funk of Siren Dance is any indication, these guys must have just recently discovered the CONTORTIONS and seen the light. There’s still remnants of PLEXI STAD version 1.0 in “Returning,” which throws in a few disco beats but otherwise travels in a fairly straight line paralleling dozens of contempo scraggly/shouty bands caught between post-punk and garage (and who are more likely than not based in Australia), but otherwise the tone has changed sharply—“Your Parade” is like a sax-free rewrite of “Contort Yourself,” with some particularly unhinged James Chance-style vocal exhortations and a furiously staccato rhythm, “Stand-By (Stuck On)” is all chicken scratch guitar, elastic bass lines, and rigid beats modeled after prime GANG OF FOUR, and the menacing, elliptical groove of “Siren Dance” echoes caustic Benelux greats like the EX and COÏTUS INT. Hopefully they’ll sit down and stay here a while, rather than it being just another stopover on the way to their next sound.

Ritual Warfare Poison Death Noise EP

You know, there really isn’t anything that stands out to me about this EP. It’s pretty cut-and-dry blackened death metal with some decent riffage, pummeling drums, and the typical themes ranging from gore to anti-religious iconography. However, it’s charming in its own way. There’s a palatable sort of passion that oozes from it. This is the kind of band I’d have a really great time seeing live, but probably wouldn’t listen to much in any other setting. I think it’s because there’s absolutely no low end on this recording. If there’s a bass player, then they absolutely buried them in the mix. Some metalheads dig that kind of thing, though. If that’s up your alley then this is worth a spin.

The Scenics New Part in Town LP

Some 1976 recordings from Toronto teens who managed to knit together the scrappy pop of the KINKS with the freewheeling storytelling and raw edges of the VELVET UNDERGROUND into something new and exciting. The mood here is fun and loose; strummed, harmonized odes to Jonathan Richman meet the proto-garage punk of the title track. The songwriting confidence, which weaves classic suburban wasteland observations with odd cultural touchstones, is incredible. Take the ROLLING STONES-style ballad “O Charlotte”: “Your mama is a swinger she’s a party doll / She said ‘son, you better take good care of my little girl’ / Mama, don’t you worry about your teenage girl / She was in good hands with Allstate / She’s in better hands now.” It’s kind of sweet, kind of grimy, and all rock’n’roll. The band’s ability is on full display as well, even though the production is clearly DIY. Thoughtful arrangements are flush with arpeggiated guitar and three-part vocal harmonies. “In the Summer” touches on TELEVISION-esque guitar interplay that nears sonic perfection. Check out this first entry in a series of SCENICS rarities and reissues for excellent, forward-thinking proto-punk.

Strikeslip Stuporstar / Terribly Tangled Up 7″

This is a really lovely single. Tongue-in-cheek power pop that brings to mind NATURAL CHILD, SPACE PHLEGM, and even a little bit of early ROLLING STONES. Incredible production here as well. Everything sounds clean and natural. I love hearing poppy music like this that isn’t compressed to all hell. This might not enter the rotation of the typical MRR reader, but I’m smitten by it. For fans of Matador Records and people who think indie music peaked in the mid-’90s.

Vaxine Frontal Lobotomy LP

An absolute cracker of a debut from NYC’s own VAXINE, taking the decrepit old corpse of UK82 and injecting a vital dose of arse-kicking into it. No wheels are being reinvented here, but when it sounds like this, why would you want to?  Fans of the snottier end of UK82, yer CHAOS UKs, yer PARTISANS, yer EXPLOITEDS, etc. will find a lot to like here, as track after track stomps along with a sneer and a pleasantly stateside fury, with no wasted energy.

Balta Mindenki Mindig Minden Ellen EP

BALTA exhibits an unwavering dedication to relentless, ear-splitting intensity, with no respite in tempo or volume to be found on Mindenki Mindig Minden Ellen. It propels forward with a consistent fervor, without any breaks or variations—urgent, and the performance is equally intense. BALTA’s sound is aggressive, powerful, and chaotic. I would compare them to PLASMID or PIÑEN due to the complete primitive hardcore stomp they create. Mindenki Mindig Minden Ellen gives you a beating in about ten minutes.

Birth Ritual Hell CD

Fantastic three-song EP from Japan’s own BIRTH RITUAL. Thrash punk teetering way more towards the trash end of the spectrum. This album is absolutely brutal straight out of the gate. No frills or unnecessary bullshit. Just pure intensity and raw power. A true throwback to the classic years of thrash and metal in general. For fans of NUCLEAR ASSAULT, MESSIAH, HOLY TERROR, etc.

Chimes of Bayonets Replicator LP

The newest LP from this post-hardcore trio is anchored by a sharp, repetitive bass and stinging guitars. They frame the songs from opposite ends, although sometimes they act as point and counterpoint, a kind of musical call-and-response. The tracks don’t jog along like a standard hardcore song, but start, stop, and snake up and down the guitar neck with nervous energy (although there are some more conventional HC chonkers here and there). Like a lot of post-hardcore and emo, this band crams a lot of riffs into one song. It felt overstuffed to me, but I always say that. It’s a unique, sometimes jarring, listen.

Consensus Madness 2023 Demo cassette

Sharp little tape here from these Chicago up-and-comers. Their pointed punk conjures up a tasty first-wave spirit and dabs it in artsy splashes of modern mettle. The sound is stripped-down but rich, smart, and antagonistic. I’m also hearing a vague lineage to Windy City legends like the EFFIGIES in tunes like “Attention.” Respect.

Dollhouse I Hate You Don’t Leave Me EP

DOLLHOUSE is a band that has made the social media rounds, toured extensively, and garnered a large fanbase in the past few years. This four-song EP is yet another perfect output from the band—punk as fuck with a sort of GERMS energy, yet still unique and almost beyond compare. The title track, “I Hate You Don’t Leave Me,” almost rings like a pop punk anthem, but has more sneer and anger than most sugary bands are capable of delivering. It’s got the bop and killer guitar leads. The last two tracks are everything I know DOLLHOUSE to be—raw, angry, and just a little more dissonant than most. If you like DOLLHOUSE, then you’ve probably already heard this. If you’ve never listened to DOLLHOUSE, then this is a great place to start.

Downwinder Claws of Despair LP

Can it be said that there is currently some sort of stenchcore revival? The genre never really went away since the early ’00’s, and “stenchcore” arguably became an actual genre, solidified, adopted specific traits, and was considered as such at that time, already twenty years ago. DOWNWINDER has both feet in the modern stenchcore camp and, as a sucker who automatically buys any record with this tag, it got my undivided attention, like my dad watching darts on the telly. DOWNWINDER is from Volos in Greece, and is made up of members of UNFIT EARTH, DIRTY WOMBS, and FERAL KIDS, although they are not influenced, in terms of music at least, by the traditional Greek crust sound, and they do not sing in the language (apart from the last song of the LP). Claws of Despair is their second album, and I find it more convincing than the first one. It sounds heavy, mean, and dark, the production highlights what it is supposed to given the template, and the singer sounds like a zombified bear. The band can clearly be mentioned in the same foul breath as current bands like TERMINAL FILTH or CIMITERIUM, but they are even more death-metal-oriented and, not being a massive fan of the genre, I found myself unable to completely connect to some the songs. It is still a solidly executed work checking all the modern stenchcore boxes. I guess you already know if you’ll be up for this.

Fumist Coaltar LP

FUMIST is a supergroup based in Lyon, known for their seasoned members from HORDUR, CIVILIAN THROWER, LOVGUN, and OVERMARS. Their first album includes fourteen intense, D-beat-infused grindcore tracks with obligatory death metal slow sections that are sure to crush your head. The powerful drumming shines brightly on this album filled with nostalgic moments, creating a unique blend of grinding violence. Featuring both slow and fast movements, this album is a complete banger! Get your smoke on!

The Hamiltones In Space LP

For their second LP, these Buffalo punks boldly go where…actually, quite a few instrumental rock acts have gone before. The HAMILTONES, fresh off a stint playing for a convention of draculas a couple hundred years back, are joining the SPOTNICKS, the VENTURES, and MAN OR ASTRO-MAN? (not to mention countless lamer acts) out in space. So, you should know the deal: surf guitars plus bleeps and bloops, scratchy mid-century NASA samples, and maybe even a theremin. They’re by no means reinventing the Saturn V here, but I’ll be damned if this record isn’t just great. The guitar melodies are super compelling, and they’re often accompanied by soaring, lyric-less vocals (think the theme from Star Trek: The Original Series) or John Carpenter synths, giving the record more of a movie score vibe. And like their previous release, this thing is full of cool artwork and inserts adding more dumb fun band lore—the physical release even comes with an extra 7” by some mystery band that goes by MOON PEOPLE. Real cool shit!

Itchy and the Nits The Worst of LP

More stripped-down than a nudist on holiday, ITCHY AND THE NITS blast out twelve cuts of cave-beat rock’n’roll simplicity. Absolutely minimalist in their approach, it turns out that the “worst of” their output is actually pretty great. No time for bozos or searching around for that fourth chord, this power trio from Down Under gets straight to the point with their brand of budget rock bangers à la THEE HEADCOATEES or the DELMONAS. Not a single song breaks the two-minute threshold! Gritty, charming, and imminently replayable, there’s even a GIZMOS cover. What more could you possibly need?

Kiégett Föld Kiégett Föld cassette

Anarcho-punk from Budapest that throws everything at the wall with mixed results. This recording might be a new level of lo-fi. Bandcamp indicates that this was recorded in a bedroom; now imagine walking down the street about a block away from said bedroom and hearing the band through the window. That is the level of fidelity on display here, but it doesn’t necessarily take away from the echoing vocals and guitar and the dribbling basketball bass. Several of the tracks have an ear-catching surf twang that recalls the quirkiness of SHADOWY MEN FROM A SHADOWY PLANET. However, once the chorus to “Élelmiszer” kicks in, KIÉGETT FÖLD rips through fast punk rhythms and reveals a tightness and ability to rage. Three out of the nine tracks are short instrumental pieces that incorporate sound collage, field recordings of a farm, and strummed acoustic guitar. While they sound interesting enough, they come across more as undercooked sketches of songs not yet fully materialized than meaningful interludes. Not bad overall.

La Llama La Llama cassette

Was extremely ready to hate this, as the cover art had a strong whiff of the eggier end of punk about it, and I was prepared to mentally file this in the dustbin of history along with all those other poorly-dressed oddballs who can’t write tunes—however, how wrong I was (someone should come up with an idiom about not judging covers)! This is a tidy little cracker of a debut; scuzzy, taut garage rock that genuinely sounds like it was recorded in an actual garage. Songs fizz and whip past at a rate of knots, and never stay around too long to stay boring. Really good.

Machine Go Boom Your Skin’s Been Peeling Off EP

The five songs that comprise this EP were recorded way back in 2010. I’m always curious about these posthumous releases from bands that made a regional splash before getting sucked into the vast and encompassing void of non-existence. At the heart of my curiosity is a burning, one-word question: “why?” Why do bands from yesteryear feel compelled to scrape the barrel of nostalgia over a decade later to see what detritus they can dredge up? Perhaps it’s what their fans demand. Maybe there are legions of MACHINE GO BOOM-heads out there just pining for a few more songs to help them relive the glory days. In 2007, NPR said they “pound out high-energy, upbeat pop.” Sure. To my ears this is the kind of generic ’00s indie rock that I would have actively avoided when it was fresh. How has this aged fourteen years after its conception? Do I really need to answer that question? If you have a soft spot for this band or loved them in their heyday, I’m sure you’ll be thrilled that this is seeing the light of day. Personally, I’d rather literally peel my skin off than have to listen to this again. 

Negatives Whole Lotta Shakin’ EP reissue

Early ’80s Boston was ground zero for a certain strain of tense, wiry punk by and for art freaks and eggheads, and this long-lost EP from NEGATIVES hews so closely to that particular sound that I was completely taken aback to learn that the band was actually from New York City—cue the ’90s Pace Picante commercial. Originally released in 1979 or 1980 (apparently the band isn’t even entirely sure), Whole Lotta Shakin’ is basically the stuff of “punk records as retirement fund” dreams: band exists for under a full calendar year, records and releases one poorly distributed single, doesn’t even bother to put together a sleeve for it, then vanishes without a trace. “Mind Scan” is a sneering, snotty rocker and the most classically KBD of the EP’s four cuts, albeit on the nerdier/weirder end of that spectrum (the one occupied by the SCIENTIFIC AMERICANS, DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS, PLASTIC IDOLS, etc.) as opposed to the fuck-up/dum-dum side, but that said, the real hits are the ones bookending it. The dark, desperate harmonies of “Paradise” and jagged, stop/start rhythm pushing right into the soaring, anthemic chorus of “Whole Lotta Shakin’” conjure the dissonant post-punk beauty of Boston’s best—think MISSION OF BURMA, NATIVE TONGUE, and various deep cuts on the great Propeller label—which only makes it even more wild that NEGATIVES (just barely) predated all of them. New York for the win!

Ruined Virtue Ruined Virtue demo cassette

Every now and then (usually once a month or so), the music review gods look down upon me, smile, and say “Eric, here’s a tape to review that you’re really going to fall in love with.” This month, that assignment is RUINED VIRTUE’s demo, a five-track banger that is my new favorite thing. Coming from the same swamp in Sheffield as the magnificent RAT CAGE, RUINED VIRTUE’s demo sounds like WARTHOG, GOLPE, and the rest of modern punk’s finest. They even have a little bit of medieval charm, heard most prominently on standout “Flowers of Flesh & Blood.” If that intro isn’t enough to make you want to suit up in some chainmail and go to battle I don’t know what is. I’ll be eagerly awaiting some wax from these guys, really, truly killer stuff.

Schedule 1 Crucible LP

It’s hard for me to avoid the CURE comparison here, so I’ll just embrace it. Yes, SCHEDULE 1 is more than a touch faster than most of Smith and co.’s work, but the lower-register melodies and lines like the titular “You melt me down, just like a crucible” make this sound like an aggro version of Disintegration. It’s propelled by an anthemic quality which felt almost glam or like some early Oi! bands. Not a combination I would have predicted, but here we are.

Sectarian Bloom Strategies of Tension LP

SECTARIAN BLOOM has a sound that is all their own. If you haven’t yet checked them out, well, here is your chance. Bass-heavy with searing guitar leads, and powerful yet almost spoken vocals are their hallmark. Punk rock’n’roll. Strategies of Tension is eleven songs harvested from their 2020 self-titled release and 2022 New Spring recording. A fresh mastering provides the songs with new energy and packages them all into a single record which makes playing their to-date material a bit easier. In all, this is a great collection of songs created by a band that wishes “a hundred sects bloom.”

Traumatizer Release Fear EP

Relentless, thrashy, incisive, and violent outbursts of fast-paced hardcore punk on the debut EP from this Dutch band. Pure raw hardcore punk and even a pinch of synth work here and there (like in the track “Traumatizer”). Sharp, riffy guitars that couple with tight bass lines and non-stop drumming make this a corrosive blend and solid record. Sonic violence is guaranteed, on behalf of Spain’s underground battle label Discos Enfermos, and their allies in Canada, Neon Taste. Give it a go, eager to hear more from TRAUMATIZER.

Unabomb Cabin Fever cassette

Ripping hardcore from Michigan that goes hard from start to finish. These five tracks blast by with lyrics commenting on corruption, organized religion, racist punks, and martial law. I have a feeling the members of UNABOMB have some classic thrash records in their collections because they have riffs, and when the Big-Four-style, palm-muted, galloping power chug starts up on songs like “Blind Patriot” and “Old,” the songwriting arrangement soars past the confines of your everyday one-minute HC song. The vocals surge into a blackened holler at times, and the drumming is locked-in and super tight with a high-pitched snare tone that blazes through the buzzing guitars and ups the intensity. Also cool is the simple line-drawing cover art, which looks like the background setting for an EXTORTION record.

Virus X 1983 Vol. 2 (The Final Vinyl) LP

Originally formed in the early ’80s in Niagara Falls, New York, VIRUS X lives on. One side of this record has some old recordings from 1985, and the other has new tunes from 2023. The ’85 tracks showcase an ominous, outsider rock sound that leans into ghoulish themes in the vein of early T.S.O.L. and the FREEZE, and the band carries their strange sense of humor into the new songs as well. They’re sounding like old pros on the new stuff, and the songs are more densely-composed, but these guys are obviously still having fun.

Why Bother? Serenading Unwanted Ballads LP

Wow. WHY BOTHER? made another album. Another very, very good album. This prolific band comes from Mason City, Iowa, and this is their seventh full-length record since 2021. Serenading Unwanted Ballads hits all of the marks of their signature sound: Terry’s foreboding-doom vocals and hallucinogenic synth, Speck’s shimmering guitar that’s drenched à la country western ballad in reverb or full of crunch and fuzz; Pamela’s growling bass (check out “Some Don’t Dance (Post Modern Mix)”); and the equally precise yet destructive drumming from Paul (check out “Frothy Green (Live Dec. 2020)”). The A-side comes off as a darker and at times slower version of the band, like on my favorite of the album, “Come on Inside”—absolutely haunting. The B-side gets a little more energetic and feels akin to previous releases, yet still has some dark reveries like “Thanks for the Ride” and “Testify,” the latter written and recorded by Aaron H in the Anamosa State Prison. In full disclosure, A City of Unsolved Miseries made my year-end top ten for 2023, so I come predisposed to loving this band, and I’ve been listening to this release on repeat since it came out in March. But I digress, as I’m gushing at this point—if you like post-punk cloaked in a gothic shawl set to horror synth, then do yourself a favor and listen to WHY BOTHER?

Becky & the Politicians Play the Early Hits of Cub cassette

This cassette is in honor of CUB’s original drummer Valeria Fellini. CUB is the Vancouver, BC icon of twee pop and cuddlecore that was, intentionally or not, the foundation of the bedroom projects that surfaced during the pandemic. All nine tracks are CUB covers, as BECKY & THE POLITICIANS skip down the road and hold hands with contemporaries like 1-800-MIKEY, RICHARD HAMILTON, BABY TYLER, BILLIAM…the list could go on. BECKY & THE POLITICIANS play a jangly guitar, an obstinate bass, and a tight little hi-hat drum beat that are—collaborative-sounding band name aside—the solo project of Jacyn Nickle, also of COLLATE, CONDITIONER DISCO GROUP and the BEDROOMS. With quite a few other releases on Kennel Jitters (Options, Punk Rolls Over the Hill, Drop Acid, and Own Thing), I first heard the “band” on the 2022 Girlsville comp She Don’t Need You that I reviewed. On Play the Early Hits of Cub, the synth is put away, which gives a much different tone to the whole thing compared to those previously mentioned releases, creating distance from the synth cover band pigeonhole that BECKY & THE POLITICIANS isn’t in. Awesome lo-fi recording that honors the life of Valeria Fellini and pays homage to CUB’s greatness.

Brass Lip Vol. 1 cassette

Two-piece recording project from Calgary. Cool, weird, home-recorded four-song demo of lo-fi, simplistic, plodding garage punk. Please don’t take that to mean that BRASS LIP is boring, because they are anything but. These four songs are great and the vocal delivery is spot-on. I don’t think there is a single thing about this tape I don’t like. The layout looks great, the lo-fi recording works really well with this style, the songs are memorable. Here’s hoping they get a couple more people on board to round out the band and start playing live, ‘cause this seems like it would be a pretty rippin’ live band.

The Breed Kingdom Dolorous 12″

Harsh, neo-caveman Dutch hardcore punk. On the A-side, you can find their new EP release, and on the B-side, you have their previously released demo. Things of a raw primitive nature, vibrant and executed mercilessly. Filled with POISON IDEA vibes but in a much somber tone, they seem to have been brought back to life from the most blistering era of ’80s USHC. Never-ending drum beats stomping your brains out while the riffs are still hot, and desperate, angry vocals. Dark, somber atmospheres are reached here that resemble a cathartic blow into the void of existence. Fourteen destructive tracks. Go blast this.

Committeemen Extended Play CD

Houston, Texas-based COMMITTEEMEN release six new songs on this EP. Forming post-pandemic through answering some Craigslist ads, vocalist and guitarist DJ Gilmore-Innis and drummer Ken Dannelley (also of the NERVE-CURLERS and CORNISH GAME HEN) got together as the heads of the project, having their second guitarist and bassist amicably change over since this release. COMMITTEEMEN play post-punk-flavored garage rock, with some fairly gruff/shouted vocals and fuzzy guitars way up front in the mix. They remind me of the BLACK DOTS who I reviewed a while back, but not as emotive. They take the “Are we not men?” line from “Jocko Homo” on their “Total Devo,” give a dissonant little guitar intro, but otherwise don’t try out any mimicry. Another namedrop comes on “Kate Bush Plays Coachella,” but I can’t really parse what’s happening in that song, as they sing “Just like the movies / You see right through me”—your guess is as good as mine. Anyway, decent release, with another single (“Stimulated”) that has come out since.

Crise Lonxe EP

Look, I’m sure this lot are a lovely bunch of lads, polite to their mum and always getting their round in and such, so I hesitate to go in two-footed on this, but you sometimes just have to ask, “what’s the point?” Is the world crying out for more MOR Oi! in name alone? What is the inherent desire to add cod-ska inflections on songs that do not require them? Will I remember any of this record a mere fifteen minutes after it finishes? Signs don’t look good! Not particularly worth any of your time, to be honest.

The Darbs She’s a Dungeon Master Now LP

Catchy and fun pop punk out of the Malibu of the Midwest: Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Maybe I’m being subconsciously influenced by the dairyland association, but these guys remind me a lot of BORIS THE SPRINKLER. Fantastic vocals, especially the harmonies. This is the kind of band I’d love to see live at some desolate Wisco bar late on a Friday night, with a lukewarm bottle of PBR and a matching neon sign hung behind the stage (in this fantasy, the stage is just a spot on the dining room floor where they cleared away the extra tables and chairs). Great album here. In my opinion, Wisconsin’s punk scenes in general are crucially underrated and they need to be boosted on everyone’s radar.

The Dumpies / Night Court The Shit Split Part Duh split EP

Bold move to name your record after such an iconic split as the original BLATZ/FILTH Shit Split. The DUMPIES clock five fleeting cuts of mostly melodic pop punk with nasally vocals. The least melodic track, “Hats,” is also the shortest (a whopping 25 seconds) and most memorable of the bunch. Exhibiting a competence that comes with experience, it’s clear that the DUMPIES know their way around their instruments, but this batch of songs seems a bit undercooked. It’s like they are hinting at something greater than what has been committed to tape, and ultimately flame out before leaving the launching pad. On the flipside of the platter, NIGHT COURT wades even further into the syrup of jangly pop punk. This is the type of cloying, cavity-inducing, artificially sweetened pop that makes me long for the whine of the dentist’s drill. At least their songs are quite brief, too. Needless to say, this falls far short of the record its title references.   

Ex-Dom En La Mira 12″

Very cool shit from EX-DOM, a four-piece from Bremen, Germany who sing in both Spanish and German and play D-beat-influenced tupa-tupa that sits comfortably next to contemporaries GOLPE and DELETÄR. Even if you’re like me and not bilingual, you’ll still get the picture; this is raw, ass-kicking music that gets the point across in spite of potential language barriers. Everything on here smokes, but “Devastactión” is my favorite. Its screeching feedback and caveman stomp intro leads into a heavy riff-fest with tasty guitar leads guiding the way. Like I said earlier, this shit rules. Two thumbs way up, highly recommended.

Fuera De Sektor Juegos Prohibidos LP

FUERA DE SEKTOR has made a triumphant return with their debut full-length album, following the release of their four-song demo in 2022. Hailing from Barcelona, this band has skillfully crafted their own sound by fusing the vibrant energy of ’80s punk with the edgy sensibility of post-punk. The guitar work, which stands out for its distinctiveness, takes center stage as it weaves through a collection of mid-tempo riffs. With a solid rhythm section providing unwavering support, the recording is flawlessly executed. Picture the infectious catchiness of LOS ILEGALES combined with the unique character of L.A.’s X. The lyrics delve into themes of desire, lust, loss, and confusion, offering a fresh and thought-provoking perspective on self.

Hans-a-Plast Hans-a-Plast LP reissue

The year is 1978, the place is Hanover, Germany, and HANS-A-PLAST is playing their version of punk rock that draws upon the sounds of X-RAY SPEX, the SLITS, and PATTI SMITH, ending up rocking similar to the REZILLOS. Pogo along to this reissue and you’ll be transported to a previous time and place. Lyrics sung in German are layered upon hopping but sparse guitar riffs, while the bass guitar and drums keep a tight, speedy beat. Songs like “Monopoly” and “Rank Xerox” seem to highlight a musicality that embraces play over refinement and assists in keeping things artfully noisy. In all, this reissue is easily listenable if you like punk from this era, and might make the perfect backing track for a night of playing pool at the local punk dive.

Kirkby Kiss / Medicinal split EP

Great split EP here. MEDICINAL sounds like a modern rendition of the lost wave of emo that no one really ever talks about, which featured bands like CAR VS DRIVER and BOYS LIFE. Noodly riffs in a minor key with a vocalist who appears to have worshiped at the altar of Guy Picciotto. This is what I think about when someone references post-hardcore. KIRKBY KISS plays a more stringent version of hardcore, but their singer really stood out to me. Very raw and real, sounding like they blew their voice out before they even got into the studio. My only complaint is that it’s over too soon!

Lost Dead Love and Hate CD

Influenced by ’80s post-punk, ’90s shoegaze, and melodic punk/Oi!, LOST DEAD emerges from the rich musical history of Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods, where they were born out of the legacy of bands like PKDORES and ESKE. LOST DEAD defies traditional categorization by blending elements from various music genres. Instead of trying to pigeonhole them into specific categories, allow yourself to be immersed in their dark, melodic chords and intense beats.

Mindless Let ‘Em Know EP

As hardcore bands become more and more abundant these days, it’s understandable that some would want to think outside of the box and come up with something to stand out. With that in mind, I applaud MINDLESS from Kent and their EP Let ‘Em Know, which is a nasty slab of aggro hardcore that swings for the fences by way of adding in some Oi! and powerviolence influences that sometimes work and sometimes don’t. Opening track “Business as Usual” is just that, a serviceable bit of UKHC that has a cool breakdown and will please the two-steppers. The title track follows suit, as well as fourth track “Nightmare,” while the closing track “Evil” is a surprisingly upbeat Oi! number that has a heavy BUSINESS influence that would sit comfortably on a setlist by contemporaries the CHISEL. It’s the song “Cold Hell” that throws me for a loop, with a powerviolence influence coming by way of some blastbeats that, to be honest, I don’t love. It may be personal preference more than anything, but I don’t think it adds much to the song and leaves me wishing they had omitted it entirely. Still, four out of five isn’t a bad average by any means—I’d say it’s worth a listen if this is your thing.

Nights Templar Half the Year cassette

NIGHTS TEMPLAR has been releasing a steady stream of recordings over the last few years, and Half the Year is their first that is not self-released. Garage punk and noise pop combine on this release to form songs that are dreamy and feel like they’re from another era. I begin to immediately recall things like BEAT HAPPENING and BLACK MARBLE. Drifting and lilting guitars, blending with shuffled beats, and soft but stable vocals seem to effortlessly create musical magic as the songs on this cassette meander and float into existence, almost as if one becomes the extension of the previous.

O-D-Ex Breaker LP

Trippy, hypnotic, and weird digital noise duo. Lazy and strident, trashy-to-the-core drum machines mixed with some vague lyrics and constantly repeating synth work. These disco-techno sounds are not my jam at all. An immediacy is achieved, but it seems that some things have been lost along the way.