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!

Sludge Toxic Misery CD

From the glorious point of view of 2024, a band calling itself SLUDGE is, depending on your perspective on punk paranomasia, either unfortunate or brilliant. Or both, actually. Of course, SLUDGE couldn’t have known that the term “sludge” would come to represent a whole musical subgenre. And, well, let’s all admit that it is objectively a good name for a punk band. This is definitely an obscure one, and details are scarce to say the least. What I can tell you is that this CD is a reissue of the band’s 1990 demo entitled Toxic Misery, released on Snake Den Entertainment, a label based in Pennsylvania. And that’s about it. But it only made listening to it even more mysterious and challenging. In a world where you have access to almost all of the music of all bands in a heartbeat, it is a pleasant feeling to just give a band a go without any prior knowledge, like a baby tasting lemon for the first time. And on the whole, I like what I am hearing. The band has that distinct late ’80s raw hardcore edge with throaty, angry vocals and a crunchy crossover feel on some songs. Obviously, the band completely belonged to the ’80s American hardcore school, and I am reminded of POISON IDEA in the vocal delivery and the punk beefiness of the songwriting. The filthy, heavy, and crusty metal number “Lost” is the clear winner for me. I cannot say I love it, and some of the tough guy hardcore moments are totally lost on me (that probably has to do with the fact that I am about as hard as a dead shrimp), but I am sure fans of old school USHC would fall for this. Good job by the label to unearth this rare recording from a short-lived band that was typical in the noble sense of the term.

Squid Pisser Vaporize a Tadpole CD

Day-glo LOCUST-core technical grind with gurgling synths make this a wild ride from start to finish. Featuring Tommy Meehan of CANCER CHRIST and GWAR on guitar and Seth Carolina of STARCRAWLER on drums, this release collects a previous album, EP, and some demo tracks in preparation for their Skin Graft debut. And it’s weird. Give it ten seconds, and you’ll know if it’s for you or not: blistering blastbeats, start/stop guitar bursts, and unhinged vocals with no space to breathe. Many songs feature guest vocalists that vary in sound and approach, from the straightforward grind of “Violence Forever” with Megan O’Neil of PUNCH, to the noisier experimental punk of “My Tadpole Legion” featuring Yako of MELT BANANA. Less successful are the forays into nu-metal riffing on tracks like the CRUCIFUCKS cover “Marching for Trash,” or “Everlasting Bloat.” They don’t match the neon sliminess of the surrounding work for me, but I could see metalheads digging them. Fun and grimy collection for aficionados of monster masks and brightly colored fluids.

Sutros Acrid Tongue cassette

Debut full-length recording from this San Francisco-based, somewhat uncategorizable power trio. It’s rock’n’roll, it’s noise rock, it’s no wave, it’s garage rock, it’s psychedelic rock, it’s post-punk. Whatever aforementioned subgenre you most identify with, chances are you’re gonna hear something you like within these eight tracks. Everything about this is really well done. Recording sounds super pro, tapes look and sound great. These are clearly some dudes that know how to play their damn instruments. There are admittedly moments where the length of the songs starts to weigh on me a bit, and a couple times through the album, the wild, out-there licks start to enter an almost free jazz territory, which my little brain has trouble fully wrapping itself around, but these are merely minor personal preference points, nothing inherently bad. I mostly think this is a really killer album and wouldn’t be surprised if it were to get the vinyl treatment at some point down the road.

Throatrip Gaslight EP

I’m no expert on or even regular listener to powerviolence, it’s just not my thing. This EP from THROATRIP, however, is something I can get into. It’s pretty accessible for the genre, as the song lengths are slightly longer than usual. They aren’t epics by any means, but they are able to breathe and actually be digested by my unacclimated ears. Otherwise, you get all the trademarks of the style, including blastbeats, breakdowns, tempo changes, and audio clips between songs, including a line from The Breakfast Club that hits hard in this context. Extra points for being a two-piece and also having their drummer on vocal duties. These guys must be exhausted by the end of their live shows. Recommended, check out the track “Convulsions.”

Valtatyhjiö Kuristusleikki EP

Raging debut 7” by Finland’s VALTATYHJIÖ. With many bands taking cues and almost relentlessly knocking off classic KAAOS or RIISTETYT or some other already validated international hardcore group, VALTATHYHIJIO takes its influence much further and creates something new and that is themselves. Drier-sounding recording than the traditional style, yet still just raging, fast, in-your-face hardcore. The first track has the same energy as the Totaalinen Kaaos EP without sounding the same. Hard to pinpoint, but really into what’s coming out of the speaker. Another recommended release.

Zondar The Chain / The Light Burns 7″

Rob from BUCK BILOXI brings us some more of that DEVO-inspired egg-punk that’s everywhere these days. Both songs have movie samples that seem to last longer than the actual music itself. This single is fine. This drum-machine-laden bedroom punk genre has been done to death, and you really gotta come out swinging if you want to contribute something interesting, especially on a label like Goodbye Boozy, which has released a ton of heavy hitters in this style over the last couple of years.

V/A Failed States // Creative Reistances 3xLP

This triple LP compilation is truly something to behold! Across the six sides, we are treated to 43 cuts of blistering punk from Belfast in the north of Ireland, Banda Aceh in Indonesia, and Prishtina and Prizren in Kosovo. The impetus behind the project was to bring the three places into dialogue with one another, while providing space for each of the respective scenes to share and celebrate their unique identities within the broader context of global punk. To facilitate this, each record is curated by separate groups from each locale. It’s a massive undertaking that must have taken years to put together. I was immediately struck by the obvious care that went into the production. From the triple gatefold of the jacket with unique art for each record, to the thick slabs of colored wax, it’s clear that no detail was overlooked. The compilations themselves are no exception. Each curatorial group brought their own flavor to the effort. The Belfast record, Trouble Brews, is akin to a condensed retrospective of DIY punk from the region from 1978 to 2023, spanning the gamut of hardcore punk, ska, pop punk, crust, and more. Here again the care is in the quality, with bands like JOBBYKRUST, PINK TURDS IN SPACE, DEJA VU, and PORPHYRIA lending particularly memorable songs. The Banda Aceh record, Aceh Punx, is similar in the breadth of styles represented, but isn’t organized in the same chronological format. This change, while small, helps to achieve one of the aims of the project—the creation of dialogue across time and space. This record has more bands from the 21st century, and has more modern-sounding hardcore bands with metallic influences. Some standouts for me were GANDOE, MILISI KECOA, and ALAKAZAM OI. Punk KS takes yet another tack by skipping over the ’90s entirely and exhibiting bands from Kosovo in the ’80’s juxtaposed with bands from the last 24 years. Similar to the other discs, this album highlights bands across the broadest spectrum of punk, but once again stirs new ingredients into the recipe by pushing into more experimental territory than the other records. I was consistently impressed by many of the bands, but the ’80s groups in particular caught my ear, such as LINDJA, VIVIEN, GJURMET, and BANKROTT. All in all, this is an exceptional compilation. The initial pressing is limited to three hundred copies, and there is a two-year embargo on digital versions to allow the collection to circulate in the real world as a physical, analog artifact. Don’t be a dummy—if you see it, buy it!

V/A Scaling Triangles LP reissue

Originally released in 1981, Scaling Triangles was one of the first (and best) compilations of the era to focus explicitly on femme-centered post-punk, collecting three songs each from UK-based acts the PETTICOATS, SOLE SISTER, and SUB VERSE. The PETTICOATS are clearly the marquee name here, and the only one to ever make it out of comp-only purgatory—1980’s Normal EP is an undisputed clanging Messthetics world-beater, and Stef Petticoat’s contributions here are equally wild and not tempered in the slightest by the introduction of the speedy but steady pulse of a rhythm machine over chaotically thumped drums, with “Paranoia” in particular utilizing Stef’s repeated cry of that exact word over ticking metronome clicks and blown-out, trebly guitar to effectively push panic-triggered brain receptors. SUB VERSE’s brittle, drum-machine-rooted post-punk echoes SOLID SPACE’s DIY minimal wave on “Chance Romance” and the MARINE GIRLS on the melancholy and minimalist “Still Friends,” while Sue Clarke’s airy but passionate vocals over the tense rattle of “Science of Fear” is almost anarcho-punk austerity, and the three tracks from SOLE SISTER are switched-on, synth-focused instrumentals, the sort of charmingly homespun bleep-bloop that thrived in the early ’80s cassette underground and the reviews section of OP zine. Real genius shit across the board.

Завірюга XXX cassette

Kooky, zany, wild, demented, synth-heavy Ukrainian egg-punk. In a post-SPIN Magazine egg-punk article world, where it seems everywhere you look punks are trying to out scramble one another, along comes a solo recording project that I can’t even praise since the band name is in a completely foreign alphabet to me and I can’t phonetically sound it out. And, it is quite possibly the most sincere-sounding version of this currently overdone genre I have heard in quite some time. This is outstanding! There’s six songs on this tape, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll rip through it and be thirsty for more. Well, my fellow punk enthusiasts, you are in luck, because since August 2023, this project, which I believe translates to BLIZZARD, already has five cassettes out, all of which are unbelievably good. The only downside that I see here is it seems that as of now, ЗАВІРЮГА has never played a show and the mastermind behind the project “prefers to work alone.” Somehow this just got even cooler.

Amusement Dead on the Inside / Repentance 7″

Two tracks of grandiose, big-riff melodic hardcore. The vocals are a little less shouty and a little more singy than usual. Likewise, the guitars split the difference between pop and thrash, alternating between a more harmonious, introspective verse and a chugging, cathartic chorus. The members of AMUSEMENT (AMUSEMENT? Really? Have we officially run out of band names?) have plugged away at this genre for years, so the music is precisely cut with a bow on top.

Berthold City A Moment in Time LP

Featuring veterans of the L.A. hardcore scene, BERTHOLD CITY takes every element of straightedge/youth crew and packages it neatly here on A Moment in Time, a collection featuring their first two 7”s, three new songs, a CIRCLE JERKS cover, an INSTED cover, and a comp song. I really don’t have much to say here other than this would be a great entry point for someone interested in getting into this style. They aren’t exactly reinventing the wheel, but it is a pure expression and representation of the sub-genre. I mean, they’re named after the font used by everyone from SSD to JUDGE; you can tell what you’re going to get based on that alone.

Bluff City Vice S2pid cassette

Lo-fi cyberpunk duo of Tennesseans from Memphis ripping a gnarly digital form of punk, with a drum machine full of viruses and monotone “through the internet fiber” vocals that tweak from time to time. The use of rip-off sounds, effects, and heavily dubbed voices is creative. Give it a go for something different.

Codeseven Division of Labor LP

Reissue of CODESEVEN’s 1999 release Division of Labor. Again, not really MRR-realm music, and most likely will deter the average reader—somewhere between the blurry lines of the DIY side of ’90s metalcore bands like RORSCHACH and the obscure side of the pro-core pool of bands around Victory/Equal Vision/Trustkill Records. Sonically, it’s somewhere between metalcore and post-hardcore; proto-”mall screamo,” which many probably wanted to bury under the rug in the past couple of decades because of what it eventually became, until recent years which, in hindsight, showed its unique sound at the time. For fans of early CAVE IN and GLASSJAW.

Dead Name Dead Name cassette

DEAD NAME is a new fresh upcoming hardcore band from London—there seem to be a lot of them recently, lucky bastards—with a name and a cover clearly indicating you are dealing with a proper pissed-off queer/trans punk unit. I am told there are members of ÄTTESTOR (more on the political USHC side of things) and TRAIDORA (a solid one-woman queercore project with a distinct Spanish hardcore touch), so you can legitimately expect some raw hardcore punk aggression and political lyrics which is, indeed, what you find on this demo tape. What I did not expect, however, is the primitive evil metal vibe permeating the demo, adding something original to the otherwise rather classic stomping hardcore style, combining heavy, slow-paced moshing parts with fast and wild bits. The production is raw indeed, if not rough, so be warned that you won’t probably play this at your cousin’s birthday, but I think it fits the primitiveness and the anger of DEAD NAME. Imagine Quality Control HQ hosting a black mass with ETERAZ and GALLHAMMER as guests. And you’ve got to love the song “The Tories are Not a Vibe,” illustrating how horrible Sunak’s government is. I’ll keep an eye on them.

Energia 80 Energia 80 demo cassette

This trio of Budapest punk veterans, who are also recognized for their work in TESTRABLÓK, WITKIN, and ÉSZLELÉS, present their latest project ENERGIA 80. Within these six tracks of “haunted house hardcore and spooky Scooby-Doo punk” (their words, not mine, but I get it!), they skillfully combine a chorus-driven sinister melodic sense with the primal aggressiveness of tupa-tupa hardcore. Their music delves into something peculiar, distinctive, and evocative of darker bands like X2000 or even CATHOLIC SPIT.

Fashion Change Seattle WA cassette

Four tracks of relentlessly negative intense hardcore for fans of HOLOGRAM or GAOLED. Each track (three originals and a feral 10 MINUTE WARNING cover) is pure pounding chaos with filthy riffing and reverbed, crusty vocals that are so grimy and guttural they border on death metal. “Pressure” repeats the lines “Grasping for attention / Grasping at straws” until it becomes a noise collage over strangulated guitar shrieking. Mysterious, debased, and super nasty, this is the real deal if you touch darkness. Only 100 copies, so act fast.

The Grubs Big Mouth CD

Fun pub-punk band from Haverhill, Massachusetts that boasts a fairly beefy discography over the last decade, just adding Big Mouth to the collection. Pretty classic fare on offer, fun and carefree party tunes with whole gang sing-alongs that I’m sure would be enjoyable live. Of the four songs, the closer “Sky Dragon” is definitely my favorite, singing about a permanently closed Chinese restaurant and opening with the line “Crab rangoon on a full moon / Pork fried rice makes it nice,’” which just makes me smile. They remind me of the CHATS in that they sing through life’s inanities and have a good time along the way.

Hetze Until I Snap LP

HETZE delivers a furious punk violence ass-whooping, truly living up to their social media description. With members hailing from the Belgian punk and death metal underground scene, their music is characterized by its frenetic energy, aggression, and an oddly captivating quality. To date, HETZE has released an LP titled Bedbugs in 2018, as well as two splits with DISMALFUCKER and TRAPPIST in 2019 and 2021, respectively. Until I Snap is their best outing, in my opinion, and it’s worth the listen.

If I Could Just Get Some Sleep 10715 CD

IF I COULD JUST GET SOME SLEEP (or IICJGSS) is the solo output of Patrick Gilligan, who is a father and lives in the Midwest. Sonically,  IF I COULD JUST GET SOME SLEEP features some industrial-grade synths moaning and crashing into smashing drums. The vocals remind me of youth crew hardcore from the ’00s. All this congeals into something that may have come out on Three One G, so think HEAD WOUND CITY, HOLY MOLAR, and SOME GIRLS. However, there is a definite industrial vibe here that can’t be overstated, so maybe also think a punker version of HARMS WAY circa Posthuman and after. In all, the 10715 disc is definitely good stuff and you should absolutely check it out.

Just Wär / Mau Maus split EP

A quick split between the Czech Republic’s JUST WÄR and England’s MAU MAUS. JUST WÄR mostly plays MOTÖRHEAD-worship punk. They’re definitely students of this style, as everything is pristinely placed, from the rock’n’roll riffs and leads to the growled vocals. MAU MAUS are a legacy act originally formed in the early ’80s. They play simple UK82 street punk that is clean and relatively catchy and includes classic gravelly singing and gang vocals. This split is good, but a bit of a head-scratcher. I don’t really understand how these two got paired together but it’s cool; it’s nice to have two different styles rather than two bands that sound identical on a split. Rock on.

Kuebiko / Military Shadow split EP

This split smokes! Two savage, snarling cuts from Tokyo’s MILITARY SHADOW on one side, and four utterly deranged bangers from Boston’s KUEBIKO on the flip. MILITARY SHADOW offers a pummeling take on the tried-and-true hardcore formula, reminiscent of CRUDE in the way that the guitar leads provide extra velocity and charm. Thick, meaty distortion reigns supreme, with each song hewing close to traditional song structures, but excelling where it counts by blasting the speakers to shreds with guttural howls and delectable riffage. KUEBIKO is also drawing from the deep well of Japanese hardcore, but their take is even more frenzied and unhinged. Their tracks are quick, blazingly concise, and have some exceedingly demented vocals. Like ZOUO on acid or HUMAN GAS on psilocybin. Play this for your straight-laced friends and laugh maniacally as they grimace.

Lysol Down the Street EP

Straight up-and-down punk rock, a little offbeat, and sounding like it was recorded in a storage unit. LYSOL has that gloomy Pacific NW dirge and nihilism in spades. It’s Kings of Punk for the new young turks sniffin’ glue. I would pay to see them. Maybe break some glass on the stage and see what happens. Keep an eye on these cats.

The Manky Melters One More Round! CD

Female-fronted Celtic folk punk from Sélestat, France. In a male-dominated scene, it’s refreshing to hear a female vocalist in this genre. Plus, with the grit and delivery of Agent M from TSUNAMI BOMB, Giada gives this record that extra oomph of energy to separate it from its peers. The only other female-fronted Celtic punk band I’ve come across is seeing DADDY O RADIO playing an inspired, sweaty, hectic set in a basement bar in South Korea, and this brings the same spastic feeling. Inspired lyrics about taking a focused, defiant path against corrupt authority, embracing the life lived, and of course, there’s alcohol-inspired tunes. Giada’s vocals are bolstered by a driving backing rhythm section, and the occasional fiddle and banjo round out this solid release.

No Time Suffer No Fool 12″

Felt like a kid at bloody Christmas when I saw this one fall through the metaphorical letterbox, as I basically played their last release with such frequency and at such volume that it was like I was conducting siege warfare against my own head. For the ill-educated or the ignorant, Pittsburgh’s very own NO TIME has returned from their hiatus with a 12” filled with belters. From the opening mid-tempo stomp of the intro, immediately into the thunderous bass of “Never Wrong,” it’s a hot, steaming slice of bootboy rock’n’frigging roll. Music to kick in a bus stop window to.

Olexi Rock N’ Roll Paint Job cassette

Fun, scrappy solo project from Buffalo, New York that runs through alt/rock and garage punk with wild creative abandon. OLEXI’s shouted/spoken vocals sound like a mix of URANIUM CLUB and BIG BLACK, dripping with world-weary cynicism and humor. There is a freewheeling spirit to these songs, with sarcastic lyrics touching on issues of both small importance (“This is a song in A / This is a song in A” in “A,” and “Fuck cops / Go Bills!” in the fist-pumping anthem “Buffalo Fight Song”) and large (the rejection of false allyship and tokenism in “I’m Not Your Queer”). This collection is not especially rooted down to any one punk subgenre, with some tracks, like the multi-textured “Four Letter Word,” sounding like peak ’90s above-ground SONIC YOUTH, while others like “I Remember” take cues from the intricate rhythms of the MINUTEMEN. Enjoyable listen with personality to spare. According to OLEXI’s Bandcamp page, there will be a release every month, and with this amount of ideas and energy, count me in.

Paprika Let’s Kill Punk LP

Really solid hardcore record here. Reminds me of a modern MDC, especially with the vocalist who has the same poise and energy as Dave Dictor. Similar candor as well; the lyrics are blunt and straight to the point, as heard in tracks like “Polite Society” and “Let’s Kill Punk.” Brilliant production, too. Everything sounds loud, crisp, and massive. There’s an echo effect on the vocals that I would usually not be a fan of, but it works well on these recordings. It sounds like the singer is shouting into the abyss and the abyss is shouting back. I am a huge fan of the drums here. Drummer hits hard as hell, and it really helps foster the chaos that is PAPRIKA. A+ effort here, and well worth a spin.

Potere Negativo Benvenuto All’Inferno LP

Incisive and incessant Italian D-beat hardcore punk from Milano and Valtellina alla putanesca with somber tonality. Featuring members from SCALPO, LUCTA, and HOLY, they keep the beat effectively and sing in their own language. Filled with a rabid energy and even reverbed, crunchy lines that resemble rusty chainsaw blasts. Surely points to classic ’80s Italian hardcore, but creates a sound of their own during the whole LP. Eager to hear more from them, great project. Favorite tracks: “In Eterno” and “Fiume Dell Odio.”

Radical Kitten Uppercat 12″

After their first full-length Silence is Violence from 2020, RADICAL KITTEN is out with their second release Uppercat. Groove-driven post-punk through a queer and feminist lens gives perspective on “No Means No” with lines like “No means no! / Patriarchy fuck off,” and the absolute ripper of a track “Fake as Fuck” that death screams at the end of the line “These two-faced peoples will try to trick anyway / No, I don’t wanna waste my time on them!” There’s some spiky energy at work here, with bobbling bass lines and great drum fills reminiscent of Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat-era MINUTEMEN set to the political fervor of PYLON. Great album. This Toulouse, France trio is one to watch!

Shitty Halfpipe No Comply LP

Wearing their “unabashed skateboard band” status proudly on their arms where sleeves used to be, SHITTY HALFPIPE lays down a dozen spunky numbers on this LP. It’s raging skate punk from Tennessee with sharp, metal-y guitars and lyrics about skating and other hassles. But mostly skating. Turn it up and let it rip.

Sun Children Sun Bizarre Feverre LP

Listening to this album gave me a bizarre fever! As I clumsily search for words to describe that which defies description, I’m reminded that punk is undeniably the most boundary-smashing, innovative music on planet erf. Bizarre Feverre has a lot going on, but at its core, it’s a raging punk record. The clean guitar tone and speed bring to mind fellow Japanese rockers MILK, but the comparison ends there, with SUN CHILDREN SUN embracing an epic and dense maximalist approach. The introductory track is a full-on orchestral arrangement that leads into a searing prog breakdown. Once the album really gets cranking, it’s slightly less avant-garde, but there’s still something that sounds like laser beams or mouth noises, whistles, chanted group vocals, and funky tempo shifts to keep you on your toes. If this sounds absurd, well, it is, but SUN CHILDREN SUN are nothing to scoff at. Many of the tracks go straight for the jugular, and even at their weirdest, the band keeps it all very musical. Totally eclectic hardcore that I enjoy more with each listen.

Svaveldioxid Mental Skyttegrav flexi 7″

Every time you think of the Scandi-beat craze that took over the world twenty years ago (after taking over the world twenty years earlier, of course), you drop the needle on a tasty-ass platter like Mental Skyttgrav and get your ass blown out. Like a rawer incarnation of Powerload-era DISFEAR, Stockholm’s SVAVELDIOXID remains true to form on this flexi (a promo for last year’s Värdselände LP), and delivers a master class in the genre. Vocals delivered like a bloke on a steady diet of glass and depression, riffs for days, and an urgent, bombastic kång assault that never once lets up. This band has been kicking around for nearly a decade, releasing splits and LPs that have mostly flown under the radar. Maybe it’s time fools started paying attention.

Virvon Varvon Four Bars of Hate cassette

This band fucking rocks and this band fucking rolls, baby. Great lo-fi garage rock that sounds like if the STOOGES started writing music with NOBUNNY and nosier acts like GOD IS MY CO-PILOT. Raw and catchy with an attitude to match. I absolutely love how the vocals are recorded. Slightly blown-out, but not enough that they’re obnoxious or grating. Drummer is the unsung hero here. They’re tucked in the back, but they trudge along and keep the slightest bit of order to this madness. Fantastic work here, and well worth a play!

V/A Moncton’s Burning: 18 Slabs From the Underground LP

This one has been on the backburner for far too long and we apologize for the misplacement. Here we have a very solid collection of local indie rock and melodic punk bands from the small town of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, recorded between 2011 and 2022, with aspects of late ’70s early ’80s French punk and catchy North American punk, and dare I say hardcore grunge at times. Thinking everything from RAMONES to LEMONHEADS to RIVERDALES to JOAN JETT to TAD to PUBLIC NUISANCE. Also getting vibes of DINOSAUR JR, MODERN LOVERS, L7, ATTAK, DETROIT COBRAS, MEAN JEANS, the BRIEFS, SHONEN KNIFE, DIRT…there are eighteen jangly Canadian rocker acts on this comp, and I don’t want to go through them all, but for one single self-described “small” town, this a great and eclectic offering. Parts garage, hardcore, punk, blues, lots of edge, swagger, and distortion, and even some cool synth post-punk moments. I’ve made the gut-instinct first impression comparisons above, but in pretty much all cases, these bands I’ve never heard of are nowhere near demo-quality. This is a totally professionally recorded collection. Overall, I love how all over the place this comp is, and how well it is curated as a play-though. It really flows and I, again, wish I got to it sooner. Although you are burning, Moncton, you sound damn cool to me.

Angel Face 5.1 / Driftin’ Away 7”

Debut single from Tokyo’s ANGEL FACE. The band features Fink (TEENGENERATE, FIRESTARTER, RAYDIOS) on guitar and vocals, Toyozo (FADEAWAYS) on bass, and Rayco (RULER, TRIPLE JUNK) on drums. “5.1” is a blaster from the start, featuring a straight rock’n’roll riff on repeat with clattering drums and gut chugging bass—really high energy, almost like a DEATH arrangement, with fast changes and endless drum fills that eventually break for that main riff to grumble alone. On the back side, “Driftin’ Away” has a little more space for lyrics that have a similarity to Eugene Hütz’s snotty vocal intonation. Very cool release. Reno’s Slovenly Recordings has picked up the band and already released another 7” single as well as their debut self-titled LP, if you’re hungry for more. ANGEL FACE is not to be missed!

Blue Collar Criminals Finding Myself Lost CD

With a name like this, you know what’s in store: macho growls, gang chrouses, and gritty power chord progressions. “Back Home” opens with a dash of glam guitar, and later there’s a brief ska intro. There’s even a soccer chant for good measure! So, just how much cliché can you take? The answer will determine how much you like BLUE COLLAR CRIMINALS and, honestly, punk in general.

Brody and the Grodies Brody and the Grodies Went to the Bar So This Half-Finished Record is All That You Ge CD

One of those bands that purposely tries to sound like shit and is proud of it, except BRODY AND THE GRODIES don’t really sound like shit. They’re just kind of boring and corny. Seven drum-machine-driven punk songs with topics ranging from beer, coffee, Bigfoot, beer, and meat. Wait, did I mention beer? The album is topped off with a five-minute sketch that sounds like it came from an old ICP demo tape. You can tell they had fun recording this, which is really the best thing I can say about this whole ordeal. You’d be better off listening to FOSSIL FUEL or one of the other hundreds of FOOD FORTUNATA-related projects out there.

Chaos OK Chaos OK demo cassette

This demo by CHAOS OK is way more than just okay, and chaotic in a way that is extremely satisfying. Opening with a vintage BBC radio sound clip and then launching full-tilt into punk that is reminiscent of a combo of SWANKYS meeting the best of UK82 hardcore is pure brilliance. The demo features five dirty, nasty hardcore punk tunes which you’ll find immediately fascinating. The first three tracks rip by at warp speed, and the fourth song “See” slows things down a smidge, but then the closing track resumes the raging auditory assault— a perfectly concise and tumultuous package.

Dynamite Blow the Bloody Doors Off! EP

In the British classic The Italian Job, Michael Caine’s Charlie Croker exclaims “You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!” upon seeing the excessive damage inflicted upon a truck that was, well, only supposed to have its bloody doors blown off. It’s a great line from a great scene from a great movie, and London’s DYNAMITE has taken it as the title to their debut EP, an appropriate one for a record as explosive and as British as this. A joint release from two London-based labels (Quality Control HQ and Northern Unrest), DYNAMITE enlists a who’s-who of players from the UKHC scene as well as a guest list featuring members of the FLEX, BIG CHEESE, and HIGH VIS. Featuring five tracks of no-frills, YOUTH OF TODAY-inspired hardcore without an ounce of fat to be heard, you can tell this was put together by a band that knows and loves the genre. On the killer “Dynamite Stomp,” they even claim “In every drop of blood /I will bleed hardcore.” Alright then, highly recommended.

Except You / Trashworld DCxPC Presents Live, Vol. 26: Live at Lou’s split LP

I often struggle with live albums and, (with a few exceptions, try to mostly avoid them. Inspired by the VMLive series from the ’90s, these DCxPC albums have an interesting origin story, so I was determined to set my judgemental ass down and give this a fair listen. To start with, I listened to the entire EXCEPT YOU side on the wrong speed. At 33 ⅓ rpm, they sound like a metal-tinged grunge band. At the proper speed, they sound like a metal-tinged punk band. The vocals oscillate between singing and screaming, with an operatic quality in both modes. I don’t know if this is just a holdover from my too-slow first listen, but I couldn’t help but think of BABES IN TOYLAND, if they were, er, sped up. They wind down their side with a cover of “Nazi Punks Fuck Off,” which is always a solid move. On the flipside, TRASHWORLD tends more to the moshy side of things, with some chugging guitars and breakdowns that verge on metalcore. The insert mentions this being their second show ever, which I would not have guessed considering how tight the songs sound. The standout cut for me is “Fuck the Proud Boys,” for the title alone. The overall quality here is much better than those old VMLive records, and this is number 26 in the DCxPC series, so clearly there’s an audience for live DIY punk. Who cares about my cruddy opinion anyway!?

Fearless Veterans / Offensiva split EP

Tedious, apolitical “anti-PC” posturing aside (tell you what would actually shock me, would be this mob producing anything approaching original), this is your run-of-the-mill Euro Oi! which you have undoubtedly heard a thousand times before, and almost certainly done better. Miss it like it’s jury service.

Ford’s Fuzz Inferno Fuzz Up Your Electric Chair, Baby! (Live at Studio 195) CD

Over the past three years, this act has blasted release after release at MRR with reckless abandon—we’ve done seven(!) reviews for them in that time, with six different reviewers being caught in the spray (poor Ron got hit twice!). I figured it  was just a matter of time before I needed to pay the piper, and, well, here we are. If you’re new to all of this, allow me to summarize: a couple of Dutch punks who’ve been active in the scene since the early ’80s start a studio recording project, playing garage-leaning punk. They love fuzz and hate the bass guitar. My fellow reviewers all agree that these dudes aren’t reinventing any wheels, but they really manage to crank out quite a beefy ruckus—thanks to all the fuzz, I guess! Some folks seem to like it; others seem to think it’s solid but unremarkable. At best, I fall in the latter camp. Anyhoo, this is a live studio recording, where they’ve added a third person to play second guitar. They run through eleven tracks, most of which come from their previous seven releases, in about twenty minutes. And I dunno. This just sounds like generic old-guy punk to me. I was fine putting it on and not paying attention to it, even thinking things like “this kinda rocks” every now and then. But every so often shit would start sounding a little too much like BAD RELIGION, and that I could not ignore.

Girth Control Life’s Too Short for Girth Control LP

These guys are talented musicians and can write a good song, but they’ve got a lot going against them. First, the whole name of the band (and the record) is based on kitschy humor. This will follow you forever. Second, they’re a little cutesy. Third, they rely heavily on ska. Fourth, never put 25 songs on a single record. Fifth (and last), too many of the 25 songs are a play on the whole GIRTH CONTROL thing. I’ve always said no band should take themselves too seriously. These guys definitely got that message.

Gurs Gerran Bizi Gara LP

GURS from the Basque region of Spain recently released this full-length that builds on their 2022 EP. Gerran Bizi Gara (or “We Live in War”) is full of anthemic punk that will have you singing along even if you don’t know the language. An edge of darkness pervades these songs and perfectly captures our contemporary moment. The eight songs on this album demand multiple listens, as they’re loaded with tight, intricate melodies and speedy shifts. Something about this album reminds me of Exit English-era STRIKE ANYWHERE, but faster, heavier, and in all areas better. “Eder Ta Hutsa” is a standout song for me, as it seems to showcase the band’s collective prowess, but “Derrota” is also easily a contender for best album track. Seriously check this out!

Healers High Tide cassette

For the unfamiliar, HEALERS are an Oakland act that has been around for over a decade, a post-punk band that draws significant inspiration from WIPERS. There is a clear influence of Youth of America throughout, and that is a very good thing in my book. The EP showcases a blend of unique instrumentation and captivating harmonies, giving it a distinct flavor. While it may not be groundbreaking, it is undeniably good. Highly recommend it to post-punk enthusiasts.

Hyper Gal Pure CD

Osaka two-piece that uses drums, keyboards, and vocals to blend elements of noise, no wave, pop, and blistering punk to create something remarkable and new. “Charm バイブル” opens the album with dueling fire-alarm synths that, through repetition and mellow vocal accompaniment, turn from irritating into shimmeringly beautiful. Repetition is an important part of HYPER GAL’s musical vocabulary, and they often follow a locked-in, krautrock-style groove to its logical extension. This is used to great effect on “Domestic Utopia ランド,” a seven-minute exercise in restraint and release that volleys between an isolated hi-hat/snare pattern and short bursts of noisy spoken/rapped vocals. As an album centerpiece, it captures everything great about this band: tension is maintained despite simplistic instrumentation, and there is a careful balance between experimentation and rhythmic familiarity. As wild as the noise gets, the drums ground the sound (even if it’s with blastbeats). When the drums pound out blown-out rudiments on jagged bizarro-universe J-pop excursions like “Tropical トロピカル” and “Wedding Ring 指 輪,” the pleasant vocals (especially on the harmonized latter track) keep them accessible. They are loud and abrasive without sounding aggressive, in the same vein as BLACK PUS or the 8-bit era of HELLA. Endlessly inventive and challenging, this is a great record.

Innuendo Peace & Love 12″

Milwaukee terrorizers with a mid-tempo, straightforward hardcore formula that touches on early styles of hardcore punk resembling NECROS’ and NEGATIVE APPROACH’s first sounds. Solid bass lines and guitar racket, and the ragged, destroyed low vocals just hit all of the spots for rotten minds searching for that earlier, crunchier, angstier sound and feel never to be grasped fully by contemporary mortals. Dig into this eight-track EP filled with raw punk energy.

K-Hole Discordant cassette

The latest cassette from Buffalo’s K-HOLE consists of obtuse, hard to describe, mind-altering outsider metallic hardcore punk. Thought I was going to hear another noisy D-beat punk band based on the artwork, which they do deliver to a certain extent, but with an SST Records side as well as a RUDIMENTARY PENI aspect and DEVIATED INSTINCT demo breakdowns. Rough, confusing, mid-tempo, “blown guitar speaker but we don’t give a fuck” hardcore punk annihilation. Recommended release.

Legion of Parasites Undesirable Guests 12″ reissue

I love discovering bands that were orbiting some of the major players in the punk scene back in the day but never received much recognition—bands you see on old flyers from a CRASS gig but never really hear. LEGION OF PARASITES is one such example, and after doing some research and hearing some of their material, I’m bummed that they weren’t able to take off more than they did. LEGION OF PARASITES were a UK anarcho-punk band active in the mid-to-late ’80s who played as a support act for everyone from CONFLICT to BROKEN BONES. After a whimper of a demo, they pulled themselves together and released this, their first 12” Undesirable Guests, receiving more if not still minimal acclaim. LEGION OF PARASITES have a sound similar to many of the bands on the CRASS label, but stand out for their wild drumming, excellent SUBHUMANS-esque vocal delivery, and surprisingly catchy tunes. Each song here is strong, and as mentioned before, the drumming is out of control. Check out the D-beat on “Party Time” and the galloping bounce on “Eroded Freedom.” These are genuinely good songs and I’m left scratching my head as to why I don’t hear these guys talked about more. Oh well, at least now thanks to General Speech we can all listen to what we’ve been missing.

No Loves Jimbo’s House LP

Nashville’s NO LOVES play the melodic, gruff kind of punk that the CRUMBS and JON COUGAR CONCENTRATION CAMP brought in the late ’90s and early ’00s. Throaty vocals, crunchy guitars, and melodic choruses. With song titles like “I’m naked” and “I wanna fuck your mom” they’re borrowing from the Joe Queer and Blag Dahlia book of lyrics, which is befitting to the overall vibe.

Pester Apathetic Man cassette

Rip-roaring, no-nonsense hardcore punk from Portugal. This absolutely smokes! PESTER keeps things driving through ten songs on their debut release, but it’s not all just blistering high-speed intensity. Oh no. PESTER expertly peppers in a couple plodding, mid-tempo stompers of tracks like the titular “Apathetic Man” and my personal favorite “Discomfort.” That’s where this band really shines, slowing things down ever so slightly but keeping the aggression pumping to the max. Excited to see what comes next from PESTER.