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!

V/A Lifetime Problems: An International Tribute to the Dicks EP

Seven DICKS standards from all over the globe. The lineup is mainly European, by way of Melbourne and Connecticut. I could go 30/70 with the material—there seems to be a feeling left with some of the recordings that the bands (hello, GOODBYE JOHNNYS) could very well have punched a clock before the process began. The EP, however, is not devoid of meaty morsels that do kill from the heart (jesus, sorry). La Rochelle’s BART & THE BRATS’ cover of “Fake Bands” is a savage kill, and BRAT FARRAR replicates “Dead in a Motel Room” with a tone and feel that would make Gary Floyd proud.

Advoids Advoids cassette

The Los Angeles punk scene seems to be going through an atypically fertile period. New interesting bands are sprouting up all the time these days, a lot of which seemingly center around a handful of hyperactive weirdos who can’t help but compulsively start new projects. Take for instance this act, brought to you by the same folks behind DIODE and the FREAKEES. They play a cool mix of classic L.A. punk, funky hardcore, and jazzy no wave, sans saxophone. The five tracks on the release zip by in less than ten minutes, but they’re jam-packed with ideas and generally well-executed. I really dig this vocal performance, too—kind of a mix of Darby Crash, James Chance, and I’m even detecting a bit of Dave E., though every so often they throw a little more affect onto the delivery and it dips a little into Ian Svenonius territory, which I’m less into. Still, this is a solid release, and I’m stoked to hear more from them!

Amygdala Besitos Para Todos Mis Haters EP

Here is a brief little three-song EP from the San Antonio-based AMYGDALA. Some parts on here sound like a typical fast hardcore band, some parts have mental blastbeats, some parts sound like melodic stadium crust, and some parts sound like weird 2000s metalcore. It’s a lot of stuff squeezed into just under four minutes of music, but I think it’s cool. Would recommend this if you’re into any of those things I mentioned.

Baby Tyler Imposter cassette

Fourth full-length coming from Tyler Fassnacht’s solo project BABY TYLER, and it’s got all the energy, grit, and unpolished punk that’s only getting better with age. This is one of those COVID bedroom endeavors that has carried on and proved to be something special; the brazenness of ALIEN NOSEJOB and hooky songwriting skills of (fellow Tetryon-er) RICHARD HAMILTON. Speaking of the label, Tetryon is a cassette-only subsidiary of Feral Kid Records and has lots of fun up-and-coming artists, even encouraging bands to submit demos, so check them out! Back to BABY TYLER: for a taste, listen to the closer “E.E.L.” with the chorus “And it feels as though I’m caught in the undertow / Of everyone else’s life,” which rings like an anthem. This music makes me want to take out the trash. It makes me want to stomp around and feel good. Get your hands on this one.

Blessure Blessure cassette

Here’s another one to add to the growing number of emerging Oi! bands: BLESSURE from the Basque Country. BLESSURE is refreshingly female-fronted, and plays a post-punk brand of Oi! with wiry guitars, rumbling fuzzed-out bass, and leftist lyrical content (at least that’s what you’d gather from the “A-C-A-B!” chanting chorus on opener “Ils Sont Partout”). BLESSURE keeps it sparse and simple, even cold at times and bordering on deathrock; check the icy synth on “Ça Suffit.” Overall a solid effort, although I can’t help but feel like if they leaned into the deathrock/goth sensibilities more, they could stand out a bit more from the crowd. That said, I’ll be looking forward to hearing what BLESSURE puts out next.

Chill Parents Context Collapse cassette

Absolute monster release from DC trio CHILL PARENTS—a steady, four-on-the-floor hardcore hybrid that’s heavy and relentless. I realize that as a generational subgenre, this is not unusual, but it still strikes me when I hear modern anthemic hardcore/punk mingling with early ’90s Sub Pop hooks. I prefer when the band opens up (see “Dissipate”). but it’s the contrast that sets them apart (see “Migraine”). Only 25 copies on cassette, but there’s a CD, too (and a digital version of course, because it’s 2023).

Cierń The Emperor Rx LP

The Berlin punks of CIEŔN have discovered the secret to darkwave punk rock by featuring chunky, dirty bass guitar so far forward in the mix it creates an instant need to dance, while the vocals deliver real messages in whispers, shouts, and harmonies. The lead guitar occasionally drifts far into space but returns with a stabbing vengeance to highlight key lyrical moments. There are a lot of “influences” that I hear on this album and naming a few would belittle the wealth of it, so check it out and find out what you hear. I definitely recommend the song “Glass Houses.”

Da Slyme If There’s No Rubble, You Haven’t Played: Collected Recordings 1977–1989 LP

This is one for the collector nerds. DA SLYME was Newfoundland, Canada’s first punk band, and it’s one of those deals where biker hippie-ish outcasts heard the SEX PISTOLS and decided to drop any RUSH aspirations to stick safety pins in each other’s body parts. I’d compare them to the CHILD MOLESTERS or even the FUGS. They appeared on a Smash the State comp and copies of their original double album goes for mega bux, causing many nocturnal omissions for the Graham Booths of the world (love you, Graham). They did the homemade spray-painted thrifted record cover thing that San Francisco’s BLACK HUMOR did so well, and they repeated the art for a limited number of this new collection. I do appreciate the existence of such a historic artifact, but It’s honestly really hard for me to get through. There’s definitely moments, like “Violence, Anarchy, Baby, Mother, Daddy-o, Dig,” but it’s pretty dated and a lot of the jokes fall flat. It’s a nicely put-together “labor of love”-type package that’s definitely worth looking at, but it’s already sold out everywhere, of course!

Dinos Boys Holy War / Don’t Mind 7″

Atlanta punks DINOS BOYS’ 2022 single “Holy War” / “Don’t Mind” gets the vinyl treatment on Crossbar and boy, what a treat! Two straight-outta-’77 tracks that bring to mind any number of CBGBs mainstays. Both sides are super catchy, but  A-side “Holy War” is truly an earworm, with a chorus that will be rattling around inside your head for days and an outro that would make the RAMONES bop their heads in approval. Side B is a cover of obscure Japanese power poppers the RAYDIOS’ “Don’t Mind,” and while I can’t speak on the original, this version is like Stiv Bators fronting the HEARTBREAKERS (those guitars!). Highly recommended!

Faucheuse Faucheuse demo cassette

Been listening to lots of interesting and vicious D-beat and Oi! coming from France lately—something must be happening in the streets and local DIY/underground scenes in that European country, you can feel a very exciting effervescence incomparable to other places of the so-called First World. For yet another example, we have this brilliant demo cassette from FAUCHEUSE, an excellent hardcore band from Bordeaux, a city which has already become one of the world’s D-beat powerhouses. This band presents five absolutely thrillingly addictive tracks; please pay special attention to the tour de force that is “Ville Interdite.” It’s a brutal but deeply melodic D-beat sound with a pub-rock or generally dirty and fun rock’n’ roll vibe that I really dig, and that refreshes that ol’ D-beat sound that we love.

Gee Tee Vee Halloween 21 EP

You know who they are, you know it’s good, but still allow me to dive in with my big critical brain to this freaky little handful of tunes from TEE VEE REPAIRMAN and GEE TEE (more accurately, frontman Kel Mason). These tracks are lo-fi, crunchy joy bombs that sit precisely in the uniformly excellent discographies of both artists. Killer originals, cracking snares, and buzzing guitars—there’s even a trick ‘r’ treat of a cover of the BOYS’ “First Time” to put in your bag and check for hidden razor blades. It’s always good to see this loose coalition of bands keep the spirit of early ’00s garage punk alive and supercharged into the now. I won’t throw around the usual references, but this is the type of attitude that first turned my ear to this style and it’s just getting better.

Gumm Slogan Machine LP

Oh my. This is one hell of a record here, folks. Melodic hardcore coming to us straight out of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Akin to the SUCIDE FILE and very early EVERY TIME I DIE, this album just feels like it’s from the South. I mean that in the best way possible, attributing this to their heavy use of twangy, jammy guitar leads. Bouncing between groovy, catchy, dissonant, and downright violent, Slogan Machine features some of my favorite lyrics I’ve heard all year—a lamentation of a lack of community within a “community.” At least that’s how I interpreted it. Maybe I’m just jaded. Great stuff here, and very much recommended.

The Hell The Hell LP

The latest LP from Cleveland’s the HELL consists of ten tracks of pure fast and furious hardcore punk, like a sober, Darby Crash-fronted Pick Your King-era POISON IDEA, but too Midwestern to avoid DIE KREUZEN-ness. With energetic bursts of ferocity, the guitar sounds like they stole their vintage guitar enthusiast uncle’s amp and blew out the speakers because they couldn’t make it sound loud enough. No-frills, no bullshit, no metal, straight-ahead hardcore attack.

Inyeccion Vicio EP

Creeping, raw, and vicious is how I’d shortly describe INYECCION’s sound. Hailing from Chile and Argentina, these punks create a form of hardcore that is an absolute blast to listen to. Bashing drums, chaotic vocals, and grinding guitars are perfectly arranged to create a form of punk crudo that I want more of. This EP maintains a similar sound to INYECCION’s earlier demo, but with a tighter and more refined presentation. A collaborative release between Barcelonian label Discos Enfermos and Japanese label Record Shop A-Z, this EP is well worth adding to your collection as the packaging is a work of art on its own.

Komatiite Komatiite cassette

You know when you spend a couple of hours listening to and reviewing some interesting and unique records and you think “man, punk is so varied and it’s cool that bands keep pushing the envelope and finding new ways to create and project sound!,” and then you pop in a tape from a band from Maine and it’s like four-and-a-half minutes of raw, distorted noisy D-beat hardcore recorded in a fukkn barn with the wildest guitar solos ever and you think “nah, fuck that, I just want to have my ass blown out of my speakers repeatedly until I can’t walk straight.” That’s what just happened to me. It can happen to you, too. Listen to KOMATIITE.

Leuk​é​mia K​í​v​ü​l cassette

This is one for the historians, for those of us who dig, excavate, exhume, dust, analyze, and present to the (often ungrateful) masses. Of LEUK​É​MIA, I had only vaguely heard their 1987 demo tape, a prime example of fast and raw, angry ’80s hardcore from what was then called “the Eastern world,” at a time when punk wasn’t exactly welcome there. However, I had no idea that the band had kept going until the mid ’90s in a rather prolific fashion. Kivül is a tape reissue of the band’s 1991 demo (there was a vinyl reissue last year). Gone is the hideous original cover (thank fuck), as this tape has a cracking new visual that looks much more enticing. Like many hardcore bands at that time, LEUK​É​MIA had left the “play fast or die” approach to their music, and this recording saw them go in a decidedly crossover thrashcore direction with plenty of changes of paces and riffs. To be honest, I actually like the faster, pummeling, thrashing metal-punk moments, as the many progressive technical moments are completely lost on me—there are just too many things happening and, as granny used to tell me, “you’re a simple man who loves simple things.” It is pretty obvious that at this point LEUK​É​MIA had become good musicians and strove to progress. I guess you could file this between ANARCRUST and ACID RAIN DANCE on one side and late ’80s US crossover on the other (for my ears untrained in thrashcore). An interesting piece of punk history from a scene we hear too little from.

Life in Vacuum Lost LP

LIFE IN VACUUM is very much alt-rock of the ’90s: a big guitar sound with a touch of punk in its louder moments. The songs can take a minute to arrive at the big, stick-in-your-ear chorus. Before that, you’ll get some very pro, pretty verses to provide the build-up. LIFE IN VACUUM could coast on that alone, but they keep the arrangements and guitar lines novel enough, which I appreciated. It’s not a gimmick, but it’s not a cover…they’re bolstered by the singer’s ability to carry both a tune and an anguished roar in equal measure.

Miseria y Kompañía Mundo Muerto LP

This is a reissue of the last album by this Barcelona punk band, originally released in 1997. Formed towards the end of the ’80s, MISERIA Y KOMPAÑÍA created a body of work that is already considered a classic among Spanish punk connoisseurs. I suggest you listen to their fierce 1989 demo called …Y En Un Mal Día, and also give their split with SPATEK a chance. Unlike their early work, which had a more lo-fi and frankly brutal intensity, Mundo Muerto has better production values and more inventive arrangements that give it a very interesting creative variety and make those blastbeats harder. There is also a more marked melodic turn and even forays into ska. If you like Latin American punk, MISERIA Y KOMPAÑÍA is a band that definitely influenced the sound of that region, and this final album is a good entry point to their work.

The Obsessions The Obsessions LP

Skuzzy, tough punk from Vienna. Not as fast as REGULATIONS or as tuneful as the VICIOUS, the OBSESSIONS are still somehow reminiscent of both. They keep things tight in the pocket with mid-tempo but propulsive beats, a wooly thick guitar tone, repetitive vocals, and driving bass lines. A sense of exasperated frustration cuts through in the stark choruses and punctuated hooks. I kept waiting for a blazing fast face-melter to kick things up a notch…but that never materialized. That’s just as well, because the OBSESSIONS still rip in their own way, trading in speed for attitude and anxiety. Best kind of bad vibes.

Plague Thirteen Healing Ground LP

Neocrust is the perfect soundtrack for a post-pandemic world in which darkness seems to engulf every aspect of our day-to-day lives—there is always a glimmer of hope in the lyrics and songwriting, with its heavy-to-melodic riffs. PLAGUE THIRTEEN plays heavy and sludgy crust that leans towards the more melancholic spectrum. Filling the void left by neocrust agitators LINK (their previous incarnation), they follow the steps of TRAGEDY to early NEUROSIS. Soundtrack for the days of no hope.

Pleaser Demo ’21 cassette reissue

On the second edition of their 2021 demo, Copenhagen’s PLEASER blasts out three sub-two-minute bangers. If you put a guttural metal singer up front, this would be a straightforward thrash/crossover band, but it’s not. A mix of shouted and melodic vocals from the two frontwomen form a menacing yet playful sound. Vocals ride over deathrock guitars, drenched in reverb, and super splashy drums—there’s a jitteriness at work, paired with catchy lyrics and downright push-and-shove rhythms. Kind of a riot grrrl thing, but more metal? BABES IN TOYLAND come to mind, or the more current band MAUDIT DRAGON who I reviewed a while back. This has the making of something very good. And before you ask—yes, their debut is on the way. Look for the self-titled LP this September and pre-order now!

Quinn Rash Death Devotion cassette

A solo release from the singer of Charlotte noise-poppers ACNE that revels in scruffy, romantic pop gems with noisy punk edges. Like a mix of the best parts of GUIDED BY VOICES, early NO AGE, and maybe even the CURE, QUINN RASH captures an intangible feeling of nostalgic emotion perfectly with these four tracks. “Reincarnate” opens the tape with gruff but melodic vocals, woozy, shoegaze-y guitars, and carefully layered production. “Me and Van Gogh” dips into SST-era SONIC YOUTH dissonant guitar lines, layered and laced with melody. Every song is a heart-tugging hit. I recently saw QUINN play live, and it was a fairly confrontational affair, heavy on noisy electronics. So, this tape comes highly recommended, but I am also curious about what he does next.

Reo Sobre Las Ruinas EP

Hard-stompin’ debut from these Spanish boot boys. Those familiar with the Tough Ain’t Enough catalog won’t be surprised by the four tunes on this EP. Big, meaty guitars with harmonizing leads lay the brickwork for gruff half-sung/half-shouted vocals, replete with anthemic choruses meant to incite a beer-drenched sing-along. The production is more polished than your oxblood Docs, which doesn’t exactly benefit the source material, but it doesn’t detract from the overall experience either. Do skinheads go to rodeos? If so, this certainly ain’t the first for the members of REO, having served in prior street rock acts like SHERRY SOLDIERS and SECOND DIVISION. “1880” is the standout for being the catchiest number, and would make a good candidate for inclusion on your next Oi! themed mixtape. Sobre Las Ruinas falls on the melodic side of the spectrum, but otherwise doesn’t stray far from the traditional sound of the genre.

Siekiera Róbrege ’84 EP

I put this record down on the turntable thinking what a treat this will be. I hadn’t given it a good look yet, and realize now it is a live sampler from 1984. The SIEKIERA Demo Summer ’84 repressing was a very top record for me in 2021—one of the best reissues I’d ever heard, that was initially recorded when I was seven years old, and I had never heard until a couple years ago. So all you need to know: track down the Demo Summer ’84  record. Track down this blistering fast and tight live recording (maybe first, as it’s probably cheaper). Totally powerful and a raw, bass-driven example of their relentless hardcore punk sound, similar to VORKRIEGSPHASE if you’d like a comparison. There are four live tracks on this EP, they all destroy at the highest caliber, and only two of these songs are on the demos record. SIEKIERA was on fire in Poland 1984! Treat yourself to both!

Spam Caller Habituation cassette

“Mysterious guy hardcore” hasn’t been an approved descriptor for, what, a decade now? And I’m not going to try and turn that outgoing tide. On the other hand, the actual spam callers of this world are some of its most mysterious guys, so can we suppose their hardcore band namesake follows suit? SPAM CALLER is from Novato, CA and this, their third tape in ten months, is some blitzin’ nihilistic hardcore on that “disaffected suburbanite sicko” tip. It’s got reverb-heavy vox and freaky psych guitar (“Waste It” being the real gem in that department) for BIB and GAG kids, but also unfettered rage and powerviolence-ish compactness of, say, the REPOS. Really cool foldout sleeve art designed by Mark McCoy too, the likes of which you rarely find on a tape release.

Terror 83 Demo 12″

Brazillian-style harcore from Sweden? OK, let’s go. This disc has five tracks of original music and five covers of tunes by PSYKOZE, MERCENARIAS, and OLHO SECO. I wish I knew Portuguese because this shit rips! Two of my favorites are PSYKOZE’s “Buracos Suburbanos” (“Suburban Holes”) and “Santa Igreja” (by MERCENARIAS.) Both have catchy choruses and great bopping rhythms. Musically, TERROR 83 plays crisp and clean with crunchy guitars and a solid rhythm section.

Terror Y Miseria Destruyendo y Sembrando LP

Anarcho-punk project heavily linked with crust and hardcore, from a collective of members that are from Spain and Argentina. Destruyendo y Sembrando was recorded between 2020 and 2021 in both countries mentioned, and features artwork illustrated by Max Vadalá, a graphic artist active in punk subculture mostly in Argentina and Latin America. The album compiles ten tracks about anarchy and the present state of the oppressive system of state domination, the media’s dominance over the population, immigration and anti-terrorism politics, and the everyday struggle against the capitalist status quo. Favorite tracks: “Destruyendo y Sembrando,” with a powerful poetic evocation about monotony and inertia and alienation, and “Urubu,” more aligned with a street punk tempo. Full of passion and heart, enthusiastically recommended for those who believe in and want a better world with no oppression or state violence, and are willing to stand and give the daily fight against government power.

Verzet Verzet demo cassette

This is the first demo tape from VERZET, a brand new band from Belgium, and I have to say that, sadly, I am unconvinced. It is just not my cup of tea. Not that the band sounds terrible—they don’t, and I’m not just saying this magnanimously to not hurt their feelings and get my ass kicked—but I don’t really understand what they are trying to achieve. I can hear a lot of old-school American hardcore, especially in the upfront vocal flow and tone. The music sounds energetic but the songwriting tends to lose focus in the process (as do I). This said, I can imagine people into the US hardcore school of thought enjoying this demo. And I imagine them wearing bandanas. Definitely wearing bandanas and trainers.

Warm Girls Warm Girls demo cassette

A GIRLS AT OUR BEST-referencing band name and a cover of a LUNG LEG song? This new Richmond, Virginia group sure had my number! That pair of reference points had me fully expecting some spiky, effervescent girl-gang post-punk from their demo, only for it to take a decidedly tougher and darker turn—half of the members of WARM GIRLS also played in the RVA noise punk band GUMMING, so add some gnarled SST damage to the Rough Trade/Slampt equation and you’ll be getting much closer. A rumbling bass grind stabilizes the rhythmic lurch of tracks like “Moonsick (Claire’s Song)” and “Maila Nurmi,” topped with petulant, punctuated shouts that recall NOTS or early PRIESTS, while the more animated vocal delivery and wiry guitar jabs thrown into “Inertia” and their take on LUNG LEG’s “Kung Fu on the Internet” (a cover choice worthy of a chef’s kiss) add some bright, charmingly messy strokes of art-punk color to the WARM GIRLS landscape. Solid!

Alerta Roja Punk Rock En Dictadura EP

This is killer. ALERTA ROJA was supposedly the first Argentinian punkers to record punk. Thanks to the do-no-wrong Texas punk label Esos Malditos Punks, we get this reissue of their first wax, along with some extra tunes from the session. This was recorded in 1982, but like other punk bands from the continent, they were still in the ’70s in all the best ways. Along with peers like LOS VIOLADORES, they were kicking out some high-powered, ’77-style punk jams. There’s a lot of EATER and of course the PISTOLS here, much like MUTANTEX if they had better equipment and recording studios. Lengua Armada Discos did another essential reissue some time back, but definitely track this one down or cry later.

Anxiety Spree The Vinegar Pageant cassette

Third release from upstate New York’s ANXIETY SPREE, which has turned into the solo project of Dominic Armao. Compared to the band’s last release, this is a little more focused, with no signs of the upbeat pop sound found on A Party For the Garden Rats. The instrumental intro to “The Price” reminds me of something you’d hear on a SLINT album, with mostly spoken word, to boot. Even though the lyrics are included, I find myself a bit lost in the metaphors, but that’s OK; I enjoy the syncopated vocals over the angular guitar lines. This self-released project will make you a copy of the tape by request—for four bucks this can be yours!

The Boyfriends Wrapped Up in a Dream LP

From NYC in the late ’70s, this is rock’n’roll that is clearly influenced by the likes of the NEW YORK DOLLS and the HEARTBREAKERS on the one hand and power pop of that era on the other hand. Overall, it’s damn good. It looks like some of these cuts were released as singles while others come from demos and other recordings. While overall very good, there’s definitely a range in the quality of individual songs. The title cut and “Voice on the Line” are standouts for me, but there are others right up there. Others are a little too rock’n’roll-y for me.

Bull Shannon Chill Power!!!!! cassette

Here’s a few minutes of lean punk fun. Most of the songs are fast, bare-bones, and accompanied by a nasal whine. Did I mention it’s fast? The whole thing was over before I could finish this review. “Owl Wings” is the exception, with a sluggish beat and a group chorus complete with “whoa-oh-oh”s. The cassette’s no-frills, bass-heavy sound could be a work in progress, or maybe BULL SHANNON always sounds like this.

Clarko Welcome to Clarko LP

Histrionic vocals and naughty guitar riffs coming from Reno, NV on this ten-track new wave brain-punk LP. DEVO-energy synth punk with a catchy, eggy garage twist, and even some early TELEVISION vibes in terms of tension, pauses, and the use of high notes. Synth and loop effects hit hard on this, achieving great balance (check the intro and the song “Alien Touch,” where the full spectrum of sounds and instruments merge and greet each other), but it also has a spacious sound filled with instrumental experimentation. Pretty much straightforward lyrics that verse on existentialism, with “Stifled” and “Your Time” being my favorite tracks on this release.

Cutters Modern Problems LP

CUTTERS go straight for the jugular with six blasts of quintessential Australian punk. Mid-tempo, yet still driving, the anger and tension builds with each song, portraying a worldview fraught with paranoia of impending doom and destruction. The refrain in the title track’s chorus states it best: “I don’t know where I’m supposed to live!” CUTTERS would fit well on a mixtape with ROSE TATTOO, COLOURED BALLS, and COSMIC PSYCHOS…the soundtrack for a vicious pub brawl or a rowdy house party. “Surveillance Drones” is a particularly gnarly tune, the pinnacle of LP’s angst and aggression with a hardcore bent. The whole affair is bruising and unsubtle, featuring a tightly locked rhythm section, screaming guitars, and burly shouted vocals. CUTTERS are like the CHATS’ scary cousins, and they’re here to wreck your night.

Data Unknown Cylinder 1 cassette

Indianapolis oddballs drop their fourth or fifth release since they began putting out stuff in early 2021. This time we’re getting six tracks of the fucked synthwave you’ve come to expect from this mysterious act if you’ve been following along. If you haven’t, it’s probably time to get on board—this thing is great! At times they sound like CHROME trying their hand at drum machine egg-punk, at others they sound like one of the weirder Ralph Records acts (probably SNAKEFINGER) covering, like, “Let’s Have a Party” by PSYCHOTIK TANKS. If only more acts were this eager to annoy while being this unbothered by trends!

Deathfiend Beyond Life LP

Sizzling doom metal punk from Birmingham. This reminds me of when members of DOOM went in a more dismal SABBATH style in a doom project called GLOOMY SUNDAY. Speed-wolfing HIGH OF FIRE riff addiction with sinister, blackened vocal tones like SCOLEX. Tasty riffs without a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo, just all-around killer D-beaten crusty doom metal. Vocals at times recall BOLT THROWER, but are much more evil. Clearly pronounced and gnashing (ex-DOOM, POLICE BASTARD, SORE THROAT—ahem). Parts ENTOMBED, parts BRAINOIL, songs clock in at around three to four minutes, with an abbreviated intro track and an epic outro track. Paces are full of variety but groove throughout, never getting overly aggressive, mostly filled with despair and world-eating interstellar gloom. DEATH STRIKE also comes to mind. I am only halfway through and the production and sharp changes have me hooked. Definitely check this out if you enjoy grizzle-charred death punk metal played sturdily as the old oak tree. Tie a black ribbon for good ol’ DEATHFIEND, kudos on this LP.

Ex-White This is Future LP

If you had told me this band came from the late ’80s/early ’90s Chicago punk scene, I wouldn’t have doubted you for a second. Hailing from Germany, EX-WHITE’S first full-length ranges from dance-driven post-punk to raw, Midwestern melodic hardcore similar to NAKED RAYGUN and LEATHERFACE. Very much in line with some of the classic No Idea bands. I can’t lie, there’s a little bit of AC/DC thrown in here as well, especially on the titular track. Catchy as all hell, and released at the right time. This is a summer jam right here, folks. Give it a spin, you won’t be disappointed.

Flop Machine Machine Beat Rock and Roll cassette

Nine songs of mid-paced, synth-driven garage punk out of Norway. If geography is indicative of genre, I would’ve guessed FLOP MACHINE to hail from Memphis, ‘cause this cassette has that Goner Records sound nailed. The vocals, in particular, feel very JAY REATARD-inspired. The layered yet lo-fi production is fitting, the guitar hooks are working, and there are some spicy little phrases being banged out on the keys, but my attention started to drift after a few songs that seemed to have the same tempo. After a closer listen, it became apparent that literally every song has the exact same BPM. Ah, the perils of drum machines! Gotta give that tempo knob a twist!! Setting that aside, FLOP MACHINE is clearly on to something. If you need more bleeps and bloops in your life, or just can’t wait for the next DIGITAL LEATHER album, flip on some FLOP MACHINE.

Grawlixes / Unknown Liberty Chaos NY split EP

If you love CONFUSE, you will adore GRAWLIXES precisely because, just like you, they also love CONFUSE, and therefore loving GRAWLIXES is like loving the love for CONFUSE, if you know what I mean. The band is from Albany and some of its members played in NEUTRON RATS, if that rings a bell. There are four songs on their side, very well executed given the template: it’s fuzzy, loud, distorted, fun, a bit silly and delightfully pogoable. Proper punk music. Ten or fifteen years ago, there were a lot of bands doing the Japanese noisepunk thing (like the WANKYS or SAD BOYS, for instance), and I reckon GRAWLIXES do it with gusto. On the other side, we have UNKNOWN LIBERTY, who are mostly unknown I guess, from nearby Kingston—a band that I had noticed with their rather good Chain of Madness demo tape last year. They also have a Japanese hardcore punk influence, but they don’t rely as much on the Kyushu tradition as GRAWLIXES, although there certainly is a noisy distortedness about them and they do love some feedback in their punk. On that level, I am reminded of CFDL and crasher hardcore bands like (Osaka’s) ICONOCLAST or DECEIVING SOCIETY, but UNKNOWN LIBERTY also has a more versatile side and they do add some nice dissonant guitar leads, not unlike some Italian greats maybe. The vocals are harsh and insane-sounding, and as the crude dove logo suggests, they obey the peacecrust doctrine. This is a split that I would love to own.

Illvilja Mörkret 10″

Since its beginnings, neocrust has always walked hand-in-hand with black metal. The sense of gloom approaching is prevalent in both genres, so it only makes sense that one should combine the two—HIS HERO IS GONE had one of the blackest riffs the crust world has ever heard in “Headless/Heartless.” It’s all about the atmosphere! ILLVILJA does exactly that, melancholic neocrust with a black-as-night atmosphere. And it makes even more sense since they are Swedish, they are born with melody in their veins.

Late Shift Late Shift cassette

LATE SHIFT is a one-person hardcore band in which Patrick Baxter, also of SPAM CALLER, plays everything himself. The results, on this debut tape, remain within the realms of blown-out HC, but change the formula up a bit. There’s a really appealing ignorant bootboy vibe to the arrangements, especially when they slow down a bit—sometimes I get NEGATIVE APPROACH, sometimes ’90s Cleveland scene bands like H100S—and a possible noise/industrial influence comes through the guitars on “Bummer.” Black metal-lookin’ logo, but no metal on these three songs really, nor will you feel like you need any.

Le Jonathan Reilly 7″, Demos & Other Rarities cassette

I guess we’re getting to a point where forgotten garage punk releases from the mid ’00s are ready to be rediscovered. Better start collecting those Douchemaster, Tic Tac Totally, and Boom Boom 7”s now while they’re just a couple bucks—it’s only a matter of time before some comp appearance really drives up the price! Valencia-based label Discos Peroquébien is doing their part to get the trend started by issuing this odds-and-sods collection from hometown heroes LE JONATHAN REILLY. It’s an eighteen-track cassette pulling songs from their two split 7”s (with TYRADES and CHRISTMAS ISLAND), as well as some compilation tracks and demos. They also put out a full-length album and a split LP with BLACK SUNDAY, but neither of those releases are represented here. The brand of garage punk these folks peddled was part CHEATER SLICKS’ detuned lurch and part COACHWHIPS’ aggro one-two stomp, but they managed to skirt straightforward turkeydom by letting just enough FALL and URINALS influence shine through. They’re also not afraid to stretch out a bit and let their guitars carry a melody—“A Question in the Answer” almost sounds like it could have been pulled off Daydream Nation. I don’t know that any of these tracks quite approach “lost gem” status, but I bet most folks (particularly in the US) were unaware of this act, and there are certainly enough cool tunes on this collection to make it worth your time.

Masque Demo 2023 cassette

Weird and messy crust punk with no surprises coming from Portland, Oregon. An angry, non-stop screaming voice with no direction, plus an overlap of noisy guitars and ranting drums. An eight-track demo where intrigue and mystery are promised, but I still got none of it.

The Neanderverbs The Neanderverbs CD

From Virginia comes this plodding guitar rock combo. The vocals are monotone and recorded in that “sing a line, punch in another” style to give a “singing at yourself” vibe. The songs are mainly all the same tempo, and there’s some nice reverb-laden guitars and maybe a tambourine in there. I would give them a DEADBOLT or DMZ comparison. It’s thankfully only six songs, and one’s a not very interesting L7 cover. Move it along, fellas.

Optic Sink A Face in the Crowd / Landscape Shift 7″

This is the new single from OPTIC SINK, a band that takes a very minimalist approach to synth punk and who released their debut album in 2020 through Goner Records.  Side A, “A Face in the Crowd,” reminds me of OMD’s “The New Stone Age” being channeled by the URINALS, while Side B, “Landscape Shift,” could have come straight out of Mute Records in the late ’70s, but not really, because it’s timeless—it actually inhabits a dimension of its own where some transhumans invited you to dance in a club that is a white room floating in the eternal ether of creation. It is really good.

The Passengers Coming Down / What Lasts Forever 7″

This lathe-cut 7″ is the latest single from San Diego’s the PASSENGERS. The tracks sound like a continuation of their 2021 full-length Under the Cruel Light: emotionally charged, synth-heavy goth rock with catchy, deep-end crooning. The two songs offered on this record are much the same, with layers of synth playfully dancing with drifting and distorted guitars. The baritone bass vocals are featured right in front and help to balance the tonal range. Both tracks are totally danceable, and either would make a great addition to your favorite gothic playlist.

Ratos De Porão Al Kasal LP

This LP consists of live soundboard recordings of RATOS DE PORÃO from the mid-to-late ’90s at various squats and venues in Mallorca. The tracks are from the band’s crossover era (Feijoada Accidente? and Carniceria Tropical), with a few covers for the punks. Perhaps the audio isn’t the greatest quality, but it successfully captures the pure aggressive live energy and the tension in the air that would not be able to be replicated inside any studio. May not be the most representative era of the band (such as Crucifados Pelo Sistema), but is when the band decided to cater to a wider audience while still staying true to their roots. Something to add to your RATOS DE PORÃO or Brazilian HC collection.

Spitting Image Full Sun LP

Great collection of snaky, noisy post-punk jams from this Reno, NV band. Instrumental opener “Intro” gives a table of contents of sorts with strummed indie guitars that build with shimmering distortion and chiming, atonal layers à la SST-era SONIC YOUTH. This is punk, but it’s been soaking in psych, desert-dirge country, and deathrock, and left in the sun to bake. “Spirit Trouble Flash” builds and releases heavy guitars along syncopated drum beats until the chorus hits, and it really hits. Tracks like “Not This, Not This” and “Devil’s Bloom” pound a menacing bass and drums cadence until serpentine post-everything guitar lines creep in and hover over the sound like dripping icicles. “In Menace Meadow” takes us to the dunes with clean strums and slide guitar twang. Check this out when you’re in the mood for expertly produced dark, knotty punk.