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!

The Intima Peril & Panic LP reissue

Originally released in 2003, Peril & Panic was the first (and last) full-length recording from early ’00s Portland/Olympia anarcho avant-punks the INTIMA, and as a teenager who was confined to a largely regressive and apolitical scene 2,000 miles away at the time, it’s hard to articulate the ways in which this band and record helped to unfold maps in my mind that ultimately led me to all sorts of new worlds. This new reissue comes with a much-needed remixing and remastering job, giving even more force to the knotted, intricately structured art-sprawl of these nine tracks compared to the thin and murky initial pressing; despite already being deeply familiar with the record, there’s so many nuances here that are only now revealing themselves to me twenty years on. The EX and DOG FACED HERMANS were two frequent compass points used to orient the band’s approach (and not without reason), but it’s impossible to disentangle the INTIMA’s stormy, grey-skied intensity from being the product of anyplace but the Pacific Northwest—think Scrabbling at the Lock, if it had been left in a damp forest of evergreens to be slowly consumed by moss. Desperate shouts deliver pointed lyrics that are more poetic than didactic, focused largely on intertwined threads of ecological collapse and the accelerating wreckage of capitalism and imperialism, squalls of mournful violin collide with angular, alternately tuned guitar jabs, the drumming clanks and rattles with the kinetic rhythms of industrial machinery, and the result is music intended for dancing amongst the broken glass of shattered empire (more now than ever).

Koridor Kroz Pukotine LP

This is a dark, driving album. A little hardcore, a lot of dark post-punk. Love how the guitar seems to weave all the instruments together into an epic-sounding album. To my ears, it sounds like RUDIMENTARY PENI and KILLING JOKE took their first albums and modernized everything by adding influences from a few current bands. What we end up with is a dark but pleasant album to listen to, one that seems to grow on me. I like it more and more with every listen. This band is not a one-trick pony, every song sounds different and this record is quite special. Great album!

Man-Eaters Quatro Muchachos LP

I’ll be honest, loyal MRR readers: Quatro Muchachos by MAN-EATERS is one of those albums that doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. It’s fairly cut-and-dry rock’n’roll, and it’d be a stretch to call it innovative. However, none of that matters, because this is a really kick-ass record and it packs one hell of a punch. High-energy garage rock which brings to mind the RIFFS mashed with the NEW YORK DOLLS and the most psychedelic offerings from KING GIZZARD. The guitars do most of the heavy lifting—wavering between groovy riffs and classic, scorching solos—but the vocalist has the energy of an anthropomorphic lighting bolt. Also, the album title has to be a ZZ TOP reference, right? If so, that’s ten extra bonus points. Lovely stuff here.

Maria T-Ta y el Empujón Brutal Maria T-Ta y el Empujón Brutal LP

Stripped-down, raw, and primal, MARIA T-TA Y EL EMPUJÓN BRUTAL offered a pointed rebuke to the late ’80s male-centric Peruvian punk scene. The songs here were recorded in 1987 and portray a catchy, garage punk act having fun while poking a middle finger into the eye of a repressive system. The recording quality is quite crude and low-fidelity. MARIA T-TA’s vocals are prominent in the mix along with the drums, but the guitar and bass recede to a point of obscurity, making the progressions somewhat hard to decipher. The album includes some acoustic versions of a few songs as well. A fascinating document to be sure.

No Knock Imagine a World Without Landlord​$​ EP

Relentless, furious CRAZY SPIRIT-style hardcore from NYC that rips from start to finish. I saw them absolutely decimate a backyard show this summer to the point that I was concerned for the singer’s physical condition afterwards—talk about a band leaving everything on the stage (or makeshift patio area). The eight tracks here are mostly straightforward HC shredders, with a sneaky rock’n’roll riff bleeding in occasionally and a well-deserved mid-tempo mini-breakdown every once in a while (probably for safety reasons). The whole band delivers speed and maximum energy to songs like “Can’t Afford Suicide,” “This is Life, Life is Hell,” and “Futureless Cycles.” Bleak themes for bleak times. And check out the rad Nick Blinko-style cover art! Go get this now. Fucking intense and fucking awesome.

Permanent Residue Permanent Residue cassette

The second self-titled cassette by Chicago pop punkers PERMANENT RESIDUE, with four poppy, bouncing, mid-tempo numbers with angsty-sounding vocals. It’s at least one member from CANADIAN RIFLE going in more of a DISCOUNT/THIS IS MY FIST-type of direction. Songs are very catchy, and if any of the aforementioned comparisons are up your alley, then you’re probably going to like this. Personally, I think this style is at its best when the recordings have a bit of grit to them. This tape is too slickly recorded to allow me to relive my youthful pop punk enthusiast years and go gaga over it.

Rouge Sang Rouge Sang demo cassette

Depro-punk foursome from Brest, France out with their five-track demo. Fitting nicely in Symphony of Destruction’s catalog, ROUGE SANG plays dark, melodic punk, keeping a simple lineup of bass, drums, guitar, and vocals. Bands like T.S.O.L. come to mind, mixed with a bit of whole-gang Oi! backing vocals, creating an interesting mix. Does their name come from the politically-minded French folk-rocker RENAUD’s 2006 album Rouge Sang? Unclear. Maybe “blood red” or “red blood” (however the translation goes) just makes for a good gothic-tinged band name. As with most Symphony of Destruction releases, I enjoy this; more in a head-nodding-along kind of manner, less in a “I’ve got to show this to people” kind of way. That said, I’ll be interested to see where this group goes and how they lean into their sound, should there be more coming our way.

Sabotage I’ve Got Big Feelings EP

Need some good screaming? Look no further. The duality of screams from both a female and male vocalist throughout this EP really blew me away, especially the call-and-response in “I’ve Got Big Feelings.” Somewhat screamo at times, but otherwise HC/punk, SABOTAGE is not messing around. With a sprinkle of tempo changes while still keeping their fast energy, these guys sure are hardcore.

Some Kind of Nightmare DCxPC Live & Dead, Vol. 5 LP

Here’s a live and energetic offering from SOME KIND OF NIGHTMARE, who have been a band since the mid-’00s. Very tight and adept at their craft, the power trio graces the crowd with a throwback to the ’90s style of punk rock, like what you would find on one of those East Coast Pogo Attack videos. Socially-conscious lyrics channeled through polished, melodic street punk. As far as live recordings go, the quality here is top-notch. Fans of the band will want to track this down. 

Tiger 54 Tiger 54 CD

Meh. The industrial elements come off soft and the girl’s voice is honestly just annoying, and not in a cool Kathleen Hanna kind of way. I just can’t get into it. It sounds like some music that would be played in a late-night commercial. The drums are tinny, the production is bland, and there’s nothing here that’s really punchy enough to keep my attention. Not awful, but not really something I can find myself getting into, either.

The Zeros Beat Your Heart Out / Wild Weekend 7″ reissue

Breathing new life into a classic knockout combo, the ZEROS’ excellent second single gets a sharp pink reissue from Munster Records. Originally released in ’78, it helped set the standards, perfectly encapsulating the ’60s garage-inspired teen punk energy. Both tracks are fire really, but “Wild Weekend” especially never gets old.

V/A Chaos in CH, Vol. 2: A Collection of Underground Swiss Punk 1977–1984 LP

This album is an excellent collection of punk and early hardcore from Switzerland from 1977–1984, featuring seven bands. My favorite is the SQUIRT with their brand of hardcore punk influenced by DEAD KENNEDYS, D.O.A., and BLACK FLAG according to the booklet in the record, but sounding like they owe just as much of their sound to BGK or the NITWITZ. Every band on this record is good. The BASTARDS start off Side B with the instantly recognizable “Impossibilities.” What a great compilation!

3 the Hardway Cost of Living / Newspaper 7″

3 THE HARD WAY is a unique, kind of experimental riot grrrl band. With the first side of “Cost of Living,” you’re thrown into a very rhythmic setting with lots of female grunting and singing. It very much reminded me of “Pacific Coast Highway” by SONIC YOUTH, I loved it. On the other side, “Newspaper” felt more artsy and melodic. It made me feel like I was in a washing machine being tumbled around and hearing the singing from inside a soapy space. Overall, I really enjoyed how these two tracks played with each other and created a really unique experience.

Aberrant Kingdom AK LP

Sixteen years in the making, Pittsburgh’s ABERRANT KINGDOM debuts with this ten-track LP. Comprised of James May on guitar and vocals, Ian Tepper on drums, and Pat Herron on bass, AK is a garage-y with blown-out amp/tape saturation guitar (sounds fucking awesome) and strained, mid-to-higher-register vocals that almost remind me BAD BRAINS (albeit, not at a breakneck tempo). Rhythms shuffle, chug, and sludge along over big, splashy drums, creating a looseness that is contrasted by sections of really tight riffing that keep everyone in lockstep; a well-achieved contrast. At times a doom metal band (opener “Fiscal Clit”), at some a prog riff-machine (“Aberrant Kingdom”), at others a good-time garage rock outfit (“Brag and Boast”)—whatever’s happening, it works for me. You can hear the love and work that they’ve put into these songs over the last sixteen years, honing every bar from drum fill to errant howl. This truly rips.

Amass Gatekeepers Gallows 12″

Seven tracks of throwback to classic-era anarcho-punk. I understand that members of AMASS lend their skills to the current incarnation of ALTERNATIVE, which is a useful reference point for their sound. Pissed-off, spitfire vocals are delivered in a dueling style that alternates between tuneful shouts and spoken diatribes. AMASS hits all of the notes that one would expect—bouncing bass lines, sharp, biting guitar, blatantly political lyrics—yet they aren’t entirely paint-by-numbers peace punk. There is more melody present than I was expecting, which, coupled with the clean production, tempers the aggression a bit. Setting that aside, it’s exciting to hear a band with a strong anarchist message playing in a style that isn’t so common in 2024. With echoes of CONFLICT, D.I.R.T., and the SYSTEM, how can you go wrong?

Anti-System No Laughing Matter LP reissue

Somewhere back near the dawning of mass home internet access, I came across ANTI-SYSTEM. Upon hearing their blistering anarcho hardcore, I immediately emblazoned ANTI-SYSTEM on the back of my jacket. Fastfoward several blinks of an eye later, and I couldn’t be more stoked to see a reissue of No Laughing Matter, an absolute stellar full-length. First released in 1985, No Laughing Matter contains hardline lyrics about peace, animal liberation, and nuclear war which remain poignant to this very moment. ANTI-SYSTEM strikes that perfect balance of anarcho punk’s chaotic playfulness and the surging rage of hardcore, and inadvertently created the bastard child known as crust punk. In reality, No Laughing Matter is a shifting album—an album that shifts from UK82 hardcore, to sound clips, to harmonic instrumentals and back. This LP is packed with thirteen songs and is an absolute monolith worth listening to in its entirety.

Bad Year Bad Year LP

This band advertises themselves as a ’90s throwback, and wouldn’t you know it, they’re certainly not fooling! Melodic, harmonious punk that brings to mind LAGWAGON, SAMIAM, and a hornless LESS THAN JAKE. BAD YEAR sounds like they’d be right at home on one of those early Fat Wreck comps that everyone still gushes over. Really catchy stuff, though. Tight, and produced extremely well. I need to specifically give props to the drummer here, as their dynamics really bring the energy of this record to a whole other level. I won’t lie, I’m usually not a fan of these modern bands who do the retro pop punk sound, but BAD YEAR really pulls it off. This is well worth a couple spins if you’re into this type of thing.

Bingo Crépusucule Demo 2023 cassette

The great nation of France has a fine pedigree in the art of Oi!, and in particular, the type of cold, skeletal Oi! that only a country that has birthed both existentialism and Gauloises can. Bands like SYNDROME 81 and LITOVSK have managed to sever boot boy rockin’ from its backslapping bonhomie, and BINGO CRÉPUSUCULE is a fine addition to this pantheon. Intricate guitar lines and atmospheric, driving riffs meet wonderfully despondent vocals in an intoxicating mix. Put this on, have a good old stare out the window, and ponder the nature of being.

Bzdet Maybe It Is Enough? cassette

A solo synth punk project out of Poland with a handful of releases already put out, BZDET offers up its first US release through the Buffalo tape label, Tetryon—this compilation includes tracks the artist has found to be the most important work of the project so far, as well as three previously unreleased tracks. The album comes out of the gate sounding like NEW ORDER meets MOLCHAT DOMA, but with twenty songs here, the sound expands and explores plenty within that synth punk umbrella. What sets this apart from other synth punk stuff is that, even if you don’t speak Polish, you can tell there is a humor and playfulness that stays bubbling just below the surface (exemplified by the closing track “I Don’t Need Viagra Boyzz,” one of two titled in English). That’s not to say these are typical egg-punk offerings, but rather that the music doesn’t come across as too polished for its own good, just Polish and good.

The Carp Knock Your Block Off LP

The CARP is from Cleveland, and I think I can hear some of the historic Cleveland bands embedded in their sound. At first quick listen, I wasn’t paying much attention until I started noticing that the bass sounded a bit like FLIPPER. After that, I started noticing song structures not unlike DEVO. I heard someone describe this as ’77 punk, but that’s not how I would describe it. This is bass-driven punk that can evoke memories of my first time listening to FLIPPER and the FEEDERZ, along with DEVO. The sound is nice and thick, and I imagine that it would work extremely well live. I don’t want to force this band into any one subgenre of punk because they are coming at us from all directions, doing whatever they want to do. It sounds great, I was playing air drums the whole time through several listens. Total Punk gives us another great record. This did indeed knock my block off.

Closetalkers Path to Peace EP

CLOSETALKERS are from Calgary and play a blistering, raw, and very particular mutation of D-beat hardcore. A heavy dose of Scandi-crust blends with noisy Kawakami-inspired riffs to form an abrasive fury that is difficult to match. The opening song “Pestilence” features a fun rhythm breakdown just beyond the midway, and the closer “Narc” opens with a lot of drumwork, which for me is a great kind of bookend to this six-song EP. If you’re into PHYSIQUE, YELLOWCAKE, TRENCHRAID, KRASH, or any other type of D-beat punk, you’ll want to hear this.

D.B.R. DBR cassette

Berlin synth project on the gloomier side of egg and bedroom punk-related situations. Seems to be a solo project alongside a bunch of friends, which creates different atmospheres on each track and side. Wicked, dubbed “submarine telephone” vocals alongside good synth work. While Side A is a more energetic, power-driven, and interesting blend with tracks like “On You” and “Stick,” Side B gets cold and distant (but also interesting), as tracks like “Small Amount” go for warmer, classic sounds in the MINUTEMEN zone.

Erik Nervous Halfass EP

Pretty decent 7”. I enjoyed the speed and the vocals especially. The production hits pretty decently, even though it does get kind of washed out at times, but I can overlook that because the songs on here justify their own existence. Good energy, too. I just wish there were more experimental tracks like “Funky Agoraphobia.” “What’s In The Box” was the only really underwhelming song.

Farsa Farsa 12″

Right from the introduction to the first song “Futuro Incierto,” the listener knows that a relentless, ruthless hardcore tornado with the subtle determination of a charging hippo is coming their way, and you don’t have much time to run or grab earplugs to protect what’s left of your hearing after years of D-beat abuse. Really, this is for the best. FARSA is a band from Berlin with an international cast and this 12” is their first proper record. They are definitely not reinventing the wheel, which I presume was never their ambition, but they deliver perfectly what they set out to, and I am fine with this humble but crucial achievement. If you like your hardcore music with a hard-hitting käng flavour, FARSA will speak to your heart for fourteen good minutes. I am reminded of SVAVELDIOXID in that they build on the heaviest brand of ’90s käng hardcore like SKITSYSTEM, WOLFPACK, or DRILLER KILLER (all without the metal moments), but crank up the distortion and just unleash the fury. The production, the riffs, the gruff angry vocals in Spanish, the pummeling power, everything is done right. A sure win for me.

Germ Bomb Monochrome Nightmare LP

Collection of old school, NWOBHM-leaning metal/hard rock from this Swedish duo. Their Bandcamp mentions D-beat, crossover, and black metal influences, but I barely hear any of that other than on “Narcissist,” which has a D-beat backbone but is not raw in the least. These are head-bobbing, mid-tempo rockers with doomy leads, heavy flanged riffs, and sung vocals. “Germ Bomb” has a catchy anthemic chorus, and soulful standout “Turn the Cross” sounds like Nick Cave fronting PENTAGRAM for its runtime. Gothic organ rounds out a few tracks and gives a classic creepy vibe. Definitely not punk (several of these tracks clock in near the five-minute mark and test my need for speed and brevity), but if you’re an old school metalhead, this is worth checking out.

Homemade Speed Faster is Better EP

Fast and fiery spirit-of-’82 hardcore here from the ripping HOMEMADE SPEED outta Norfolk. It opens up with an instrumental that sounds like the Earl Liberty/Chuck Biscuits-era CIRCLE JERKS warming up before a set, and after that it’s just incredible mean and rabid shit, intense as fuck all the way through. Twisting and menacing riffs and machine gun drums. Killer and catchy, it’s instant classic material, stacked with hits.

Indikator B B.N.J. EP

Well-executed UK82-ish hardcore from Croatia’s INDIKATOR B. After switching their lineup since their first release, the band sounds very tight and isn’t just banging these songs out; there is nuance and melody oozing from this EP. Great vocals that aren’t the usual bark, and catchy riffs that will have you going back for a second listen the moment the final track ends. Highly recommended.

Middle / Slamming Avoid Nuts split CD

Okay, so first off—SLAMMING AVOID NUTS is probably my new favorite band name of all time. Secondly, this is a really great split album with a whole ton of musical diversity, and not even just between the bands. MIDDLE flops between sounding like an early ’90s dissonant Dischord act and sloppy, power-chord-heavy street punk. The aforementioned SLAMMING AVOID NUTS play Oi!-infused D-beat with throaty, guttural vocals. High-energy all around; a solid disc if I may say so myself. I think this might only be available in Japan, but it’s worth ponying up the cash for the shipping.

Pet Cop A.S. cassette

Kooky two-piece German egg-punk. The recording is a bit crazy-sounding, even by egg-punk standards, but it works all the same. Seven childhood bedroom-recorded songs of high-energy and even higher treble punk idiocy. Guitar, synth, and a drum machine, but as far as I can tell, just the subtle “thunk” of the kick drum and the wince-inducing snap of the snare. Oh wait, they also use the “clap” sound on one of the songs. This rips, and is thankfully available the world over on three different labels. I know Xtro standardly does runs of only 25 tapes, so US egg-punk enthusiasts should get on it before you have to pay bonkers overseas shipping prices.

Résilience Grise Époque LP

Tasteful and melodic Oi! with classically French deathrock undertones. This is a perfect listen for the transition of summer to autumn, right down to the sound of rainfall on the opening instrumental. RÉSILIENCE has a full and muscular sound, including great crunchy riffs, some sinewy guitar leads, and gruff vocals that lead catchy sing-alongs throughout. There are no surprises to be found here, only a reliably sturdy listen for fans of CAMERA SILENS and RIXE.

Rixe Tir Groupé EP

I’ve been a fan of this Parisian outfit since they arrived on the scene in 2015. Nearly a decade on, RIXE is as vital as ever, and Tir Groupé finds the group stabbing out into new territory. While the core tenets of their sound are still present, they’ve filed down the edges by injecting a hint of melody and, notably, have added a drum machine to the mix. This shift salutes French punk forbearers MÉTAL URBAIN without disrupting the underlying foundation of French Oi! á la CAMERA SILENS. Four concise blasts that beg to be played on repeat, this EP is, I’ll venture to assert, a harbinger of more brilliance to come. Perhaps it’s time for the lads to make a proper full-length album?

Skeet Simple Reality LP

SKEET’s backstory is a familiar one in narratives of early ’80s UK DIY—band forms in a mid-sized industrial city, plays a handful of shows, records some songs at home with the aid of very modest technology, then dissolves before actually releasing anything—but their stark, bewitching post-punk isn’t so typical. Simple Reality rounds up eight once-lost tracks, half from a 1981 demo and half from a soundboard tape of the trio’s final live performance later that year (which was apparently on top of a trailer outside of a pub beer garden?!), with the sharp, pitch-perfect quality of the latter almost indistinguishable from the former. YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS would be an easy and not inaccurate comparison, from the steady pulse of the Roland CR-8000 serving as SKEET’s mechanical drummer to Kay Booth’s fragile vocals and introspective lyrics, and while the yearning minimalism of “Brief Call” and “Alone Tonight” is colossally Colossal Youth, “Young Girls” and “Avril in the Alps” ramp up the digital tempo ever so slightly and dig into a scratchy, bass-forward danceability somewhere between ORANGE JUICE and JOSEF K on the Postcard Records wavelength, and the paper-thin bedroom pop strum of “I Was Never Told” bridges the very narrow gap between the MARINE GIRLS and SOLID SPACE, juxtaposing Kay’s sweet and airy delivery with the song’s blunt, direct subject matter (“Did you want just for sex / Or simply someone to hold”). Beguiling and beautiful. 

Squid Pisser Dreams of Puke CD

At first listen, I thought I wasn’t the audience for this at all. Three One G-style glitchy emoviolence with goregrind-worthy song titles and the album art just had me thinking, “are we still doing this?” But I’m quick to admit when I’m wrong, and I was majorly wrong here. This does, to a degree, harken back to noisy, mathy hardcore that was omnipresent in the late ’90s and early ’00s, but it’s presented in such an unfussy and dialed-in way that it just hits right through your sternum. The effects-heavy vocals, the laser gun guitars, the never-dampening rush of drum beats, all of these elements connect. There isn’t really a gimmick here despite first appearances, and the songs are really brilliantly written. A burner like “Vaporize a Neighbor” dips its wings in industrial metal and noise rock as it flies by at a thrashing pace that never lets up. Then the following title track goes full theatrical synth doom, a sub-sub-genre I’m not even sure existed before. Hyperactivity is the name of the game here, but it never feels unfocused. It’s the opposite, in fact, leading to a singular listening experience that hits hard. Genre signifiers be damned (even though I’ve dropped about a hundred in this review alone).

Still Animals Still Animals LP

STILL ANIMALS’ self-titled album offers ten tracks of mid-tempo garage rock over twenty-six minutes, delivering an inoffensive, straightforward sound that might be more engaging in a live setting. Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, the four-piece plays with energy, but I kept hoping they would eventually turn it up to eleven and they never even got close. By the fourth track, the lack of variation makes the LP feel a bit monotonous. It’s fine, there just aren’t any memorable moments to be found here other than the song title “Here’s a Song,” which I thought was hilarious.

Pat Todd & the Rankoutsiders Senator’s Daughter 7″

The LAZY COWGIRLS remain one of my favorite punk bands of all time. I felt like they always gave 100% effort. There was an energy in their live performances and that carried over into their studio recordings. I found their songs (and still find their songs) infectious. I can’t say that I’ve listened to Pat Todd’s latest outfit a ton, but for me this picks up right where the LAZY COWGIRLS left off. It’s this awesomeness of gritty rock’n’roll that manages to remain fun and catchy and genuine. Two cuts, both great. One original and one cover. The cover is an obscure one, but one that has a funny tie to the RANKOUTSIDERS. This record is fucking good. Go buy it. Extra points for being a vinyl only release (at least as far as I’m aware).

Wet Dream War Machine I.M.A.G.I.N.E. 12″

Now this record is something of an unidentified aural assault, and even after the second listen, I am struggling a little to describe what Berlin’s WET DREAM WAR MACHINE is on about, but then I am a simple punk used to simple music so I could be too thick to get it. A lot of different things coexist in their music, from direct, snotty hardcore punk to more dissonant post-punk moments, beefy noise rock, and an overall strange atmosphere of dementia and alienation. The band’s name comes from a song from the LOCUST, which makes sense. The record has an agitprop feel (even visually), and there are moments that reminded me of political bands that strove to break down boundaries and used sarcasm and wits to get the point across, like the EX or CCCP, for instance. Maybe an insane and mean version of a noisier STRAW MAN ARMY? While undeniably interesting, I cannot say I really enjoyed the clearly thought-out and articulate experience. The tone of the vocals reminds me of black metal somehow, and it tends to be irritating with the erratic and nervous, versatile songwriting. I recognize the quality and value of I.M.A.G.I.N.E. but I am unable to relate to it. The hooks don’t hook me. I am convinced this lot must be brilliant live, though.

V/A Liberation for All: A Palestine Benefit Comp cassette

Punk, in theory, should always stand against oppression. Period! It is really sad to see that some “punk” communities, especially in Germany, are making excuses and covering their eyes in support of the tyrannical ethno-supremacist “state” of Israel. We have been warned throughout the years, through punk lyrics, about the horrors of war and genocide. And now, it is happening right before our eyes. It is impossible to take the side of the oppressor and be “punk.” Are you the solution or the problem? With this said, there is also a lot of love and empathy being put forth by the worldwide punk community with all the tributes, benefits, compilations, and donation drives. This compilation began as a fantastic way to raise funds for the very first Open Palm Fest, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it turned into a benefit for Palestine. All proceeds from this comp will be donated to the Red Crescent Society in Palestine. Much love to all the awesome bands and the label for putting this together. Free Palestine!

Abusements Grievance Beerwater Reprisal LP

There’s a surprising amount of depth to this record. Grievance Beerwater Reprisal kicks off with a string of songs that can be best described as bar punk. You know what I’m talking about—the kind of band you’d love to come across while hopping between your favorite watering holes. But halfway through, things shift gears as they launch into their single “Mind,” which sounds much more like the KINKS than anything else on the slab. There’s a Brit-pop/Southern rock tinge that makes an appearance throughout, but the majority of the record has a sinister RAMONES vibe more akin to ANTISEEN, but less gritty. This is a very polished and produced punk album and is essentially a love/hate letter to ABUSEMENTS’ home state of Alabama. Or maybe it’s a cautionary tale. Regardless, fun stuff here.

Berosszulás Az Öl​é​sr​ö​l EP

Budapesti noise punkers BEROSSZULÁS create the swirling basement hardcore that I am such a sucker for. With all six tracks coming in under eight minutes, Az Öl​é​sr​ö​l was definitely recorded in one long take, with what could also be instruments plugged straight into the board. It’s all brutal and slightly unleashed into the void of experimental—echoes of an Eastern European take on MUTATED VOID, perhaps.

Bounce House Pop Rox cassette

More so than anything, what causes my ears to prick up at the end of the day is songcraft. You can build up almost anything on good bones, and that’s something Santa Ana’s BOUNCE HOUSE gets from the jump. From the opening notes of “Sweetness,” which echoes the heartaching best of the jangly Dunedin sound, I’m hooked. What follows is a peppier affair, though the duo never strays far from their melancholic center. Even the zig-zagging rock’n’roll of “Cannonball,” while a certified earworm, has a sort of moroseness that I find deeply appealing. Add to that a nimble bass line and snotty hook, and I’m fully sold. There’s really not a snoozer in the handful of tunes—even the plaintive closer “Yesterday’s Bus Pass” is compelling with its shimmering guitar and wistful harmonies. All in all, these are five well-penned tracks of guitar pop that I’ll keep coming back to until the next EP (or, fingers crossed, a full-length).

Bumbo’s Tinto Brass Band Maybe Later EP

Interesting mix of modern post-punk and artful post-rock—think URANIUM CLUB meets ’90s-era Thrill Jockey bands like TORTOISE and the SEA AND CAKE. Most of the tracks follow a low-key approach that blends lightly distorted bass grooves with shuffling drums, clean and jazzy guitar lines, and spoken vocals. There are no major hooks or big moments, but the record flows well, highlighting the restrained performances that are occasionally punctuated by a warbling theremin. This is an evening jam, cool and mellow without being weak or relegated to the background.

Completed Exposition / Maxxpower split LP

Osaka’s COMPLETED EXPOSITION teams up with Montreal’s MAXXPOWER to deliver a blistering platter of fastcore that hits like a series of rabbit punches to the face. COMPLETED EXPOSITION’s side showcases dual vocals and includes a few longer tracks with mosh parts to drive your circle pits. MAXXPOWER lives up to their name, blasting through fourteen tracks, half of which clock in at thirty seconds or less, clearly drawing inspiration from the Slap-a-Ham roster. Their songs feature plenty of starts and stops with the occasional mosh part, all powered by drumming that seems almost impossibly fast. This split is highly recommended for fans of classic powerviolence played at utterly insane speeds. Check out the whole split. It’ll only take you a few minutes.

Desorden Afilado Terror LP

Straightedge hardcore punks from Madrid, Spain—not even sure if they’re still active, but they have left their imprint on global hardcore for sure, and specifically in the edge scene. Great vocals on behalf of their singer Alenka, phrasing while breaking the voice to achieve long and extensive fighting screams expressing themselves on different issues, such as drug abuse, sexism, and mental health schemes. The band tries to push the ethos “hardcore is our home,” and I think they achieved their goal. Blunt-force project, probably one of the most relevant from Europe nowadays regarding straightedge, for sure.

Die in Vain Savage New Times EP

It’s hard to believe Savage New Times from Istanbul’s DIE IN VAIN came out just last year; the band clearly did their homework, as this sounds like something Riot City would’ve put out 40 years ago. Anyway, this is a great record. Five tracks of familiar-sounding, street-punk-infused Oi! that are filled with catchy guitar hooks and gang vocals that punks and skins alike will find agreeable. Odds are you’ve already rocked this one, but if you haven’t yet, check out “War Machine” and “Gösteri Icin.”

Endform Menace LP

Neocrust fizzled out in recent years, with only a few of the classic bands being active in the scene. The genre reached a peak around the ’00s when bands turned to post-metal or black metal influences, evolving into something new altogether. Menace, the newest offering from the Montreal-based ENDFORM, showcases the band’s evolution while remaining true to their roots. It opens with the track “Psychic Numbing,” a haunting instrumental piece that sets an ominous tone for the album. Some Word as Law-era NEUROSIS comes to mind, just before it erupts into an early FALL OF EFRAFA/TRAGEDY combo of modern-meets-classic neocrust, complete with dual vocals. Throughout the album, ENDFORM expands on delivering a blend of melodious aggression, one of the main tropes of the genre. An urgent manifesto of the times we live in, dark music that reflects darker times.

Fake Last Name Three Persuasion Domains EP

FAKE LAST NAME is the home-recording alter ego of Ronni What, one half of the Louisiana zolo duo SPLLIT, and while SPLLIT has been increasingly busy and touring relentlessly over the last few years, this new EP marks the first FAKE LAST NAME release since the project debuted with a short-run cassette in 2021. SPLLIT’s restless, kitchen-sink noise bursts have positioned them as something like the RESIDENTS for the egg-punk generation, and although FAKE LAST NAME draws from many of the same cracked-up impulses, Ronni ultimately reassembles them into something much more coolly disaffected while working solo. The A-side kicks straight into “Three Persuasion Domains,” centering blasé, perfectly over-it vocals (think Su Tissue or Lizzy Mercier Descloux at their most detached) which function as carefully structured lines for strangled no wave guitar and clattering drums to cross in impulsive strokes of color, only for the whole affair to be détourned as “Another Persuasion” on the B-side, with Ana da Silva of the RAINCOATS(!) applying spacious dub echo and glitchy electro accents to smooth out some of the more anxious edges of the original source material. The percussion/electronics-driven warble and deadpan, surrealist spoken word of “Gadfly” is equally great and almost ALGEBRA SUICIDE-like, very deserving of the second life that it’s been given here after first appearing on that earlier FAKE LAST NAME tape. Buy the physical record; the visuals and writing included in the packaging/insert are a crucial part of the FAKE LAST NAME experience—keeping the “art” in art-punk.

Groind Keep It Clean cassette

Applying gnarly affectations over a solid rock’n’roll core, Oxnard’s GROIND serves us an agreeable mash-up of styles on their debut tape, the sound of which is certainly more user-friendly than the hodgepodge of the words “groin” and “grind” that they’ve chosen as a moniker. Though nasty in their distorted execution, these seven tunes are really old-fashioned head-bobbers armed with some soulful guitar. They even dip into ’50s-style balladeering on the closing “Status Quo,” and overall, it’s a solid introduction to the group that’s worth checking out.

Half Human Shape Language LP

Third full-length from the Brooklyn-based trio HALF HUMAN. Experimental, angular, and dissonant might take a crack at describing the rhythms and riffs within Shape Language, while bolstering a full-force sound. Nothing about this is sparse or bare: bass lines run a marathon up and down the fretboard, the guitar incessantly jabs and gets hung up on odd notes, the drums kerrattle and slap across the kit in an industrial fashion, vocals find a melody hanging in the balance, somehow shouting for order. These ten tracks feel like a chaos incantation. First blush with this busy, disparate, noisy thing didn’t land well with me, but listening through a few times, I came to appreciate the sonic mess as a whole, each element clamoring for attention, shuffling and weaseling around one another. A rollicking, atonal, post-hardcore love letter. For a good taste, check out “Hiccup.”

Hospital Terrorizer Before You I Have No Other Justification for Myself Than an Animal Caught Growling in a Trap cassette

Bewildering mix of neon-coated blastbeats, chiptunes, and vibrating punk energy from this Las Vegas-based project. Each short track is an aural assault that mixes the wildest hysterics of XIU XIU, the drum machine grindcore of early AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, and the psychedelic pounding of LIGHTNING BOLT, held together with breakcore glue. For the right audience at the right time, it’s kind of awesome. Every so often, candy-coated grenades of ecstatic beauty seep through, like on the garage punk vocals of “I Didn’t Think When I Started a Diary.” The tape is a chaotic, messy affair with 32 tracks, including titles like, “Weekly Crisis: This Time He Was Caught With Mouthfuls of Doll Hairs in His Sister’s Room,” and “10 Variations of Peter Sotos are in Your Scene.” The flow can be disorienting, but if you aren’t feeling the blasted-open groove of a particular track, you can just wait 45 seconds until the next one.