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!

Obsoletos Obsoletos demo cassette

Garage punk project from Chile, with frantic vocals talking about existence and systemic disposable culture. Bits of post-punk, but primarily focusing on the garage-y side of punk, with wide open, high-pitched reverbed guitars that go along just fine with the vocal exultation that leads the music. The formula might sound redundant as each song is similar to the others, but all of the three tracks have something interesting and different to offer, even nodding to classic punk rock as in “Pandilla Agresiva,” which reminds me of high-energy early NEW YORK DOLLS. Solid and interesting demo, I’m eager to hear more.

Pestigor Baptized in Pus LP

Described as “bubonic hardcore,” this filth from Denmark is reminiscent of SACRILEGE or TEMPTER, with some power metal falsetto vocalizations like HIRAX. But almost more importantly, I’m feeling a strong relationship to the PLASMATICS, as well as the chosen theme of this band, Warhammer 40,000. PESTIGOR plays a ravishing mix of D-beat and thrash metal in their malevolent Realm of Chaos and space marines. They sound fun and furious. The last two tracks are my favorite—this is the kind of album where I wasn’t sure how impactful it would be at first, but once it warmed up and the cosmic war theme sponged through my soft Warhammer-able skull, I was all in. Wild cover art in the BOLT THROWER fashion: content of Realms, in the hand of In Battle…PESTIGOR shares members with the very good gothy post-punk but similarly D-beat (and peace punk as well) band MOTORSAV, and that kind of proficiency in different styles is additionally cool.

Rough Kids The Black and White and Gray LP

Admittedly, on first listen I thought maybe this was nothing special. With my often jaded snob glasses on, I was probably thinking something corny like “well it’s not that rough, is it?” But this is goddamn good. Melody in punk is a tough gig, but this Los Angeles group has perfectly hit that intersection of late ’70s energy and an ear for tunefulness that is immensely satisfying. Making harmonies sound tough is no easy feat, and most punks can’t pull it off so they don’t even try. I’m hard pressed to think of a stronger display of just down-to-basics songwriting in recent years, and it doesn’t let up track to track. Dig into “She’s All Gray,” which hits like GENTLEMAN JESSE fronting DEAD BOYS, and tell me you’re not hooked. I definitely am.

Squish Days of the Grumble CD

Has-been garage punkers from the mid-2010s that started a band specifically to make weird concept albums. This is from their Bandcamp page. Sound like a good thing to you? Kill me. Their first offering that I’m blessed to review here is a punk magnum opus about maggots invading the earth. Oh wait. Sound familiar? Yes, the PLASMATICS did this much better on their last album Maggots: The Record decades ago. This apparently comes with a comic zine that could give this a little more cohesive power, but really, it’s just lukewarm HIVES-like garage slop with deadpan vocals that the CHILD MOLESTERS or DICTATORS did much better. It’s not totally awful and there’s moments to be had, such as the SPITS-like “Collective, Correction, Collection,” but overall it’s hard for me to care. Wendy O. is coming back for them and she’s not happy.

Stray Bullet Factory EP

Latest release from Sheffield’s STRAY BULLET consists of four tracks of a fast ’80s USHC/Swedecore approach, meeting the UK82 style of contemporary UK hardcore. Fierce combustion of straight-ahead, full-speed hardcore with its own groove. Solid recording quality that doesn’t resort to hiding underneath low-fidelity or any other gimmicks. Absolute no-bullshit, in-your-face hardcore, and they mean it.

Street Sweeper Fallin Outta Love (With Myself) EP

Debut release from this hard rockin’, power poppin’ quartet out of Melbourne, comprised of folks from ALTAR BOYS, HYDROMEDUSA, and GRIM RHYTHM (a couple of those gotta be fake band names, right?). You’re getting three tracks that are a fine melange of ROSE TATTOO, COLOURED BALLS, SYLVAIN SYLVAIN, and THIN LIZZY—good-time RnR made by dudes with wispy Cliff Burton mustaches, equally suited for a night out at the pub with your mates or a night in the backseat of your Trans Am with your partner.

Tasiemka Wanna Po Dziadku LP

The moody post-punk of Wanna Po Dziadku is constantly tense, rarely providing catharsis or relief. Like others in the genre, the bass and drums lead, but the guitars still provide more than just backup. The chords and notes float over or through the more pronounced rhythm section. It’s an unnerving effect which makes the songs feel spare, harsh, and fleeting all at once. The music has a repetitive quality, but in fact subtly adds layers and evolves. Just don’t get your hopes up for an anthemic chorus or faster beat. TASIEMKA keeps things uncomfortable.

Violent Pigz The Night a Pig Came Home! cassette

Japanese hardcore punk band that’s heavily influenced by classic West Coast hardcore punk, and especially hardcore and skate punk from the early ’80s in line with the legendary CIRCLE JERKS, TSOL, and D.I. (this last reference linked directly to the label that released this, coming from Orange County). Aggressive and fast tempos, lyrics in English, and expeditive yet sufficient drums with good solid beats. Released in January 2023 but it seems to be from another era, and it sums up the band’s activity from 2016–2022. Suggested track: “Fix and Insert.”

Ženevski Dekret Protest 1986–1988 cassette

A compilation by Yugoslavian hardcore legends ŽENEVSKI DEKRET, with songs recorded before the war. Protest 1986–1988 has two demos rescued by the guitarist’s sister during the war—how many bands from the area can say that they recorded before the war? Yes, all these bands talking about war from the comfort of their suburban homes can learn a thing or two about humility from this band. If you are unfamiliar with their sound, think Finnish punk mixed with METALLICA. Strange but it works!

V/A Mendeku Diskak Promo Kasetea, Vol. 3 cassette

This ten-song sampler gives a tantalizing peek at what Basque Country’s preeminent punk/Oi! label Mendeku Diskak has in store for our undeserving ears. For those familiar with the label’s previous output, what lies herein may not surprise, but it certainly will not disappoint. If you dig gruff punk, Bovver rock, and Oi!, then you’re in the right place. Tracks by COLLAPS and RÉSILIENCE stand out, but there are really no duds in the bunch. Mendeku Diskak expands out into blackened hardcore as well with the inclusion of PURO ODIO, and caps things off with an excellent garage-y number by LOST LEGION. All signs point to more great punk from a label that doesn’t really miss. Now, prepare your wallets for the impending onslaught.

Antagonizm Freeze Motherfuckerz EP

Coming in hot after last year’s gnarly debut live tape is London’s ANTAGONIZM with their first EP Freeze Motherfuckerz, a batch of expertly-built UKHC bangers from a group of seasoned players in the current punk scene. While they have a diverse sound brought together by many influences ranging from ’80s NYHC to current UKHC, I prefer the CELTIC FROST-leaning vibes on “Progression?” and “Euthanized.” Truthfully though, if you have an itch for any style of hardcore, this EP will scratch it.

Bibione Quattro Formaggi 12″

Riot grrrl, post-punk, darkwave, surf guitars—whatever you want to call it, it’s a delicious four-cheese blend that will drip gooey sass and pizza(zz) all over your turntable and into your ears. This threesome (with occasional help from a possessed trumpeter) comes from Prague, Czech Republic and achieves a softness and rage wrapped all together, best actualized on “Spin It,” which is tragic and droning and fucking amazing. BIKINI KILL anger mixed with CRIME OF PASSING iciness. If after this quick listen you’re looking for more, BIBIONE’s self-titled release from 2021 is also fantastic. Keep it coming.

Billy Batts and the Made Men / Close Encounter No One Knows About the Secret Potato split EP

Hey, April Fool’s! Hahaha…oh shit, this is real. If you’re misty-eyed for the glory days of AVRIL LAVIGNE or SUM 41, look no further than CLOSE ENCOUNTER to fill your soul with some non-edgy, mediocre pop punk. Maybe this shit flies at the mall in suburban South Carolina, but to these ears, it’s weak like a warm Slurpee. Atlanta’s BILLY BATTS ain’t much better, with an almost identical vocal attack that simply makes them a punker version of the previous band. I’ll put them up a notch in punk points to an almost QUEERS or DESCENDENTS category, but man, I’ve always hated the DESCENDENTS. They all look real young and I’ll give it to them for getting out there and doing something, but that’s about it. No more, please.

The Buzzers Behind / Incoming 7″

The BUZZERS with two mercifully short tunes here on this 7”. Band bops along at a decent pace, but for some reason the singer has chosen to adopt the voice of some kind of street-smart crow, perhaps wearing a bowler hat, smoking a cigar, and saying “what’s the big idea?” It’s a shame really, because it truly is passable for what constitutes modern Oi!—has a bit less studio shimmer and is not un-TEMPLARS-like in places, too.

Cran Natë LP

CRAN is a Parisian punk band that infuses their sound with a heap of Oi! and a little bit of post-punk. The resulting sound is reminiscent of a dark VICE SQUAD, or more similarly, contemporary fellow countrymen COLLISION. The song “Ad Vitam” has a slow opening that quickly jumps into overdrive only to close out with a slow, vicious beating. The gang vocals on “L’Amour” invite a communal feel while delivering a scathing treatise on the realities of love. This album is as equally strong on instrumental technique as it is on thematic content, making it easy to play on repeat.

Dancer Dancer cassette

DANCER’s new sound of young Scotland is not so new—on their debut cassette, these Glaswegians pick up directly from where their hometown’s cult heroes LIFE WITHOUT BUILDINGS left off in the early ’00s. Abstractly poetic lyrics and conversational talk-sung vocals that are sparingly punctuated by ecstatic chirps modeled after Clare Grogan from ALTERED IMAGES (taking the Glasgow local history reenactment back a few more decades to the early ’80s), noodly/twinkly guitar lines that owe more to ’90s post-rock/math rock (big SLINT energy) than any late ’70s DELTA 5/AU PAIRS-style moves, and languid, almost jazzy beats that get just riled up enough at the right moments to push DANCER back toward post-punk tradition and away from the sort of thing that you’d be likely to hear following the SEA AND CAKE at insufferable airspace-aesthetic coffee shops in any city with punishing rents. The tape actually clicks most successfully when they’re at their least mannered and buttoned-up, like on “Ferret Fancier” with its slippery bass, harsh, almost no wave-textured guitar racket, and drawn-out wails; I certainly wouldn’t be mad if they embraced the mess even more the next time around.

Depress 2 Track EP flexi 7″

Malaysian punk outfit DEPRESS presents two songs taken from the Johor Hardcore Compilation CD from 2001. “Sejahtera” is a melodic anthem, filled with dual vocals that almost go into Oi! territory. “Phobia” is a bit more aggressive but still retains the melodic component of the band. Music to have a drink (or ten!) and enjoy yourself.

Dez Dare Perseus War CD

Garage punk meets psych-damaged hard rock on this Brighton band’s latest. Classic rock riffing lives on in the stompy, all-downbeats rock‘n’rock of “Bozo” and “Myopic Tropic” with fuzzed-out guitar fills and spoken/sung vocals, some about society’s ills, some nonsensical. “Beach!” is catchy in its rocking immediacy, rolling toms, and laser-gun guitar tone. Final track “STOP. STOP. STOP TALKING.” is an eight-minute opus of distorted bass, chiming keys, and bubbling electronics that rocks the whole time. Recommended for fans of KING GIZZARD, fuzz pedals, and maybe those rad conversion vans with wizards painted on the side.

The Foilies Kick Out the Grams CD

Cocaine-fueled, high-energy, ass-kicking rock’n’roll from the land of big skies. There’s absolutely no denying the jams here—NASHVILLE PUSSY, ANNIHILATION TIME, MENSCLUB, straight fucking barroom fire from start to finish, accented with tracks like “Do Some Drugs About It,” “Crystal Beth,” “You Turn Me On (So Let’s Get Off),” “Blizzard Wizard,” and the end-of-the-night lament “2 Broke 2 Coke.” There’s not a wasted moment here, the FOILIES go hard until there’s nothing left but to scrape shards off the mirror. Absolute party slammer here, full endorsement.

Future Suck Simulation LP

As their first foray into full-length releases, Rack Off Records issues the debut LP from this Melbourne hardcore act featuring folks from BLONDE REVOLVER and SUPER-X. FUTURE SUCK’s brand of hardcore is hard to peg down. Throughout the record, I would hear snatches of what to me sounded like pre-Crossover D.R.I., mid-’80s 7 SECONDS, or even early DAG NASTY (at least instrumentally). It’s all solidly played, but it’s a mix of sounds that I probably wouldn’t be that into were it not for this stellar, tough-as-shit vocal performance from Grace Gibson. There’s just something about the way that she delivers these lyrics that makes it seem like a genuinely nice person has snapped and things are on the verge of spiraling out of control, adding a welcome sense of danger to what may have otherwise been a pretty standard hardcore record. Cool!

Gonk Oh My Gonk! cassette

Alex Sandoval’s bedroom solo project from Salt Lake City, Utah merges lo-fi with softcore egg-punk, blending programmed drums that lack force and a submarine telephone conversation effect on the vocals that make it quite monotonous. Some guitar riffs are sweet and in line with egg-punk referents PRISON AFFAIR. This one might be right up your alley if you dig everything eggy, but it just didn’t hit the spot for me.

Inebrious Bastard God Swipes Left LP

With a sort of goregrind entrance, INEBRIOUS BASTARD levels out to gruesome crustcore. This has a Motör-charged death metal sound to it like CARCASS, CRETIN, or GURHKA. Plastered with blastbeat meat and chunky thrash riffs, INEBRIOUS BASTARD of Sydney offers a splattercrust LP with clever, tongue-in-cheek songwriting, typical of perhaps GHOUL (US). Crust grind with such subjects as a “Shadow Pony” (how they see themselves within a categorizing scene), “Tuesday Night Budget Blues,” “Bish Bish Bash the Bish,” and a curious and killer track called “Boat Thrower.” The production is warm and gooey—like a muffled pounding upon cardboard and murky earth. That is to say, it is dense and fits really well with their sound. If the guitars were piercing and showy and the drums high and tight, I would not appreciate this nearly as much. This is repugnant crust with lots of horrific attitude, a savage splatterfest that seems more death grind by punks than crust punk or anarcho by genre nerds. But INEBRIOUS BASTARD obviously does not care what I think. They are sailing on into a messy storm caring about the ecosystem and making noise just the way they want to.

Killing Frost Frozen Dawn EP

From the depths of Hell(sinki), KILLING FROST has returned with their follow-up to last year’s killer The Declaration of W.W. demo. Blending classic thrash with ’80s US hardcore and adding a healthy amount of dramatic flair, KILLING FROST takes you on a harrowing journey over the eleven-minute run time. Opener “Frozen Dawn” kicks things off with glorious riffs and a brutal vocal delivery from frontman Niko Wilkman before unexpectedly washing over with glorious keys and angelic backing vocals. The juxtaposition of brutish hardcore and gothic wailing make for an exciting listen, which reaches a full realization on “Wilkman’s War II”, a blistering five-minute closer. Beginning as a mid-tempo head-banging grind, the song lurches forward before the return of the gothic organ, more desperate growling from Wilkman, and metal riffing that ascends to the heavens before reaching its payoff, a minute of head-splitting thrash that leaves you begging for more. Highly recommended.

Knickers Collection cassette

Well, this is a treat! I first heard KNICKERS shortly after the release of their excellent 2019 tape Bored. Collection compiles the eleven songs from Bored, plus a whole slew of new material as a complete discography. Strap in for an hour of top-notch, art-damaged punk. Graduates of the Mark E. Smith school of post-punk, KNICKERS pack in enough surprises into their tunes that an hour of music doesn’t drag or become repetitive—except for when they want it to be. There are some definite krautrock undertones, along with nods to GANG OF FOUR and SUBURBAN LAWNS. Despite all the references to bands of yesteryear, KNICKERS have a thoroughly contemporary sound. Crisp guitar tones, synth for atmosphere and texture, fantastic vocals…these cats really struck gold. Quirky punk with loads of character! I assume the release of a discography indicates they’re no longer an active band, and that’s unfortunate, but leaving behind a solid collection like this is nothing to balk at.

Lotus / Ship of Fools split LP

Belgian hardcore punk is alive and well, and this split will prove it! Side A belongs to LOTUS, a band that occupies the sound territory of early TRASH TALK and early CEREMONY, when they played powerful and energetic melancholic hardcore. Violent and resigned with the outside world, the same sentiment that the aforementioned bands would project on their releases. Side B showcases SHIP OF FOOLS, a two-man venture turned into a full traditional punk band. The name is lifted from a FUCKED UP song, so that is a good starting point to describe them. Sounding fresh while rooted in old-school USHC at the same time, SHIP OF FOOLS brings a groovy quality that can hook you. A split that encompasses two sides of the hardcore world that seem to fit together perfectly. At the end of the day, it’s all hardcore!

Nukke Virtue Signaling EP

An EP of six tracks in eight minutes, released by Portugal’s NUKKE. Pandemic-inspired bleak metal punk with lyrics heavily influenced with sociopolitical content and a lexicon about consumer culture, the dark outcomes of social media and its sinister status machinery, social inequity and injustice, and even quite polemic thoughts and stances regarding the coronavirus and the world’s situation in quarantine. Metal-infused hardcore with good drumming and guitar riffing of a crude metal nature.

OK Satán Master of Neglect cassette

Copenhagen’s OK SATÁN’s latest cassette release consists of five tracks of garage punk with vocals reminiscent of CHEETAH CHROME MOTHERFUCKERS or even Darby Crash at times. Fuzzed-out, lo-fi trash punk from the city with too much daylight or too much darkness, with noise punk vibes of FLIPPER, NO TREND, or KILSLUG. Soundtrack to slowly losing our minds. It’s a matter of time.

Pesadez Fenomenologia Del Espiritu Agonico: De La Existencia Sordida Al Pendulo De La Nada LP

Atmospheric and dank, PESADEZ plays grim death thrash from deep in the bog-reeking forest. This is an onslaught of gruesome, torrential deathbeat blackened metal with choked, vulture-esque vocals (including underlying early BRUTAL TRUTH vocals) and blistering riffs. Percussion palpitates through in a raw, off-kilter D-beat style, though vibing with POSSESSED, a new death metal band I got into called HAUNTER (on this album’s intro and outro), or SARCAFAGO. From Costa Rica, this record is ripping with a Central American crusty metal tone and nihilistic attitude. There are brief moments of pause to catch your breath at the surface, or a headbanging riff passage, only to be strangled back into its chaotic bile. Part BASTARD PRIEST, part Cracked Cop Skulls; you are definitely going to want to check this debut out. An echoing, horrific charred punk offering in an electrified skull chalice. The longest album title I’ve seen in a while, but for each track, a single word was needed. First listen, and I’m anticipating a top ten for the year. Fresh as guts.

Rövsvett We Are the Roadkill LP

Some smooth käng-ing here from the small town of Tranås in southern Sweden. This sprawling LP features nineteen tracks of pounding D-beats, rocking guitars, and gang vocal choruses presented with shining clean production. While not particularly inventive, the music is rather accomplished, and this would be a fitting soundtrack to any gathering of tough guys with long-ish hair in black T-shirts.

Sharizza Hot Sauce cassette

Tireless German punk Franny Franzen, a.k.a. Maracuja Zitroune, finds time between her gigs with EX-WHITE, HOT CHICKS, and probably a handful of other Leipzig-area bands to issue this collection of solo recordings. The nine tracks on this release find Franny alternating between playful garage punk and artsier experimentation. The punker tracks are great—they’re a nice mix of contemporary herky-jerk, ’90s budget rock, and even more abrasive, almost industrial sounds. It reminds me a lot of some of the stuff LILI Z was putting out in the late ’00s. The other tracks sound more like she’s just farting around while rolling tape. But they’re never too annoying and do act as nice interludes between the rockers. It’s a cool cassette!

Sirkka Viivyttely EP

You would think that with an EP entitled Viivyttely that SIRKKA would come from Finland, the only other option being that they are actually a Japanese band singing randomly in Finnish. But you would be wrong, twice. SIRKKA is from New York City—well, at least originally when they were a two-piece, since they now have included members from other parts of the East Coast of the US of A and from Leipzig. With personnel formerly or currently active in other rather unmelodious bands, I did not expect SIRKKA to be serenading me with pop punk tunes and the band, quite logically, plays mean hardcore punk with a dexterity that would have you think that they play every weekend, whereas for obvious reasons, well, they’re clearly not. The brilliantly raucous vocals from Sanja with the typical Suomi flow, patterns, and prosody are what strike first, but the music, simply put, is perfectly executed. It ticks most of the boxes you are entitled to expect from Finnish hardcore, but instead of going for a raw, primitive KAAOS-like drunk attack, the songs are more polished and less direct, keeping that classic intensity but working on the details, the (manic) drum rolls, the riffing, the catchiness, the overall songwriting, and a production that is thick and balanced. SIRKKA is not unlike a blend of early and late KOHTI TUHOA, and I was also reminded of ÄÄRITILA beside more obvious oldies like BASTARDS or RATTUS. Viivyttely is a very strong and dynamic hardcore EP that is bound to appeal to many hardcore kids (a phrase that has come to mean everyone under 50), well beyond the smelly confines of Finnish hardcore nerds. I just personally wish it hit a little harder, more brutally, with more emergency, but I can tell that was not totally what they had in mind. Another good release from Sorry State.

Staticø Il Nostro Cimitero EP

A newer hardcore band from Serbia, this is STATICØ. This five-track EP is essentially meat-and-potatoes hardcore punk, although the occasional touches of more post-hardcore-esque guitar work does help it stand out from the pack a bit. Not too much else is memorable to me though, I must admit. Not bad, but not something I would return to. Give it a listen and decide whether or not I’m full of shit.

The Thingz In the Age of Giant Moths LP

Maybe it’s me. Maybe looking for something fresh in the crowded space of garage bands is a fool’s errand, and I should just get over myself and try to have fun. But we’ve been at this stuff for decades now: the Tiki kitsch, the organ without any bite, the fuzzy but compressed-to-all-hell guitar. On their ninth LP (and yes that is impressive), this band presents something squeaky clean and calls it trash. It just doesn’t sell for me. Bands were obsessed with all these same things in the ’90s, cryptids and aliens and cocktail lounge decor. I’m sure this Long Beach act has a blast doing this after all these years, but for me it’s just another band harkening back to some made up alternate history of American rock’n’roll and doing nothing novel to tweak the formula.

Unsanitary Napkin All Billionaires Are Bastards LP

Raging political hardcore from Te Whanganui-a-Tara in New Zealand. Very few bands accurately pull off the sonic expression of pure anger and frustration with the injustices of our society, which UNSANITARY NAPKIN does in a vicious manner, with tracks in support of figures like Josie Butler, who threw a dildo at Steven Joyce in protest of signing the TPP, and a track criticizing conservative billionaire Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel. All Billionaires Are Bastards is a great, direct representation of the ills of our society.

Adrenochrome In Memoriam LP

ADRENOCHROME from Oakland just released their first full-length, and it’s a burning gothic pyre from the opening howl to the closing chord. Downtuned, darkened songs that draw the listener in with aggressive riffs and catchy lyrical delivery. The powerful punchiness of punk rock rhythm fused with flanging, cold guitar work creates a deathrock album that is sonically interesting. There’s quite a bit of pop sensibilities at work on this album as well: Gina Marie has a vocal delivery that utilizes a vast range without drifting into full-on screaming and shouting. This album seems to move from strength to strength as it progresses through each song, gaining momentum and indignation with each pass of the needle. The final song “Celebration” wraps the album up like a ritual.

Appaloosa Western Glow cassette

Five songs on cassette, previously released as singles by Seattle, WA’s APPALOOSA.  Femme-led pop punk with a strong backbone of garage rock. Shamble-y guitars tear into solos, light vocals turn sassy and harsh, occasional keys provide texture, while bass and drums keep a pretty steady rock’n’roll groove. The earliest contribution to this release, the RATS cover “Thoughts By Now” (from 2020), is my favorite, with contrasted clear-as-a-bell vocals against lo-fi and super rough-sounding guitars; that said, the polish on “Western Glow” shows a nice maturing of their sound. I get the vibe of the COURETTES with rougher edges. Hope we have an LP to look forward to!

Black Dog Demo II cassette

Whenever you spot a release from Roachleg, you are sure to get the rawest of the raw, and I’m saying this in the best of ways. Only a few months after their first demo, Nova Scotia’s BLACK DOG angrily bites back with Demo II. It sounds just like the first one, which is basically what you would want. When it comes to raw punk, the more basic, the better. BLACK DOG follows the trash-filled route of the UK greats like DOOM (nice wink on “Life is a Lock”) or ENT, without innovation or changes to the style, just good old-fashioned crusty punk. “Life is like a lock on my mind. Is death the only key?”

Blue Ricky (BR) LP

Pop punk stuff that has a bit more grime to it than others of this genre. If you’re a fan of ANGRY SAMOANS or the more punk, less bubblegum QUEERS stuff, this would be right up your alley. The cover art GERMS homage is cool, but it could be a potential deterrent for those who are quick to judge a book by its cover. Which would be a shame, because this is a pretty good record.

Call the Cops Manifesto (For the Rebirth of the Worldwide Punk Scene) LP

Well, this is interesting. This is the second record I’m reviewing this weekend that has a distinct industrial rhythm; this is a compliment. In a sense, it’s similar to the way SADIST does it, but this is more like RESTARTS or RANCID meets MALIGNANT TUMOUR. Tone is sort of street punk though, with more death metal crust vocals. CALL THE COPS from Italy play breakdown hardcore with a pogoing street punk stance. I have no idea why you would ever even hint at CALL(-ing) THE COPS, but perhaps there is something not translating for me. Other jams swing with an Italian Oi! flavor and melodic bounce. CALL THE COPS can sing. There are a lot of samples throughout, and they are all interesting and unique political statements—I’m not talking ’90s movie quotes, more like interviews. CALL THE COPS have a lot going on, from the melancholy intros to downright grizzly street crust. There is a traditional old European folk sound to their album that is sincere and not overly sentimental. Sixteen tracks of malicious mohawked hardcore punk. A powerful fourth outing from CALL THE COPS.

Decorticate Conditioned By Violence cassette

Danish powerviolence with a hint of Ray Cappo thrown into the batter, sounding like BETTER THAN A THOUSAND merging with CAPITALIST CASUALTIES and other similar Slap-a-Ham-adjacent bands. Tightly mixed without being too over-produced. The drums are killer and direct traffic throughout, as is the case with most bands like this. Dueling vocalists channeling both youth crew and death metal energies. They’re not reinventing the wheel, but the nuanced singing styles make the album feel fresh, relentless, and unwavering. I am absolutely amazed that this is a trio. The sound is huge and intense as all hell. Well worth a spin if you love it fast and loud, which, if you’re reading this, I’d assume was the case.

División Autista Hijo Marginal 87​–88 LP

Credited for their role in introducing straightedge to Latin America, DIVISIÓN AUTISTA were major players in the Argentinian punk scene of the late ’80s. The two songs they contributed to the extraordinary Invasion 88 compilation are among the very best, and stand out as being contemporaneous rather than peddling in nostalgia. Hijo Marginal 87–88 contains the two aforementioned tracks, an additional song from the same studio session, demo recordings, and eight live cuts. While the band was short-lived, they had an outsized impact on the scene in Buenos Aires and beyond. DIVISIÓN AUTISTA’s brand of fast, melodic hardcore punk is fully realized on songs like “Straight Edge” and “Hijo Marginal,” where the vocals are propulsive and the guitar work feels particularly innovative. The sound quality on some of the live songs is unsurprisingly on the low side, but the energy they exude makes up for the drop in fidelity. This has loads of charm, excellent vocals, and some wicked guitar lines. Absolutely worth checking out.

The Eurosuite Sorry LP

It’s not an easy feat to create music that is both shimmeringly beautiful and unnervingly chaotic, but the EUROSUITE does just that on Sorry. Culling from post-punk, post-hardcore, glitched-out electronics, and noise rock, these ten tracks never linger in one moment too long, carefully layering a collage out of punk’s fringes. Opener “I Thought Your Hand Was a Cup of Water” begins with feedback, disembodied vocals, and synth, then charges into DIÄT-style Berliner ice-punk two minutes in. “B.O.D.Y.” turns snare rolls into electro-glitch malfunctions with screamed vocals placed on top—think SWING KIDS meets early LIARS meets MOUSE ON MARS. Most impressive are the gorgeous swirls of distortion that couple with punishing noise rock on songs like “Pull Back.” Thick, vacuum cleaner guitar churns against sputtered and shrieked vocals like Kevin Shields playing with MCLUSKY. If you hear a beat, it will eventually syncopate, a note will stretch and compound into a synth flutter, bass will decay into uneasy synth squelches. Such is the nature of Sorry, a punk record that experiments and frequently finds greatness in its meticulous chaos.

Fate Ananke 2xLP

The labels that are meticulously combing the early stages of Polish DIY punk and presenting the recordings to new ears are simply invaluable. I’m talking about Warsaw Pact, Pasażer, and specifically Nikt Nic Nie Wie, who are responsible for this beautiful reissue of FATE’s 1994 recording Ananke. Classic Polish punk mingling with folk, psychedelia, and reggae…it’s incredible to hear bands coming into and developing their own sounds on the same record. Fans of ARMIA, DEUTER, and BRYGADA KRYZYS will be lured in by tracks like “Do Mięsożerców,” while the quieter experimental tracks are the glue that will make it stick. Incredible and invaluable recording, presented by Nikt Nic Nie Wie with love and respect (as it should be). Highest recommendation.

Gel Only Constant LP

It’s likely you’ve already read a handful of reviews of Only Constant, the excellent debut LP from New Jersey hardcore band GEL that is currently making waves, so I’ll keep it brief. Only Constant is a very angry and very catchy record, but it’s also wildly accessible. It’s easy to see why GEL is having the same sort of moment as SCOWL and TURNSTILE before them. GEL’s songwriting is razor-sharp and full of attitude, and on songs like “Attainable,” “Dicey,” and “The Way Out,” they make the sound of wanting to smash a chair over someone’s head surprisingly danceable. Each song barrels forward relentlessly with the exception of “Calling Card,” a jarring but fitting break in the middle of the album. It’s a sharp U-turn featuring a lo-fi guitar played along to voicemails left by fans who vent about a number of issues, including but not limited to misogyny, shitty coworkers, and their thoughts on the hardcore scene. It’s a clever way for GEL to connect to their fanbase and another example of this album’s surprisingly charming nature. Highly recommended.

Grandine Discography LP

From Trento and active from 2000 to 2004, this now-defunct band offers the world a compilation of their material in LP format. This is Italian hardcore that proved to be highly influential since everyone in their scene wanted to sound like them. They go from fast-paced thrashing parts to more melodic and groovy hardcore. A great piece of modern Italian hardcore history

Hotza Demo EP

Once again I find myself researching the mineral content of the water supply in Euskara, because this region has once again produced a near-instant classic. Eight minutes of heat over four blistering tracks from Bilbao with this release, which doesn’t let up for the entire time. Scratching that traditional French Oi! itch you didn’t think you had, ticking the same boxes that RIXE and IENA did, this is just the tonic for those tired of milquetoast, by-the-numbers Euro bollocks. Rumbling bass that sounds like tank warfare, over tight and taught guitar lines giving you that brickwall sound that is sorely lacking these days. A suitably raucous 4 SKINS cover rounds it off, and back on repeat it goes. Excellent stuff.

IZM IZM demo cassette

IZM, a four-piece out of Los Angeles, does the whole “punk band plus a synth” thing that I tend to rail against here in my reviews. To reiterate, my position is not that punk bands can’t have synths, it’s that if you have one, it’s way too easy to fuck things up, so to be safe, it’s best to avoid them altogether. The most common mistakes with these outfits are that they opt for some squiggly-ass timbre, making the act sound too jokey, or they put the synth too far forward in the mix, drowning out the rest of the band—often it’s both. But I’m happy to report that IZM commits neither crime. These fellas play grimy, knife-fight hardcore punk—not generally where you’d expect to encounter a synth! Thankfully, it’s buried in the mix, really playing more of a supporting role, and the cheap (but not too cheap!) haunted-house tone they use actually adds some menace to the record. I think I still would have dug these tracks had they been synth-free, but I’m pretty sure they would have been less memorable. Solid work!

Kolpeka Amorruz Beteta flexi EP

KOLPEKA’s debut tape is refreshingly bleak in all the right ways. Playing rugged and dark punk with ominous overtones, these teenagers from Spain offer a caustic, punchy take on early NYHC styles. There’s also a bit of devilishness to the melee that reminds me of G.I.S.M., and I like how the three songs on this tape become increasingly more deliberate and hostile as it progresses. The members were only between sixteen to nineteen years old at the time of this recording, so let’s hope they’ve got plenty of juice left in ‘em to keep pumping out cool and inventive music.

Loosey Winter Promo ’23 cassette

Finally, an excuse to dust off the platform boots and denim overalls! New York City’s LOOSEY is here with their Winter Promo ’23 cassette. LOOSEY’s sound falls somewhere between the Australian Sharpie scene where pub-rock bands like COLOURED BALLS and ROSE TATTOO reigned supreme, and the Bovver scene from England which preferred the glammier side of rock’n’roll (checkout the comp Bootboy Discotheque to get down). After the right-on intro “Enter Planet Dust,” LOOSEY treats listeners to three earworms that stomp, shimmy, and howl (thanks to the gloriously gruff vocals of lead singer Fizzy of NEW YORK HOUNDS fame). Check out “There You Were (Alligator Song)” to hear LOOSEY at full-force; beginning with a glam stomp before bulldozing their way into Exile on Main Street-era ROLLING STONES and even BIG STAR territory, it’s pure bar-room boogie for lovers and fighters alike. This is the dawning of LOOSEY music, get into it!