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!

Scalpo È La Lotta L’Avvenire flexi EP

Right from the start of È La Lotta L’Avvenire, a metallic, suggestive, and defiant bass grabs you by the neck and it won’t let go. Then a simple but effective guitar lick comes into the scene and razes everything in its path. Next thing you know, you’ve listened to the EP fifteen times in a row. SCALPO has that dark and cold sound you’d expect from a band based in Sondrio, a little town in the north of Italy, almost caressing the Switzerland border. Also, their sound is in the vein of the Italian Oi!/hardcore bands forged on those northern lands. You can hear a bit of NABAT in the rawness, but also in the more catchy, commercial parts. Throw some WRETCHED in there, and I even hear some NEGAZIONE—the more straightforward tunes, not the psychedelic, unhinged ones. They sure have a taste for vintage sounds and sand-like guitar textures, but without losing a keen, sharp sound. The ideal soundtrack for long, bitter winters in boring border towns. When I listen to it, I feel transported to Italy in the ’80s: the Years of Lead, deindustrialized cities, strikes, picket lines, social conflict, depressed communities, and skinheads taking the streets. A must-listen.

Shake Chain Snake Chain LP

London-based noise punk, with a vocalist that fully embraces their lizard brain. The heaviness is a skosh like a ’90s AmRep band, but with a slightly chaotic sense that gives me San Diego vibes à la a vintage GSL or Three One G release. The album is best at its strangest, when it’s overloaded with samples and synth squiggles and the songs sound like a collapsing house in flames, so I hope SHAKE CHAIN continues to further embrace their unhinged side in the future.

System System F for Effort cassette

This reminded me a lot of GLUE, particularly their sound on the 7”s, with a slight rock’n’roll aspect in the vein of WICCANS, although this is more subtle. However, I can’t say I was particularly interested throughout. That noisy vocal effect is so bloody overplayed at this point. The tunes are generally decent themselves, but in our day and age, I feel they just don’t really stand out.

Toeheads A Cruel Winner’s World LP

Garage punk played straight is a hard thing to make interesting these days. Emphasize too much of the garage side of things, and you end up sounding like you’re doing SONICS cosplay. Tip too far in the other direction, and now you’re some sort of Rip Off Records tribute act. That’s not to say you can’t do that kind of stuff well or it can’t be fun—it’s just that those types of acts generally have a tougher time standing out, especially with no shortage of contemporary projects vying for your attention. TOEHEADS, an act out of Detroit with a couple of tapes and split 12” under their belt, manage to hit the sweet spot on this debut LP by playing straightforward garage rock infused with enough vitality that it can’t help but be punk. The twelve tracks on here—ten originals and two classic covers—are loud, raw, sloppy, tuneful, and just a good-ass time. It reminds me of what I’ve loved about the GORIES, OBLIVIANS, NEW BOMB TURKS, or CHEATER SLICKS. Obviously, this isn’t on the same level as those classics—their songwriting isn’t quite there yet—but it’s close enough that it certainly warrants your attention. Pick it up!

Unknown Liberty Chain of Madness cassette

The artwork on this cassette doesn’t really convey the experience you’re in for when you listen to UNKNOWN LIBERTY. My initial expectation was anarcho peace punk, but when I pushed play, I was immediately rewarded with some loud, rough-hewn punk with no care for song structure or musicality. This isn’t straight-up “noise not music,” but more like hardcore punk played by hellions that care, but want to annoy. The six tracks that comprise this cassette are over and done with before you’re ready, so expect to push play again. “Science of Violence” is perhaps my current favorite song off this cassette. The start of it sounds like the band is trying to find the ideal rhythm. Once it comes together, the guitar wiggles around amongst the bass chugging and drum pounding, while the vocal delivery is caustic and baleful. If you’re into punk that jumps in unexpected directions and has the sound of an angle grinder running over a two-stroke engine, then you’ll be very pleased with UNKNOWN LIBERTY.

Πυρ Κατα Βουληση Θ​υ​μ​α​τ​α Ε​ι​ρ​η​ν​η​ς LP

Hot damn! This smokes!! Absolutely raging raw punk from Athens, Greece. This album is packed to the gills with killer riffs. With the unrelenting pounding of an incessant D-beat and vicious buzzsaw bass, ΠΥΡ ΚΑΤΑ ΒΟΥΛΗΣH (“fire at will” in English) leaves a path of utter destruction in their wake. Not dissimilar to recent offerings from CHAINSAW or RAT CAGE, there are distinctive Scandinavian influences at play here—and like the aforementioned bands, ΠΥΡ ΚΑΤΑ ΒΟΥΛΗΣH wields those influences to great effect. From top to bottom, this just doesn’t let up. Robin Wiberg’s artwork perfectly encapsulates the paroxysms of outrage and anger found within. It’s undeniable; this is a top-shelf scorcher.  

V/A Big, Big Wave LP

Wild and very ambitious project that tries to give the listener a good glimpse into Hattiesburg, Mississippi’s underground punk scene, attempting to document as much of the scene as possible in a single day while on tour (with great success, in my opinion). Biff Bifaro, you are a crazy visionary! Keep on driving to far-away and under the radar scenes! Eleven bands with one or two tracks each recorded on the very same day, no doubt sharing some common ball of sound—to my taste, most of the bands were more on the garage side of rock than the punk side, minus FUMES, JUDY AND THE JERKS and YEAR OF THE VULTURE, but that’s only my view. Also features PLEATHER, CONTROL ROOM, and BIG HITS, among others. Great effort, give it a listen.

Atol Atol Atol Koniec Sosu Tysiąca Wysp CD

Polish post-punk with limber bass and drum interplay at the fore. The songs sound like a frenetic Etch-a-Sketch, quickly rendered and quickly shaken away. While rhythms bounce like a rubber ball around the room, the nooks and crannies are filled in with spates of scratchy guitar scribbles and glitchy electronic squirms, with terse dual shouting right down the middle.

Bar Tape Bar Tape LP

Beer-sloshing pub-punk from the debut LP of Dublins’ BAR TAPE. This is melodic in the likeness of MILLENCOLIN or NO USE FOR A NAME, but far less whiny, and more driven for fun. At times, the dueling male vocals remind of some LEFTÖVER CRACK verses as well.  By the third song “God Damn,” the lads have already lost their voices, in the best way possible, wth “oooooh” backing melodies under the gruffly-sung “Smile and pray / And walk your own way” (from what I can parse). This is nothing groundbreaking, and maybe you’ve retired from this type of Oi!-ish, ’90s teen skater thing, but if you’ve got room for a little rough-housing and nostalgia, get your friends together and have a knock around. 

Burn All Flags Burn All Flags 12″

Collecting songs from three different early 2000s recording sessions, this small-batch, lathe-cut release shines a spotlight on Manchester outfit BURN ALL FLAGS. It’s seventeen tracks of fast, politically charged late ’90s-style punk. At their best, they sound like a snottier early ANTI-FLAG, and at their worst, they sound like RANCID. I’m sure this will be a solid nostalgia trip for some, I’m just not sure who.

Choke Cocoi Choke Cocoi LP

Releasing a full-length album is a significant moment in any band’s trajectory. For CHOKE COCOI, that moment was over twenty years in the making, and the results feel particularly noteworthy. Hailing from Lucena City, Philippines, CHOKE COCOI is one of the few all-women punk bands from their country. They have been a source of inspiration for legions of punks and metalheads across Southeast Asia and beyond. So, at long last we have their debut LP, and it’s a banger. Thirteen cuts of blistering, dark neo-crust with a prominent metallic bent. The band’s years of experience shine through in the precision and deliberateness with which the songs are constructed. I can only presume that these are the crème de la crème. There are lots of twists and turns to be found. Tempos change multiple times in each song—from moshy breakdowns to blastbeats—but this keeps things interesting and never seems gratuitous or contrived. There is a ferocity here that most bands only gesture at, with the vocals in particular delivering a pummeling, relentless aural assault. CHOKE COCOI is somewhat reminiscent of LUDICRA, if they were more punk than metal, or SCHIFOSI if they were more metal than punk. And while they bear resemblance to some of the finer bands of the mid-’00s wave of heavy melodic crust, CHOKE COCOI has clearly forged their own path. In a world where most bands actively imitate others, this is no small feat.  

City Saints Punk & Roll CD

Slick-sounding, upbeat, almost poppy street punk, with songs sung in both English and Swedish. I would throw this in a “street punk starter pack” for anyone who was interested in the genre but maybe didn’t know where to start, as a way to ease into it.

Claymore Crime Pays! LP

You know those stories you read in the papers? The ones about people who wake up after a traumatic incident and they speak in an accent they’ve never had before? Seems rare, right? Well, I can only assume that matey who sings in CLAYMORE has had this happen to him, because there is no earthly reason why anyone would pick to sound like this—every new syllable reveals new wonders as they are approached and attacked in untold and unpredictable ways. One minute it sounds like TOM WAITS doing a prank call as a British person, the next like Tim Armstrong being startled by a cold toilet seat. Truly, genuinely unbelievable. If the music wasn’t so by-the-books and unremarkable it might make this record interesting. However, it isn’t, so it’s not.

The Dead Nittels Anti New Wave Liga LP

Reissue of Austrian hardcore from 1983. Fast songs, rigid tempos, three-chord thrash. Using Google translations of the titles, I can ascertain that one song is about “Friday Night” and the others are some leaden political sloganeering about human rights and a “miscarriage of justice,” and from the record title, they certainly do not like new wave. File under: Standard-Issue International ’80s Hardcore.

Dragged Dragged cassette

Hailing from New Bedford MA, DRAGGED is new to me, although I knew the name sounded familiar (they played a gig with CONSERVATIVE MILITARY IMAGE a bit back). From the sound of the opening “blergh!,” I was expecting a WARTHOG or maybe POISON IDEA-style hardcore punk, and while those influences are definitely there, the overall vibe reminds me more of NEGATIVE APPROACH, especially in the vocal department. All of these songs kick ass, but my favorite is “Tough Look.” Its mid-tempo metal chug goes well with the mean vocals and breaks the proceedings up nicely, giving you a moment to bang your head before the remainder of the tape bangs you in the head. Check it out!

Electrika Agonia EP

Oof—this is a good one. Super-pissed, lead-heavy hardcore from Mexico City that mixes elements of crust, D-beat, Japanese hardcore, and even a little crossover in some of the drum patterns. Imagine H.H.H., GAUZE, maybe a sprinkle of HIS HERO IS GONE. It all adds up to a short, nasty treat that is perfectly accentuated by the throat-shredding shrieks of vocalist Diana. The first two tracks have pounding, mid-tempo, rolling drums and distorted bass that give them a crusty feel, while “Tormenta” speeds with D-beats and double-kicks. The effect is like a punch right in the middle of the chest—it knocks you back and takes your breath. I wish I had the Spanish-language lyrics to translate, and I also wish this EP were longer. Check it out.

Estorbo Estorbo cassette

I like this cassette a lot—bass-driven, noisy, chaotic, raw punk sung in Spanish that makes me want to pogo, two-step, and otherwise act a fool. Only two songs on this ten-song cassette clock in at over two minutes, so you know ESTORBO isn’t messing about. Sonically tight, ESTORBO rages and smashes through songs with intricately crafted instrumental sections all played with just enough slop to give the feeling that it was recorded live. “En la Cruce” is one of the slower-paced songs; the chugging guitars, crashing cymbals, and stomping bass connect my primordial mind to my body and get me moving almost immediately.

Flea Collar Flea Collar LP

Spot, Sparky, Cookie, and Blitz—members of BAD NOIDS, BROWN SUGAR, and WOODSTOCK ’99 and current Cleveland weirdos—drop their debut LP on Feel It. Nine tracks of gremlin-y hardcore bound to induce the zoomies in all you puppers and doggos. Sounds like a mix of ’80s hard rock, the STALIN, and a survey of USHC from ’81–’95. Closing track “In the Abyss of the Eclipse” even has a bit of a dum-dum “Third Stone From the Sun” vibe because, well, why wouldn’t it? Real good stuff! Best of all, you get to see this gorgeous watercolor cover art and the lyrics lovingly rendered on a gatefold sleeve so you have no trouble reading along with tracks like “Buttcrack Man” and “Jacken It”!

The Gizmos The Gizmos EPs 1976–1978 cassette

This is a no-brainer. Unless you think punk began with RANCID, you’ve most likely bobbed your head to “Muff Diving” or “Amerika First” at some point. The GIZMOS were Bloomington’s first punk band, and darlings of record nerds (Graham Booth, where are you?) for a minute. If you’re a newbie to the GIZMOS’ magic, it’s a charming mish-mash of lo-fi bedroom (literally) STOOGES-style scuzz (such as “Kiss the Rat”) to MODERN LOVERS folksy fun (such as “Regular Dude”). It’s all of this and ’60s garage rock molded with delightful Midwest dumb joke humor. There’ve been many versions of this band with various members over the years, but this is the real deal original here. You even get three unreleased bonus tracks, so what are you waiting for? Buy or lie about being cool.

Grout EP II cassette

EP II begins with a riff practically lifted from RUDIMENTARY PENI’s “Inside,” and continues in that vein from there. There’s Blinko and company’s stompy beats, buzzsaw guitar, and drums sounding like they’re played inside a cavernous warehouse. The tape occasionally deviates from that formula—”Confine” speeds up to a rollicking D-beat. But for the most part, they’re playing at the pace of pogo. I feel like I’ve heard all these songs before, which I mean in the best possible way.

Hammered Hulls Careening LP

’80s hardcore is back! But was it ever gone? While this is HAMMERED HULLS’ debut LP, coming after their 2019 self-titled 7″, they are by no means a novice act. The foursome of Mark Cisneros (CHAIN AND THE GANG) on guitar, Mary Timony (AUTOCLAVE, HELIUM, EX HEX) on bass, Chris Wilson (TED LEO / PHARMACISTS) on drums, and Alec MacKaye (IGNITION, UNTOUCHABLES) on vocals (and yes, younger brother of Ian MacKaye) have all contributed to many more bands than mentioned, and are all legends, still at large.  HAMMERED HULLS p(l)ays homage to its ’80s DC hardcore roots, vis-à-vis MINOR THREAT, FUGAZI, RITES OF SPRING (the lyrics here bring them to mind), BAD BRAINS—you name it—yet their sound strives purposefully into the present. Or is it Careening its way to us?  Too pissed and sad to run, too driven to ever stop. The guitar riffs are clever, fast, and range from off-tempo jabs to steady chugging; the bass steamrolls through each track and then links up with the guitar line for techy transitions; drums slam and berate, then back off at the crescendo, rolling with the bass as Alec picks it all up again with spoken, sung, and screamed lyrics. This whole album rules, but “Abstract City” and “Written Word” are at the top of the heap, for me. Careening is already sold out on their Bandcamp page, so check your local shop.  Do. Not. Miss.

Heavy Metal IV: Counter Electrode Iron Mono 2xLP

Is HEAVY METAL heavy metal? Nope, but that’s old news. They’re not really punk either, except that they totally are. I don’t even want to ruin the breadth of surprises on this 2xLP vinyl pressing by describing the tracks. Spurts of perfect lo-fi garage punk meld into and stomp through dance pop, experimental electronic, post-punk, shambling C86 pop, and hip hop, all peppered with found-sound non-sequiturs. It shouldn’t work, but it flows so well, like a mixtape from a cultured and weird friend who gets to everything just a little sooner than you do. I was sold from the first ten seconds of the funky, BS2000-style drum break of opener “Savagely Beaten by Funk” and rewarded for the next hour. HEAVY METAL throws all popular music and sick modern culture into a blender, and we are fortunate to drink from its nectar. Get into it—Total Punk is only doing one pressing.

Inferno Personale In Ira Veritas LP

A hardcore band based in Bremen, Germany with international membership (even the recording, mixing, and mastering each happened on a different continent). This eleven-song LP contains the re-recorded tracks from their demo tape, blending finely with new ones. The record starts with distorted, chunky bass, followed by the eruption of the whole band’s energy, and even when they slow down later to mid-tempo—which happens occasionally—the tension is not lost for a second. The cover art refers to WRETCHED’s La Tua Morte Non Aspetta, though both their sound and songwriting differs from their Italian predecessors. The promo mentions crasher crust, but based on what that means to me, INFERNO PERSONALE also differs, since each and every riff is clearly distinguishable and the cymbals are not piercing into my ears like shards of a nailbomb. They never fall apart and still continue, scattered all over the place. Yet the record has a pumping power that is rare and precious, and could remind one of D-CLONE or GLOOM, but this atmosphere and energy covers more structured and less destructive songwriting. Urgency is replaced by restlessness; feedback and chaos are present on the record, but the latter is due to the well-balanced mixing and dense playing. Free from references, In Ira Veritas is a killer hardcore record that channels the devotion and fandom for the subculture, yet remains distinct from most of their contemporaries. It’s a thoughtful, well-built record, although it is not as savage as it might try to be. The band keeps everything under control the whole time. But when has being creative and talented become second to being primitive and chaotic? Still, this record can grab and shake you, and it gets better with each listen, especially when it sucks you into its whirlpool of crushing riffs. I prefer their fast songs, but their stompers surprise me with their power as well. Great record, highly recommended.

Krash Devastation cassette

Saskatoon—actually a Cree word for a specific purple berry—is located right in the middle of Canada, and is apparently graced with a rather inclement climate that would make Warsaw feel like a Dominican resort (minus the obnoxious first-world tourists, though). D-beat fanatics KRASH are from this icy place. I was not familiar with this three-piece before being assigned this review, and I have to say they suit my exquisite tastes: intentionally unoriginal, pure D-beat raw punk orthodoxy for studded punks who dream of being able to wear a gas mask at work without being frowned upon. Given the style’s fundamentals, I cannot find any real flaw to this 2020 recording, the third in their oeuvre. The raw production highlights the primitive power of the songs, the singer has the perfect gruff tone and scansion, and the uncreative structural template of the raw early D-beat tradition is respected to a T (well, a D). KRASH is a very convincing example of this busy genre. They know exactly what to do and how to do it, and beside the canonical fast D-beat punk, there are a couple of ideal mid-paced, early DISCHARGE bouncers to freshen things up, too. With ten songs in eighteen minutes, Devastation feels more like a proper album, so it might sound a little redundant for those of us not addicted to the mighty D, but it will delight those who crave that shit and cannot get enough of “Warsystem” covers (covering SHITLICKERS is a rite of passage for any self-respecting D-beat band). Not unlike DISCHANGE, DISCARD, and the classic Saskatoon dis-band DECONTROL, if you need comparisons. Top-shelf.

Lee Patterson Burning Sun cassette

Highly efficient punky sludge riff salad from a London two-piece who, in neither case, are themselves named Lee Patterson. Burning Sun follows a previous cassette and a split 7” with suburban garage weirdos BUSINESS DUDES, and has an apparent “disaster movie” style theme across its four songs which you can basically take or leave. There’s a healthy level of bottom end for a release with no one playing bass on it, guitarist Adam Martin compensating with HELMET-esque crunch, while the title song touches first on late ’90s stoner/doom in its tunings, then Bleach-era NIRVANA.

Mastermind The Masters’ Orders LP

After four-ish years, MASTERMIND has decided to call it a day, but not before leaving us with The Masters’ Orders, a love letter to hardcore with nods to NYHC, UKHC, and crossover. MASTERMIND comes from the same school as contemporaries BIG CHEESE and T.S. WARSPITE: gruff, throaty vocals and heavy riffs that bring to mind legends JUDGE and SHEER TERROR. Opener “Collateral Damage” is like a sampler platter of the rest of the album: pummeling double kicks, rubbery bass leads, searing guitar solos, and a menacing vocal delivery that is perfectly over-the-top. MASTERMIND has a lot of gnarly stuff happening, but their ability to change tempo and style will leave your head spinning. The breakdown on “Patience” slows to a zombie-paced sludge before being resurrected by a drum and guitar solo, while “Haunt” starts with a funky little bass line playing along to a toe-tapping beat before hurtling into a mid-tempo chug that changes speed and direction enough times for me to lose count. The overall effect is a little like being on a rollercoaster; it’s jerky and unexpected at times, but always exciting and always a good time. The hardcore scene is losing a real one with MASTERMIND, you’d be wise to catch ‘em if you can!

Mordloch Mordloch LP

Stench death metal from Velký Osek, Czech Republic, achieving infernal inferno guitars and sludge cadences with notable grindcore nods, and a sick, steady, deadly voice that gives ritualistic feels that sometimes double to deliver possessed, high-pitched screams filled with pain. Devilish death metal nature. Recommended tracks: “Vse Zive” and “Dorakví” for a slow, steady walk to the tomb, taking up speed for some parts in order to run from the demons. Get ready to mosh with skeletons.

Nervy Nikdy Jsme Si Nebyli Rovni, Ani Ve Smrti Nebudeme LP

Excellent neo-crust with an immediate TRAGEDY vibe, and although this style of bleak D-beat crust has been emulated for a couple decades now, NERVY really stands out with a stoic groove. I was really into MÖRKHIMMEL when I first heard them, and I’m picking up that intensity here. The production quality is spot-on: heavy and gritty at all the right levels. Vocals smolder and rattle with over-distortion at times, and the rhythm section is punctuated. Leads are set back, as they can kind of screech like a cat with some bands that play in this style. For the cliché I mentioned at the start of this review, NERVY lays it on thicker than most. The crucial plodding that travels through the entire LP is that real shit, in Czech—I will add, in that NIGHTFELL vein. Recommended if you need that warm crust glow in your shit mood.

Open Veins Open Veins LP

I have recently read that, and I quote, “unforgettable 2000s fashion trends are making a comeback,’’ which got me excited instantly, not just because it would remind me of a time when I still had all my hair, but also because ’00s DIY hardcore punk was really formative for me and I could not wait to see current pop stars rocking BEHIND ENEMY LINES or KONTROVERS shirts and talking about vivisection between songs. Of course, I was wrong, as I usually am about such things, and what people generally mean with the ’00s has more to do with BRITNEY SPEARS and thongs, but OPEN VEINS did somehow alleviate this harsh disillusion. Now, this is an album that takes me back. Not that it is a reissue, it is a brand new recording, but OPEN VEINS sounds just like a US crust band from the ’00s (it does have former members of PONTIUS PILATE or DOOMSDAY HOUR) with their female-fronted, hard-hitting epic political crust punk attack with some crunchy metallic parts thrown in. In terms of songwriting, you find transitions and a diversity of structures reminiscent of that decade, and even the direct production—free from our epoch’s overbearing reliance on effects-based tricks and textures—would not sound out of place on a Profane Existence or Skuld Releases compilation. I am reminded of US bands like PROVOKED, SCORNED, and APPALACHIAN TERROR UNIT, or European ones like DETRITUS or PCP. You can tell that the band’s music is sincere even if some songs do not work perfectly to my ears. The vocalist’s hoarse, intensely angry style is impressive, and you can tell she is pissed-off—which we all should be—and it is without a doubt one of OPEN VEINS’ strongest points. This first album for the band was released on Chain Reaction, a label run by CLUSTERFUX punks.

Personal Damage Ambush cassette

If you were to distill the essences of the CIRCLE JERKS and DEAD KENNEDYS into a cocktail, I would drink of it heartily, and L.A.’s PERSONAL DAMAGE is the closest I’ve come to tasting such a concoction. Playing fun and catchy mid-tempo punkers, this combination ends up sounding like something akin to classic FEEDERZ, and I mean it in the best way possible when I say this cassette bumps on by like something I’ve played a million times. They even close out the tape with a cheeky cover (“Stepping Razor” by PETER TOSH), a signature move of both of those aforementioned perceived influences. This was a great little introduction to the band, and I’m hoping that next time they serve up a double.

Pletyka Pletyka demo cassette

The three women of Budapest’s PLETYKA are all in their thirties, and for two of them, it’s apparently the first band they’ve ever played in—as a thirty-something female punk who followed a very similar timeline and path to finally making music myself, I’m instinctively drawn to fellow late bloomers, and this demo is totally inspiring. When you have a delayed start, it can be so easy to feel like you’ll forever be left behind while struggling to catch up with those around you who weren’t as disadvantaged by time, but the flip side of that coin is that it typically offers one more time to develop a focused creative vision, and the disconnect between experience/ability and intention almost always yields far more interesting and engaging results than technically skilled replication ever will. PLETYKA’s sparse, hypnagogic post-punk echoes the great (and seemingly already forgotten) mid-2010s UK micro-scene of bands like EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS, ALISON’S BIRTHDAY, and MEN OH PAUSE, with spectral chants (in Hungarian), brittle drums, cavernous bass, and layers of quavering synth buzz to plumb the deepest recesses of your subconscious. And a WIRE cover?! So dreamy. Yes, the rhythms are shaky and halting at points, but those imperfections and lack of polish are exactly what give the songs their glow—it’s an honesty that can’t be faked.

Polute Dirty Swig EP

Can Lemmy really die when bands like POLUTE are banging it out like this? Four blistering tracks of Motörpunk from Australia, roaring along smelling of black leather and motor oil. Drummer/vocalist Ben Portnoy’s singing style is very Oi!, which puts the band’s sound more on the punk side. If their Bandcamp is to be believed, they wrote the demo in one jam session and recorded it in three hours. But there’s nothing sloppy or thrown together here, it’s just straightforward, fast, raw rock’n’roll.

Qinqs Edgar Allan Poe EP

Perth punks Alec Thomas and Matt Rodrigues team up to bring you this new recording project. Alec you may know from acts like GHOULIES or KITCHEN. Not sure what you’d know Matt from, nor is it clear who handles what across this five-song EP. In any case, they’ve made a pretty cool record! QINQS play a mix of the same brand of garage-y, ping-pongy, smart-guy post-punk that the URANIUM CLUB peddled and just straightforward COUNTRY TEASERS-core. That is, some of their songs fall into the former category (“Edgar Allen Poe,” probably my favorite track on the record), and some fall in the latter (“The Great White Wonder” and “Roadkill”). I guess the closing track “S.L.O.B.” is somewhere in the middle…or more in, like, INSTITUTE territory, and “(IM) in Hell” is a bit of outlier altogether (I’m having trouble putting my finger on what it reminds me of, but it’s somewhere in the arena of, like, the A FRAMES’ mechanical monotone and some sort of sing-songy sci-fi—this one really didn’t gel with me). Anyway, they maybe lack the wry wit or inimitable creativity of Ben Wallers—though, they certainly give it a go—but it’s really impressive how well they’ve otherwise emulated the COUNTRY TEASERS’ sound. I wish more bands would do that.

Raut Raut cassette

“Egg” is hard to wash off, apparently. A meme turned flesh like Videodrome, thrown into the goofy blender that was essentially codified and perfected by its originators, yet still somehow refuses to be fully assimilated into a more generalized sound. I only spend so much time on the term because this Polish duo uses it in part to describe themselves, throwing the word “dark” in there for good measure although I can’t piece together why. These songs are stripped down to the point of monotony, which could strike a nerve in an interesting way (let’s never forget Mark E. Smith’s credo of “repetition, repetition, repetition”) if the music weren’t so sexless. This is ABABAB-structured coldwave that all sounds like it was recorded DI so that nothing really has depth or character. The vocals have a garbled telephone effect, like a rogue AI wants you to wire crypto or your loved ones will “get it.” If that all sounds appealing, and I’m sure it does to some, go all in. For me, the music just holds me at arm’s length, never letting me regard it as more than a curiosity. Let’s face it, no one likes eggs when they’re cold or old. Can we move on now?

Snooper Town Topic EP

I have adored SNOOPER since I first laid ears on them several years ago. Do you remember that “egg-punk vs. chain punk” meme that was big back in 2018? If you’ve ever had a hard time distinguishing between the two, I’ll make it easy for you. SNOOPER is the quintessential egg-punk band, and they do it better than anyone else today. You see, while SNOOPER might draw comparisons to bands like DEVO or TOY DOLLS, they’re something completely different. They are their own influence. Town Topic continues their trend of fast-paced, new wave jazz-punk. Quick little jaunts about the simple things in life, for better or for worse. SNOOPER’s guitar tone is what hooks me in the most. Clean, punchy, and swift; a styling all their own. Fantastic band who will most certainly do huge things in the years to come. Better hop on this train now!

Sweet Reaper Street Sweeper LP

Forty-five seconds in and I’m fucking digging this thing. It’s mid-tempo and melodic and just catchy as all hell. The guitar, bass, and drums are in perfect harmony. Even if I felt like stopping my head from bouncing, it just wouldn’t be possible. I give into my urges and I bounce my head. It reminds me of bands like the POPPETS and the WHITE STRIPES, without sounding much like either of them. Even when it gets heavy and methodical, it remains upbeat. It’s pop. It’s punk. It’s not pop punk. And not all songs make your head bounce, some make it shake from side to side, like you’re some kind of a tough guy or  smartypants. This will get a lot of play on my devices.

The Types A Blast From the Past With… EP

Reissue 7” of this achingly obscure Hamburg mod/power pop group, whose original output was limited to a single four-song cassette of only twenty copies before the band broke up in record label limbo. Looked like the Hamburg BEATLES, kinda sounded like the JAM, but also hedged their bets with a few tunes of watery guitar like the CURE. I wouldn’t say it’s the Lost Ark of Power Pop, but if you need new tunes to listen to on your mirrored-up Vespa, one of these four songs will provide some filler for your mixtape.

Último Templo Nuevo Hechizo Punk de Amor y Mística cassette

Formed by veterans of the darkest Spanish punk and post-punk scenes, ÚLTIMO TEMPLO’s debut is of a remarkable blackness. A very particular voice delivers dense and catchy melodies that give a touch of expressionism to each song. This band has an original and powerful sound, with lyrics of powerful imagery that invite you to be part of a private occult ceremony. Brilliant and mystical.

Violin Violin LP

New heat from London—this is VIOLIN, a creative vehicle for one Lindsay Corstorphine. All instrumental and vocal contributions are carried out by Corstorphine, with the exception of the drums, handled by the outstanding talent of Jonah Falco of FUCKED UP. This self-titled debut release bludgeons the brain with righteous indignation, firing on all cylinders with unhinged, aggressive hardcore punk. Highlights include the slower-paced stomp of “Chaos at the Seance” and the cacophonous, synth-textured “Empty Mind”. This one is an all-out rager—recommended!

Warfare Doomsday LP

Whether you are a fan of “hardcore” or not (‘cause you Yanks are such morons that you’ve divided your punk and HxC scenes), one cannot deny the importance of Triple B Records as a label, having put out absolute powerhouse records such as the first couple of releases from FURY, the DIVISION OF MIND self-titled album, releases from FREEDOM, the FIGHT, SHRAPNEL, the RIVAL MOB and lastly, one of my top 50 favourite hardcore records of all time, THREE KNEE DEEP’s Wrong World EP. With an immensely outstanding catalogue, no one can say they haven’t been crucial in getting HxC to the masses. Despite this, I feel that the label has taken on far too many bands in more recent years, and in my humble opinion, could do with much stronger quality control regarding some of the bands they sign. With WARFARE, label head Sam’s band, I can thankfully say they aren’t one of the weaker releases, but this LP is certainly not one of Triple B’s stronger releases. As is the same with many hardcore or punk releases, they aren’t bad songs on the LP, they just don’t stand out. The band still shows significant potential regarding future releases, and I can tell they could have something great waiting to get out there, but that wasn’t reflected so much on this LP.

V/A Öresund HC Omnibus LP

The description is pretty much the same as the review: four killer hardcore punk EPs on one 12” record. Please don’t let that dissuade you, dear reader, because these are four killer hardcore punk EPs on one 12” record, and you’re going to need all of them in your earholes. ZYFILIS is bombastic and completely without nuance—harsh shouted vocals dominating the white-noise guitars. NONPLUS hits like ’90s Swedish D-beat with in-your-face femme vocals (even better than the demo tracks, in my humble opinion). JUNTA is wild, swinging D-beat, and then the second track is like moshing through molasses and I’m hopelessly stuck. And then, just when you think you survived, Sweden’s HAG rips through four hyper-speed modern hardcore stomps. The format rules, the content is mandatory.

 

Absolute Order? Arrrgh EP

ABSOLUTE ORDER? brings quick, tight, pogo-able punk to any party with the Arrrgh EP. Five songs (four originals and a cover), bashing and chugging their way in a UK82 style. There is something here that is very different from what most people would expect from something described as UK82, though. There’s an element of play in ABSOLUTE ORDER? that is less hardcore and more like something the TOY DOLLS might deliver, a sort of humorous outlook on the dark lyrics. The song “Blink of an Eye” is perhaps the darkest of the bunch, with lyrics critiquing our collective misuse of Mother Earth, but then ABSOLUTE ORDER? heads right into a blasphemous cover of “Barbara Ann” that is definitely meant for fun. Overall, an enjoyable spin.

Bothers II LP

Second full-length from Portland’s BOTHERS. Very interesting record, as it tends to meld certain punk styles that typically contrast. While a majority of the record has an early HOT WATER MUSIC/LEATHERFACE vibe, you can also hear a little bit of LAUGHING HYENAS-era John Brannon in the vocals. Songs swap between brutal, straightforward power chords to soaring harmonies. Catchy as all hell at parts. The bass is the unsung hero of this album, putting in work throughout. I wish it was a little louder in the mix so it could act as a stronger driver. For fans of No Idea Records and other melodic hardcore from the ’90s.

Butcher’s Laugh Demo 2022 cassette

Like many of my favorite HC/punk bands, BUTCHER’S LAUGH is tuneful under all the noise. Sure, the guitars are abrasive and the drums rarely move beyond a pogo march, but the songs have a little ’77 or early ’80s hardcore catchiness. The band isn’t just throwing one over the other; the harmony and dissonance work together. The tape ends with an air raid siren wailing over the fading feedback. I’ve heard this move countless times, but it sounds a little less ironic in 2023.

Cigar The Visitor CD

Skate punk veterans from the late ’90s get back together again, and, well, do a new record. CIGAR was always noteworthy for the incredible speed and precision of their drumming, and sort of melded PENNYWISE and the SATANIC SURFERS with lots of RUSH-esque chops and changes and stops and starts. I mean, why use three chords when you can use thirteen instead!? For those looking for some straight-ahead LAGWAGON, you’ll be disappointed. But if you fancy BAD RELIGION doing some math rock, you’ll be in veritable heaven, all driven by a drummer who makes early NAPALM DEATH sound positively laid-back.

The Cool Greenhouse Sod’s Toastie LP

Tom Greenhouse took on this alias to make glorious tumble-down post-punk garage all by himself, then got a bunch of band members to make an album that pretty much kept the same sound (that’s good!), and, excepting some saxophone and backing vox, has done everything you hear on Sod’s Toastie on his own again. What does it all mean? For us the grateful listener, very little. The COOL GREENHOUSE’s patented talking blues spin on the FALL and the MODERN LOVERS is still prevalent, though the swerve into Flying Nun-style fuzzed jangle on “I Lost My Head” feels new for this project, likewise the frequent bursts of rickety Afro-funk organ. Tom’s lyrical targets are righteous if not always revelatory—Jordan Peterson, Steve Jobs, finance market shitheads—and, with songs like “Hard Rock Potato” and “Get Deluded,” attached to some real joyful dirges, if that’s not an oxymoron. Heck, I can imagine the first of those being a floor-filler at the sort of decades-gone indie discos that played the SULTANS OF PING. Delightful music made with a legit DIY mentality that improves my life when I listen to it.

Corvo Cortadas cassette

Where the fukk did this come from!?! From the opening blast, DC’s CORVO absolutely obliterates six manic, fast hardcore tracks, dropping in mind-bending riffs just when you start to get comfortable. Each track keeps you guessing, even though they never stray too far off the path—guitar solos that jump out from behind a corner, breakdowns when you least expect them, marble-mouthed Spanish-language vocals that struggle to keep up with riffs that are just….just…well, there are a lot of wild riffs. This was my first exposure to CORVO and I loved all ten minutes of it