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From Berlin, EASTIE RO!S do a mature take on classic ’77 style. Playing smart and straightforward rock songs sung in German, the band’s tight sound teeters on melancholy and flirts with post-punk without ever going all the way. From catchy tunes like “Du in Meiner Hand” to moodier processions like “Jack Beauregard,” they do a good job balancing somber undertones with an inherent youthful charm. It’s punk for grown-ups that retains plenty of rip and bounce.
If you’re a fan of dual vocals, then you should check out FATAL STATE from Portland. Raging hardcore that ranges from punk-flavored to the more metallic side can be found on their Ni Un Paso Atras recording. The opener “Ojo Por Ojo” is a blazing bullet of hardcore punk, while “Preventable Death” is a chance to catch your breath with its slower chugging. Intensely political lyrics are delivered in English and Spanish, but it’s the work of two vocalists that really create the collective voice of resistance energy that this cassette has. FATAL STATE seems to draw from a vast range of punk and hardcore inspiration while shaping it into a sound that is distinctly their own.
A RAMONES-core trio from the banks of Lake Ontario, GOLDEN SHITTERS play your typical SCREECHING WEASEL-styled pop punk. Fun and catchy stuff, and if you dig these kinds of tunes, GOLDEN SHITTERS will be right up your alley. Otherwise, it’s pretty run-of-the-mill bubblegum punk. I bet they’re a lot of fun to see live, though.
Feral hardcore fire starters GYLT throw a hard punch to the nose with their newest EP I Will Commit Holy Crime. Hard to describe but very easy to listen to, GYLT is equal parts thrash and hardcore (but not in a D.R.I. kind of way). More like a way, way darker version of SACRILEGE and with an eerie atmosphere similar to RIGOROUS INSTITUTION, GYLT is very innovative and has a unique sound. Everything in this EP sounds dark and dirty, and a bit unsettling, with ferocious screams directing negativity towards everyone and everything. GYLT shoots to kill!
Never trust a band who names themselves after 8 Mile. I get these guys are from Detroit, but c’mon…I honestly had high hopes for this because of the cover, but no, I was let down. This isn’t great. The vocals are annoying and the production is flat. There’s also a confusing addition of a keyboard that doesn’t really make any sense for their sound, but hey, whatever works, I guess. I just don’t understand why the vocalist sounds like he’s gargling water and ranting at the top of his lungs at the same time.
A splash of springy Swedish punk. I don’t want to stereotype here, but Sweden has a knack for producing very catchy punk. Of course, other countries have bands with grabby riffs and pop sensibilities, but I just think of Swedish punk as imbued with this stuff right out of the gate, regardless of genre. I mean, several of these songs played in a loop in my head, and this is fairly boilerplate hardcore. All the same, its edges remain agreeably rough and slamdance-ready.
Hyperactive egg-punk that brings to mind PRISON AFFAIR after one too many vodka Red Bulls. Powerful, screeching vocals paired with scorching guitar licks and the occasional synth lead. As is the case with most of these egg bands, there’s a lot of DEVO influence here, but there are moments that have a ’90s Fat Wreck vibe to them, too. Elements of bands like GOOBER PATROL shine through at points—helps differentiate LIQUID LUNCH from the other legion of nerds out there making this kind of music. Good stuff here, and well worth checking out if you’re a fellow egghead.
Foregoing the fashion of the era, old school act MAD PARADE opted to play first-wave-inspired music in Fullerton at the dawn of hardcore! While fast and punchy SoCal bands like the CIRCLE JERKS were on the come-up, these rebels had a sound along the lines of ANGELIC UPSTARTS or COCKSPARRER—a rocking and poppy kind of punk with sing-along choruses and a commercial sensibility. Compiling the group’s 1987 full-length debut A Thousand Words (their best stuff, in my opinion) and the career-spanning History 1982–2017 anthology, this CD has all the MAD PARADE you can handle. Recommended for fans of 999, GENERATION X, and the like.
Driving rock’n’roll-infused garage punk from somewhere in Ohio. MANIC SPLITS do a damn good job of keeping my attention throughout their nine-song cassette, despite them having a song over five minutes long which delves into some real out-there psychedelia. Nothing here is reinventing the wheel, but they are able to incorporate many different aspects of punk, garage rock, surf, rock’n’roll, etc. without feeling insincere. Through it all, the vocalist lackadaisically barks his words in some COUNTRY TEASERS-type of delivery. I considered making a vocal comparison to VIAGRA BOYS, but for once, making the COUNTRY TEASERS reference seemed like the less offensive choice.
MANTAROCHEN is a darkwave, gothic post-punk band from Germany. I was immediately drawn to their EP solely from the title—In the Badgers Cave, so badass. With the opening track, “Reflection,” you feel as though you’re in another world. Perhaps underwater, swirling in the moody abyss they’ve created. Reminiscent of SELOFAN with distinct bass lines and synths, they are able to create an atmosphere of unrest, leaving you with a haunted feeling. I loved how lost I got in this EP.
Swedish band that mixes post-punk and post-hardcore, all wrapped in warm synth tones. While the band does an admirable job of crafting distorted bass-heavy dirges, the vocalist steals the shows here with exasperated hollers that drip with desperation and exhaustion. The cumulative effect is moving. The busy synths sounded a little heavy-handed at first, since they are clean tones gleaming through an otherwise noisy mix, but I grew to like the counterpoint between the crawling din and the sparkling keys. Heavy and emotive release that is worth checking out.
I’ve heard this Los Angeles band called “snotty,” and I would say that describes them pretty well. Snotty American hardcore. Texas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Michigan. If you like American hardcore punk, you aren’t going to find many bands that can equal this record. They recently toured the US and hopefully they’ll be doing it again, so make sure you see them and by all means, buy this record!
Capping off the initial 1980–1993 phase of POISON IDEA’s long and storied existence, We Must Burn was the fifth and final offering from what many consider to be the classic lineup. In partnership with American Leather, TKO has made the album available on vinyl for the first time since its original release in 1993, remastered from the tapes and repackaged in a deluxe gatefold jacket. If that weren’t enough, there’s an extra LP featuring studio outtakes from the Religion & Politics 10”, and live tracks from their performance at a gay rights benefit festival that was hosted at the Portland Meadows racetrack in 1992. For my money, the extra material alone makes this worth the price of admission, with some killer covers of DEVO, WIPERS, and G.I.S.M. We Must Burn is itself an incredibly interesting album. Opinions will of course be divided on later-era POISON IDEA, but quality and competence is undeniable. It’s stylistically scattershot, with savage cuts that harken back to their hardcore roots, tracks that would fit comfortably on Feel the Darkness, and some songs that stab out in unexpected territory with blues refrains, some actual singing from Jerry A, and even an attempt at grunge (it was 1993, afterall). That may sound terrible in theory, but in practice it somehow works. I know at least one person for whom this is their favorite POISON IDEA record. Wild. For the completist, this is a no-brainer, and for the curious it’s worth a listen at the very least, ‘cause let’s face it, even at their worst, POISON IDEA was nothing to scoff at…and you know you want to hear their take on alternative rock.
Chicago three-piece PURE INTENTION brings a high-energy jolt of punk-infused rock with their tape Faults and Fallacies, delivering six tracks that range from one to three minutes while channeling a strong Scando influence. It’s a pretty good time, but the tape loses momentum with “Fallacy,” which meanders a bit and incorporates George-fucking-W. Bush samples that I found more confusing than effective. Despite this, the tape is a spirited listen that made me feel like it would be hella fun to watch them play while throwing back some beers at a dive bar. The standout track, “No Control,” is a pedal-to-the-metal romp with fun gang vocals.
I was extremely willing to write this off based on the cover, because do we really need another bunch of fellas pretending to be knights and singing about waging battle under the banner of the king? And yet, on pressing play, I was really pleasantly surprised! Some hard-as-fuck Oi!/UK82 by way of Bandung, Indonesia. Pissed-off vocals, rapid-fire riffs, and a rumbling bass line rounded off by a drummer hitting the skins like they owe him a tenner. Basically listened to this with a massive grin on my face throughout.
I happened to put this record on for the first time on a Sunday morning, which worked out well as this is perfect Sunday morning music. Ten Brocades by SAD EYED BEATNIKS is a fantastic bunching of easygoing, slightly whimsical pop psych tunes that could only come out of the San Francisco area. These sunny, lo-fi tunes call to mind the past sounds of WHITE FENCE or the mellower side of the Elephant 6 collective, while also sitting perfectly side by side with a more contemporary reference in APRIL MAGAZINE (was not surprised to find there is some member overlap there). This may be a collection of songs written over the last couple years, but it still feels very cohesive in its flow with songs calmly washing over the listener from start to finish. Press play right when you wake up, and by the time you get to “Passing Melody,” you’ll be ready for its slightly more VELVET UNDERGROUND “I’m Waiting for My Man” street gallop. Great stuff.
SINISTER FEELING is from Baltimore, Maryland and they play powerviolence, which I don’t usually listen to very frequently. This album, however, grabbed my attention from the start. It sounds gritty and a bit dirty (no offense meant). I guess I am trying to say that they sound like a veteran band that has been doing this through many long road trips in an old van and sleeping on people’s floors for months at a time, and they have distilled the essence of what powerviolence should be and put it into this album in all its glory. I don’t usually listen to powerviolence, but this stands on its own despite any type of categorizing.
Hot damn, this EP is lean and fuckin’ mean! THOUGHT CONTROL from Jersey (shout out to NJ, all my family is from there) is a wrecking ball of expertly executed, zero-fat hardcore. This thing is chock-full of crunchy guitars, breakneck drumming, and fuzzed-out vocals that are perfectly muddy and distorted. While many would say the crown jewel here is the title track (which does have an amazing guitar intro that sounds like COCKSPARRER’s “Riot Squad” on steroids), my favorite track is “Anti Christ Rock ’N‘ Roll,” a fun-as-hell song that has, you guessed it, loads of rock’n’roll guitar work. It goes without saying, this one is highly recommended.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve put on an Ever/Never release and incredulously sat through the first few songs, thinking something along the lines of “what the hell is this shit?,” only to come around by the end of the record, swearing it’s the best thing I’ve ever heard. You’d think I would have learned to trust them at this point, but as I put on this album, my first thought was “Jesus—is this a fucking country record!?” And, yeah, it kind of is, but also kind of not really. In any event, it’s maybe one of the best things I’ve ever heard. WORKERS COMP is a trio out of Baltimore/Detroit featuring folks from STAFFERS, DIVORCE HORSE, and DEADBEAT BEAT. They’ve been at it for a couple of years now, releasing a handful of cassettes/EPs of anything-goes singer/songwriter-driven indie rock (in the sense of independent rock’n’roll, rather than what tends to count as indie rock these days), and this release compiles thirteen of those earlier songs on LP. Tracks cover anything from ramshackle, LOU REED-esque balladeering, to punkish slacker rock, to sneering jangle pop, to folksy Americana (at times sounding not unlike the BAND). It’s all over the place! But sharp songwriting and a rough-and-ready approach to recording really ties everything together nicely. It reminds me a lot of what I’ve loved about stuff by DAN MELCHIOR, KNEELING IN PISS, or even labelmate RICHARD PAPIERCUTS. Quite a collection of songs that I absolutely can’t stop listening to!
Here’s one that I wasn’t expecting to see reissued! The Boston (well, Allston)-based label Propeller Product put out a string of unassailable singles for local post-punk bands over the course of two brief years in the early ’80s, in addition to a 1981 compilation cassette featuring ten acts in the general Propeller orbit. The problem was that the tapes all had a manufacturing defect that made them impossible to play without an overpowering screeching sound, and rumor had it that the masters went missing soon thereafter—the songs would later circulate informally and in varying degrees of audio quality thanks to the internet, but this vinyl edition is the first time that the entire comp has really been properly presented. It’s pretty much wall-to-wall hits: CCCP-TV’s two tracks (“Downtown Address” and “Follow It Through”) are primo geeky, no wave-adjacent skronk in the COME ON/UJ3RK5 ballpark, and PEOPLE IN STORES stalk smoky, late night back alleys with sax-laced slowburners “Cheap Detective” and “Cat and Mouse.” “Something in Your Eyes” and “The Law” from ART YARD go toe-to-toe with Boston heavies MISSION OF BURMA in terms of razor-sharp, anthemic yet dissonant hooks, V;’s “Ich Liebe” is stern, rhythm-driven post-punk that’s more Berlin than Boston (a stark contrast with the simmering, SLITS-ish reggae beat of their other track, “In the Suburbs of the City of Pain”), “No Escape” by WILD STARES strangles a guitar Andy Gill-style while simultaneously bashing a xylophone, and their “China Song” snaps from a driving, minimalist beat to a more stilted and angular stop/start. “Let’s Be Creative” is the only recorded appearance of CHINESE GIRLFRIENDS, flailing from off-kilter DIY pop (think early K Records) to a collapsing art-punk jumble; the similarly one-off “Midge” from WHITE WOMEN is a breathless rush of seesawing, Rough Trade-ready femme-punk. The NEATS would later devolve into bland college/bar rock in the mid-’80s, but at this point in time, they were crafting great, darkly psychedelic garage nuggets in a Paisley Underground-like fashion, evidenced by the DREAM SYNDICATE-esque “Do the Things” and “Another Broken Dream.” Last but not least, DANGEROUS BIRDS’ moody “Catholic Boy” echoes Odyshape-era RAINCOATS by way of early Kim Gordon-helmed SONIC YOUTH, and the band’s keyboardist/guitarist LORI GREEN also contributes three solo cuts of skewed pop that include a totally bizarro cover of GENE PITNEY’s ’60s tearjerker “Town Without Pity.” A crucial document of one of my absolute favorite time/place-centered music scenes—you need this, truly.
Their name translates to “assisted suicide” in English, and this is their debut 7″ (and a great one at that). The music is hardcore punk, and I stress the punk park of that description. This is modern hardcore punk of the highest order, no frills and a ton of energy. This band doesn’t exactly sound like these bands but they would fit right in with RAT CAGE, SCARECROW, VAASKA, DESTRUCT, and more. If you like those bands, then I think you will like this. It has been a little while since I have really taken notice of a Norwegian band, but this band really brings the punk.
I legitimately cannot tell if this is supposed to be a complete joke or not. BIG FUCKIN SKULL from Minneapolis have apparently been putting music out since 2000—I dread to imagine what it would be like to do this dogshit for at least 24 years. Musically, lyrically, and aesthetically, it’s MISFITS worship done very poorly. Nothing wrong with a bit of profanity, but there are so many unneeded uses of the work “fuck” that it just gets incredibly annoying. This sounds like a South Park parody of a punk band. Now it’s obviously not supposed to be completely serious and there’s nothing wrong with having fun with it—could you at least make it somewhat enjoyable for the listener though, please? Oh, and the production sucks, too.
Here’s a split one-sided 12” featuring a pair of similar-sounding indie bands from different continents, France’s CONTRACTIONS and SAVAK who appear to be from New York. Each band offers up two cuts of inoffensive (if forgettable), melodic radio rock. There are some aspects of this record that to me just scream “vanity project,” like putting around ten minutes of music on one side of a 12″ slab of wax, and adorning the remaining side with laser-etched art. It seems like a lot of thought and care went into the packaging, which I can’t characterize as a bad thing, but feels like window dressing. Not to assert that the music is an afterthought, it’s just not as impressive as the presentation. Both groups play mid-tempo, jangly guitar pop with vocalists that sing. CONTRACTIONS have a textured sound with a killer bass tone, are a bit heavier and more atmospheric. There’s a shade of the REPLACEMENTS coloring their two songs, which adds some welcome grit to the equation. SAVAK are jammy in a way that I personally find very off-putting but would probably appeal to a much wider audience than the racket I prefer.
A tidy power-punch eight-track EP for this trio from Baton Rouge. The vocals are raw-throated, earnest shouts like Ryan Young from OFF WITH THEIR HEADS singing for HOT WATER MUSIC. The guitar and bass really shine in the instrumental first minute of the song “To the Good Times” before the vocals kick in. The whole thing has the rough and rushed honesty of an unmastered version of ALKALINE TRIO’s Goddamnit. Two notes: the cover has some cool Picasso-inspired cubist art, and this is not the post-punk band CORKER from Cincinnati.
Hailing from the underground music scene of Boston, this fearless foursome of sonic terrorists craft a harrowing debut. Their music is a relentless barrage of guitars, pummeling drums, and angry vocals that seem to emanate from a place of discontent. DEPROGRAMMER CULT’s music is rooted in hardcore but on the noisier side of the spectrum, yet not noisy enough to be called noisecore—more like a less chaotic version of COALESCE or BOTCH. There is a lot of happening beneath the layers of noisy violence; there is always an undercurrent of unbridled energy throwing you curveballs. They seek to unsettle the listener, removing layers of the veneer of normalcy to reveal the harsh realities that lie beneath the surface.
This CD is a dream come true. Literally. It is typically the kind of release that I dearly wish for, like an innocent teen unaware that it is actually in the works. Had I been asked, on a casual occasion like when you’re waiting in line for the toilet at the pub, which current crust bands would I like to see teaming up, DISTURD and ULCER would have probably come up. I was right to buy that lucky crust amulet off that stinky fellow last year. As he promised before passing out, it always pays off, and Kobe’s Hardcore Kitchen got the job done with this Warfare split. This album delivers what it is supposed to do and more in great fashion. DISTURD has grown into this quietly cult and iconic Japanese crust band, survivors of what I would describe as the “Crust War spirit” of the ’90’s and ’00s. They have been going for ages and always epitomized the notion of crust referentiality, meaning that their music and aesthetics heavily and openly rely on and crave to emulate very specific bands. In DISTURD’s case, it’s an undying love for ANTISECT and SDS, whose style of crunchy, heavy, dark metallic punk they nail perfectly. However, Warfare also introduces a different side of the band, as the first two songs are significantly slower, closer to the apocalyptic, atmospheric groove of early AXEGRINDER or MISERY. The vibe is moodier too, and the bleak instrumental intro and outro convey a sense of storytelling and narrativity that fits this old school crust style perfectly. Looking forward to more from this lot. ULCER plays in a similar category, but the band never treads in the fast and furious department, rather focusing on writing mid-paced, filthy metallic crust with a doom metal influence in some of the guitar leads. I like how raw, aggressive, and primitive the band sounds (again, classic UK bands like AXEGRINDER or ANTISECT are relevant points of comparison), and I definitely get a big COITUS influence here, even if this approach is particular to Japanese crust like AXEWIELD (who had two future members of ULCER) or REVÖLT demonstrated in the past. One of the strongest crust records of 2023, and a personal favourite. Now where is that ALEMENT/SWORDWIELDER split I have been also wishing for in my dreams?
DRIVEL, hailing from Washington, DC, describes themselves as “noisy rock shit.” That’s certainly one way to describe it! It’s going for a blasting powerviolence thing, and they certainly do it well. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it’s anything to write home about, but it’s an enjoyable listen for anyone into the more blasty side of punk music.
EXCESS BLOOD is a deathrock band from the Pacific Northwest. Their self-titled cassette is a five-song romp through various influences of gothic, death-driven punk. The opening song “Here and There” is a mid-tempo pummeler with some excellent instrumental displays and reminds me most of CHRISTIAN DEATH. “Roses Bloom” picks up the pace which continues in the following two songs and has a T.S.O.L. sound that ranges from crooning to hardcore in a flash. The feedback-drenched closing track “To Love is to Grieve” has a sort of CRAMPS-meets-MINISTRY vibe that rocks real fucking hard. Perfect listening for this time of the year.
No pun intended, but this truly is a lovely four-way split right here. A nice meld of several different styles, which leaves the entire album feeling fresh throughout. Things kick off with STATUES, who play a bittersweet, indie-rock-tinged style of punk similar to bands like GASLIGHT ANTHEM and latter-era HÜSKER DÜ. GASP is up next with some hardcore-infused rock’n’roll that brings to mind the more recent outings from bands like FUCKED UP. Really high-energy with musical peaks and valleys that keep things especially groovy. SWEET TEETH have a similar sound to STATUES, but are more akin to DINOSAUR JR. and FARSIDE, satiating the needs of anyone who misses the ’90s alternative sound. Closing things ups, ironically enough, is FIRST IN LINE, who play a style of skate punk that I feel like I haven’t heard in years. Anti-fascist and catchy as hell. What more could you want? Really great slab and well worth a listen.
This 7” from Philly’s GEN GAP has a sort of classic quality to it, where I’d believe you if you told me it came out at any point between 1994 and now. It’s hardcore punk with a fun sound that never gets too fancy, conjuring up sufficient power and convincing rage without ever reaching for the metal or getting especially gnarly. Consider it a hot new dish cooked up from an O.G. recipe.
Absolutely incredible solo egg-punk project from Istanbul, Turkey. Fast, quirky, driving, and catchy as hell. An entity known only as Mama Goblin is the mastermind behind this project, doing every single aspect of the process. Mama goes heavy on the catchy synth licks and it really works. This is simultaneously wildly catchy and a bit disturbing. Truly everything one could hope to get from an egg-punk solo project. Agitprop Hotline!! is the first full-length album by GOBLIN DAYCARE after an EP cassette (Q: EP? A: EP!!) and digital releases of singles and remixes, and it truly does not disappoint. Fingers crossed that it isn’t too much to hope for to get to see a live band on a US tour at some point.
A decent if not slightly patchy collection of songs from Czech quartet HEVER. On their Bandcamp, they cite ’80s NYHC and bands like CRO-MAGS and DINOSAUR JR. as influences, which all checks out; the riffs are big and the vocals are near-spoken-word most of the time. HEVER definitely has some chops—they play at breakneck speed, and on songs like “Succubus/Incubus” and the title track “Láska, Peniaze, Strach” (“Love, Money, Fear”), they’re at their thrash-y best. Elsewhere they lose me, like the corny backing vocals on “Popol” or the completely out-of-left-field final track “Do Čina,” an out-of-place post-punk deathrock cover that feels like an odd way to end the album. Honestly, if they trimmed this down by a few songs and stuck the landing, I’d be far more generous. Not a bad record, but not something I’ll be revisiting.
Hardcore/screamo band that feels like they’re going to rip out your hair (in a great way). I was hooked when “Shrcc Attcc” started, and the raw, guttural sounds began. For me, it was a silly and hectic experience in the best way; the vocals were so goofy, crazy, all different pitches, that I swear only a dog could hear them. The track “Luv Bug” felt a bit out of place as it was acoustic with a banjo, unlike all the other tracks, but then the tape did return to its typical hardcore nature. Not entirely sure if I’m sold on that track or not, but all the others were a 10/10 for me.
Leonine supergroup LEJONEN with a debut 12” here. Made up of various bods from other notable bands such as OXLEY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS, VICIOUS RUMOURS, FATSKINS, et al, you do end up asking the question “why did they bother?” It’s too polished, it’s not memorable in the slightest, and with lyrics bemoaning “kids these days” and the Vietnam war, it basically feels like the reactionary middle-aged ramblings of a father at a divorce hearing set to GarageBand presets. Not to mention pretending to be a medieval warrior is just about tolerable when the TEMPLARS do it, but here it has the same cognitive dissonance of seeing someone from Wigan wearing a cowboy hat.
Metallic forms of hardcore punk and a pinch of powerviolence are combined in this demo released in June. Vocals are draggy and desperate with traces of reverb and distortion probably by compression. Music is mid-paced in almost every track, with a repetitive yet sufficient formula regarding guitar and drums. Bass lines excel but are constantly missing in the mix. Good first effort, but still lacking determination and definition in some respects.
Legend has it that the entire composition of the song “Telstar” came to Joe Meek in a dream. Listening to Lunar Secrets begs one to inquire as to the type of nocturnal aquatic fever that may have birthed MOON PEOPLE. Behold the dawn of cosmic surf! May we all bask in the glorious spray of a cascading lunar tide. This six-song cassette will transport your undeserving flesh suit from the depths of a dank synthetic dungeon out into the cold, unrelenting stratosphere. If the VENTURES stole Dick Hyman’s Moog and replaced it with a Casio DG-1, these songs may have been programmed into its deepest memory bank. Or if DICK DALE was the king of surf keytar. Fully synthesized and ready to shred the barrel, MOON PEOPLE crush your typical twang and ‘verb into eight bits or less. The results are antiquated futuristic instrumental lunacy and it’s utterly brilliant.
Unearthed from East Germany’s underground cassette releases of the ’80s, the Tapetopia project brings us a set of NONTOXIC tracks based on 1989’s Haus der Jurgen Talente show (often stylized HdjT, a youth center in East Berlin). Gleaned from drummer Henning Rabe’s write-up on the Tapetopia site (worth reading if this music resonates with you), lead singer Bernd Shulz, who at the time had a blues band with guitarist Danilo Steinert, heard the title track from the the CURE’s The Top album beaming in from a West Berlin radio station, after which they quickly traded in their twelve-bar aspirations for something darker and more spacious. While inspired by the CURE (and perhaps the English darkwave scene writ large; SISTERS OF MERCY also come to mind), NONTOXIC tried to carve out their own sound and image, away from British imitation, and away from the boots, army belts, and shaved heads of local bands. The fact that the dark, cold, and angry cries of this music found a home in the heavily oppressed GDR comes as little surprise, and while the genre wasn’t created in East Berlin, its social landscape of the ’80s makes for no better poster child. Fascinating history aside, I do genuinely enjoy all ten tracks on this Intoxication LP—maybe wait for a colorless day this fall and brood in the icy synth and guitar, in the deeply rich and sad vocals, in the clamorous shuffle of drum and sludgy bass. Very cool that this music has seen a new release since its inception, given the fact that during that time tape recorders were scarce and the music had little circulation. I’m excited to hear more from this nearly misplaced era.
PHANE is from Vancouver, BC, and they are bringing the G.B.H.-style hardcore punk to the turntable. They’ve got it down, too—the song structure and the great guitar riffs, shouted vocals and powerful drums. If you’re a fan of UK82-style hardcore punk with some modern updates, you should rush out and grab this now.
PSYOP’s Dare to Live, recorded in West Liberty, Iowa in 2022 and released through Iowa City’s DIY label Pokeys Recordz, is a blistering, no-frills hardcore attack from the Midwest. This four-piece band puts speed above precision with these eight guitar-driven songs, each never crossing the two-minute mark. While most of these songs would fit right in on an ’80s hardcore comp, at times they also veer into noise rock territory, like in “State Violence,” which echoes the dissonant weirdness of Goo-era SONIC YOUTH. Singer Dolly Sperry (also of BOOTCAMP) sing-talks lyrics tackling topics like war apathy and police brutality, rejecting meat consumption and finding solidarity in an anti-authoritarian tribe. It’s raw, urgent, and unpolished in the best possible way. I hope they lean further into the weird without sacrificing the energy. Check out the track “Dare to Live.”
If you’ve ever wondered what it would sound like if the DISTILLERS met KIDZ BOP, this EP is it. Still Going Strong by PUNKY TUNES delivers the sound-blasted confection key to pop punk sounds. The band caught on quickly to what makes a good bubbly tune, with electrically charged drums by Matthias on every song and great melodic guitar by Laurent on tracks like “Keep On” and “Still Going Strong.” Coming from Sélestat, France, this EP calls back to the country’s roots, making the past proud with the politically charged lyrics of “Eco-Anxiety” and “Attitude” calling for a revolution, hailed energetically by vocalist Marie. Though nothing standout or provocative, this is certainly the right EP if you’re in the mood for a fun hit of upbeat music.
Brooklyn garage-y/power pop foursome out with their debut LP. Syrupy female vocals full of hooks over heavy riffing, trading lead lines back and forth between the two guitars—this is driving and fun the whole way through. Featuring members of MELTAWAYS, ADULT MAGIC, GIANT PEACH, and BACK-UP PLAN, to name a few. Catchy, crunchy, full of heart. Awesome!
Ultra lo-fi, synth-accompanied garage punk from Madrid. Sounding like a mix of CONEHEADS and CHERRY CHEEKS, the six short tunes here buzz with ear-catching guitar and synth leads. The laidback, sung/spoken vocals maintain the vibe without overpowering it. Standout “Simpatia” has a mysterious hook and a theremin-sounding synth warble that buries deep and refuses to let go, but really, all the tracks flow so well that it’s better to just listen to the whole thing and repeat. Enveloped in near-surf levels of reverb and sounding like it was recorded on a boombox down the street from the band, this tape is truly a no-fi affair, but you can’t deny the musicianship and energy. If you are on the lookout for bouncy egg-punk, this is about as good as it gets.
The barrage of noise in the intro serves as a premonition of the intensity to come—emphasis on “intensity.” SISSY SPACEK delivers a high-velocity attack of grindcore, solely using bass, drums, and vocals. You don’t feel the need to listen to some distorted guitars on top of this, as the drums and bass do a proper job of keeping the songs interesting. A blastbeat-driven fury of classic grindcore acts with the technical precision and sonic density of more modern exponents of the genre. The band has demonstrated a knack for crafting epic grindcore albums (28 songs in 12 minutes) that pack a tremendous punch despite their brevity—the songs rarely extend past the 30-second mark, but manage to feel epic in scope. For fans of extreme, boundary-pushing grindcore acts.
Back in the early 2010s, the same troupe of Cleveland scamps behind acts like PERVERTS AGAIN, CRUELSTER, KNOWSO, and the CARP put out a couple of 7”s under the moniker SMOOTH BRAIN. They recorded a third 7” in 2014 that got shelved for whatever reason until it got rescued by Just Because, who are issuing it here for the first time. Compared to the releases from their other projects, this record feels downright conventional. It’s five quick tracks of downstroke punk that mixes mutant pop and dum-dum slop, occupying some territory halfway between the HEX DISPENSERS and the SPITS. Honestly, it sounds like something that might come out on Dirtnap. Of course, these dudes can’t avoid getting their weird-ass Cuyahoga stink all over things, so even if you couldn’t guess the specific players here, it’s not like you’d mistake them for anybody normal. It’s maybe not the most memorable thing these guys have put out, but nevertheless, it’s a cool piece of history for one of the era’s most interesting (and best) collectives. Plus, it rips!
Under-documented UK femme-punk, rescued from the dustbin of history—the two tracks on this limited (50 copies!) lathe-cut single were recorded at a 1980 show in STANDARD ISSUE’s hometown of Leicester, and it’s the first time (as far as I can tell) that their music has actually been made available for public consumption outside of the fixed-time, had-to-be-there ephemerality of live gigs in the late ’70s and early ’80s. True to context, what’s on offer here is rickety DIY post-punk by way of some vaguely CRASS-style anarcho sensibilities, with clinging-to-tune guitar, stumbling drum beats, doubled-up vocals from two female singers, and lyrics that simultaneously balance being pointed, political, and poetic (“Who is right? / Fighting to see who’s seen the light,” as posed in “Religion”); I’m definitely reminded of early HONEY BANE, RUBELLA BALLET, or HAGAR THE WOMB, if less exuberantly danceable and much, much scrappier. Wish we could have gotten some studio recordings out of them, but I’m still glad that STANDARD ISSUE is getting their due now.
The debut LP from this kind of supergroup featuring members of SICK THOUGHTS, STATIC STATIC, and others is a jewel that seems like an ’80s relic of demonic metal raw punk. Brutal, anthemic, and filled with a crusty aggression only to be found in ’80s heavy metal and raw crust punk from the same era (read: D-beat) here. Cursed vibe, cursed drag, plus an excellent string section and riff selection. Favorite tracks: “Demonized,” “Nuclear Satanic Warfare,” and “Banished to the Tombs” for a specially twisted experience. Putrid minds beware, this is gonna like you.
Two old tracks from a short-lived Toronto group circa 2011 released as a 7”. While the songs are over ten years old, they manage to concurrently feel fresh and timeless. These songs would be right at home on a Lookout! Records release from the ’90s, or a No Idea release twenty years after that. While having pretty different runtimes (one at less than two minutes and the other at over four minutes, respectively), both tracks are massive sing-alongs filled to the brim with hooks and energy. I’m glad Ugly Pop gave these anthems some new life by rereleasing them, and hope they find a whole bunch of new ears to appreciate.
Fuck yes! ABYECTA from Chile rocks super hard. Part Japanese hardcore, part UK82, part thrash metal, all killer! Blazing, melodic, metallic. And all recorded and written by one woman—an immense display of talent and creativity. This 12” combines two previously released 7” EPs on one slab, both brooding with equal parts intensity and tunefulness. I love this one! Fans of the SEXUAL, the EXECUTE, and the SKEPTIX should get a lot out of this one.
Instrumentally, this release by AIHOTZ sounds a lot like the ADOLESCENTS or AGENT ORANGE. However, vocalist Bea brings a range that is hard to beat and ends up landing somewhere near Eve Libertine and Poly Styrene, but with something almost operatic. The blend between band and vocalist makes this 12″ an enthralling experience. The summation of the parts is something that sounds like anarcho-punk but with a heavy rhythm section ready-made for dancefloor antics or skateboarding background tracks. Definitely check this out if you like punk rock. Absolutely check this out if you’re into intriguing vocals.
Without any prior knowledge of the band, my original reaction was “wow, this sounds a lot like the way Ian MacKaye sings,” just for me to find out that his sister Amanda MacKaye is the lead. Her vocals though have a touch of the droning of Siouxsie Sioux, mixed with the spoken yowling of Ian MacKaye. The majority of the songs are slow-to-mid-tempo with a kind of post-punk and artsy punk vibe. A couple of the songs sort of blended together to me, as they were sonically pretty similar and didn’t have a ton of variation. However, “Pan-Pan” had a nice tempo change and I think it’s a great song to end the album with.
