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!

Wake in Fright Around Every Corner EP

I’m hearing D. Boon and Allan McNaughton in the opening guitar chords, and you better believe that I am paying full attention well before the rest of the band kicks in. And when they do kick in…WAKE IN FRIGHT hits like a shock. Super powerful protest lyrics fronting a collection of timeless working class pub-punk tracks. I gave up trying to identify the elements and the influences long before the brutally honest “Self Storage” started, and by the time that track finished, I was a fan for life. Around Every Corner is a timeless EP, filled with poignant lyrics and musicians who play off of each other with an envious comfort. I’ll spare you the time that I could spend dissecting each song and just say that the time I spent dissecting only made me like this record more. Oh, and the MINUTEMEN and NEUTRALS sounds that I heard in those opening chords are still tracking favorably, so my ears are still functioning properly.

Завірюга Complete Discography cassette

Eggy garage punk from Ukraine that’s not afraid to rock. Recommended for fans of TEE VEE REPAIRMANN and ISMATIC GURU, this tape features lo-fi shouted/sung vocals over catchy riffs and stuttering electronic beats. I wish I had some lyrics to translate, but the music transcends the language difference and will keep your toe tapping until it’s time to rewind and play again. Tracks like “це твій час” and “волчара тупо пес” have cool start/stop rhythms, and “18000” has enough stylistic diversity in its 37 seconds to reveal the level of quality songwriting and arrangement on display. Check it out for eleven solid garage bangers in a row.

Action Park Bum Ticker LP

“Pressure Cooker” blasts right in with a definite nod to Rad Girlfriend and Dirtnap Records. I would plop this right in between the RAGING NATHANS and DOPAMINES, with a sprinkle of mid-period DAG NASTY and early DOWN BY LAW. The sequencing of this LP takes you on a white-knuckled ride, and then out of nowhere comes a perfect note-for-note cover of the BIG BOYS’ unforgettable classic “Which Way to Go”. The ten original songs are well-crafted and arranged perfectly together to make this a great listen. To me, one of the more charming aspects of this record is that it isn’t overproduced and the songs take on a collaborative and holistic impression, giving way to a cohesive-sounding record. I get the feeling their practices are a hoot and they talk a lot of shit to each other. I am excited to see what is next.

Busy Weather Look Up! LP

I get that this is never going to make it to mainstream “alternative” radio like it kind of wants to. It’s fast. Then they slow it down. Then more fast. It’s poppy and it’s punk. It’s pop punk. And it’s got some gritty female vocals. This is well-played and all that, but for me, at least, something is missing. If you ever wondered about the difference between power pop and pop punk, this record could help in that regard. 100% pop punk. In the end, I just feel like they don’t do enough to separate themselves from the pack.

Ceresit 81 Werkschau 83/84 2xLP

An archival double LP shining the spotlight on some old school Euro-punk, Werkschau 83/84 features 36 tracks from Berlin’s CERESIT 81. With one record showcasing studio recordings and a live show from ’83 on the other, these tunes are mainly fast and furious hardcore with some pronounced bass lines and unusual bits of synth peeking out from time to time. It’s packaged with a color booklet of photos and liner notes, making it a thorough document for fans.

Dead Gods / Megadosage split LP

Uhhhhh, someone wanna tell us all what rock this beast crawled out from under? My jaw hit the floor about two seconds after the needle hit the groove and DEAD GODS preached “Glory Without a Fight.” Their side of this masterpiece is total VOID-level sonic obliteration, a hardcore band playing way faster, way harder, and with far more intensity than their competency can match. Completely fukkn unhinged from start to finish—a finish that includes two FLIPPER-tinged drug dirges interrupted by a seven-minute radio “interview” that features several tracks from their demo. Featuring a pre-CANDY SNATCHERS Brian Diederich, it’s hard to imagine how (or why) this has remained under wraps for so long…and now I flip the record over for MEGADOSAGE. Appears to be a brilliantly amped-up version of the 1985 Blacksburg Paradise demo that I was today years old when I became cool enough to learn about. Once again, light-speed, manic USHC that should have been distributed to the masses and shamelessly aped a thousand times over by now. You get the sense that this is a band who could have turned to the dark (metal) side had they stayed in the game, but thankfully we’re left with this bastard fusion, ADRENALIN OD/VOID hybrid that makes my hair stand on end. What’s left of it. All hail My Weed for conjuring this into existence.

Dingus The Record That Made Them Huge LP

There is something refreshing about pop punk that isn’t afraid of the first half of the genre. Writing pop hooks is no joke, and it takes a lot of knowledge and trial and error. DINGUS has put in the work, and while that may not be everybody’s cuppa, I have to admire it. On a song like “Hell for Heaven,” which echoes BEN FOLDS FIVE not just for its piano-led arrangement but in its melody and harmonies as well, the chops are on full display. Other tracks lie closer near the Fat Wreck Chords school of dual-harmony melodic punk, replete with punchy bass and everything in its place in the mix (this is a crispy-sounding record). Lyrically, I’m less invested. There’s a sense of humor here that is sort of disarming in its quaintness, but not clever or cutting enough to elicit much of an emotional response. Lyrics in “Eczema” referencing “scratching like a meth addict,” for example, just reach for the most nearby and attention-grabbing image. It doesn’t carry a lot of weight, and the lyrical approach causes tracks like “Gringo” and album closer “Bye Bye Brady” to fall on their face. Otherwise, though, this is a band that has been popping punk for over two decades and sounds it. It’s tight, confident, and has hooks for days.

Do It Your Hell Restos Del Kaos EP

The cover features a punk zombie with S.O.B., CARCASS GRINDER, P.L.F., and DENAK patches on its decaying jacket. For any grindcore aficionado, these are some essential influences for a band to have. These dudes don’t joke around! It  sounds as brutal as a freight train going through a crowded mall. Vicious crust-infused grindcore from Madrid with members of a ton of great bands, but especially DENAK, a classic grindcore outfit that started in 1994. Extreme music for extreme people.

Enough Before My Eyes LP

This is gonna be a big one for folks who love those early albums from the DESCENDENTS or Rollins-era BLACK FLAG. The vocals are absolutely drenched in reverb, and while I know I’ve already said it, this guy sounds exactly like a Milo Aukerman/Rollins amalgamation mixed with a little bit of Mike Patton. The lyrics are politically conscious but come off a little corny sometimes, especially in their track “Army of the Vain”—a song about self-centered and phony social media influencers. We’re just beating three dead horses at this point. However, on the flipside, the song “Sunday Mass Graves” is absolutely fantastic and highlights the atrocities committed by state-sanctioned boarding schools against the Indigenous people of Canada. It actually changed my mind about this whole record. From there, this slab takes off and it’s one hell of a ride all the way through. I’ll say it again: if you’re a fan of those chunky, power-chord-riffing albums from the early years of SST, then you’ll love this one.

Fun People Angustia No, No: 2 Songs Demo Outtakes flexi 7″

Easily the most niche release I’ve encountered in an extended minute, this flexi serves up an exceptionally brief yet fascinating entry point into the otherwise dense and eclectic catalog of this long-running Argentinian band. It takes less time to listen to these two songs than it does to read their Wikipedia page by a few minutes at least. Culled from what appear to be practice tapes, Angustia No, No gives a vignette impression of frantic, rudimentary hardcore that would spawn six-plus albums from a group that would dabble in genres as varied as “reggae, pop, tango, thrash metal, and others,” per said Wikipedia article. These songs are quite cool and interesting but I didn’t have to go too far down the rabbit hole to determine that FUN PEOPLE aren’t for me. For a super-fan, this piece of floppy plastic could just be a prized possession.

Grassy Knoll Hardcore ‘24 cassette

A wild collection of GERMS-worship with a sense of humor and a knack for the macabre. Songs are fast and wreckless, with topics ranging from JFK’s murder, monsters, toxic waste, Charles Manson, zombies, dangerous cities, soldiers’ faces being eaten by rats, and so much more. When I hear this, I picture the punks from Return of the Living Dead, which naturally earns a recommendation.

Gun Leash Down, Boy! cassette

GUN LEASH’s Down, Boy! is a heavy boot to the face. Packed with slow/fast/slow parts, jagged riffs, and snarling vocals, the songs clock in at just one minute each, but so much happens in that time frame. Mosh parts drive this high-intensity EP that perfectly captures the raw power of GUN LEASH. Uncompromising punk like GAG or SPY—this band fits in well with the new wave of stompy hardcore bands.

Human Needs Concrete//Generic LP

HUMAN NEEDS are from Rome and play anarcho-punk à la ZOUNDS or the MOB, but with the addition of some contemporary darkened post-punk. For me, this is one of those albums that I want to dwell with or to put on and listen to with intent, not just press play and relinquish it to the background—a lyrical depth that causes one to pause and ponder while at the same time being a direct message. Interspersed with recordings of the natural world, Concrete//Generic also carries with it layers of cheeky sarcasm. Instrumentally, HUMAN NEEDS uses pretty classic anarcho-punk-styled riffs with relatively clean tones, which keeps things in a harmonic spectrum. The rhythm section is fantastic with speedy drum fills, primal tom hits, and a bass that keeps up at warp speed. This is an absolute must for fans of things like CHAIN CULT or DIÄT, but also if you dig anthemic anarcho-punk.

Invictus Invictus cassette

INVICTUS’ self-titled cassette has two sides, one an older recording and the other newer. While I liked them both, I preferred the second, newer one. For the first side, I loved the kind of strange melodic guitar layered on the classically distorted rhythm guitar in tracks like “O Medo Me Protege,” and I liked that all the tracks were short and straight to the point. I did find myself kind of wanting something more. Maybe the drums weren’t intense enough for me to match the rest of the vibes, though it could be a stylistic thing—it didn’t feel quite finished to me. However, as soon as the first track “A Blessing in Disguise” came on for the second side, it instantly felt much more powerful and complete already. The second side was a bit more rock-y and garage punk, ending with a bang with the track “Dissimulated.”

Klonns Heaven LP

I had read some good reviews of this LP by Tokyo’s KLONNS, and since I loved their Vvlgar EP on Black Konflik (they covered ABRAHAM CROSS and I’m an easy crowd to please) and enjoyed their Paris gig last year, I was rather looking forward to enthusiastically reviewing Heaven. And it may indeed have to do with rather high personal expectations, but this LP does not do it for me, unfortunately. It is certainly not lacking in terms of intensity and determination, and they do have moments when they hit the high-energy and triumphant traditional Japanese hardcore sound right, but they mostly sound too much like a lot of current US hardcore bands to me, with too many of those modern mosh parts and serpentine riffs. Not a bad LP in itself and by no means a bad band, but not what I am looking for in hardcore punk right now.

Leave It Behind The Time Flies EP

I originally didn’t like this EP. It pairs mid-’90s pop punk with a vocalist better suited for caveman hardcore. It was jarring during my first listen through, but now that I’ve spun this dang ol’ thing a few more times, I’ve become partial to it. A modern update to what I consider the “your favorite local band” sound. Sloppy at times, but still very catchy. The guitarist feels like they’re on another level, holding each track together with a couple of blistering solos here and there. Drums are recorded in full stereo and sound great. Fun stuff for old dudes like me who still like to spin DUTCH OVEN albums from nearly 30 years ago.

Molbo Molbo LP

I read somewhere recently that egg-punk is dead. Well, look out, because whatever zombified undead poultry has risen from that wretched grave may be headed to a MOLBO gig. Electric and eclectic, to call MOLBO quirky would be the understatement of the year. This debut footlong is completely deranged! Twelve songs of over-before-you-know-it punk with guitars that sound like synths and synths that sound like they’ve been strapped to a torture rack; these freaky Norweigans have made an album that takes the listener on a trek through the bowels of madness. The tunes are oddly catchy. Some are quite fast. Every single one is off-kilter and strange, pulling your attention in multiple directions at once. Don’t be surprised to hear screams from a battlefield or the whinnying of a horse. Birthed from the basement of the famed Blitz squat in Oslo, MOLBO has injected the essence of Expressionism into their music…which may not be a total coincidence, considering that said building was apparently Edvard Munch’s childhood home. There’s a lot to digest with this release and it won’t strike a chord with everyone, but if you’ve ever felt like PRISON AFFAIR or RESEARCH REACTOR CORP. just aren’t weird enough, then you’re in the right place.

No Way Make a Difference EP

Hailing from the Netherlands, NO WAY plays straightedge youth crew-style hardcore. The band members are all fifteen or sixteen years old, and I’ve gotta say, there’s something to be said about younger people playing this music. The intensity of their playing as well as their lyrics feels authentic, a quality frequently lacking in modern bands playing this style. I’m neither a youth nor straightedge, but I can get down with this shit. Worth checking out; for fans of JUDGE, CHAIN OF STRENGTH, and YOUTH OF TODAY.

Pollute Microplastics, Massive Profits cassette

This album is absolutely crushing! D-beat hardcore punk/crust. The production is great for a record like this, it felt like I was in an earthquake. It’s not just heavy, there are massive hooks here too. This without a doubt one of my favorite releases so far this year. I would love to see this pressed on a record. I will be waiting for this band to tour.

Puddy Knife Flowers cassette

There are eight songs on this lo-fi, four-track, sweaty ’90s, “I know a basement in Kalamazoo we can play,” charming, “bring a change of clothes” cassette. I love this. The energy oozes. ASSFACTOR 4, ACTION PATROL, and UNION YOUNG AMERICA are bands that PUDDY KNIFE songs catapult me to stylistically, and not in mimicry. Like, these fuckers are invested; what I mean is, I bet they put on a killer show even if the room only has a couple teenagers making out and a hobo dancing in front of them. Imagine if DROPDEAD and BORN AGAINST did a pop punk band with ORDINATION OF AARON kinda thing. I have no idea what they are saying, but I feel like they mean it, whatever it is. I hope it’s a good pizza dough recipe or a song about a puppy on a turtle’s back. Look, whatever they are going on about is something they also feel deeply about. Maybe by song five out of eight, you want to read along so you can pump your fist and sing “Half-cup yeast / The fluffy pup licks the shell / Add the water / This island turtle delivers me to better smells” or something—again, I have no idea what they are mad at or happy about, but I really like all of these songs. I hope when PUDDY KNIFE reads this, they will send me lyrics or pizza dough recipes or pictures of their puppies riding their turtles.

Riot 111 1981! LP

RIOT 111 formed in response to witnessing police violence in Wellington, NZ in the early ’80s. After self-releasing two 45s and starting their own punk festival, this controversial group was banned from New Zealand television but gained notoriety that stretched into the US through various zines and compilation albums. Forty years later, one of the founding members pulled their master tapes out of the attic to properly document their recordings via this LP. A collection of protest songs with tribal rhythms and politically-charged spoken word lyrics, these DIY anarcho jams may appeal to fans of the Spiderleg Records catalog and other CRASS-adjacent relics. To quote the singer, “we’re not a band, we’re a terrorist organization!”

Spanish Bombs! Almost, Not Quite: The Bedroom Demos CD

Something about this reminds me of BLUR. That said, they really sound nothing like BLUR. Maybe it’s the cadence of the vocal delivery. What it does sound like is a lot of the very average pop punk that you hear on the radio. And will someone break into the band’s practice space and steal the drummer’s hi-hat? Thanks. At least the songs are short. There is a pretty decent JAWBREAKER cover.

Student Nurse Problem Attic LP

STUDENT NURSE delivers some great care with this art-rock-gone-interstellar LP. Resurrecting after a 38-year break, this Seattle-based band dropped an album most likely recorded in an alien spaceship, though they don’t steal cows, just emit strange tunes. Problem Attic is filled with sci-fi atmospheric guitar, going on long tangents alongside eccentric upbeat drums. “Cash Machine” and “Garbage” offer great bass lines and jumpy energy. It seems the band is partial to having an ’80s undertone to the album sound, “Discover Your Feet” holds the same shrill vintage sound reminiscent of BLONDIE. While I am not partial to the reverberated oddball vocal style, there is a unique harmony to the band which works well to dance between quick bursts of punk intention to laid-back songs. Working with fun synthesized effects and cute lyrics, this LP is worth its salt, yet not something I would put on repeat.

Super Apes Kill the Humans LP

This record was a blast to listen to. It bounced genres in a playful way, with some tracks having that kind of guitar-driven ’90’s swagger from bands like GAS HUFFER or SUPERSUCKERS, and then would veer into early ’00s surf punk like very early TOGETHER PANGEA before they got polished and boring. The slightly unhinged, uncouth playful delivery, along with the added sound clips, brings to mind some of HICKEY’s tunes. Then they’ll slow it down to some PAVEMENT-ish almost-ballads on the punker side of indie rock. I love music that can deliver heart-on-sleeve anthemic choruses without worrying too much about pretense. This album isn’t streaming anywhere, and from what little is on the internet about the band, seems they’re Bay Area-based is about all I can piece together. But the album is so insightfully well-executed I would assume they’ve been doing this for some time in other bands. Hopefully they’ll be more to albums and shows to follow.

Titanium Exposé Disorders cassette

Hailing from the Netherlands, TITANIUM EXPOSÉ offers a high-voltage synth punk experience with their debut Disorders. Deranged garage riffs with moments of rockabilly lead the charge, but the star of the show is without a doubt the earworm synth lines that cut through every other instrument and establish their dominance throughout six songs. Vocals drowned in reverb make room for the crazy instrumentation of the songs by providing emphasis without trying to be too in-your-face. Drums are super crunchy and energetic, just the way I like ‘em. Honestly, TITANIUM EXPOSÉ’s Disorders sounds like the lovechild of the CONEHEADS and DIODE, and I’m totally here for it.

Uralt Uralt cassette

Heavy psych and post-rock-influenced metal from Germany that evokes the sound of bands like BARONESS and ENVY with some extended (ten-minute-plus) instrumental passages. Songs like “Mountains of Madness” have a groove metal, MASTODON-style feel to them with chugging riffs and hoarse vocals, while others like “Gnostic Times” drone with clean vocals and synth accompaniment. It’s not bad at all, but it’s definitely not the usual MRR fare. Artsy heshers take note.

V/A INTRO (Version 1): International Punk Rock Compilation cassette

A whopping 57-track compilation crammed onto a 90 minute cassette. Some real heavy-hitters on this. Pretty much every current lo-fi garage/egg-punk-infused band you could possibly care about (and a bunch you likely don’t) all make an appearance—TELEGENIC PLEASURE, BZDET, SPRGRS, OK SATÁN, ISMATIC GURU, GOBLIN DAYCARE, and so many more notable names. If you like any of these bands, or are familiar with the XTRO label, then you likely know what you’re in for. If you aren’t familiar, then get to work! Only downside, and I say this with most XTRO releases, is that their cassettes are always so incredibly limited that it makes tracking down physical media a bit of a bear, with most of their releases limited to a mere 25 copies. I would hope that a compilation like this would be made in much larger quantities, but seeing as how the label’s Bandcamp says it’s already sold out, I somewhat doubt it.

1186 Histeria 12″

Punk, post-punk, while also gothic and melodic at times. I loved the variety in guitar from kind of droning and screechy, to more classically distorted. The vocals in “Ataque Sistematico” reminded me a lot of early CHRISTIAN DEATH, but they felt more solid and were able to adapt to the different styles of songs. My favorite track is definitely “Encerrados,” as it has growlier vocals and heavy, clear drums that really just stand out and slap you in the face before quickly increasing the tempo. Overall, I loved the kind of darker punk vibe these guys brought while maintaining some more classic punk elements.

Ancient Rage Ancient Räge LP

Punk-adjacent heavy metal that barely even qualifies as the former. This is a straight-up NWOBHM tribute with a vocalist who sounds more like Damian Abraham than Rob Halford, giving it an ANTI-SEEN feel. There are quite a few riffs that sound identical to those heard from JUDAS PRIEST or SODOM, almost to the point where I wonder if they are indeed the same licks. Regardless, this is some really catchy shit here. Even if the guitarist is aping all the old fogies, they’re playing the living hell out of their instrument. The aforementioned vocalist has the energy of a pissed-off troll, and if it weren’t for them, I don’t think this album would fare as well. I’d recommend this for all the fellow closeted metalheads out there in punk world.

B.I.C. 8 Song Demo cassette

Scorching-hot SoCal-styled snotty punk via L.A., presented by sole member Marvin Noyola of CEMENTO and HOT LOAD. From the first chord, B.I.C. brings the California heat to your ears, mixing speed with melodic hooks whilst injecting new life into the genre. Catchy as hell, and a guaranteed fun time. We need more!

Bombvest Erratic CD

Hardcore is a bit of a chimera at the moment, taking on many shapes and a sort of “I’ll know it when I hear it” attitude. While Buffalo’s BOMBVEST label themselves hardcore, the truth is a little more interesting. I hear a lot of ’90s and ’00s noise rock influence, especially along the lines of the mighty CRAW from back in the heyday of the genre. The opening bass line, punctuated by the drums on a syncopated beat, and the overall abandon with which the band explores melodic and rhythmic ideas reads as a multi-genre affair. That’s what makes this EP interesting, the composition from song to song bobbing and weaving through influences and even peppering in some moments of pop hooks as well (I mean that as a compliment, fear not). What I’m less sold on is the metallic hardcore vocals. With everything else going on, I wanted something a little more out of the ordinary. The vocals are capable, but not breaking any new ground. They’re also far ahead in the forefront, when I wish they would sit more in the mix. It’s a shame, because I think the building blocks here are really interesting and with a more varied and off-the-wall vocal approach I’d be wanting to revisit the material frequently.

Brand New Age No More Rebels CD

Basic Oi! that starts and finishes completely limp. I wish there was something to praise here, but this thing stinks. Obviously trying to emulate bands like BUSINESS, COCKNEY REJECTS, and ANGELIC UPSTARTS, but never comes close. Lyrics range from cliche to completely tone-deaf, with the worst offense being the centrist drivel of “We Don’t Care,” which includes the line “Left wing, right wing / You’re all the same!” Derivative, boring, and completely out of touch.

Cult Crime Gone Too Long / Stompin’ on Your Flowers 7″

I’m glad to see that Simon at the trusted Ugly Pop label is still crankin’ ‘em out. When he’s not exposing the masses to some of the most delicious obscurities of yesteryear, he’s showing love to classically-inspired modern bands like CULT CRIME. This Toronto outfit plays snotty and rough rock that bridges the gap between cutting ’70s punk and street sounds of the early ’80s. “Gone Too Long” is a nasty number with an earworm hook, and “Stompin on Your Flowers” is 100% attitude. Recommended for appreciators of the REATARDS, SICK THOUGHTS, etc.

Dog Eat Dog Re-Deux LP

The three women of DOG EAT DOG were visual artists living and working in New York’s East Village in the early ’80s, and after watching many of their peers in the city’s downtown scene form bands without much (or any) formal training in music, they decided to pick up drums, bass, and a sax in order to start their own project, learning as they went along. The loose and spacious funk-informed grooves that they landed on were the sort of thing that would have been a natural fit alongside LIQUID LIQUID and BUSH TETRAS on 99 Records, but DOG EAT DOG never actually managed to release anything during their short run—ten live tracks and a lone studio cut surfaced for the first time on a posthumous (and now very spendy) 2011 collection; Re-Deux makes all of that material available once again with the addition of two newly unearthed live recordings. The vocals are sparse and enigmatic, almost like playground chants, and they function more as a rhythmic element than any sort of narrative anchor, in tandem with equally minimalist, cyclical bass lines and rattling percussion (drum kit plus woodblock, cowbell, bongos, shakers, you name it). That stripped-down, rhythm-forward mentality makes ESG an easy parallel, or PULSALLAMA for a less obvious reference, except DOG EAT DOG’s approach wasn’t nearly as taut and urgent, leaning into playful, spirited amateurism in a very no wave-informed way that was closer to Y PANTS, if anything—the real femme-punk freak sound.

The Dogs Total Dogshit LP

The Total Dogshit 12″ from the DOGS is a ten-song platter of raw Welsh street punk. The singer sounds like he’s about to smash a bottle over your head, snarling and bellowing through tracks that will definitely scare your parents. A drum machine keeps the barely-constructed songs together while the recording quality teeters just above “unlistenable,” but maybe that’s part of the charm. Tracks like “Shut Up” and “Hate Chu” had me tapping my toe while wondering what I’d done to piss this guy off. They even throw in a scrappy cover of the VELVET UNDERGROUND’s “Rock & Roll” for good measure. Check out the song “We Are the Dogs” or don’t—they don’t give a fuck.

Dominación Punks Ganan EP

Having witnessed this noisy and friendly bunch live a few months ago, I already knew what to expect from this first EP, Punks Ganan. What will punks actually win from Barcelona’s DOMINACIÓN is open to question. Brand new hearing aids? A yearly subscription to Crasher Hardcore for Dummies magazine? A “design your own crust pants” kit for children? At least a very fine hardcore EP, that’s for sure. In terms of songwriting, DOMINACIÓN certainly belongs to that current wave of raw, distorted D-beat hardcore influenced by Japanese bands like D-CLONE or FRAMTID. Bands like PHYSIQUE, SIEGE FIRE, K.O.S, BLACK DOG…you know what I mean, mainly fast-paced and relentless with crazy Osaka-inspired drumming style, shouted vocals, and the intention to grab the listener by the throat and not let go. However, they do not go for that typical blown-out production that most do (usually thanks to the infamous Noise Room studio) and rather keep the familiar raw punk sound that Barcelona bands are famous for, so that at first, I felt DOMINACIÓN was not entirely sure about the direction to take. But on a second listen, I decided that, their intentions unbeknown to me, it was not a bad choice after all, as it allowed the band to occupy that unoccupied liminal space between raw hardcore punk en Español and crasher crust. I also think that this first EP should be seen as the first step toward a better, perhaps more focused and cohesive record, since the band has the potential to explore this space further. I allow myself to nitpick because I love this subgenre that has been getting busier lately, and Punks Ganan stands as a solid introduction to DOMINACIÓN by the always reliable Discos Enfermos.

Endora y Sus Vicios Son Mis Normas LP

Post-punk feel with more intense, punky vocals. I loved how angry and fierce the vocals were throughout, which paired nicely with the more punchy and choppy guitar (like in “Guerra al Desencanto”); it really just comes at you and taunts you relentlessly. They didn’t lose intensity throughout the album though, like with “Vecino,” where they upped the tempo to a more classically punk speed that really keeps you on your toes. They really know when certain parts are needed; they know when to have only vocals and drums versus everything together, they don’t overdo anything.

Florida Men Dive Bar CD

This band is from the Netherlands, and they spell it out as plainly as possible—RAMONES-core, heavily influenced by SCREECHING WEASEL, the QUEERS, CHIXDIGGIT, TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET, et al. Let’s be honest, by the bands I mentioned above, you already know if you want this or not. There is zero chance that you are on the fence with the FLORIDA MEN at this point. Here’s the question, though: in twenty-plus years, will FLORIDA MEN be the kind of significant band that will be mentioned as an influence and peer to the list above? The answer is “I don’t know.” The impact is for you to gauge. These twelve pop punk songs time out in just about twenty minutes. For me, the FLORIDA MEN’s Dive Bar album is undoubtedly a faultless example of what they say they are, with entirely no surprises.

Guðir Hins Nýja Tíma Ég Er Ekki Pervert ég Er Spæjari cassette

Two-piece Icelandic synth punk. GUÐIR HINS NÝJA TÍMA, or “GODS OF THE NEW AGE” if you prefer, put out their first demo in early 2021, and XTRO does us the kindness of releasing their brand new nine-song cassette in the US. Sometimes dancy, sometimes demented, with the occasional wildly unhinged theremin on top. As with all XTRO cassettes, this is limited to a mere 25 physical copies , and as with most XTRO releases, I can’t say enough good things about it.

Haraa Shide 紙垂 cassette

HARAA is a powerviolence band from Indonesia and has been playing together for a couple of years now. Their sound is heavily influenced by Japanese hardcore, but also incorporates harsh noise, ambient noise, and field recordings. Shide 紙垂 is a five-track recording that is over in about six minutes, so multiple replays are a prerequisite. However, the amount of sonic space HARAA traverses in this time is immense, so you’ll be needing to replay this cassette a few more times just to catch all the nuances hidden within the melee. In total, Shide 紙垂 carries with it an archaic power, like being crushed by the fist of an angry ancient god while at the same time being absolute raw punk gold and satisfying the “noise not music” sect in a single tidy package.

Ismatic Guru An Incredible Amount of Overwhelming Information LP

Buffalo’s ISMATIC GURU is truly a unique duo. Yes, they’re regarded as egg-punk and yes, egg-punk itself is a diverse genre where two bands rarely resemble each other. But even in this ocean of bizarre sounds, they manage to stand out. Covering all their previous work plus five brand new songs, their latest release An Incredible Amount of Overwhelming Information is the full package and the ultimate testimony to their eccentricity. With guitars alternating between rhythmic stabs and demented single-note lines, bass laying down jittery grooves, drums providing a steady backbone, organs adding another layer of manic melodic content while the vocals ramble on and on with such dynamic delivery, the overall sound is an even further abstraction of post-punk and full of nods to the iconic sounds of both no wave and new wave. I really appreciate their minimal, almost fully DI-sounding signature production style that makes the duo’s immense songwriting skills shine further. There is nothing quite like ISMATIC GURU, and there is no better way to immerse yourself in their work than An Incredible Amount of Overwhelming Information.

Los Pepes For Everyone LP reissue

This was originally released on Wanda back in 2014. I’m not certain it really needed to get re-released, but I’m a big fan. If you’re into super-catchy power pop, if you prefer that power pop to be mid-tempo, and if you like pretty vocals, this is also for you. It somehow reminds me of the late ’70s and also the BUSY SIGNALS. Good stuff.

Man With Rope Multiply. Expand. Consume. cassette

With a name like that, you’re probably not going to sport the band’s shirt at your nan’s birthday, unless of course she’s well into dark ’00s-flavoured crustcore, in which case she could already be into MAN WITH ROPE and might actually nick your shirt (it’s her big day, after all), so maybe bring another non-crust top to be safe. This lot are from St. Louis and Multiply. Expand. Consume. is their first oeuvre, with five songs of heavy and anguished crust that should have been released in 2005 and can be said to fall under the “neocrust” umbrella. I hardly ever listen to that subcategory these days, and I realize it has become something of a derogatory term in some quarters as many do not look back too kindly on the ’00s. But when the genre is that well done and the passion and energy are there, I’d rather listen to this tape than the fancy post-punk act of the day. MAN WITH ROPE is not one of those total TRAGEDY copycats that I do, truthfully, tend to avoid because they often dick around too much with melodies and forget to hit hard. MAN WITH ROPE does not. There are elements of HIS HERO IS GONE of course, but I am hearing a lot of ACURSED and mid-’00s SKITSYSTEM too, the Swedish school basically, and Madeline’s vocals sound incredible here, vehement and quite extreme inviting AMBULANCE or SCHIFOSI to the table of despair. Not a style I would blast daily, but an enjoyable and a little nostalgic moment nonetheless.

No Drama Papershop / A City Within 7″

This band from Toulouse really leans into labeling themselves as ’90s retro, and I mean, yeah. The A-side especially recalls shimmery indie pop that could have been released on Simple Machines or Teenbeat in the mid-’90s, and their previous EP is kinda grungy. What saves this from being a trite retread is excellent songwriting and performance/production that sounds scrappy and not too slick. I was really not expecting to get anarcho vibes from the B-side, but here we are! It reminds me of the random mellow song that sticks out on a Bullshit Detector comp or some other early ’80s UK comp to benefit a bail fund for hunt saboteurs. It kind of sounds like a really chill MOB or BLYTH POWER song, or later OMEGA TRIBE, in that it’s poppy, for sure, and chill and even pretty, but has a stinky punk soul deep inside.

On the Cinder Heavy Handed LP

Tucked under the surface between fast-shouting hardcore band parts and indulgent ’90s pop emo sections lies a thoughtfully formed album. For easy comparisons, I’ll plop in STRIKE ANYWHERE, LAGWAGON, A WILHELM SCREAM, and I‘m not sure why, but “Coffee Achievers” by 76% UNCERTAIN comes to mind. I’m certain that kids will drive around at night, scream some of these songs, and hit the steering wheel during their favorite parts. The LP’s cover is a home being torn in half during a party thus dumping the kids into the basement, and I think the sleeve completely captures the spirit of the record. The music is energetic, musky, damp, probably smells like cigarettes and stale beer, lots of friendly smiles bumping into each other, all with equal parts of hope and regret but in a familiar way.

Parasites EP​-​Onymous EP

If your girlfriend is in the market for some fast-paced pop punk themed with rockabilly romance, EP-Onymous is perfect for your sweetheart. Midwest punks know how to love; the PARASITES prove this with their passionate five-song EP. Serenading us with a sort of lived-in recording quality and boy band-ish charm, this release is a short burst of electricity bringing to mind the RAMONES as source material. Singing about a girl (or many), the catharsis of this EP stems from a mix of lyrics centered on heartbreak and loving redemption, backtracked by repeating riffs and semi-muted drums. “I Love Her, But She Don’t Surf” is a classic, and the incorporated tambourine in “Love Me Too” is always appreciated (other bands, take notes). The type of album you find buried in a former punk’s garage sale, EP-Onymous is just, well, good: not overly pleasing nor underwhelming, a precious staple in the Chicago scene.

Rabid City Modern Problems LP

Rabid hardcore punks RABID CITY come at you with everything they’ve got. On their second full-length, this Baltimore outfit pulls all the cards out of their sleeves and rolls the dice with great luck, as the finished product is superb. Ten songs clocking in at fifteen minutes, short and sweet, like it was meant to be. They certainly sound as good as the classics from the ’80s American hardcore scene. A great rendition of “Second Coming” by the iconic BATTALION OF SAINTS just ties everything together neatly.

Rolltreppe Es Geht Bergab 12″

It’s possible that Es Geht Bergab sounds so completely original because it sounds so instantly familiar, and now I’m stuck wondering which it actually is (and knowing it’s both). You’re going to see terms like “post-punk” and “goth punk” thrown around a lot when people talk about this record (and this band), but that’s just folks not listening past the flanged bass and the spacial guitars—in reality, ROLLTREPPE is a damn punk band that takes advantage of those elements instead of leaning on them. From the opening track, I’m dragged back a decade. “Kranke Welt” feels like a mid-2010s RAKTA and WHITE LUNG collaboration (with the bass lick borrowed accidentally and/or blatantly from the former), while the general energy ROLLTREPPE projects is the stark, cold, dance frenzy that dominates ’80s Eastern Bloc punk with all of the energy and intensity that comparison conjures and more. Rhythm-section-driven, high-energy punk with guitars taking their own trip and vocals that command full attention. I went back and checked out their 2020 release because I’m curious (and thorough), and seeing the progression makes me really anxious to hear whatever comes next—I can talk about how many elements remind me of other bands, songs, and records, but really I just keep coming back to how I’ve never really heard a record that sounds like this. Excellent.

Stranger Gallery Echoes From Camden Bridge LP

Post-punk with shimmery guitars and synth washes that recalls bands like the CHAMELEONS and ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN. The inclusion of violin and sampled industrial-light beats paints an atmosphere of beauty and tension where tracks like “Alter,” with its syncopated, shadowy dancefloor beat, pairs perfectly with the earnest and nostalgic synth-pop of “Water Towers.” The production is rich and full, which highlights the dynamics between the driving bass, trebly guitars and spoken/sung vocals. A strong first release enveloped in isolation, confusion, and love.

Subculture Fred 12″

Among SUBCULTURE’s many claims to fame are having particularly sick drummer who went on the play in the SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS, being the tourmates of NOFX that christened Mike Burkett “Fat Mike,” and recording this tight little EP, which was left unfinished and unreleased until now. Rescued by the good folks at Sorry State, this six-song record from the North Carolina group was named in tribute to their late guitarist Fred Hutchinson, who passed away in 2023. Recorded in 1986, it showcases an evolution from their full-length album I Heard a Scream that was released in the previous year. Where the LP was rooted in classic SoCal style, Fred captures the band as they were morphing into more of a speedy crossover sound—a common progression of that era. It’s pummeling and punchy with a metal-y edge, but tunes like the goofy closer “KC’s Coming to Town” remind you that they were still the fun-loving punks you knew and loved. It comes with a big-ass poster and lyric sheet, and proceeds from the album will go to Hutchinson’s family.