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!

Some Kind of Nightmare DCxPC Live Presents, Vol. 9 EP

When a live recording is old, it can prove to be an interesting piece of punk archaeology, a picture from and of the past, in which case I listen to them sternly with my glasses placed right at the tip of my nose, looking like a proper professor. When it is just a live tape from your mate’s first band, the interest does dwindle, though. I am not sure about this one. This EP is a decent (good, even) example of a live recording that can be played and enjoyed, assuming you are into bouncy, three-chord, ’90s-style spiky punk rock. SOME KIND OF NIGHTMARE is from San Diego, has been playing for a decade, and has quite a few records under their belt. I do like the raucous male/female dual vocals, but on the whole, I did not really relate to the music. Not unpleasant at all, I am sure they are sincere, and they do have some catchy tunes and relevant things to say, but just not my cuppa. This EP is part of a series released by DCxPC, a label from Central Florida aimed at documenting the local scene, which is always a good initiative.

Stress Positions Walang Hiya cassette

From the prolific and diverse Chicago hardcore scene comes STRESS POSITIONS and their 2022 debut cassette Walang Hiya (“No Shame” in Tagalog). Musically, STRESS POSITIONS play fairly straightforward hardcore with lots of fun surprises thrown in—check out the noise at the 40-second mark on “Lust for Pleasure,” or the screeching halfway point of “This Land.” Vocalist Stephanie Brooks has a brutal vocal delivery that oscillates between shredding and shrieking, only slowing down to softer singing on an occasion or two. All of that said, the title track “Walang Hiya” is the standout here. Opening with ringing guitars before blasting off, it’s a three-minute punk odyssey condemning the white Catholic takeover in the Philippines and its destruction of indigenous culture there, specifically in regards to the treatment of women and their right to make choices about their bodies. It’s a bold song and a subject matter that doesn’t seem to be touched on often, at least not this specifically. By the time the repeated chorus of “Ayako sayo!” (“I don’t like you!” in Tagalog) comes along, the cover art depicting a Catholic priest being burnt at the stake by three Indigenous people feels a lot more profound. Highly recommended.

The Sueves Tears of Joy LP

This record could have been made in any of the last four or five decades. While sounding fresh and new, they remind me of TELEVISION—smart, groovy, mid-tempo garage punk. Some tracks like “Alexxa” and “Find the Right Fit” have a wilder, unhinged edge, like MR. CLIT AND THE PINK CIGARETTES. One track can be tight and moody, and the next could sound like it’s shaking in all directions like a low-rent carnival’s janky Tilt-a-Whirl ride. Over the course of the whole album, you get a satisfying synthesis of styles and eras with a throbbing vein of  straightforward rock’n’roll at its core. Other standout tracks are “Mop Bucket” and “These Pines.” Listening to them and closing my eyes, head swaying back and forth, I hear echoes of STOOGES and sometimes BLACK CROWES. This album would be a good soundtrack to a long road trip.

Thought Control P.M.R.R.T.W. EP

Damn, THOUGHT CONTROL has been eating their Wheaties since releasing their 2021 Shock to the System 7”. That record was a solid slice of old school, but on this new EP, the band has grown into an even sharper and more formidable unit. Titled P.M.R.R.T.W. (“Psychos, Murder, and Rape Rule the World”), this six-song 7” does the neat trick of making that old classic hardcore style fresh again for a few minutes. They rock back and forth between blazing fast numbers and chill mid-paced head-bobbers, sounding a little bit like Atlanta’s underrated JOINT D≠, especially on the excellent “Violence for Violence.” Good to have you back, THOUGHT CONTROL—always a pleasure. “Aunt Suzi Has An Uzi” has some real hit single potential, if you ask me.

Utsatt / Varoitus split EP

Two Swedish bands face off on this split EP released by ByeBye Productions and the very prolific Phobia Records from Praha, a label equivalent to a sanctuary for käng hardcore bands. Unsurprisingly, VAROITUS and UTSATT play Scandinavian hardcore punk, a field of expertise I am no stranger to, and which I can be exposed to almost constantly without flinching. VAROITUS includes members of bands like WARCOLLAPSE, EXPLOATÖR, 3-WAY CUM, and even the legendary DISARM, and indulges in that brand of raw käng punk that we have all grown to love (or grow bored of, depending on your worldview). Their two songs sound rawer than I expected, which is not a bad thing as it gives them a welcome ’80s feel. Otherwise, I have to say that VAROITUS is predictably effective and proficient in that “TOTALITÄR meets DISFEAR in 1992” way, with some rocking moments for you to headbang a bit and raspy, aggressive vocals, in Swedish this time. It does the job. On the other side, UTSATT offers three songs, and this EP is their first recording (although I very much doubt it is the members’ first endeavor into hardcore music). They are a little less powerful and not as fast, more gruff and primitive—I am reminded of SVART PARAD and early WARVICTIMS, which is actually to my liking. Cave-käng. On the whole, I enjoy this record, but if there were a 2023 Scandicore Royal Rumble, it would probably not reach the final four, as there have been a lot of worthy contenders lately.

Voces de Ultratumba Demo + Live Session cassette

VOCES DE ULTRATUMBA were the first all-female Galician punk band, an important stepping stone for a male-dominated scene. After recording a demo, some lineup changes occurred and, finally, the band changed their name to LA TRAICION. Buried since the ’80s, this demo was not forgotten and now sees the light of day. Side A is a rehearsal recording, while Side B is a live recording at the legendary Kremlin. Hauntingly beautiful and hauntingly disturbing, VOCES DE ULTRATUMBA perfectly encapsulates Spanish post-punk. Each song has its own mood and its own atmosphere, a quality that makes listening to this demo a gloomy journey into the unknown. The recording quality just adds another layer of discomfort, the good kind of discomfort, the one you would expect from an obscure ’80s post-punk release. A sinister recording that still feels in place with the current state of the world.

Witch Piss Witch Piss cassette

Well, this absolutely rules. The tape of the month, for my money! I believe WITCH PISS to be a solo project from Simi Valley, CA. Five songs of completely idiotic, synth-heavy, drum-machine-driven moron music. Subject matter of the songs ranges from painting The Hamburglar as a revolutionary, to the troubles of being Garfield, to transmogrifying oneself into a slug, and all things in between. This tape is super fun and easy to flip and continue listening to, as there is an A-side of the tape as well as an “also A”-side. Unfortunately for all fans of the utterly absurd, the WITCH PISS Bandcamp page informs me that this cassette tape is already sold out. Sorry, mutants.

V/A Girlz Disorder, Volume 3 LP

With 25 “femipunk” bands from 17 different countries, there’s a lot to enjoy here. I highly recommend taking a look at the Mass Prod website that details the DIY record label and show organizers, with plenty of photos from past events, an active calendar page of future ones, and tons of records to search through—Mass Prod is based out of Rennes, France and has been at it since 1996. But about the music…compilations are always tricky for me, I don’t want to leave anyone out, but in this case, there’s too many bands to mention. Compared to the Typical Girls, Vol. 6 LP that I recently reviewed, Girlz Disorder is much heavier, and in its abundant diversity, leans towards hardcore. Some of my top picks are the German post-punk group CONTA doing “Was Geben,” English hardcore/crossover band LADY RAGE with “Because F You,” featuring completely brutal vocals (think of a female-led FORESEEN), Canada’s pretty straightforward punk but really tight the HORNY BITCHES with “1000 Lives,” Brazilian hardcore rippers BIOMA with “Falsas Causas,” and Australia’s BLONDE REVOLVER with “Pocket Rocket,” featuring one of the best opening lines I’ve heard in a while (“I’m an alpha baby / And you’re a beta bitch!”). The contribution of these 100% female bands proves their gender is alive and well in the genre, and is as important and urgent as ever.  Have a listen and I’m sure you’ll find something new to enjoy.

A.F.K. Another Pair of Eyes LP

A.F.K. from Hamburg has been going for a while and is, in my opinion, one of the most solid hardcore punk bands in Germany right now. I never quite got their moniker (the initials stand for ‘’Aargh Fuck Kill,’’ the very words I utter whenever I stub my toe on a table leg, which is quite often), but at least it is pretty easy to remember. Their latest album Another Pair of Eyes can be rightly considered to be their most intense and focused offering so far, and for good reason. The production is thick and heavy and the band does not try to hide behind walls of distortion, mists of reverbs and echoes, or endless pedal boards, and relies on energy and intensity first and foremost. The trick is that there is really no trick. Like many contemporary bands, A.F.K. blends several hardcore punk schools and paces in order to create a versatile sound that still manages to sound angry as fuck, but also cohesive and compact and not like a patchwork. When they speed things up, they are not far from the classic, heavy anarcho-punk sound of ANTI-SYSTEM, or HELLKRUSHER’s late ’90s UK dis-core, or even NO SECURITY, and because they are intent on varying paces, I am reminded of a more modern take on the great ICONS OF FILTH or ’90s bands like POLICEBASTARD (conceptually) or even a non-dissonant version of BAD BREEDING with spikier hair and a crusty bumbag—I am aware that someone with a big American hardcore background would probably hear different things. This is pummeling anarcho hardcore punk that is done with sincerity and never sounds boring, and they are a powerhouse live. A highlight of 2022 released on Ruin Nation, a label celebrating its 30th birthday in 2023.

The Anomalys Glitch LP

These Dutch masters (haw-haw) of surf-tinged rockabilly garage have been a Euro staple for more years than I’ve paid attention. They play a punker version of what their Swiss peers/elders the MONSTERS have been doing forever. The singer has a crooning, almost REVEREND HORTON HEAT style of singing, but all comparisons aside, these people can stand on their own merit quite well.  Nine songs speed by in a blur, leaving you spun and dizzy from head-bobbing and hip-shaking, and I imagine vast amounts of hash and beer. “Steppin Out” is the best. Yay. Proost.

Black Shape F·U·C·K·M·E cassette

Earlier encounters with BLACK SHAPE, London-based if not necessarily Londoners, pegged them in my mind as jawdropping outsider two-man doom primitivism (with recorder solos and monologues)—a British version of SLOTH, in essence. This album-length tape is distinct from that, in that the songs are faster and it sounds a little cleaner, though we’re talking guitar heroics somewhere between HARVEY MILK and SCISSORFIGHT with a touch of SHELLAC clang-tone, so all these things are relative. The guitarist, David Burdis, also writes lyrics for the ages: genuinely funny without just doing relentless one-liners or otherwise going OTT on the zaniness (that NORMAL MAN LP from a few years back is a decent reference point, actually.) “Your Money or Your Life,” towards the end of the album, contains especially pleasing multitudes: a VAN HALEN-worthy solo, Burdis’ condensed history of capitalism (“Back in the day it was all about goods / Brought in the ships by the merchant traders / Now they trade in imaginary things / Information, numbers, ideas”), and a concluding call for solidarity with people who have to clean toilets after the world’s vomiting hordes have passed through.

Boom Boom Kid Souvenir Tour Europeo 2022 7″

Date yourself by saying that you remember BOOM BOOM KID’s debut Okey Dokey like it was yesterday. Now note that this EP was released for the European tour that marked the 20th anniversary of that timeless slab of melodic punk and…sigh. But they’re still at it, and these two songs are some of the best BOOM BOOM KID material I’ve heard. Tuneful and tune-filled infectious punk fronted by Nekro’s inimitable and eponymous tenor voice. Equally perfect for long-time fans like me or soon-to-be converts like…you?

Caverna Nueva Paz 12″

Another hardcore band from Colombia, and yes, they are great, too. Each song is violent and intense, although most have an interesting blend of different tempos, unexpected bridge parts, and smart stops. The record has the power of running into the wall and continuing to crawl forward through the cracks, yet CAVERNA operates with rather thoughtful coloring of, at their core, raw punk songs—these extra thoughts do not tame any of their songs. Each is killer, recorded in a great form that translates their power perfectly. If not, and they are in fact even better live, then I would love to see them. For real, this is a great record; there is the powerful urgency, the drums are beaten as if each slam would hit my brain, and the record has a non-stop noise current that pushes each song into my face. It’s super pissed, tastefully diverse, and lacks any gimmicks. I should stop writing this and instead try to find a copy for myself. Highest recommendation.

Conditions Apply Rage & Ignorance CD

CONDITIONS APPLY aren’t especially catchy, but their songs still have a memorable, infectious quality, like a chant at a St. Pauli game. The drums deliver a martial beat while the guitars and vocals follow suit: three, maybe four chords barely identifiable under the distortion and rumbling bass. The lyrics include the usual suspects of left-wing punk grievances, but honestly, even the party song sounded like an angry screed.

Cymeon X Wygrać Swoje Życie LP

While one of my best pals is from the Polish hardcore scene, along with a few other heads I’ve met, I know little about Poland’s history of punk and hardcore bands, with the exception of a couple of current bands such as the hip group TONFA and HEAVY RUNNER. Nevertheless, it is really refreshing to hear a gem like this released from a very wild time in HxC. Originally released in 1992, Refuse Records’ reissue of this is fitting in our day and age when deep dives are more popular than ever before, thanks to an online database of limitless information known as the internet. While their photos would convince any audience that CYMEON X were fans of the BOLD or EARTH CRISIS style given their look, this LP sounds more like if bands such as LÄRM, KAAOS, and TERVEET KADET were listening to the likes of STRAIGHT AHEAD and the New Breed! compilation. It sounds like a pretty hilarious combination, but the poor recording of this LP adds such rawness to a clearly good band. It’s not the best Euro edge I’ve heard from the ’90s, but it’s still cool. 

Dead 77 Demons LP

The first full-length from Los Angeles’ DEAD 77. Upon first glance, I fully expected this to be a street punk album, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it was more akin to the early A-F Records bands such as THOUGHT RIOT and the CODE. Gang vocals galore here, which act as a call and response to the raw, melodic lead vox. There’s a delicate balance to be had between both, and DEAD 77 does a good job of not overlapping them. It creates a strong energy that is unwavering throughout the entire record. This is also helped by the guitars, which are layered into a wall of sound, peppered with fiery leads throughout. Well worth a listen if you’re a fan of late ’90s melodic hardcore.

Discomfort Creature Discomfort Creature LP

Melodic punk that kinda sounds like GREEN DAY, if they made a hard right at the fork in the road that led them down the rock opera path at the left. Cementing this opinion is the fact that the singer sounds so eerily similar to Billie Joe, both vocally and in the way some of the vocals are structured, that I had to make sure my headphones were plugged in to the right thing. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, this is a really great record. A very catchy, fun listen. Kinda like a more matured take on the pop punk sound.

Exploatör Blind Elit LP

Comprised of ex-TOTALITÄR members (three out of five) and other high-ranking käng veterans, EXPLOATÖR are simply kings of the genre, sounding better than ever on their third release. The formula remains the same – heavy hardcore punk with a manic D-beat backbone and raw vocals, and here it’s executed flawlessly. The sound is full and scorching, with some direct DISCHARGE worship in tunes like the title track and “Skiter På Allt,” as well as songs like “Ingrid Framtid” and “Dags Att Dö” that echo the almost-jazzy energy of TOTALITÄR’s swan-song Vi Är Eliten LP. These guys somehow make that rough shit go down so smooth. Special props to Poffen for stubbornly refusing lozenges since the 1980s.

Factory City Children Perfect Utopia EP

Here’s some cool shit outta New York via Mateo (or “Tormented Imp,” as credited here) of WARTHOG fame. Auto-drum mutant punk is how I’d describe this one; imagine the Gremlins from the movie Gremlins starting a punk band and you’re close. First up is “Perfect Utopia,” which is more or less “Some Kind of Hate” by MISFITS if it were dropped into a vat of toxic sludge. It’s as awesome and weird as it sounds. The rest of the EP follows suit: wicked vocals, catchy riffs, and demented programmed drum beats. “Obsessed” and “Gut the Pig” are both quick and evil bursts that sound like RAMONES songs dressed up in Halloween costumes. “Hell Man 88” changes the pace a bit with a mid-tempo WARTHOG-ish rocker, and “F.U.M.E.S.” wraps things up nicely, taking a quick feedback-filled breather before making a final descent to hell. Originally released in 2021 on cassette and now on vinyl thanks to Toxic State, this is a surprisingly charming EP that is sure to delight all of you mutants listening out there.

Fruit Tones Pink Wafer Factory LP

FRUIT TONES have the ’60s-inspired garage revival sound completely nailed down. From the jangle and chime of their lo-fi guitars, to the Jagger-on-benzos vocal delivery, these Manchester (UK) freaks deliver just the right blend of charm and sleaze to make things interesting. There’s a touch of early BLACK LIPS and a hint of REIGNING SOUND lurking beneath the paisley-patterned façade, but FRUIT TONES stick mostly to their roots. This album fits into the Alien Snatch catalog like Lux Interior fit into a pair of sweaty leather pants…exquisitely. 

Guff / Mongrel Inner Self split EP

Three heavy hardcore hitters from Ireland’s MONGREL, with high(er), sinister vocals and a sound that feels like it’s always on the brink of coming unglued. Norway’s GUFF is actually unglued, with an interpretation of epic Euro crust that defies explanation. Maniacal vocals and a guitar that sounds like someone took away some black metal kid’s distortion pedal and gave him a wah-wah. It makes no sense, which is why it works so damn well. My first exposure to both bands, and they compliment each other perfectly—freak interpretations of classic sounds.

Gunfighter Ballads EP

Transmissions of a phantom radio program that broadcasts intermittently from a parallel dimension, a dimension where Martin Rev programmed beats for the LEGENDARY STARDUST COWBOY in a project called GUNFIGHTER that creates psychobilly anthems for the 21st century. Turn it up!

Histeria Discografía LP

HISTERIA was a short-lived band from Mexico with a couple tapes, compilation appearances, and splits. Prior to this release I had not heard of them, which is a bummer, but better late than never—they turned out to be another sick group of the early Mexican scene that had an amazing variety of great bands. This discography release contains two of their recordings from ’84 and ’86. The great thing about such retrospective releases is that the members probably did not expect that one day they would be an obscure band for collectors, and therefore I guess their tape releases did not include as much information as the 32-page-long appendix fanzine with photos, information, and lyrics included here. Nerds like me love that shit, so even if it’s rad to own tapes in falling-apart condition with inserts that once were folded by the original members, these packages that tend to be created for current discography releases are still super entertaining—if you only press the mp3s to vinyl and the most effort you make is to print the cover, then you are doing a bad job. But how does it sound? The best way possible! As if it were recorded with a single tape dictaphone thrown into a rehearsal room where the excited band plays their ferocious tracks. The sound quality distorts the guitars into a chainsaw-like level, something that you would need at least three pedals and a week full of research to turn out something so nasty nowadays. The tracks are pretty short and dense, with a moving jet-like sound as the base, the drums are as distinguishable as a heavy banging on a door, and the singer yells with desperate urgency. The guitars are the best when they make zero sense, and as they do most of the time. It’s a super angry and determined record. Great that such things are recovered, and even if it is sometimes a pointless mania to put everything on a preferred format, the fact that such a band has resurfaced is worth all questionable obsession.

Hot Tubs Time Machine Double Tubble LP

Second album by this synth side-piece of UV RACE frontman Marcus Rechsteiner and Daniel “Tubs” Twomey of DEAF WISH. As a UV fan, I’ve always enjoyed Marcus’ goofy but erudite perspective, his observations on the everyday, and his ability with a standout one-liner. The second song talks about his favorite Lebanese bakery, where he ponders “What is even zaatar? It’s delicious…I wonder if I’d be a decent Zaatarist?” Twomey provides a musically minimal matte painting for Marcus to meditate and meander upon, with sinewy sine wave washes and looping beats, but also an ability to create the odd texture that separates it from any synth punk reenactors and minimal wave what-have-yous.

I Recover Promo Tape cassette

Two songs from a forthcoming release, I guess. Melodic punk with emo tendencies. There’s a lot of spoken vocal parts. Like a lot. On both songs. I don’t know about that. Does that mean they do this on every song? Because that could get old pretty quick. Aside from that, it’s not bad. I don’t know if the two songs on this tape would make me want to get a whole album, but if they threw two more on a 7”, I could see myself getting down with that.

Jivebomb Primitive Desires cassette

JIVEBOMB is in good company on two counts—they’re from Baltimore, where something is clearly in the water (see: TURNSTILE, END IT), and they’re on Flatspot Records, alongside countless other hardcore powerhouses (ZULU, SCOWL, and TRAPPED UNDER ICE, to name a few). On the five-song cassette Primitive Desires, JIVEBOMB delivers a whirlwind five-and-a-half minutes of expertly crafted modern hardcore. Opener “86” is a muscle-bound instrumental stomper that leads into title track “Primitive Desires,” an impressive one-minute blast that is sure to get stuck in your head. “Steel” follows suit, catchy and quick, with vocals that sound like they’re frying to a crisp. “Illusion of Choice” opens with a WARTHOG-worthy “blurgh!” and steamrolls through its 48-second runtime in a flash before closer “Ditz” wraps things up by reiterating what’s so fucking good about JIVEBOMB: they’re so tight and play with such a chaotic but clean style. For fans of any of the aforementioned bands and good music in general.

Lousy Sue Artless Artifacts LP

Not that long ago, I wanted to get out of the house to write some reviews, so I headed to one of Indianapolis’s many millennial-ass coffee shops. It was a nice day, so I’d picked one that I knew had lots of outdoor seating. Only when I got there, I found that they were hosting some sort of crafts market. The outdoor seating I was counting on had been pushed aside to make a space for bands to play to the people shopping for artisanal soap or whatever. Not ideal! But the middle-aged folks who were setting up when I arrived looked vaguely punk, so I decided to stick around for a minute and see what they were about. They played inoffensive garage punk—a mix of originals that were solid enough and a tasteful selection of non-obvious covers. It was actually kinda good, and I found myself really enjoying it. Enough to remember the name of the band that was playing or what any of the members looked like? Apparently not! But they may as well have been LOUSY SUE, an Indianapolis-based garage punk act that I’d never heard of until now. This LP, their second release after a 2019 EP, is fifteen tracks—fourteen originals and one BUCK BILOXI cover(!)—of straightforward garage punk. It primarily sounds like one of the less memorable Rip Off Records acts with access to better recording equipment, but you’ll also hear some interesting influences bleeding in, like LAMPS, OBLIVIANS, or maybe CARBONAS. It’s pretty good!

Mod Fun …Tea Four 2 EP

This one’s a bit of a head-scratcher. I’d say the name is a bit misleading, as this isn’t a mod band, at least not in my mind. These guys were an ’80s pop band from the New Jersey area. They broke up and reformed in 2004 and are still playing. This is a four-song EP, with the A-side consisting of a BADFINGER cover and a YARDBIRDS cover. They don’t really do anything with either song and come across more as a cover band than a band with serious aspirations, at least on that first side. I’ve never understood that—if you’re going to cover a song, make it yours. The two originals on the B-side are fine pop songs with at least a little new wave influence, and both are rooted in harmonies. Neither will knock your socks off, but both are totally fine.

Nagazaki Planeta//Carcel cassette

Bogotá, Columbia has produced some of the best noisy, aggro punk, and NAGASAKI is the latest premium example. If you like noisy, fuck-it-all, crashing raw punk, then you’ll want this cassette. With vocals that sound like they’re already destroyed from roaring against the system, bass lines that sound ripped from DISCLOSE, and guitars that crackle and grind, you’ll find yourself nodding along to these four songs of indignation. The guitar on “Reflejo” soars beautifully through the composition with a style that is similar to Randy Uchida’s. If you’re a fan of punk crudo and you haven’t heard NAGAZAKI yet, then wake the fuck up with this cassette!

Ostseetraum Mondmenschen EP

On their 2020 debut cassette (later turned LP), Berlin’s OSTSEETRAUM cruised straight down the coldwave Autobahn with rigid drum machine beats, percolating synth, sparse strokes of guitar and bass, expressionless German voice-overs, and ample negative space left between those elements—an aesthetic that’s obviously restrained by design, but it often tipped into almost being too clinical. With the follow-up Mondmeschen EP, they’ve finally passed the Voight-Kampff test, and the added human energy really benefits these five songs. The bass is at the forefront this time around, snaking through “Du Siehst Mich Nicht” and “Du Bist Gefangen” in a way that’s borderline funky (a little more Factory/Rough Trade than their usual steady diet of Zickzack), and locking into the sparse, spin-cycle tom rhythm that pushes “Kein Inhalt” precariously forward. Even “Mondmeschen,” the EP’s most straight electro offering, is more cyber-dub than minimal synth, all liquid delay and rattling, echoed beats under woozy space-age keys; a soft glow radiating through cracked steel.

Peur Bleue Peur Bleue demo cassette

Great demo from Lille, France’s PEUR BLEUE. Female-led group with a post-punk style and grace that’s bold enough to squat ‘n piss between two parked cars. Released on the DIY tape label Dirty Slap, I feel this band would fit nicely with their native Symphony of Destruction comrades in sound and ethos.  Looking forward to the next release!

Piss Me Off Scam of a Lifetime cassette

Continuing the legacy of loud and lurid Cleveland punk, PISS ME OFF follows up their ear-scorching demo with this tape that’s equal parts tough and artistic. The band’s heavy sound appears to be inspired by old-school stormy Midwest hardcore and the ingestion of hallucinogens, as well as the stark weirdness of fellow Clevos CRUELSTER and PERVERTS AGAIN. These ten songs are mostly straight pounders, but then in the last three they expand into a less compressed, more rocking style with lots of soulful and piercing guitar soloing. Nice.

Prayer for Cleansing The Rain in Endless Fall LP reissue

Here’s a recent reissue of this cult classic late ’90s metalcore LP, PRAYER FOR CLEANSING’s only full-length release The Rain in Endless Fall. Their approach to metalcore included heavy amounts of influence from black metal and from Swedish melodic death metal like AT THE GATES and IN FLAMES, with the top-notch musicianship and technicality required to pull this sound off out in full force (it may or may not surprise you to find out members of PRAYER FOR CLEANSING went on to play in the progressive metalcore band BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME). This freshly remastered version comes courtesy of To Live A Lie. While this admittedly isn’t the type of thing that I regularly go out of my way to listen to, I dig this record a hell of a lot and can certainly see why it is so well-regarded. This one a must-listen for any fans of ’90s-style metalcore.

Ready Armed System Ready Armed System demo cassette

Abrasive hardcore demo from these Austin punks. Blazing fast right from the start, these nine tracks feature raw vocals and a classic USHC attack approach, reminiscent of MINOR THREAT or S.O.A. While they don’t necessarily break any new ground here, this tape rrrips. The unhinged scream at the end of “Kill Someone,” the “Straight-Edge” (the song, not the movement) attitude of “Hair of the Dog,” and the instant banger anthem of “Cease to Exist” make this one to play again and again. Solid.

Rosie Rosie’s Coming to Town / The Zoo Song 7″

The Bandcamp page would have you believe that this is authentic glam circa 1973. I’m a cynic at heart. Whether or not they’re legitimately from mid-’70s Europe, I can tell you that both the recording and the vibe it creates will take you right there. Chugging guitar coming at you mid-tempo along with a drum set that is heavy on the cymbals and vocals that benefit from reverb complete the mood. How and why glam ever went away will always remain a mystery to me. Both cuts here kick some serious ass.

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.