Reviews

For review and radio play consideration:

Please send one copy of 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. We reserve the right to reject releases on the basis of content. Music without vocals or drums will not be considered. All music submitted for review must have been released (or reissued) within the last two years. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!

Drivel Pledge Allegiance to the Bomb EP

DRIVEL’s new EP is a feral blast of hardcore that channels the whiplash tempo shifts and noisy sample chaos of early 2000s Bay Area powerviolence while injecting a strain of murky and chaotic lo-fi grunge. Featuring members of PILAU and CHILL PARENTS with a guest appearance by Richard Johnson (ENEMY SOIL, AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, DRUGS OF FAITH), the record balances relentless aggression with moments that are almost darkly funny. The production is raw but intentional, everything lands exactly where it should. It’s the kind of recording that reminds you how creative this genre can be when bands let themselves sound unhinged.

Flashes Red Samepain EP

Four songs that are spat out in an aggressive LEATHERFACE/HOT WATER MUSIC sorta way. These folks are barking down from the Mile High City, and their intent seems to be bringing the melding of melody, a “fuck you” approach, and competent musicianship to the masses. I’d be lying if I didn’t hear a little HÜSKER DÜ in there, too. I wish these folks would try to sing a little more. Like, what ever happened to the MEGA CITY FOUR or DOUGHBOYS or the bands that had great songs and not just yelling and spitting. I was only reminded of this by a couple lines in the song “Apathy of Me,” where the singer takes the yelling-ness down for a couple words. NAKED RAYGUN put out a record a year or two back with similar music and crisp (not yelling at me) vocals, and I think more bands should do that more often. These four songs clock in at just under thirteen minutes. The songs are great. Maybe I’m just getting tired of being yelled at by music I like. I think I’m going to call my mom and ask her if she loves me.

G.I. Jinx Mind Freak LP

These Montreal noise-mongers serve up a saucer full of space rock. Landing somewhere between SONIC YOUTH and MOON DUO, G.I. JINX blends screechy no wave with repetitive, drone-informed jams. Most songs hinge on a single riff or two, piped through multiple layers of fuzz. I’d be willing to bet the guitarist has a mean collection of boutique germanium stomp boxes. The vocals are delivered with a semi-lackadaisical coolness that begs for a Kim Gordon reference. Great art rounds out a record that will surely appeal to your friendly neighborhood acid casualty.

Grid The First Demo cassette

A blistering introduction to GRID’s crude energy. Clocking in with furious riffs, pounding drums, and throat-tearing vocals, this debut captures the essence of hardcore in its most primal state. There’s a refreshing lack of polish here, and that’s the point. Every track pulls on that urge to tear everything to pieces. GRID isn’t here to play nice, they’re here to make you drag your knuckles on the ground. If fast/slow dynamics are your thing, GRID does this very well!

Heavy for the Vintage Resist. Dance. CD

Carrboro, North Carolina’s HEAVY FOR THE VINTAGE mesmerize with their minimal and downtempo synth punk magic on their latest release Resist. Dance. This thing has its own unique and immersive sonic universe with crunchy drum machine beats, bittersweet synth melodies, background electronic noise, and beautiful vocals that are the perfect fit for this sound. They definitely make the most out of the minimal set of sounds in their pallette. If you expect high production value, look elsewhere—it’s dirty and lo-fi, with human feel peeking through one way or another. And that kind of imperfection is exactly why I love and admire this record. It’s been a while since I heard something that keeps a steady pulse and vibe from start to finish, yet manages to keep me hooked. Perfect soundtrack for when you get that hollow, sinking feeling for no reason at all.

Iron Lung Adapting // Crawling EP

Seattle’s long-running powerviolence duo IRON LUNG have recently returned with their first full-length album since 2013’s White Glove Test. This Adapting // Crawling promo 45 offers one of the album’s standouts and the partially hidden title track. Side A delivers a grim three-part sequence—“Purgatory Dust,” “Virus,” and “Purgatory Dust (Finale)”—channeling the chaos of public health disasters and anti-science backlash, pulled from both the COVID era and the polio vaccine fights of the 1950s. Side B is the full version of “Adapting // Crawling,” a broken sound collage that slowly mutates into a crawling dirge. IRON LUNG remains as bleak and gripping as ever, holding a mirror to the damage we do to ourselves. As they write in the liner notes: “Human nature is insane. I’m surprised we’ve lived this long.” Same.

Krime Demo EP

Solid four-song demo from the just-starting-out band KRIME from the Netherlands—their whereabouts as to what city exactly remains a mystery. The band veera into the kind of palm-muting guitar, double kick, hard-edged pop punk à la MORAL CRUX, RKL, etc., just a little more spastic.  It’s a bit rough and there are moments that will feel like James T. Farris could be in a new tribute band. After it’s over…there are moments for sure, but I am resigned.

Los Pepes Out of the Void LP

Delivered from a multicultural London setting, Out of the Void is a classic punky power pop record. Infused with beachy guitar and ’60s-influenced sounds, LOS PEPES know who they want to be. However, this LP was generally unimpressive and sounds too overproduced. The drums aren’t too creative, maintaining their kick and cymbal-heavy rhythms without much deviation. I didn’t care too much for the vocals; there isn’t that harsh quality to vocalist Ben Perrier’s voice, which would make for a more interesting listen. Otherwise, the guitar on “Sweet Appeasement” has a great tone, groovy synth, and it’s the best song on the LP. They change pace a bit in “Undercover,” getting faster before the record ends. Honestly, LOS PEPES seem like they’d be better live than recorded, which must be true considering their impressive booking schedule. My prescription: Listen to Out of the Void live for better results and less studio dampening.

Nuclear Fear Pantomime of Power EP

If you want to be transported to the era of nuclear paranoia and unhinged Scandinavian hardcore punk, then throw this on and spend just a hair under six minutes with this UK outfit. Featuring members of NWOBHC standouts ARMS RACE and the FLEX, this record bludgeons you with what it wants to do. Buzzsaw guitars push to the forefront while acid leads wail at you from behind pounding drums that owe more than a bit to that MOB 47 manic pace so many of us know and love. It’s not just ’80s worship though, the spirit NWOBHC can definitely be heard, and more importantly felt here. The production/mixing go a long way to place the band, their sound, and their very righteous anger in the modern era. The gruff vocals feel desperate and hopeless, which fits with the lyrics that swing from deeply personal despair to very pointed political rage (standout track “DTZWM (Destroy the Zionist War Machine)” leaves no doubt where the band stands ideologically). NUCCLEAR FEAR sounds like a band with a very clear objective on this, doing everything a hardcore punk EP should do in exactly the time needed to do it. Very solid work that wets the appetite for what the band may be able to put together in a whole LP worth of tunes.

Phane / Visions of War …Is This 2024, or 1984 split EP

Can you go wrong with a split EP between Vancouver’s PHANE and VISIONS OF WAR (who are scattered a bit everywhere these days)? I had the pleasure of seeing the former on their European tour last year, and thoroughly enjoyed their dynamic blend of beefy UK82 à la LAST RITES and the DISTURBED, over-the-top early metalpunk like ENGLISH DOGS, as well as early DOG SOLDIER. They deliver as usual here, with one original scorcher and a flamboyant cover of ABRASIVE WHEELS. On the flipside, VISIONS OF WAR, if you will allow a tautology, do what they do. These undying survivors of the ’90s Eurocrust wave unleash raw cavemen crust for fans of DOOM and HIATUS with a touch of the gruffest käng like SVART PARAD on this recording. Like PHANE, they also grace us with a cover, ONE WAY SYSTEM’s anthemic “Give Us a Future,” a song I played an awful lot as a teen, and I have to say they fall a bit short here, especially the vocals. The EP does not disappoint if you are into both bands, but it might not be an ideal point of entry if you are unfamiliar with them. I fall into the first category, so I am happy as a pig in mud.

Planlos Smog & Ruß LP

First things first—fans of underground and undiscovered ’80s DIY punk, run to the Aufnahme + Wiedergabe label now. Seriously. A label dedicated to reissues of recordings from GDR’s vibrant and illegal punk scene is going to grab my attention immediately, and I’m ashamed that I am just learning of the label today, but rest assured that I am about to give their releases a considerable dose of my time (and money). But to the release at hand, East Berlin’s PLANLOS is a compelling and mysterious Deutschpunk slog. Slow plodding numbers like “Schlage” conjure EA80 and JOY DIVISION, while driving burners like “Tagging Tagaus” and “Deutschland” are filled with infectious mystery and make you wonder what a band like this could have done without the shadow of state oppression (though perhaps is that very shadow that made them so compelling and unique). This record (and tape) features their seven-song demo from 1982, two tracks recorded live the same year, and re-recordings from 2024 with help from the band L’ATTENTAT—even though the songs are the same, it feels like you’re listening to a split release with two different bands, and I’m very glad that I don’t have to choose between the two. A glorious concept, an important document, and an excellent release.

The Roxies Keep You Up at Night LP

Rock’n’roll outta Berlin that sounds a bit like if members of the REAL KIDS and the BEAT got together and recruited the singer from SUEDEHEAD to add some mod-like touches. There are some great moments to be found on this album, and those moments are usually when the tracks choose the higher end of the energy spectrum. Songs like “Animals” and “Feeling” do a great job of bending your ears and make you want to turn up the volume. The mid-tempo moments drag a bit, but the sequencing of the album lets you get one of those higher-energy pick-me-ups after plodding through the snoozers. An up-and-down affair, but the highs do a nice job of justifying the lows; worth digging through to find the diamonds.

Send All The Great Betrayal CD

Self-released fury from Tampa, blending melodic metalcore riffs with raw hardcore vocals. SEND ALL leans into early 2000s post-hardcore with an aggressive political tone. The guitars shimmer between breakdowns and melodic runs, while the vocals scream betrayal with conviction. A few clean-sung choruses break the tension but never kill the energy. Not strictly punk, but filled with the ethos. Not up my alley, but DIY self-releases are always welcome!

Snailgun Reset Power Eject cassette

Debut four-song cassette from a Melbourne, Australia band. SNAILGUN sounds like a mixture of noise rock and alt-rock, with just a pinch of post-punk sprinkled in. A real smattering and hodgepodge of ’90s throwback sub-genres blended together. It’s not bad by any means, but it’s also not particularly memorable.

Swan Real Growing Up EP

Punk in the way that Devon Williams took OSKER on their final album, and the direction he went in with LAVENDER DIAMOND and his solo projects. Subtle guitars with ethereal lyrics of heartbreak and aspirations delivered in that soft but so piercing and direct Dean Wareham manner. The guts are personal and honest, reminiscent of the more subtle tracks from the ACKLEYS’ canon.

Toxic Rites Voice Hunger EP

Recorded back in 2023 and finally emerging into the light thanks to Symphony of Destruction, TOXIC RITES are back with four anthems clipped right out of the classic anarcho-punk hymn book. Shades of ANTHRAX, OMEGA TRIBE, and ZOUNDS color their sound, with surprisingly tuneful vocals. As one would expect, the lyrics are overtly political, but there’s an introspection that adds a deeper dimension to the content. Taken with CAN KICKER’s cassette from earlier this year, I’m hoping this is the beginning of a peace punk revival.

Wesley & the Boys Rock & Roll Ruined My Life LP

Coming out of Nashville with a natural cool and a penchant for clever titles, WESLEY & THE BOYS lay down some first-wave-tinted garage boogie on their debut foot-long. There’s plenty of fun to be had within these eleven energetic tracks, with relatable themes like being an asshole and being in the car. With their sooty rock swing and punky take on classic R&B grooves, I can’t help but be reminded of the VIBRATORS all over the place here, which is some divine inspiration. Count WESLEY & co. among the sharpest of the modern-day sunglasses and stripes set.

Zero Bars Life and Hell cassette

Toronto three-piece ZERO BARS cranked out six songs of tight punk rock’n’roll on their Life and Hell cassette, with most clocking in under the two-minute mark but landing with plenty of bite. The first few tracks show up like a slightly less feral DEAN DIRG or MARKED MEN, all forward motion and sweaty basement show vibes. Then they flip the script with “Prove It”—taking a jab at the high cost of seeing these legacy punk acts—and “House Arrest,” both of which flirt with harmonics and channel a post-punk-adjacent feel. Things wrap up with a legit cover of the CRUCIFUCKS’ “Mountain Song” that sticks the landing. The audio sounds great and the playing is rock solid. The tape left me wanting more. Check out “Nervous Wire.”

Autobahns / Elvis II split EP

More classic lo-fi bedroom egg-punk madness brought to us by our Italian friends over at Goodbye Boozy, one of the top five labels in existence at the moment. Both AUTOBAHNS and ELVIS II play a bittersweet, blown-out style of DEVO-inspired punk. AUTOBAHNS are a little more raw and actually have a bit of a chain punk edge, while ELVIS II is melodic and has catchy riffs for days. I actually picked this up the day it came out and was ecstatic to see it come across my review desk. Really solid work here. My only complaint is that it’s all over too soon!

Automatic Lovers Boston Brats / Who Cares If Tomorrow Comes 7″

Punks from Madrid, singing about punks from Boston. Named after a VIBRATORS song, sounds like a DAMNED song. By this point, you probably already get the picture, but to spell it out anyway, these two tracks offer up classic UK punk sounds that are well-studied without sounding trite; AUTOMATIC LOVERS know what they like, but they don’t have it by rote. Both tracks here are high-energy, with maximalism happy to creep in—the piano chords banging along on the chorus of “Boston Brats” want to hide in the background, but they make so much sense that you can almost feel them more than hear them—and the B-side is a fantastic cover of ’80s punk band KIRK AND THE JERKS.

Béton Armé Renaissance LP

This band can’t still be a secret, so now reviewers (and fans) are saddled with the unenviable but inevitable task of compartmentalizing their sound—a sound that feels dangerously close to fully-realized on Renaissance. Catchy as ever, and they are still as much an anthemic Oi! band as ever, but after a batch of killer EPs and constant gigs, BETÓN ARMÉ sounds truly like themselves on this first full-length. The backing vocals cannot go unmentioned—the “ohhhhh ohhhh”s are a focal point in nearly every song on the record (as are the backing vocals in general), though the lead vox are really what gives BETÓN ARMÉ a distinct character. Sharp and biting, skipping the typical gruff skinhead vocals that would be totally appropriate (and expected, and typical). The influence of European skin bands is still front and center (think CAMERA SILENS and NABAT and you have the general foundation), but there are disco beats here, and a sonic sensibility on the level of ADOLESCENTS’ blue album. Renaissance is just a perfect, timeless, essential punk record.

Brain Tourniquet / Deliriant Nerve split LP

If you’re familiar with Washington, DC demolition crews BRAIN TOURNIQUET and DELIRIANT NERVE, you could easily assume that this split is an instant classic without even listening to it—and you’d be totally right. It really is. Both bands are in top form to wreak havoc and fill their sides with the nastiest tracks you could ever imagine. While BRAIN TOURNIQUET masterfully switches from thrash-fast to sludge-slow in a heartbeat as the powerviolence formula requires, DELIRIANT NERVE sticks to death-metal-infused breed of full-throttle grindcore that rarely stops for anything. What I especially love about this split is that it demonstrates the grind spectrum perfectly—from “more hardcore, less metal” to “less hardcore, more metal,” in order of appearance. Imagine if CROSSED OUT and INSECT WARFARE had a split. It’s probably the closest thing we’ll ever get to that. Yeah, it’s that good.

Coffee Stain Good Bad Taste EP

After releasing last year’s excellent ARMOR LP, 11 PM is back with more Floridian heat, this time from Jacksonville’s COFFEE STAIN and their new EP, the aptly-titled Good Bad Taste. Featuring five cuts of bone-crunching hardcore punk with rabid vocals and a predilection for John Waters, COFFEE STAIN rips through these tracks with a caustic sense of urgency. The only time things slow down is when the band drops in sound bites from Waters’ films like Female Trouble and Pink Flamingos. A fine EP, highly recommended for lovers of hardcore and lowbrow trash.

Dart Speed Days LP

Hyper-speed, crust-drenched metallic thrashcore from Finland’s DART, bringing a relentless charge with production sharp enough to slice your ear canals. Speed Days lives up to its name—sprinting through ’80s European hardcore and thrash influences with a touch of early USHC chaos and classic heavy metal. Screamed vocals, buzzsaw riffs, and minimal breathing room create an atmosphere of urgency and mayhem. Sounds from another era. Recommended, as like anything released by SPHC, this is a total shredder.

En Love / Rabbit split EP

EN LOVE continues their hardcore-forward approach, tearing through two tracks of mosh-worthy mayhem. Capturing the energy of their powerful live presence, these songs are a step forward from their demo, which was quite good. Brutal but not evil. RABBIT is brutal and evil. To the untrained ear, their two songs sound like run-of-the-mill metalcore…and I do have an untrained ear in this case. They’re tight, heavy, and scary-sounding, but it rings somewhat hollow to me, talent notwithstanding. Perhaps it’s stylistic preference, but EN LOVE burns brighter in this pairing.

Food Fight Bercow Bell / It’s Cold Outside 7″

Post-punk with the right amount of power pop at heart, in the vein of the TELEVISION PERSONALITIES and L.A. DRUGZ. There’s a touch of the FALL-like angularity to set it apart from imitators. The originality and off-beat insights of PLASTIC BERTRAND come out as well, making this a solid 7” for the next after-hours party.

Hekátē Μαύρη Τρύπα LP

HEKÁTĒ out of Athens, Greece recently released their second full-length album, entitled Μαύρη Τρύπα. Dark-tinged instrumentals support vocals that occasionally remind me of KLEENEX/LILIPUT. Synth work drives this album, with the tones ranging from traditional organs to unhinged vintage futurism. However, HEKÁTĒ came to rock, and with tracks like “Tears of Blood” and “Riccochet,” HEKÁTĒ uses a heavy dose of bass in their rhythm section to get the toes tapping. Lyrically, HEKÁTĒ pulls no punches and delivers social criticism through an anarcho-punk lens, with about fifty percent of the lyrics being in English and the rest in Greek. In all, Μαύρη Τρύπα is stacked with punk bangers and contains enough “off-the-beaten-path” experimentation to make it something really special.

Illvilja Döden LP

Cold, haunting D-beat from Sweden’s ILLVILJA. Döden (“Death”) is an oppressive LP that captures the bleakness of modern crust without abandoning melody. Reminiscent of TRAGEDY’s brooding atmosphere but filtered through Swedish hardcore lineage—heavy on the riffs, the emotion, and the political edge. The drums pound with precision, the bass growls, and the guitar work is full of gloomy textures. Another strong release from Phobia Records, perfect for dark days.

Kylmä Krypta Kylmä Krypta cassette

Finnish/German band KYLMÄ KRYPTA calls Hamburg home, but is inspired heavily by the icy northern country of boreal forests and saunas. Finnish lyrics are delivered over song structures that are similar to an overdriven MUSTA PARAATI, and the whole production comes out sounding punk as fuck. Not the heavy-handed, metallic-toned crust that is currently rounding the circle pit, but a breed of punk that is more apocalyptic while maintaining a sound built out of more traditional rock’n’roll. It’s kind of like EASTERN SYNDROME out of Berlin, who put out a bomb-blast of a cassette EP two years ago. If you don’t understand what I’m yapping about, then imagine VICE SQUAD teamed up with 45 GRAVE, ditch the surf rock, and you’ll be almost to the concept of KYLMÄ KRYPTA.

Los Sex Sex Sex Control EP

After a killer debut 7” back in 2014, Mexican rockers LOS SEX SEX SEX return to vinyl, leveled-up and with four new tunes to prove it. With punky garage grooves that live spiritually somewhere between the slick pop of the STITCHES, the old school roll of GINO AND THE GOONS, and the Latino flair of the PLUGZ, this EP showcases the maturity that comes with the band’s decade-plus of experience. While the polished production is a departure from their original rough appeal, the sharp songsmithing that made their first record such a natural ripper remains intact. The tracks here become increasingly danceable before wrapping up with the psychobilly sci-fi party of “Mutant Fields,” and it’s one of those records that feels like a full meal even though it’s just a quickie.

M.U.X. Demo ’24 cassette

A demo from newly-formed band M.U.X., hailing from the tropics of Punkalpinang in the Bangka Islands of Indonesia. This demo is packed with so much complete destruction of the human vocal chords it’s impossible not to want to hear more. The cassette’s total of four songs make way with a ton of vocal reverb (is this a prerequisite in this era?), and an almost swampy surf-toned guitar brings a framework to the assault of “Crush Your Head” and another favorite, “Dystopian Bliss.” Bring us more music.

Norm Dogs Norm Dogs cassette

Little four-track cassette from NORM DOGS—a band I can’t find much about. They’ve played at Angry Cat Shows out of Copenhagen, so I assume that’s their locale? This lo-fi tape sounded like absolute shit on my truck speakers (which sound like absolute shit anyway), but after a listen on my home stereo, I began to enjoy the DIY recording and playfulness that I missed on my first listen. NORM DOGS play a garage-y sound and have as many similarities to the jangle of the BATS as they do with the esoteric spoofs of the DEAD MILKMEN. A rattling guitar, a bass that ceaselessly marches upfront in the mix, simple percussion, and fun, yet earnest vocals. While I kind of wrote off the cassette, with its cartoon logo, a picture of the band, and no more text than the song titles, before I gave it a chance, I enjoy proving myself wrong. Let all the shining production of sound and style rest, and just listen to the band! The fact that they have no online presence, recorded and produced this album themselves, and that it made it through numerous hands to my little desk, just proves this whole thing—MRR’s reach, the punk hive-mind writ large—is working. So, if you can find them, go out and listen to NORM DOGS! Big ups to these dudes.

Pooched Pooched / Tercel LP

The A-side is the Pooched LP and the B-side is the Tercel LP, so two LPs on one LP which is an LP/LP, I guess. First, I’m a sucker for a dog on a record cover, and this dog looks like he’s into being pet upon, and also aloof a little bit, and fine to do its own thing. I bet this pooch twitches and squeaks a lot when it is dreaming about an open field or jumping at butterflies or whatever. Musically, this falls in line with all of the New York and New Jersey pop punk greats like UNLOVABLES, SHORT ATTENTION, the MEASURE, the ERGS!, and so on. These songs that span four years of the band’s existence are all crafted wonderfully and are masterfully unforgettable in a memorable and hummable way. You’ll have these tunes in your brain for days, similar to all of the best FASTBACKS songs.

Ritual Cross Ritual Cross cassette

This tape absolutely smokes. I’ve been jamming this sucker non-stop since it appeared in my review stack. Off-kilter weirdo punk that will keep you guessing, but doesn’t stab too far out and lose the thread. Something about this band feels unsettling and dangerous like VOID, but a little more angular and studious. The fourth cut, “Simulations,” takes a brief melodic turn that reminds me of Give Thanks-era ARTICLES OF FAITH, but don’t let these references to the classics trick you into thinking RITUAL CROSS is on some kind of a nostalgia trip. To me, this picks up where the CICADA EP from last year left off. An explosive debut from a band to keep an eye out for.

Side Channel Side Channel demo cassette

This is apparently a new band from Los Angeles, a town that has never been in short supply when it comes to hardcore bands. I haven’t been able to find much intel about them, but I would say that SIDE CHANNEL is not the first music endeavour of its members. There are elements I really like on this demo tape, like the vocals that sound angry but are discernible, and the moments when the band goes for a more traditional dis-oriented, raw punk beat rather than the trendier tupa-tupa. The spoken word part in the introduction points in the direction of the classic Californian peacepunk (of RESIST AND EXIST, ANOTHER DESTRUCTIVE SYSTEM, HOLOKAUST, and so on), although the production has both feet in the modern world of hardcore. Could SIDE CHANNEL become the American SUBDUED? The synthesis of modern angry political hardcore and old school peacepunk? Now, that’s a challenge. A short and sweet recording, and a band I will keep an eye on.

The States Gimme Joy 12″

Oh, I like this right from the start. Catchy and melodic, it’s got a real “full” sound, and fronted with female vocals that are catchy on their own. Pop punk? Not really. Power pop? Possibly? Rock’n’roll? Punk? Pop? Honestly, it’s all of those things. Drums really keep things moving along nicely. Kind of reminds me of the BABYSHAKES with vocals that aren’t quite so sugary. I’m bouncing and swaying my head and my shoulders. I love this.

Sub/Shop Democatessen cassette

Off the bat, the quality and quantity of music on this release makes me think this can’t possibly qualify as a demo, even though it has an excellent name for one. Hailing from Richmond, VA, the band is composed of veterans of a slew of bands in and around Richmond, and  the level of experience certainly shows. What we have here is post-hardcore, but not in the ethereal, spacy, heavy realm that the label has been pulled towards in the last decade or so. The band harkens back to where the genre was in the ’90s, specifically where bands like STATE OF THE NATION and SENSE FIELD were crafting rock-centered, punk-feeling intelligent music. There is a clear foundation here with DINOSAUR JR.-type angularity, but just like post-hardcore itself, it’s more complex to nail down a direct comparison among the many places their inspiration and influences probably came from. A record like this will certainly yield different things with each listen, and personally, I’m most of the way to being 100% on board with this band’s brand of extremely well-thought-out rock music. The songwriting is mature and avoids falling into musical tropes, getting surprisingly clever to put hooks into your brain with the more melodic moments (album closer “Negative Discourse” could easily be a lost TEXAS IS THE REASON track), but also letting you down in just the right way when going into some really off-the-beaten-path passages. Post-hardcore/punk for when you want to engage and not just listen to something.

Terminal Am I Doing It Right / Hold On 7″

Do yourself a favor. Cue up the A-side here, turn up the volume, throw your phone into another room, and allow yourself to take a ride for the next four-and-a-half minutes. This absolutely crucial single from an early ’80s group from North Wales is required listening. It is anthemic, grandiose stuff by kids—and for kids—who were/are too big for whatever town that was chosen for them. There is a SPRINGSTEEN-like desperation at play here. This is what JOHNNY COUGAR’s “I Need a Lover” might have sounded like if he stayed on Gulcher Records, but he was destined for something bigger, just like TERMINAL could have been/should have been/must have been. This reissue represents the A-sides of both of their only two singles, from 1980 and 1982. While “Am I Doing It Right” conveys a beautiful, sophomoric desperation, interestingly enough, the flipside “Hold On” offers up a more mature, darker edge, and more than holds its own at that. The folks over at Fish & Cheap have done the masses a favor digging up these songs once again.

Thirsty Giants Thirst A.D. CD

Your typical street punk, power chord affair here, sans their track “Drowned,” which is more or less a power ballad that essentially comes out of nowhere midway through the EP. As someone with a sensitive, sentimental spirit, this really speaks to my soul. Once it’s done, you’re sent straight back to Oi!-ville. The production is very strong, and everything has been leveled and mixed well, with the exception of the vocals which are oddly tucked away among everything else. Strange choice, because the singer is easily the strongest member of this band. Classic punk yelps with the “fuck you” attitude we’ve all come to love. I bet these guys rule live.

Worn Down The Endless Hour EP

Currently sitting in front of a modest pile of releases to review, and I’ve been treated to nothing but quality so far. However, I have not been treated to a zero-bullshit, full-throttle, tough-as-nails USHC release…until now. And I didn’t know I was missing that energy until I dropped the needle on The Endless Hour and started my mental mosh around the apartment. Pure power here—five doses of uncompromising and thoughtful hardcore energy. Breakdowns? Yeah. Circle pits? Please. But take a minute with “If You Could See Both Sides” and know that there is more here. The knuckles are never touching the ground even though the riffs think otherwise: I don’t regret shit, I’ve learned to live with it. I’ve learned to live with myself, I could give a fuck what everyone thinks. But I wish they knew the truth for my own mental health. The shit is supposed to be deep, y’all—and WORN DOWN are all that and more.

Adacta Tma LP reissue

Damn, this really is a blast from the past. I had not thought of ADACTA for ages, but reading the name instantly brought back memories of two decades past, back when trying to be TRAGEDY was still an acceptable thing and my hair was luxurious. Needless to say, I haven’t played this Bratislavan band since that illustrious epoch, and had no idea they were still around and kicking. What’s the deal, then? This LP is actually a reissue, as Tma was originally released in 2015. The initiative makes sense because, if you are into progressive, dark, metallic crusty hardcore (also known as “neocrust”), this album will undoubtedly delight you, as it is perfectly executed and ticks all the expected boxes. It has everything you’d expect from this genre and more—the thick, down-tuned heaviness, the dark, moody guitar leads, the epic changes of pace, the anguished, hoarse vocals, and a crow on the cover. ADACTA sounds like an unstoppable machine of sorrow and anger. The songwriting can be ambitious at times, but the band always manages to pull it out. I love that they decided to stick to their native language, as it confers some extra meanness. I am no longer in touch with the genre and rarely listen to it, but when it is that well done, I always enjoy it and it makes me want to dig out my records from ACURSED, SILENCE, or mid-’00s WOLFBRIGADE, and maybe get some hair implants. A strong record in its own rights.

Bart and the Brats / Jacket Burner Good Cop / Bad Cop split EP

If you weren’t peeping the sleeve for guidance, it would be difficult to tell where one band ends and the other begins on this well-matched 45. Uniting two esteemed acts from France and New Mexico respectively, you get two down-home-style garage jammers from each band. Real rockin’, Xerox aesthetic, ski masks, donuts—what else could you possibly ask for?

Cathexis Cathexis demo cassette

In the ever-mutating world of heavy music, few bands are as bold and inventive as CATHEXIS, a sci-fi-inspired metalpunk solo effort by Neuromancer that fuses dystopian storytelling with a knuckledragging sonic assault on the senses. Like a thematic spiritual successor to the boundary-pushing work of VOIVOD, CATHEXIS sounds like a raw mixture of G.I.S.M., BATHORY and ONSLAUGHT, just to name a few. Themes delve into the realm of works such as Simulacra and Simulation and provide a sense of hopelessness as we step towards a technocratic world. Future metalpunk has landed!

CPC Gangbangs Roadhouse EP

Canadian purveyors of down-and-dirty garage CPC GANGBANGS are back, this time with a couple of smashing covers sandwiching the title track of this smokin’ little EP. First up, their version of CRIME’s “Rock and Roll Enemy No. 1” foregoes the original’s scuzzy wobble in favor of a revved-up rock’n’roll that hits a satisfying pitch. Next, the only original song here, “Roadhouse” is a quick, harmonica-strewn groove that surely has put a grin on BO DIDDLEY’S ghost. Finally, the jumping R&B of BOBBY JAMES’s “Going Back To Philly” gets the GANGBANG treatment, ending the record on an upbeat note. This will be a hot little treat for ears of a certain ilk.

Dolent Dolent cassette

DOLENT is a newly formed Valencian punk band that is producing blistering, grimy, and toothsome throwback hardcore. No information could be found on my end as to previous bands or projects from the current members, which adds to the ambushed effect that this body of tracks hurls. Ten songs total, and it’s a no-skip situation through the whole bleedin’ thing, with “Avail Els Murs” (“Avail the Walls”), “Punks De Tendencia” (“Trendy Punks”), and the operatic-laced “Noves Glories” (“New Glories”) being my darlings of the pack. It is also worth noting that this cassette is from the brilliant minds at Flexidiscos, whose roster is a perpetually enriching discovery for me…thank you!

Electric Chair / Physique split LP

For the uninitiated, it is helpful to begin this review with a bit of lore. ELECTRIC CHAIR and PHYSIQUE share a similar origin story, having begun at roughly the same time and both in the city of Olympia. They’ve shared members, lived together, played together, partied together, and in general terms, are besties. To cement their long-term friendship, they conceived this split LP, which honestly is perhaps the best punk split to ever exist. Each band plays five songs on their respective side, with ELECTRIC CHAIR bringing their JERRY’S KIDS/POISON IDEA-styled hardcore punk and PHYSIQUE offering up their FRAMTID/GLOOM-infused noisecore. The whole thing is packaged and presented by Iron Lung Records and mastered by Shige Noise Room, so the  LP is deliciously noisy and absolutely glorious when consumed at maximum volume. You may end up having a favorite side, but for me, this split delivers a complete package from end to end, with both bands presenting their best material and in turn creating a landmark recording of contemporary punk. It’s honestly that fucking good.

Funeral Damage Muerte LP

Berlin’s FUNERAL DAMAGE returns with an absolutely punishing slab of noisy, nihilistic hardcore. Muerte is soaked in dread, feedback, and reverb-heavy vocals that echo from the underground. Think DEFORMITY meets DESTINO FINAL with an added layer of Eastern European menace. The lyrics hit hard even when screamed in Spanish, the riffs are dense and gritty, and the whole LP feels like getting buried alive under bricks of drumming. Raw and essential.

Great British Heroes Eric Miller / Don’t Give a Damn 7″ reissue

The other GBH who came before G.B.H. made a quick appearance on one of the Bored Teenagers comps and then faded into the background…except for the true freaks who sought after the Lightning Records 45 that was pressed and pulled and never released. Early UK punk businessmen and managers all scrambling for the money-grab were truly motherfuckers, and the band slogged about for years without a proper release even though they started gigging in 1977. There was a boot a few years ago, and now a new generation of rockers can drop the needle on some first wave punk by way of proto-pub rock gold. “Don’t Give a Damn” is a burner featuring guitars that land like an amateurish On Through the Night outtake, and the A-side is…well, there’s a reason it was booted, and there’s a reason the Bored Teenagers curator pulled it out of mountains of underappreciated English punk singles. I’m sure this one will disappear fast, but I’m just as sure that someone else is going to give it a(nother) rebirth in a decade or so. As they should, of course.

Hasty Hasty cassette

I’ve been a huge fan of Michelle Shirelle since her days in the STEINWAYS, and on her latest output, fronting a three-piece band out of NYC, she delivers the goods yet again. Michelle did excellent work on the debut LP from SCRAPPED PLANS last year, a sort of pop punk supergroup with members of the MURDERBURGERS and the ERGS!, but where that leaned into guitar-driven modern punk, here she takes it down a notch and injects a very indie pop vibe into the proceedings (think CUB or GO SAILOR). Four tracks of bouncy pop punk with very catchy melodies tossed between sardonic and sweet-sounding vocals, the whole tape flies by and leaves you wanting more. There’s a note from Michelle in the insert accompanying the tape talking about how when this was recorded, she was dealing with her cat having a pretty stressful health emergency, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from listening to this—it just puts you in a good mood and makes you tap your foot. This kind of stuff can come across as disposable or forgettable, but the band does a great job of making this stand out and be worth your time. Get it if you’re out there fiending for melody.

Ryan Kidd Remote View / Cracked 7″

The A-side of Tennessee’s RYAN KIDD’s latest single, “Remote View,” is an extremely catchy, power-pop-infused modern punk anthem. Gnarly riffs, fat bass, and supporting synths lay the foundation for charismatic and powerful vocals that remind me of the great Pete Shelley. Sprinkled guitar noises and Velcro licks supply a good amount of ear candy and liven up the sound considerably. For the B-side, he does a great job covering the TIGHTS’ classic “Cracked” and collects all the bonus points.