
Lumpen Exterminación EP
This is the third record from Barcelona’s LUMPEN, a band that has been on my infallible punk radar since their inception and that I have therefore kept a watchful eye upon, not unlike a majestic albeit featherless eagle of good taste. This new EP Exterminación aptly reflects the progress they have made since the opening shot of Desesperación in 2020. While the intention has always been to build on the beefier side of the classic UK82 sound, I could always hear a raw Latino punk influence at the start, especially the Mexican school (which I rate highly) like MELI or ESPECIMEN. On this new EP, the sound is not as chaotic and noisy (I think the guitar player really found his footing here), but more precisely closer to the original UK influences. They have been, rightly, compared to CRIMINAL JUSTICE, and I am also heavily reminded of the DISTURBED or LAST RITES, but with a darker, anguished edge thanks to the lyrics in Spanish that do make you feel like you are at a dodgy gig in el DF in 1989. I really enjoy the mid-paced number “Apatia de la Raza Humana” with its Horror Epics tribal beats, and the heavy nod to WRETCHED on the closing number (with lyrics in Italian) obviously speaks to the inner nerd. Synchronically speaking, you could see LUMPEN in the same light as bands like PRIMER REGIMEN, SAVAGEHEADS, or the MASSACRED, but with time, they did manage to find their spot in what has become a busy subgenre. Make no mistakes, these punks are for real. Another solid release from Discos Enfermos.