Fucko is an abrasively fast, no-nonsense hardcore EP. The five tracks on this cassette each barely go beyond the one-minute mark, hitting with the strength and the attitude of a band playing CBGB in the ’80s. Songs like “Negative Nancy” and “No Going Back” come and go in the blink of an eye, but the tight playing and chaotic groove keep it very memorable. After five years, PSYOP is delivering in the greatest manner. A modern banger.
PSYOP’s Dare to Live, recorded in West Liberty, Iowa in 2022 and released through Iowa City’s DIY label Pokeys Recordz, is a blistering, no-frills hardcore attack from the Midwest. This four-piece band puts speed above precision with these eight guitar-driven songs, each never crossing the two-minute mark. While most of these songs would fit right in on an ’80s hardcore comp, at times they also veer into noise rock territory, like in “State Violence,” which echoes the dissonant weirdness of Goo-era SONIC YOUTH. Singer Dolly Sperry (also of BOOTCAMP) sing-talks lyrics tackling topics like war apathy and police brutality, rejecting meat consumption and finding solidarity in an anti-authoritarian tribe. It’s raw, urgent, and unpolished in the best possible way. I hope they lean further into the weird without sacrificing the energy. Check out the track “Dare to Live.”
