Reviews

Mama Goblin

Endless Swarm The Body Hammer LP

Before we start, I want you all to know that I’m trying my darnedest not to overreact. But damn, Edinburgh’s ENDLESS SWARM very blatantly and aggressively knocked it out of the park with this one. Diverse vocals that go from Muppet to megalodon in the blink of an eye, crushing riffs that suckerpunch you over and over with that classic “there is something on your shirt” trick, grinding bass with no care for public safety, a drummer who could very well be three jackhammers in a trenchcoat…it’s just as relentless and devastating as god intended powerviolence to be. Perhaps it’s because those sharp turns in composition are the eight-gen iPad to my five-year-old-with-unrestricted-screen-time brain, but I just can’t get enough of this LP and all the chaotic rage it thrives on. Oh boy, I can’t wait to annoy the shit out of my friends until they listen to this album. P.S. Am I crazy, or was that the opening riff to “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” in there??

Memory Ward Memory Ward LP

MEMORY WARD’s self-titled LP is an ugly mess of rumbling bass and drums, razor-sharp guitars, and some of the filthiest vocals ever…and I’ve never meant it in a more endearing way. It’s so intense that after its seemingly short fourteen-minute runtime, your vision will get blurry and you’ll find yourself gasping for air. Next thing you know, you’re at the breakfast aisle of a nearby Walmart with a warm blanket of blood covering everything. As you follow the crimson trail back to your bare hands, you think to yourself: is it your fault or MEMORY WARD’s? What did Tony the Tiger do to deserve this, you sick fuck? What about his husband and kids, huh? Anyways, as a big fan of extremely pissed-off, almost unintelligible, squashed-to-hell-and-back music, this thing definitely ticks all the boxes for me. Just perfect, no notes.

Maraudeur Flaschentäger LP

MARAUDER’s Flaschentäger is an absolutely mesmerizing collection of ten short and straight-to-the-point post-punk jams. Though the term post-punk is very ambiguous and rarely gives any idea to what to expect, I’m happy to say that this album turned out to be the kind that perfectly fits into my personal idea of what the term implies: an immense and somewhat liminal vibe created by the perfect alignment of tastefully minimalistic elements. With its catchy hooks, beautifully layered guitars and bass, and lovely sparkles of synth lines, Flaschentäger is one of those albums that invoke “in-between” emotions and mental states that I haven’t found the right words for yet. Sure, you can dance to it. But it’s also good for laying in bed and watching the ceiling for a while. Can’t recommend this one enough.

Melkus Discografia Due LP

Leipzig’s MELKUS has a distinct sound of their own that really enchanted me. Fast and furious sequences that smoothly transition into melodic passages, dark and mysterious garage sounds that get better and better with each layer, and catchy hooks peeking around every corner…it’s one of those albums where every part flows perfectly into the next. While guitar and bass with gloriously filthy tones lock into each other to form amazing riffs, punchy drums not only accompany them but also add another layer of that explosive energy. Charismatic vocals are definitely the cherry on top of this beautiful rock’n’roll cake, along with the momentary bursts of ear-candy from miscellaneous instruments like saxophone, organ, and synths. The dark and gritty production style of this LP complements the band’s sound flawlessly, too. I really like this one, and I’m already looking forward to their next release.

Dead Bug 6 or 12 New Songs cassette

NYC/Richmond, CA duo DEAD BUG’s 6 or 12 New Songs is not really an album, but more of an experiment on interpreting visual data and translating it into music. It goes like this: there is a zine called 5 New Songs which has cryptic drawings and enigmatic descriptions that symbolize abstract ideas for five different songs. Both members of the band work alone to write and record their respective sides with their interpretation of what those songs would sound like. The results are really interesting and it’s definitely a thought-provoking experiment. But I think reviewing and trying to describe how it sounds would defeat its purpose, as it requires listeners to connect the dots between the music and the visuals. I highly recommend checking it out and maybe even trying it yourself.

Optic Sink Lucky Number LP

Tennessee’s OPTIC SINK delivers eight synth-driven post-punk tracks with their LP Lucky Number. While thoughtfully layered drum machine beats and bass lines akin to Peter Hook’s melodic style form a strong foundation for the album, analog and unpolished synth tracks provide a nice, gritty top layer for Natalie Hoffmann of NOTS to sing over. Though not as front and center, guitars help strengthen the melodic content significantly. All in all, it’s a nice album to sway along and wander off.

Nape Neck The Shallowest End LP

I won’t beat around the bush, folks—Leeds trio NAPE NECK’s first LP The Shallowest End utterly and totally stunned me. This thing is a perfect mess of puzzling bass lines, proudly no wave guitars, and incredibly fucked-up drum beats. What’s crazier is the fact that all three members are singing while breezing through those dazzling signature changes and sharp turns in composition. I mean, how? How is it possible for three people to make that much noise and make it make sense? It’s an absolutely explosive and electrifying noise rock freakout, and I’m head over heels in love with it. Ring-ring: Hey Alex, I know I already submitted it, but is it possible to make a few changes to my year-end top ten?

Total Vacation Balloons cassette

California’s TOTAL VACATION packs up eleven short and sweet, full-throttle hardcore punk gems in their latest release, Balloons. It’s not one of those records that takes itself too seriously and that’s exactly why I love it. “Tough-guy hardcore” is good and all, but I think we need more of what TOTAL VACATION is bringing to the table: songs that are fun yet still grounded in the realities of the world. I personally love drum-dominated recordings, and this surely is one of them. It doesn’t mean that it has anything lacking, though. The riffs and songwriting are incredibly fun and the energy of the vocals is just perfect for the sound. The muffled, lo-fi nature of the recording and occasional sloppiness definitely add to the raw energy of the record, too. If you are a fan of the JUDY AND THE JERKS and have been in the search of something to scratch that itch, definitely check out Balloons.

Guzoo Compilado cassette

The moment I heard the drum intro on the very first track, I knew I would be obsessing over this tape for the foreseeable future. And folks, I’m not ashamed to admit it, by the end of it, I was down on my knees worshipping this Chilean band GUZOO that I’ve never heard before. Yes, it’s that good. And yes, I know I’m gushing over it. But what can I say, I adore everything about this cassette: a guitar sound that would make you piss yourself, a distorted-beyond-belief bass, drums that would easily beat a Gatling gun any given day, and absolutely, disgustingly filthy vocals…all packed in a brutally and delightfully shit-fi recording. I don’t speak the language or have any idea what the lyrics are about, but thanks to the samples in between tracks, I sense that there is some SPAZZ-style tomfoolery going on. I wouldn’t be surprised, though—the record has West Coast powerviolence written all over it (I mean, duh, it literally ends with a NO COMMENT cover). While there is no doubt that GUZOO follows that path, they seem to have masterfully tailored their own unique sound. The label says it’s a compilation of their current work, but I’m not sure if it is the entirety of their discography. If not, all I can say is “For the love of everything unholy, give me every single song they’ve ever recorded, including the bedroom demos. Please and thank you.”

Agathocles / III Guerra split EP

Mallorca’s III GUERRA opens this split with some no-frills hardcore punk that has the old school attitude with a relatively modern sound. Shouty vocals drenched in delay sit on top of guitars with perfectly dialed-in distortion and gnarly bass with a strict sense of duty, while the drums punch their way through the mix. This side sounds like getting hit in the face with a concrete block that is so perfectly cut that you don’t really get mad about it. But once you get to the mincecore pioneers AGATHOCLES’s side, the sound definition degrades dramatically. It sounds as if the band recorded their side through a single AirPod’s shitty microphone, but decided to place it even closer to the hi-hat this time around. But hey, if you have any prior experience with this band, you should have seen it coming from a mile away. So, that’s kind of on you if you have any complaints. To be honest, I’m not well-versed in AGATHOCLES’ discography—I mean, who even has time for that??—but it sounds like they incorporated a tongue-in-cheek parody of Oi! punk into their sound to celebrate their bajillionth split. Yay?

Colegiata Colegiata 12″

Barcelona’s COLEGIATA dusts off the old synths and drum machines that were left in the attic and puts them to good use in their new 12” record. It’s pretty bare-bones with modest synth layers and a minimalistic approach to songwriting, yet it manages to captivate and immerse you in its gloomy universe. Though it’s mostly mid-tempo, there are some sudden tempo changes that very quickly shift the mood. If you’ve ever sunk hours into those Soviet post-punk playlists on YouTube, or listened to a couple coldwave tracks and thought “Oh boy, this is quite nice, I wish it was a bit less depressing though,” then this record might be what you’re looking for.

Level Symptom of Mankind LP

Hailing from Chico, California, LEVEL delivers a relentless and masterfully done record with Symptom of Mankind. The usual suspects of any punk band are all there, but with the intensity turned all the way up to eleven. While gnarly, crushing guitar riffs attack from all sides, the drums pummel away with maximum velocity and bloodthirst. On top of that, tough-as-nails vocals perfectly tear through the full spectrum wall of sound the band blasts towards your general direction. Something that I particularly like about this record is that deep gut-punch of bass. Although a harsh and tinny sound never goes out of style in the world of hardcore, I do appreciate the extra dimension that a full low-end adds to the band’s heaviness. All in all, LEVEL’s Symptom of Mankind is a really solid record that deserves recognition from powerviolence aficionados around the world.

Isolationsgemeinschaft Start. Stop. Zurück. LP

Look, I wasn’t alive in the ’80s and I’ve never been to Berlin, but I’ll take a wild guess: ISOLATIONSGEMEINSCHAFT’s latest LP, Start. Stop. Zurück., sounds exactly like it. Freezing cold atmosphere, gothic undertones, a bunch of analog synths, and deep-voice talk-singing in German. At this point, you should be able to perfectly imagine what this record sounds like—and there’s nothing wrong with that. I particularly enjoyed the more danceable, EBM-influenced parts of it, but it definitely has more to offer for the fans of this sound.

Missvnaries ov Charity Petrolevm Jelly cassette

Petrolevm Jelly, the latest release from Copenhagen’s MISSVNARIES OV CHARITY, is a bouquet of post-punk jams with a written invitation to the dancefloor tucked inside. Yes, it’s a traditional sound, but luckily, it’s one that never gets old. Huge drum machine beats, supportive layers of percussion, and tastefully dominant bass lines make up the groovy foundation of the cassette. Guitars add a good amount of spice to it all by going from tense to funky in a matter of seconds, and expressive vocals sit on top nicely with their cool, laidback delivery. If you have a soft spot for BUSH TETRAS and DELTA 5, this might be able to scratch that itch. Go put on your dancing shoes and give it a spin.

Havana Syndrome Demo 25 cassette

HAVANA SYNDROME’s debut Demo 25 tears through orbit and crash-lands near Buffalo, New York with an earth-shattering, sinister force. This alien breed of synth punk sounds like it was made by an invasive species and transmitted across outer space as a big “fuck you” to all the other lifeforms. Although it’s driven by melodies seemingly coming out of a toy synth, this thing isn’t fooling around or trying to be quirky. Instead, it finds a steady balance between unbridled aggression and a twisted sense of fun. The claustrophobic, lo-fi production makes you feel handcuffed to a steel pipe in a humid boiler room, while the combination of harsh drums, nasty bass, and disgustingly hysterical vocals slam your eardrums like a rusty flail. I know it doesn’t—and shouldn’t—sound fun to anyone in their right mind, but I can guarantee it absolutely is. And if you are a fan of RESEARCH REACTOR CORPORATION like I am, I know for a fact you yearn for it.

Dana Clean Living LP

Have you heard of the saying “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link?” Well, there are no weak links on DANA’s latest LP, Clean Living. Every member, every instrument, and every song is perfectly on-point and solid as they could ever be, so much so that I won’t even bother dissecting every single element of their music. Just know that DANA is like a complex organism that works in perfect harmony—and disharmony, when they want to—without breaking a sweat. Clean Living radiates this energy of boundless creative power that always enchanted me with no wave acts like JAMES CHANCE AND THE CONTORTIONS, TEENAGE JESUS AND THE JERKS, and BUSH TETRAS. While it’s possible to hear influences from these classic bands, DANA is by no means a copycat group. If you don’t mind me, I’ll just go ahead and call this album a ten out of ten. P.S. Can somebody tell me what the fuck is going on in Ohio and how they always come up with the best, the weirdest, the quirkiest post-punk imaginable? Thanks.

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.

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.

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.

Black Iron Prison Black Iron Prison LP

Here we have a fringe case of subtraction leading to something truly unique and impressive. Toronto’s BLACK IRON PRISON genuinely took me aback with their abstractive and deconstructive approach to powerviolence. But to be fair, I’m feeling bad for even trying to put this thing in a box. Is it even possible to call it powerviolence at this point? It is too constructed to call noise, but too deranged to categorize as any conventional genre. Even Iron Lung, the legendary label that constantly releases the most out-of-left-field music ever made, refrains from describing it in a literal sense. But for the sake of giving you a vague idea of what to expect, I’d say it sounds like FOOT VILLAGE and the BODY had a fucked up abomination of a baby—or rather, a featureless, hollow mold of a “baby”—and then fed it nothing but dull razor wires and dry ice. And if you want me to be slightly more descriptive, the whole LP consists only of claustrophobic, pummeling, yet weirdly ritualistic drums, and hysteric vocals of someone who is trying to rip out of their body with utmost urgency. There is occasionally some miscellaneous noise sprinkled on top as well, but that’s pretty much it. Sorry folks, no guitar, bass, or riffs today! But come on, who needs those when the whole record sounds like a bouquet of shining, sterilized, ice-cold surgical knives? It’s perfect as is, and I’m willing to fight anyone who thinks otherwise.

Nine-Eleven Fuck You Bomb Me cassette

Unlike fentanyl, drum and bass duos—not to be confused with drum’n’bass—never go out of style. With their unapologetically angry and straightforward breed of powerviolence, NINE ELEVEN sneaks up on you in a dark alley and beats the shit out of you to prove a point: it is possible to convey ungodly aggression with such a compact lineup. All six songs on this six-minute EP are structured around a freight train of a bass that crushes everything in its path, and ruthless drums that repeatedly slam you on the head with the pingiest snare ever. But it’s the pissed-off dual vocals and the occasional mindless goregrind gutturals that seals the deal for me. Fuck You Bomb Me is a great debut that I was listening to daily way before it ended up in my review bin, and it looks like it will stay that way in the foreseeable future.

Perverts Again The New Man LP

With their latest LP, Ohio’s PERVERTS AGAIN carry the torch of URANIUM CLUB’s charismatic humor and SKULL CULT’s contagious quirkiness. Sizzling, fuzzy guitars and gnarly, overdriven bass come together around solid drum grooves to make up a hypnotizingly repetitive, lovably playful and delightfully lo-fi record. With the memorable hooks, mischievous backing vocals, and fun lyricism that The New Man offers, I can guarantee that you’ll have a hard time getting this album out of your head. Well, don’t quote me on that, though—maybe you don’t like fun as much as PERVERTS AGAIN do.

Giglinger Shrapnel EP

Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, GIGLINGER makes the kind of hardcore punk that isn’t conservative when it comes to incorporating influences from outside the genre. Their four-song EP Shrapnel displays that very clearly. With vocals that sound like they’re coming out of a megaphone, a strong rhythm section, ear-candy guitar layers, and sudden changes in song structure, you can tell that they have a unique vision to create their own sound. My only complaint—and I can’t believe I’m the one saying this—is that this EP is too short. Like, annoyingly short. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really good and it left me wanting more, but all this pent-up frustration is killing me. Maybe that’s just me, though. If you’re on the run and the original versions of those two songs are way too long for your personal taste, you’re in luck—the band kindly included shorter versions on the B-side. You know, some people (like a band I know called GIGLINGER) are busy making cool music and don’t have the time to listen to a four-minute single.

Tojo Yamamoto 山本東条 10″

Named after a legendary wrestler, Kentucky’s TOJO YAMAMOTO welcomes you to a world of body slams, headlocks, and, uh…karate chops? Okay, you got me. I don’t know shit about wrestling. But if it’s as fun and engaging as this record is, I’m more than willing to give it a try. Because this whole thing sounds like a demolition derby of speaker-blowing guitars, earth-shattering bass, and slamming drums. And on top of all that wreckage, a super-energetic singer—who sounds like he might explode at any moment— is doing his victory pose for the bloodthirsty masses. If you’re a fan of gnarly riffs, synthy Velcro fuzz, and controlled chaos, the self-titled 10″ from TOJO YAMAMOTO is the perfect way to spend fifteen minutes.

Rare Spam Double Pleasure cassette

Montreal art-punks RARE SPAM’s Double Pleasure was a breath of fresh air for me. Why? Because it’s not your average “guitar album”—it’s an album in which all instruments are beautifully woven together to create a surreal tapestry. Yes, jangly and seasick guitars play a crucial role in setting the mood, but it is never to a degree that they dominate everything. The bass delivers incredibly catchy, laidback bass lines and gets bonus points from me for its mastery in the lost art of experimenting with effects on the old four-string. The drums are definitely a big part of the sound as well. Sometimes layered with drum machines, sometimes oozing with dry vintage mojo, but always, always unbelievably groovy while being minimal and modest. To top off all that, the vocals are effortlessly cool in their delivery of memorable hooks and nonchalant lyrics. Some might call it psychedelic with the way they incorporate effects, fluid tempos, and interesting soundscapes, but to assume it’s your stereotypical, run-of-the-mill psych rock would be a huge mistake.

Aufruhr Zur Liebe 3 x 3 = Nein LP

According to the label’s bio—which is the source of everything I know about this release— AUFRUHR ZUR LIEBE was only active from 1983 to 1986 in East Germany, and none of these recordings had been issued on vinyl or CD before. So, it’d be fair to say that listening to 3 x 3 = Nein feels like opening up a time capsule from an ancient, isolated civilization. Upon hearing the hypnotizing, shamanistic atmosphere of the first two tracks, I was ready to buckle up for an hour of dissociating in minimal synth soundscapes. But all of a sudden, it threw me a solid curveball with a shift to a more guitar-heavy post-punk sound. Then another with abrasive, cathartic no wave with the help of some saxophones, then another with more conventional rock’n’roll…but I don’t think the lack of coherence in sound is a big deal, considering the fact that the label stayed true to the original track lists on this compilation album. If anything, it’s a very unique and intimate experience to listen to a band lost in time, experimenting to find its voice in a different era, in a different place.

Propad Žrtve Modernega Časa EP

Oozing with DESPISE YOU influence in both sound and artwork, PROPAD’s second release Žrtve Modernega Časa goes to show that powerviolence is alive and well and living in Slovenia. It starts off with a sound collage of Oppenheimer’s iconic “I am become death” speech and news snippets on the Gaza genocide and Russia-Ukraine war layered over slow, sludgy riffs. Then, it’s all crushing guitars, hammering drums, and throat-ripping vocals attacking you from all sides, as you should expect. The last and longest song on the EP begins with the same relentless fury as the majority of songs, but it takes a sharp turn into their dark and gloomy side that you got a taste of at the very start. I must admit, the fact that they chose to end the record with Ulysses’ final message from Fallout: New Vegas convinced me that I am their exact target audience. Well, I am. Sign me up.

Pantano Es Dificil Escapar El Culto EP

I find a specific kind of joy in listening to music that has punk in its roots but doesn’t necessarily sound like punk. Mexico City’s PANTANO surely falls into this category. It has punk in its DNA, but it’s definitely not where it starts or ends. Chanting vocals, simple but captivating synths, and playful rhythms loosely remind me of the industrial milestone 20 Jazz Funk Greats—minus the eerie, noisy elements— but along with that, there is a freezing coldwave atmosphere that is present throughout the record. Es Dificil Escapar El Culto was an interesting EP, and I’m definitely keen to hear how far they will evolve their unique sound.

EKGs EKGs cassette

Damn, these guys are pissed. Like, really pissed. I’ll tread carefully with this review, because I wouldn’t want to make enemies with Pittsburgh’s EKGS. Neither should you. Their 2025 self-titled cassette is an explosive display of uncontrollable rage condensed into twelve minutes of hearing damage. Relentless drums that are hell-bent on drawing blood, nasty guitar riffs drenched in ear-piercing feedback, growling bass with enough horsepower to back everything up, and one of my absolute favorite vocal performances in recent memory…this album truly has everything I want out of a hardcore release. But you know what it lacks? Anger-management. Nope, not a smidge of it to be found. This tape managed to amaze and intimidate me the way CHARLES BRONSON’s Youth Attack! did, inarguably changing the trajectory of my taste for pissed-off music. What else could I ever want?

Killer Couture Everything is Normal CD

Sacramento rivetheads KILLER COUTURE answer the question “What if Mick Gordon played guitar for SKINNY PUPPY?” with their 2024 album Everything is Normal. Extra down-tuned guitars, heavily processed vocals, harsh drum machine beats, cold synths, and a good amount of miscellaneous noise—from what I assume is a filthy garage full of rusty power tools—show that they’ve been carefully studying the works of their influences from various eras of industrial music. Although it’s modern in the way that it’s all put together, it feels like the sum of Hot Wired Monstertrux, with its stylistic nods to the giants of the genre. Al Jourgensen would be proud.

Pal Under Your Radar cassette

I’m a bit ashamed to say that I wasn’t familiar with the music of the Cleveland, Ohio four-piece PAL prior to Under Your Radar. But oh boy, I absolutely adore everything about this release. Throughout the EP, crunchy drums and tasteful bass lines lay down a very danceable foundation, while highly modulated guitar melodies and minimal synth licks keep a tight call-and-response dynamic that sounds like you’re listening to a playful yet heated argument. To top it all off, the lyricism and delivery of the vocals perfectly encapsulate the manic nature of the band’s very unique and quirky sound. Under Your Radar reminds me of C.C.T.V. and SPLLIT with its sonic palette, mannerisms, and upside-down approach to songwriting. Seems like PAL released this cassette directly to my 2025 year-end top ten. Just perfect—no notes.

The Hahas and The Blablas The Hahas and The Blablas LP

Zagreb, Croatia’s the HAHAS AND THE BLABLAS have been on my watch list ever since I came across the music video for their lead single on Tremendo Garaje. Even though it runs just under a minute, it was more than enough for me to fall in love with them. And now, about a year later, their self-titled LP is here to prove that they really are a force to be reckoned with. With bass taking the lead most of the time and toy-ish synthesizers playing the catchiest melodies you’ve ever heard, the guitar and drums take supporting roles and dutifully hold everything together like Super Glue. But to me, the expressive vocals and tongue-in-cheek lyricism are what makes this album extremely addictive. Slice-of-life themes of the album include, but are not limited to: frustration with bureaucracy, the myth of “fixing it in the mix,” wanting to marry Debbie Harry, and—though I have my doubts about this one—Andy Kaufman not being their dad. The whole thing is filled to the brim with childlike wonder, silly jokes, and hooks that are impossible not to sing along to. I’d argue that the HAHAS AND THE BLABLAS are the long-awaited spiritual successor to the B-52’S, but you wouldn’t believe me. So be it. Go ahead, give it a spin and weep!

Skull Cult Can You See What I Mean? EP

Let’s get something out of the way real quick. We all agree that this is the best album cover on this godforsaken planet, right? Yes? Good. From the epicenter of egg-punk (or weird punk, if you’re too cool for that), Indiana’s SKULL CULT has proved again and again that they mean business, and has been a staple in my personal hall of fame ever since I first heard of them. This year’s Can You See What I Mean? sounds like they’ve dialed down the weirdness a bit and leaned into the catchiness element. Don’t get me wrong, all the things that made SKULL CULT great in the first place are present throughout the EP. Blown-out guitars, hyperactive drums, sick bass lines, nice synth melodies, and batshit insane vocals are still front and center, just a bit more modest. To me, Can You See What I Mean? signals a slightly new direction for the band, one that I’m curious to see where it leads.

NTSC PAL Full of Spots cassette

Sometimes you don’t really need much to make kickass music. You don’t need intricate songwriting, a full band of virtuosos, crystal clear production, or lyrics that give Shakespeare a run for his money. I mean, wasn’t this the whole premise of punk rock in its early days? You just need the attitude, style and intent. It really can be as simple as “Here are three chords, go start a band,” and you don’t even need to start a band nowadays. Melbourne’s egg-punk powerhouse BILLIAM knows this by heart and proves it once again in his new no-strings solo affair, NTSC PAL’s first EP Full of Spots. It’s very stripped-down: just synths, drums and vocals, à la the SCREAMERS (duh). Even though we all know that BILLIAM is more than capable of coming up with billiams of sick guitar riffs in a heartbeat, he makes the conscious decision not to by leaving out guitars all together and focusing on simple earworm synth melodies this time around. I don’t know about you, but I think there’s something magical in something so simple and barebones. Though technically not a BILLIAM release, NTSC PAL’s Full of Spots is my favorite entry to the BILLIAM-verse to date.

Scooter Jay Punk Floyd and the Moral Faggots LP

If it wasn’t clear from the title, Toronto three-piece SCOOTER JAY’s 2024 LP Punk Floyd and the Moral Faggots is an album that blends a very well-defined ’70s psychedelic rock sound with power pop sensibilities and undeniable punk attitude. Although the majority of the album is high-energy, it’s not just fast and loose rock’n’roll. There are some tracks that let you breathe, some that make you bob your head, and some that make you dance around your room. Everything sounds structured and ordered purposefully in a way that it doesn’t get boring at any point. Throughout the album, layers upon layers upon layers of sometimes raw and razor-sharp, sometimes acid-laced and surreal guitar tracks take the lead. With the help of tightly locked drums and bass, occasional keys, and expressive yet nonchalant vocals, the album takes its ultimate groovy form. The overall production of the LP sounds very traditionally early psych in some ways, but also novel when it comes to adding new dimensions to its sonic landscape. Though this LP was my introduction to SCOOTER JAY, I’m genuinely and totally blown away!

Extortion Threats EP

Australian powerviolence legends EXTORTION have once again blessed us with another tough-as-nails, full-throttle fastcore release. Actually, calling it fastcore wouldn’t do it justice. It should also be called tight-core, considering how unbelievably well-performed it is. As you finish the first song, which is just sixteen seconds long, you think to yourself “Whew, that was crazy. Surely it will slow down at some point!” Then guess what? You get sucker-punched into oblivion over and over by fifteen songs in a grand total of eight minutes. Every millisecond of Threats is jam-packed with raw, unadulterated aggression. The kind that you miss the moment you blink. It was one of my favorite releases of 2024 and after giving it about a hundred more listens, I’m happy to say that it absolutely still is.

Sprgrs EP1 cassette

There is no doubt that Barcelona trailblazers PRISON AFFAIR changed the trajectory of egg-punk with their unique take on the sound, becoming everyone’s favorite band at some point. But they’re by no means all that the rich Spanish scene has to offer. Granada/Jaén band SPRGRS manages to scratch that same itch and put themselves on the map with their 2023 debut EP1. It’s wobbly, it’s quirky, and it’s delightfully lo-fi. Seasick guitar melodies drenched in vibrato are perfectly accompanied by tasteful bass lines. While they take turns under the spotlight, they are always in lockstep thanks to the simple yet punchy electronic drums keeping the groove going at all times. Vocals are relatively deadpan throughout the EP and provide a nice juxtaposition to the dancy and quirky nature of their music. The EP’s runtime is around nine minutes, so you really can’t go wrong with it. And if you’re already a fan of the genre, chances are you’ll love it.

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.

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.