Reviews

MRR #507 • August 2025

Animals Revenge Invasión // Destrucción EP

No bullshit, just D-beat. Controlled chaos on this three-song blast from Tijuana—their dis-attack feels like it’s on the edge of collapse at all times,the tension that results is like a drug, and I’m tryna get fucked up listening to this shit. More, please. The closer “Perro Tráfico” is a short and restrained number that closes the release in the most brutal manner; this is the mid-tempo dis-banger that is supposed to (if you’re following the formula) come in the middle of the first side of the album before the band really unleashes. But here? It’s the end. So I’m not just wanting more at the end, my mind is demanding more at the end. Total fukkn dis-banger of the highest order, highly recommended.

Anticitizen Take to the Streets LP

Is it weird to think that this band is mis-marketing themselves? From the spikes and the spiked hair and the pictures of them snarling at the camera with spiked wrist bands, I feel like they want to be a street punk band, but they are more than that, and better than that, methinks. They are from New Jersey, and I love New Jersey, from the mountains, the Delaware Water Gap, Princeton Record Exchange, Pine Barrens, and the Jersey City and Newark areas, but I’m not sure which part these guys are from. This could be a great hardcore record, like NAUSEA, DEAD SILENCE, CELEBRITY MURDERS, or some of the fast BORN AGAINST songs. But then ANTICITIZEN will self-sabotage with “Drink, Smoke, Fuck, Die!” if only because it doesn’t fit in with the more penetrating and thoughtful approach of the prior four songs. Some of the standouts are “Blood Money” and “They Live, We Sleep.” I’ve never been a fan of songs about “punk” or being “punk,” the same way I don’t care about a country band talking about how they are so totally country because of their “beer, dog, truck, or (insert your best),”, and this record does have a few of those songs. However, if you get past the easy stuff and dig into the songs like “100 Seconds” or “Industrialized Sacrifice,” then you’ll find a pretty great and thoughtful New Jersey/New York hardcore record that maybe should have been seven songs instead of twelve. But dang, those seven songs are rippers for the ages and could go one-on-one against some of the greats.

Billiam Sylvie S Goes to Hawaii EP

The prolific BILLIAM is back again, this time with a quasi-concept EP. The A-side finds BILLIAM doing his version of an eggy MEAT LOAF, with a five-minute tale in mini movements about a vacation gone wrong. And sure, an “eggy meat loaf” might sound gross on paper, but it sounds great in the ears. While the A-side is one five-minute song, the B-side finds the inverse with five one-minute songs. Frenetic sounds that feel like they overheat and explode at any moment, but BILLIAM has it all under control. Fans of the storied, modern Australian sounds like 1-800-MIKEY and TEE VEE REPAIRMANN will of course feel right at home here.

Body Maintenance Far From Here LP

If you, like me, are just hearing of this Melbourne-based post-punk band, then listen up: BODY MAINTENANCE may become your latest obsession. This is their second LP, after 2023’s Beside You—Far From Here stands up with ’80s UK greats like First and Last and Always and In the Flat Field, with the vocal authority of The Black Album-era Dave Vanian. I hear lots of jangly acoustic guitar, keeping rhythm with the tom-heavy drums, under tragic electric riffs, soaring synths, and gurgling bass. The rhythms have a danceable gait to them, contrasting with the dark and downcast nature of the melodies and lyrics. This will easily make my year-end top ten list. Gripping, heartfelt, melancholic and bold.

Cam Girl Flesh & Chrome LP

For an album that was self-released, the production here is really off the charts. This would be right at home on my local hard rock radio station. Very reminiscent of that style of pop punk that was big during the early 2000s, like the DONNAS, BILLY TALENT, SUGARCULT, and the hair-metal-infused era of SUM 41; the kind of punk that took more of their influence from DEF LEPPARD and MEAT LOAF than your typical D-beat band. There’s also an element of theater here that really adds to the storytelling of the songs and energy. Speaking of energy—this slab is chock-full of charisma and catchy, clever lyrics. I can’t lie, readers. I didn’t expect much here, but by the end, I was hooked.

Cash Bribe Demonomics LP

My biggest qualm with CASH BRIBE’s last outing was its lack of cohesion; the songs were solid enough, but a lack of clear direction felt distracting. On their new LP Demonomics, I’ve got to give credit where credit’s due, as the band sounds a lot more dialed-in and focused. Across six tracks, CASH BRIBE takes their brand of metallic NYHC and leans into some evil overtones, most notably on the sprawling title track’s creepy intro and spoken word outro. Overall, it works, and while this still isn’t really my cup of tea, it’s great hearing a band’s progression.

Décima Víctima Un Hombre Solo LP reissue

DÉCIMA VÍCTIMA was a Spanish post-punk band from 1981–1984, and Un Hombre Solo is one of their last recordings. Un Hombre Solo is a ten-song album that merges Spanish guitar style with the flanged repetition of post-punk to form a basis for crooning vocals reminiscent of JOY DIVISION, but with a decidedly Spanish swagger similar to SINIESTRO TOTAL. It’s a similar energy to PARALISIS PERMANENTE, and DÉCIMA VÍCTIMA should be considered a basis for Spanish dark punk or the “dark sound.”  I’m infatuated with the long moments of quasi-psych-rock-inspired instrumentation that seem to pop up sporadically throughout this album and lend a sort of hard-to-describe but very distinct flavor to the proceedings. Munster Records has lovingly preserved Un Hombre Solo and presented it with only minor improvements to the album art per the band’s request, so the packaging has a fresh but also archival feel.

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-lacsidasical 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”