Reviews

MRR #518 • July 2026

3 the Hardway Sex Cymbal cassette

Solid three-song EP here. This has a real ’90s vibe and will take you back in time to when riot grrrl was queen. Sex Cymbal hits all the sweet spots of lo-fi and noise, and at times reminds me of the classic acts such as GOD IS MY CO-PILOT and AIDS WOLF. There’s a bit of a rock’n’roll edge here, but it’s paired with a slow, sludgy cadence. It really felt like the rest of the world was melting around me. Perfect for those hot and heavy summer days which are bound to be fruitful in our current hellscape. Bonus points for having a singing drummer—I’ve always loved that combo! Give this a couple plays and melt with me.

Arms Dealer Mututally Assured Destruction cassette

This tape looks great. Totally homemade cut’n’paste cover with about as much artistic craft as a six-year-old. I love it, and the music is on par with the visuals: four songs and four minutes of punk chaos for people who like their “music” raw, juvenile and to-the-point. Primitive D-beat hardcore with no production value but a lot of energy. AD’NAUSEAM traveling in Sweden and Japan, maybe? I understand members of ARMS DEALER also play in a band called BEER PISS, if that can give you any indication. These kids are from Athens, Georgia, and the tape is released on Hard Tack, a local tape label supporting the local scene. Not exactly Emmy Award quality, but good enough to drink yourself silly on a Friday night.

Choncy Trademark LP

Third release from Cincinnati’s CHONCY. Their angular approach, with clean, frenetic guitars (think D. Boon tone) and lightly distorted vocals, is at the forefront of this album. 2023’s Community Chest and 2024’s 20X Multiplier offered a wider range, with more full-belly guitar distortion and hardcore arrangements, but also plenty of the angularity and sharp rhythm changes that are evident on this release. If Trademark is a move towards honing their sound, I don’t mind. These songs are fast, catchy, and driving, if not a little needling with those piercing guitar riffs. The vocals are provocative in a comedic way, and the whole package reminds me of (a slightly less serious) STRAW MAN ARMY. Apparently, their members now split time between Cincinnati and New York, doing remote recordings and phone calls—but distance be damned! They’ve put out a solid record.

Cream Soda Serving You… LP

Just what exactly is CREAM SODA Serving You? How about fifteen gleaming garage pop freakouts from the mythic Medway Delta? This debut LP showcases the band’s sharp take on the ’60s-inspired rock’n’roll sound that the Kent, England area is famous for, and these three lads are certainly old souls. They’re only in their late teens, and this classic type of racket usually doesn’t originate from such spry young upstarts. Are they the illegitimate children of Billy Childish? If not, he may want to adopt them. They’ve followed in his footsteps brilliantly, adding in a few new moves along the way. Check out “Victim of the Medway Towns,” “On the Side of Evil,” and “2 for 1” for a proper taste.

Blanket of M / Dead Don’t Lie Mayhem & Madness split CD

Short, sharp punk bursts from BLANKET OF M, absolutely classic sounds that land somewhere between MISFITS, the SPITS, and rough ’90s punk with layers of hopelessly catchy vocals. DEAD DON’T DIE are less appealing to these ears, kinda like your awkward uncle’s horror punk band except this shit is sloppier and the attempt at vocal croons makes me cringe. I gave up after the line “Maybe I’ll get a sloppy blowjob” in the second track (“Serial Killer”), and I backed up to listen to BLANKET OF M again.

Dead End Lane Crush LP

Pop punk/ska in the vein of many Fat Wreck bands, yet keeping their own original and fresh approach. Erin’s singing style and her lyrical content hold a unique perspective that help to move the Crush LP above similar-sounding bands. “Antisocial,” with an intro nod to J CHURCH, propels you through common antisocial feelings, while being so catchy that you wanna run around and sing it with a chorus of strangers at the top of your lungs. Overall, these ten songs take enough twists and turns to not only keep your interest, but a few may even make it onto your summertime mixtape for driving around to get a 3 am Slurpee with friends or alone, perhaps.

Fashion Bathers III cassette

Solo project of Joe Warkentin from Winnipeg, Manitoba. From what I can tell, Canada Joe seems to be a grindcore/death metal/extreme music head, and FASHION BATHERS is his foray into synth-heavy power pop/pop punk. I’ve seen similar attempts a few times over my years in punk, where someone mostly known for making more extreme music takes the plunge into one of the poppier realms under the greater punk umbrella, and it often translates surprisingly well. This project is no exception. FASHION BATHERS sound a lot like the MARKED MEN, but you know, if their songs were performed by the animatronic robot band at an arcade. These nine songs were originally self-released digitally in 2020, but have now been given the tape treatment by Knuckles on Stun. If you dig this, you’ll be happy to know that FASHION BATHERS have a bunch of other recordings out there. Whether or not the project performs live remains unknown to me, but I’d love to see them if they do.

Gentilesky Dream LP

This LP, the band’s second, is the first I’m hearing of this Sardinian/Istanbulite act. I somehow missed their 2024 debut, so I was thrown for a bit of a loop when I got some slick-as-shit melodic post-punk instead of the BO DIDDLEY beats and SONICS-y yowls, maybe some harmonica I expected—you know, your standard Slovenly Euro garage fare. The band even has ties to the RIPPERS, who might be thee paradigmatic Slovenly Euro garage act! Bait-and-switch aside, this record has its moments. There’s a big GANG OF FOUR influence running through the nine tracks that make up the record, and when they hew close to that sound, I’m into it. When they stray into math rock territory, I’m less interested. I do think the recording is a tad too polished, and the band has a tendency to launch into some relatively grandiose choruses that seem a little too…”obvious” doesn’t seem like the right word, but it’s getting close. Still, some great songs here. Fans of their debut (which I’ve since gone back and listened to and is maybe more my speed) should find plenty to like.

Giglinger Kasåkern LP

Post-punk from Finland that centers the locked-in bass and drums and moody vocals of the genre, while also incorporating heavy melodic moments that recall ’90s alt-rock bands like a JOY DIVISION/FAILURE blend. And it works! The spacey repetition of “Singularity” maintains its upbeat jam for over eight minutes and explodes with anthemic, fist-in-the-air choruses. “Holy Gasoline” takes a hooky lead guitar line and ignites it into the type of quiet/loud mega-riff that made Billy Corgan lots of money. I found myself waiting for the building crescendo of each song, the pounding tom and snare cadence and power chord chugging, to release into huge rock exultations, and it kept happening! It’s a simple rock formula that tickles big-riff lizard brains, but when it works, it works so well. GIGLINGER has done an interesting thing by pairing the structure with post-punk lyrics and themes, creating a crisply produced and satisfying guitar rock album.

Intimidation Cheap & American 12″

Right off the bat, these guys let you know where they are coming from with the cover art featuring a bunch of empty Budweiser bottles and cans. It’s rough-and-tumble American Oi!, fueled by cheap beer and ready to throw down in the gutter. The vocals are gruff, there’s a classic feel to a lot of the riffs and leads, and there’s not a song over three minutes. No complaints here. Turn it up!

Kläpträp The Infernal Machination… LP

There are bands whose style you can guess with ease just by checking who’s playing in them. With Stick (from DOOM, EXCREMENT OF WAR, and RUIN) and Steph (from the seemingly immortal VISIONS OF WAR) being involved in KLÄPTRÄP, even slow-witted punks can understand that crusty käng hardcore is close on the horizon, and that deodorant will not be necessary to enjoy the music. This first LP released on the always reliable Phobia Records is the next logical step from their highly enjoyable 2023 demo. It is recorded better, more energetic, more aggressive, and there is (a bit) more variety. Have no fear though, the band’s dirty compass firmly points to DISCHARGE-loving Sweden with classic riffs played convincingly. Galloping Scandicore not unlike EXCREMENT OF WAR (duh), with brilliant female vocals reminiscent of early SACRILEGE and early PINK TURDS—powerful shouts of anger rather than growls or shrieks—that set the band apart for me. I am sure that you already made up your mind as to whether or not you are going to enjoy this, but I suggest you give it a go. Old crusties never die.

Mulbo Mol-bot cassette

Hailing from Oslo, MOLBO’s Mol-bot is a beautifully chaotic combination of razor-sharp guitar melodies, driving bass riffs, expressive vocals, and straightforward drum beats. Though it can fundamentally be categorized as egg-punk, it is leaning a bit towards the chain side of the egg/chain spectrum, which I really enjoy—and if you have a clue what I’m referring to, you’re probably as insufferable as I am. It is a short and sweet collection of six really cool tracks, and definitely a great introduction to the band itself.

Private Prisons Prison Planet LP

I have mixed feelings about Cleveland’s PRIVATE PRISONS and their debut LP Prison Planet, a decent record with some very good songs and also some not very good songs that unfortunately hold it back from being great. Opening with the thrashy “Dead Peasant Policy,” the band showcases solid riffs, vocals, and rhythm section. It’s a promising start that’s derailed as they go on to introduce heavy-handed metallic elements like sluggish, mid-tempo breakdowns and low-register growled vocals, both of which put a damper on things. The overall effect comes off as two competing ideas of what this band could be smashed into one not-so-cohesive record. There are about five songs I’d cherry pick from this LP to make an excellent EP if given the chance.

Rudimentary Peni The E.P.’s of R.P. LP reissue

Between 1981 and 1982, RUDIMENTARY PENI released two recordings: a twelve-track tome of an EP self-released through their own Outer Himalayan imprint, and the Farce EP released through Crass Records. These recordings were combined in 1987 and released through Corpus Christi as a document of pre-Death Church activity. Fast forward to 2026, where Sealed Records has reissued The E.P.’s of R.P. complete with the original Nick Blinko-drawn sleeve, and even more fresh Blinko work on the inside. In my mind, RUDIMENTARY PENI has always represented a tectonic shift in punk—the architects of a new framework, an often-imitated but impossible-to-duplicate template, the next frontier in punk dissidence, and that is why The E.P.’s of R.P. is such an important document for highlighting the band’s developmental period. A reissue like this is truly a must-have for fans, but also an incredible collection of punk.

Šanov 1 Konec Světa LP reissue

If you’re a fan of the pure punk sound, then nothing beats the bands that come out of Eastern Europe. I don’t know if it’s a direct result of generational dictatorial trauma, but there’s a palpable dystopian darkness that oozes from each and every act. Granted, I usually have no idea what they’re singing about, but the angst is so thick you can cut it with a pocket knife. ŠANOV 1 incorporates a Gothic-flavored Oi! style that sounds like it came straight from the ’80s—instruments chock-full of reverb and biting, snotty vocals. Really solid stuff here, I’m just confused why Papagájův Hlasatel doesn’t give me the option to buy any of their albums on Bandcamp!

Screaming Eyes Screaming Eyes demo cassette

Four cuts of French SxE hardcore punk that alternates between quick, pissed-off blasts and atypical dissonant breakdowns. Rapid-fire vocals inject an energy that drives the songs and gives them character. The riffs pull from post-hardcore, but this isn’t skramz. Hardcore with jagged edges and a seething disdain for injustice. This demo is a solid foundation for a group that is clearly aiming for something outside the standard hardcore slop.

The Last Responders The Last Responders LP

The LAST RESPONDERS’ LP comes in heavy with shouted, anthemic street punk choruses and pivots directly to a devilish little mid-tempo, upbeat ska punk tune about the daily rat race of the working week. This is pretty straightforward street punk with hooks and sing-alongs. This is the kind of record that you know right away if it is something that is staying or going. For me, it’s staying. I get the feeling that the LAST RESPONDERS put on a good show and a raucous party atmosphere, but mirroring that, I am willing to bet that if you are a friend of one of these guys and you find yourself in a bind that you have them on speed dial. There’s something familial and supportive in the songwriting and delivery that transcends the common “down in the dumps” nihilism that usually accompanies this style. Look, the LAST RESPONDERS aren’t going to change your mind, introduce you to new ideas, turn you on to a new sound, or prolly smell that good when you’re in the same room with them, but I suspect that they will have your back if things get shitty, and that’s more than good enough. Check it out. You won’t be sorry that you did.

The Sacred About You / Resistance 7″

An explosive debut from a Los Angeles band that takes inspiration from the BAGS and the GERMS. The raw guitar riffs are accompanied by biting femme vocals delivered like the AVENGERS’ Penelope Houston. Outside of some YouTube clips of their live shows, there isn’t much of a digital footprint of their music, and the album isn’t streaming anywhere. Rumor has it that you can only get this record at one of their shows or at the Funhouse, the restaurant the band works at in Little Tokyo.

V/A Inherited Wasteland: Benefit Compilation for the Prairieland Defendants

Opening a comp with YELLOWCAKE, following that up with PHYSIQUE, then including local hellions HEX and DUKKHA is wild, but also guaranteed to get me to buy it. That fact that it supports the righteous cause of the Prairieland Defendants, victims of the present and ongoing political witch hunt, is something that I can absolutely get behind. Literally every active band that I’ve enjoyed over the past few years has a spot here, the flow is perfection, and the breadth of punk included means everyone will find something that hits.

World I Hate Total Nuclear Annihilation LP

A furious soundtrack for late-stage capitalism’s funeral procession. WORLD I HATE delivers exactly what the title promises: twelve tracks of scorched-earth hardcore. Harshly bleak and confrontational. Keith Caves’ artwork matches the record’s worldview perfectly. Metallic hardcore and modern powerviolence are the cards that they have up their sleeves. The relentless pace and short song lengths evoke WEEKEND NACHOS and INFEST, while the crushing mid-tempo sections recall TRAP THEM and early HARM’S WAY. There are also traces of the suffocating atmosphere and social paranoia found in bands like CURSED. Tracks like “Disappeared,” “Less Than Zero,” and the title track channel rage at state violence, economic exploitation, and social decay into compact bursts rarely exceeding two minutes. Weaponized anger!