Reviews

Moo Cow

Death Ridge Boys Fooled Again / Situation 7″

Two years after their debut album, Portland’s best Oi!/punk combo return with a strong new single. The A-side is of course the hit, a mid-tempo burner with a PARTISANS meets COCK SPARRER vibe, a huge catchy chorus, and brilliant lyrics regarding the intersection of fascist appeals and the working class. “Situation” is a blunt look at the climate crisis, with a bit more of a hardcore edge that reminds me quite a bit of the early work of DC’s SUSPECTS (one of the best, if most under the radar, American Oi!/punk bands ever). The material is great, and in these fence-sitting times with authoritarianism on the rise, the politics are even better.

Just Ice Sleep EP

JUST ICE plays extremely tight rhythmic grooving hardcore from outer space and Quebec, somewhere between LIFE OF AGONY in harmony, MÖRKHIMMEL in heavy darkness, NECRO (the rapper) and INTEGRITY in vocal grit, and VISION OF DISORDER in hooks and fury. But the cool thing about JUST ICE is that they make it sound so easy. It is very well-produced and grabs you on every track. Backing vocals meld everything together with the winded yet bellowing and strained lead vocals. Breakdowns galore run through, but it never gets boring, with lots of tempo changing and hardcore riffage. Listening to JUST ICE is kind of like watching a gnarly fearless street skater who is just nailing everything. Looks like this is limited to only 100 copies (for the second press!) and at the time of writing this, only fourteen remain. From 2019, and I hope this review moves a few, because it’s damned good grooving hardcore with a shit-ton of heart and a frigid hard stance.

Nox Novacula Hitchhiker / Drug 7″

While it may be best to lump NOX NOVACULA under goth or post-punk, that would do a disservice to their sound. While many goth-inspired bands worship at the feet of ’80s mainstays, this EP has a very modern feel, and one inspired by acts that have been inspired by the post-metal world. The tense verses in “Hitchhiker” scream CHELSEA WOLFE or MARRIAGES, which give way to a more dark punk sounding chorus that provides both a sense of resolution and desperation at the same time. “Drug” has a bit more of an atmospheric feel, perhaps thanks to the synths, with a danceable chorus that somehow adds to the tumult of the vocalist’s lyrics. In all, the variety and originality in this little EP could win over deathrock naysayers.