Kaleidoscope Cities of Fear LP
Building on an impressive catalog of top-tier releases, KALEIDOSCOPE is back with their most savage offering to date. From the drop, they plunge into a wellspring of anarcho-punk influences, with “Burning Alive” sounding like a forgotten CRUCIFIX classic. Far beyond mere mimicry, KALEIDOSCOPE alchemizes a confluence of foundational influences, yielding an album that rewards repeated listens. Not dissimilar to companion bands STRAW MAN ARMY and TOWER 7, they springboard from the familiar into an uncharted territory that few bands are brave enough to consider exploring. Out of this willingness to experiment emerges a mutated creature that spews venomous punk into the face of a dying society. Cities of Fear is an obvious contender for album of the year for me, and I suspect many others. Crucial and recommended in the most forceful of terms.