Reviews - MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL

Alement Banished Sphere 12″

ALEMENT is among the best current North American crust outfits. Howling devastation of the highest order, they’ve been honing their craft for a decade, and 2024’s Banished Sphere lands like the realization of those efforts. Think MISERY and AMEBIX as reference points for sure, but the metallic churn is special—“Surreal Wisdom” as a perfect example, while “Ritual Perdition” owes as much to Metal Blade-era SLAYER as to AMEBIX. Vocals are like a desperate warning and the riffs churn, repetitive pummeling spread out over six apocalyptic movements. This listens like a fully-realized recording (and release), less common in this era of streams and tracks and extremely welcome to these ears.

Blanket of M Fever on Front Street… CD

Not to be confused with M BLANKET, BLANKET OF M plops out a bouncing live album that leaves you with a good understanding of what the band is all about. Although they hail from Tyler, TX, there is a heavy East Coast and WESTON sense to their pop punk that comes off more on the non-live tracks on their Bandcamp page. The slower tunes have a definite RAMONES vibe with a side smile to the MISFITS. I usually hate live punk recordings as they tend to sound horrible, muddy, and the band, overall, is far, far less interesting than in their recorded material, but this stands out. Great crowd sounds with tons of tight friends, a few inside jokes, and probably jumping around and such. I would most certainly go check them out if they ever played within 40 minutes of where I live.

Caving Grounds Northern Desolation cassette

“Slow Violence” starts with a sample of socially engaged writer Rob Nixon explaining the concept of slow violence as the heaviness of a sludged-out riff creeps in and takes over. In essence, CAVING GROUNDS is a hardcore band, but they fire in many directions, and sludge is the main one. It’s all about the atmosphere with CAVING GROUNDS. A bone-crushing blend of fury and riffs for the more adventurous ones out there.

The CTMF For Your Love EP

I love just about anything that Billy Childish touches. No lie. I can see how some people may go the opposite way. I just like that sound. If you’re waiting for me to say that this is some sort of an exception, it isn’t. Like most of his stuff, this one’s got a very ’60s garage rock sound to it, starting with the choice of a song to cover. I don’t find the YARDBIRDS cover particularly innovative, but the band certainly is well-suited to cover the song (“For Your Love”). The other two cuts are both impressive retro-rockers. Nicely produced, achieving a nice balance of sounding garage-y, while also sounding produced but not over-produced. Long live garage rock’n’roll.

De Klok Stop the Clock LP

Experimental post-punk that (if you believe the self-mythologizing Bandcamp bio) was recorded in one day by musicians/academics from the US, France, and Belgium. Consisting of loping bass lines, skittery, jazzy drums, gurgling synths, and baritone vocals that sound like chopped-and-screwed TOM WAITS, the tracks meander with improvisational energy and occasionally touch on beauty amidst the weirdness. “Gently Roll the Tides” opens with plaintive synth chords that crash into one another until it sounds like a moaning animal and becomes oddly moving. “Sweet Summer Sound” churns with a propulsive warped blues sound, as does the sinister, driving bass on “Doctor.” On “Freerange Mycology,” the bass turns funky and has a tangled showdown with a noisy synth. It also features lyrics like “Toenail infection / Spreading to my knees / Creeping up to my eyes / Now I can see.” Far out, man. Your enjoyment of this record is equal to how much freeform studio fuckery you can handle. The musicianship is definitely there, and there is a cohesive feeling to the jams, but some tracks test the patience. Take “Beer Buy Up All Bacteria”—the extended vocal riffing on the title could have been much shorter, and we all would have been okay. Recommended to deep freaks only.

Disappearances Harrowgate LP

Chaotic, self-proclaimed “end of the world hardcore,” and it sure sounds like it. DISAPPEARANCES go deep into the heart of the issues encompassing mental health in modern society, pulling at the strings of the malaise felt with the world drifting further from balance. With members of +HIRS+ and KILL THE MAN WHO QUESTIONS, to name a few, this is a well-constructed homage to the strain of powerviolence that deals with the deeper subjects in one’s mind. Resembles a modern version of the ’90s emoviolence sound, drawing towards ORCHID or REVERSAL OF MAN, which is deeply rooted in powerviolence.

Disasseln Wohin Soll’s Denn Heute Gehen? LP

This album is as dark and hopeless as the miserable times we are inevitably crawling towards. DISASSELN does not strike me as the sort of band you would listen to on your way to the beach on a sunny day, which is fine by me, as spending an afternoon in the sand in uncomfortable trunks surrounded by rude, loud holidaymakers sounds like a Dantean circle of hell. This band hails from Bavaria, Germany, a region that cannot be said to be renowned for its punk bands (although I heard times were changing), and plays modern stenchcore with an indulgence in rotten death metal. This first album Wohin Soll’s Denn Heute Gehen? (where, indeed) is classically executed with that mid-paced D-beat that makes you want to ride the wasteland. I enjoyed it more on a second listen because of its super gruff vocals—mostly in German—reminiscent of a disgruntled, zombified bear, and the overall vibe and groove of a work that I would gladly qualify as “rotten crust metal” (it’s already copyrighted, so don’t bother). I wish they had written some slower, more epic old school crust numbers as well, and the LP sounds a tad redundant at times, but this has largely to do with my moderate love for death metal, and the band does lie more on the stenchcore side of things (probably because they can’t play well enough to play proper metal). I can imagine this lot sharing the stage with TERMINAL FILTH, DOWNWINDER, or the mighty CANCER SPREADING. A solid album for stench lovers.

Electrika Maquina Destruye Sueños EP

Wildly but deliberately chaotic Mexico City punk from the Japanese crasher school. Guitars are beyond distorted, they are straight-up tortured, while vocals sound more like the ones doing the torturing. The mid-paced parts of Maquina Destroy Sueños are where they shine, which makes the spastic “Falsedad” and the unhinged awkward speed of “Marcela” stand out, while the noise(s) that fill every crevice ensure that there will be no dull listening moments. ELECTRIKA is desperate and chaotic, and determined to remain noticed. It’s working. Do people still wear shoelace headbands? No? Might be time to start.

Famille D’Accueil Famille D’Accueil LP

I love the contrast of the nature/animal album cover with the actual vibe of their music; it’s so different that it’s immediately punk in its misdirection. Heavy-ass bass and guitar layered with intense angry vocals. “Grabuge” definitely gave me SLAYER vibes, as well as the kind of call-and-response guitar and bass in the verse of “Castration”. They kept a good variety with some of the other tracks leaning towards more classic punk. I overall really liked the start to all their songs; they really just set them all up great with just one chord or a distinct bass line or something. These guys bring so much power and energy. They’re badass.

Reviewer Emma Miller
Label DIY Koło / Fight For Your Mind / Stonehenge / Up the Punx
Issue MRR #502 • March 2025

Gu Destinati Alla Matanza 12″

Mentioning Italian hardcore over dinner will always get my attention away from the food, as I have been a sucker for the genre since I grabbed a homemade tape of WRETCHED’s discography sometime in the early ’00s (how I remember this precise moment but not what I did yesterday always amazes me). The Italian language is undeniably a great language for furious hardcore punk, as it allows the singer to engage in that kind of fast-paced, rapid-fire lyrical flow while still keeping the anger level high and in-your-face. I was expecting GU to belong to that old school hardcore department, but they do not really, although at times I can find some delicious traces of classic Italian hardcore in their music. I would argue that GU is a hardcore band with lyrics in Italian (they are from Amsterdam, actually), rather than an Italian hardcore band (speaking in terms of genre, not nationality). Know what I mean? It is all a bit modern-sounding to me, I am afraid, with some metallic breakdowns and an overall clean production. I like some of the faster, more direct songs, but other numbers confuse me a little and I end up not understanding what they aim at achieving. It is well-executed enough, sincere, and has versatility, just not my thing—but I was able to listen to the whole of Destinati Alla Mattanza thanks to the strong female vocals, angry but clear with a snottiness to them.

Jacket Burner Tonite EP

There are a lot of punks here in New Mexico, but for whatever reason, there are a rare few who produce fast and fuzzed garage punk in this tradition. I was thrilled to hear there was a new Goodbye Boozy release from a solo project just outside my backyard in the remote and strange little town of Truth or Consequences. And does it ever deliver! JACKET BURNER is beautifully constructed, hook-laden and no-nonsense garage punk with the riffs and attitude to send it home. A track like “Cold Leather” shines a light on the strength of this project: it’s sing-along but spiky, and while it has a homemade sound, the production is really smartly done. Every instrument holds its own space, including the payphone-receiver vocals which still manage to come through loud and clear. The whole EP strikes a balance between intelligence and ignorance and lands right in the sweet spot. Smart music that makes you feel dumb, which only a rare few purveyors can do. When you find someone cranking out that kind of wattage, you stay plugged into it if you know what’s good for you.

The Kewpie Dolls Bad Boy Mine EP

This thing is for sure kind of kitschy. No chance anyone could deny that. And I could see someone just not liking it. That’s the risk you run with kitsch. But I do like it. The KEWPIE DOLLS are an all “girl” band that deliver super lo-fi, but solid, garage rock with elements of doo-wop, surf, and jangly ’60s flair. Four cuts, and all four just hum right along. Look for them at a garage festival where most of the other bands will have a very similar sound. If that sounded mean, it really wasn’t supposed to. The cover of “Justine” is nicely done.

Lohn Der Angst Untergang vom Untergang cassette

Berlin duo that produces a menacing racket with bass-heavy arpeggiated synth lines, drums, and yelled vocals. While not as terrifying as say, SUICIDE, LOHN DER ANGST creates a mechanized post-punk that is minimal in composition but very effective. Tracks like “Reaktion” and “Das Kalte Molekül” have a propulsive groove that becomes almost catchy through repetition. Recommended!

Ritchie Magnum & the Demolitions Ritchie Magnum & the Demolitions cassette

Five songs of fuzzed-out, instrumental surf rock. Toe-tapping, catchy tunes all heavy on the distorted electric guitar. With no information in the tape and no online presence, I’ve got to work to try to give some information here. RITCHIE MAGNUM is from Tacoma, Washington and was the singer/lead guitarist in stoner heavy metal band COSMIC TRASH, ditching the bongs and the microphones for some twang and tremolo, and if you ask me it’s the right move. There’s nothing overly remarkable here and RITCHIE surely isn’t reinventing the wheel with surf music, but maybe that’s a good thing. “Ponderosa” gives us a pretty clear off-take on “Rumble,” while the guitar lick in “Gimme Yer Bag” is sure to swim around in your brain long after the tape stops. Not sure how to tell you to get your hands on one of these, as the band and label have no internet presence that I could find.

Negative Degree Last Breath EP

Good catchy North American hardcore sound. This would fit in anywhere from 1982–2025. Nice breakdowns, strong vocals, pinpoint drumming, and the guitars lead the way. You know you want this, I’ve liked it more each time I listened to it. Good stuff. Don’t let this slip under the radar. There is an extra track on the digital version.

Open Wounds Look in the Mirror EP

Last seen in 2019, OPEN WOUNDS pick up where they left off with an upbeat, melodic take on hardcore punk. Look in the Mirror gives us six concise cuts of peppy, well-produced punk with nods to the classics of ‘80s USHC, particularly the youth crew variety like 7 SECONDS. The label’s description refers to OPEN WOUNDS as an “angry but friendly beast,” which feels right. There’s an undeniable posi vibe that undergirds the songs, manifesting in lyrics about self-improvement and stuff like that. This is absolutely of a piece with their previous releases, so if you like those, it’s safe to say you’ll like this, too.

Power Pants PP7 cassette

I love this. With my whole heart, I love this. For me, it is checking all of the right boxes: sounds like it’s recorded in a bucket at the bottom of a well under 3/16” of water, they got a keyboard down there, the SPITS and LUMPY & THE DUMPERS botched a cloned baby experiment, could be on Total Punk or Goner Records, bouncy like some and creepy like others, and on and on. I would wish this tape would be my valentine for Valentine’s Day. I bet we’d chug Yoo-hoo and talk shit all evening. I’ve heard people call this style egg-punk or DEVO-core because of the satirical lyrics, quirky structure, and lo-fi sound with high-tech equipment. Call it whatever you want, as long as you allow it to find a way into your ear holes. This isn’t something that is going to change your life, but it is something that you would probably play once a year to reset your own botched clone baby brain.

Retsu Retsu LP

Debut LP from this band featuring members of DOOM and the MASOCHISTS. This is some outstanding English hardcore punk with some crust thrown in. I love the vocals that remind me a little bit of RUDIMENTARY PENI, punchy and sung over tough-as-nails guitar riffs. When I was in England last year, I was supposed to go see this band but something happened and I wasn’t able to see them. It’s nice to finally get some recorded output from this band. I’m a big fan.

Rogo In Un Mondo Senza Violenza LP

Roman hardcore/D-beat with a thread of black metal woven through the LP’s fabric—ROGO (not to be confused by the Lombardian band with the same name) delivers consistent WOLFPACK-inspired nihilism. This is the first offering from the band, which features a member (or two??) from SECT MARK, who I fondly remember from their 2021 promo. ROGO plays in a meat grinder for sure, it’s a cruel sound that creates a downpour wall-of-sound rage. “Sanzatteto,” “Creature Scomode,” and “El Dia De Mi Suerta” are proper illustrations of what the LP threatens.

Scary Hours Can’t Contend cassette

Brutal crowd-killer metalcore that brings to mind all the classics that helped mold the genre such as DEADGUY, DAMNATION A.D., and the KILLER. There’s also an atmospheric black metal meets slam-core edge that I think really helps this stand out among their contemporaries. The drums on this record are mind-melting—completely out of the pocket while remaining extremely tight. I had to check to make sure this wasn’t a drum machine. I’m actually still not sure. No one lists their personnel on their Bandcamp pages anymore. Is it cringe to do so in 2025? Finally here, I’ve gotta give props to the vocalist who utilizes a hardy, pure shouting style as opposed to the grunting and growls you typically hear in this genre. Gives it more of a raw and natural feel. If you’re nostalgic for early ’00s hardcore, then you’ll love this.

Shove Agency LP

Excellent punk from Down Under—SHOVE is a part of the stellar wave of bands from Australia crushing it right now. On Agency, they lay down thirteen tracks filled with nasty bass lines and powerhouse drumming, all led by lead singer Bella’s excellent vocals. In many ways, they remind me of my fellow Chicagoans STRESS POSITIONS. A favorite album from last year that I can only hope to hear live in the Midwest someday.

Śmierć Opór LP

Swedish D-beat punk band ŚMIERĆ has been playing together for nearly a decade now. Drawing inspiration from 1980s Polish punk, ŚMIERĆ espouses an alchemical outlook on the D-beat formula and infuses it with sounds from further afield. The result is a sonic adventure that ranges from anthemic punk to melancholic dirge with plenty of Mötor-charged moments in between. The Opór LP is nine songs in length and the band’s fourth available recording. In comparison to previous releases, Opór finds ŚMIERĆ pushing their sound to its furthest edges, with faster rhythms, colder tones, and extended instrumental sections. To me, I hear a lot of influence from ZBOMBARDOWANA LALECZKA, IŁ-62, and other Polish bands that embraced punk but experimented with other genres. I’m also reminded of contemporary Polish band LIFE SCARS when the more hardcore punk rock hits. The song “Das Unheimliche” is perhaps my favorite song on Opór with its eerie intro, infusion of world music, driving punk rock, and a haunting bridge.

Speed Riders Super Cheers LP

This self-described “grunge wave” band from Minneapolis has the goods when it comes to heavy psychedelia that has a bar rock center and doesn’t noodle about unnecessarily. It’s increasingly hard to find a band that jams that doesn’t bore you to tears, but here’s a great example. The music here is heavy, catchy, and even dreamy at times. While they reference grunge in their sound (and to be clear, we’re talking GREEN RIVER/MUDHONEY grunge), there is plenty more to it. It is an expansive sound dipping its beak in rock’n’roll of many eras, reminding me somewhat of the grandeur and referential sound of bands like SPIRITUALIZED and the VERVE, all with a punk rock heartbeat in its chest. What’s so exciting about this record is how many places the band can go from here. It sets the stage for a band who has a lot of ideas, great record collections, and can play their asses off. On the massive album closer “Run (Run, Run, Run),” they give a glimpse at how deep the rabbit hole might go, with its dense psych riffage and a compelling and classic vocal performance. It just keeps going, the kind of “keeps going” that makes you sad when it stops and never has you checking your watch. It’s also the perfect teaser that leaves the listener sat down with all the possibilities ahead.

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.

Tiikeri Tee Se Itse EP

A really solid power pop/punk release from Finland. With lyrics sung in what I am assuming is Finnish, I’m going off the energetic delivery and tight riffs that land this in a Venn diagram where Lookout! bands would overlap with ’77 punk—I’m thinking of a spot where SCREECHING WEASEL and the BUZZCOCKS would merge. The four short tracks are pretty infectious, and I found this on repeat for quite a few spins.

Vostok Import Three Letters CD

DIY punk out of Germany with a lighthearted edge—at least it feels that way to me. Most of these songs are in Russian or German, so I have no idea what they’re singing about. Judging by the energy and song titles, I’m gonna have to go with my gut and assume there’s a lot of tongue-in-cheek wackiness going on here. Impressive production, and everything comes off super tight. Nothing really groundbreaking here, though. Reminiscent of the late ’90s Fat Wreck sound with more pinch-harmonics. Not an album I’d find myself spinning often, but the kind of band I’d love to see live every time they came around.

Watchlist Watchlist cassette

A truly excellent debut from WATCHLIST here; totally unhinged raging punk that grabs you by the short-and-curlies and does not let up until it finishes. Vocals that exuded the kind of sneer and bile I love, and a drummer that is, quite frankly, absolutely leathering the shite out of that kit. Guitar tone is scuzzy and has the urge and menace that feels like a double shot of espresso to the gums. Get it now.

Wave of Fear Led to the Slaughter cassette

A strong debut from this Ghent, Belgium-based outfit. Straightforward, crusty raw punk with a cold and clinical delivery. With no reason to overcomplicate things, WAVE OF FEAR doesn’t bother with too many chords or tempo changes. No wanky guitar solos, no hint of a world filled with anything other than suffering, pain, and despair. Six songs, each one less than two minutes, as it should be. My only gripe is that the bass player (if there is one) seems to be getting the Jason Newsted …And Justice for All treatment. Otherwise, a solid introduction to a band to keep an eye on.

V/A Let Them Eat Coneys: 6 New Blasts of Noise From the Detroit Punk Scene EP

Showcasing songs from six different Detroit-based bands, Let Them Eat Coneys provides a glimpse at the current punk underground of the Motor City. This brief compilation was released on the 442 Music label, home base to DETROIT 442, whose diverse punk stylings are led by a gentleman named Lacy who comes across like the bastard child of Mick Collins and Snuky Tate. Kicking off the festivities, their entry here is a politically-charged bit of plodding hardcore that fits well with the rest of the unfriendly tunes that follow. Featuring a range of heavy and hard-edged bangers, this EP is a mixed bag of misanthropy, like a Whitman’s Sampler where all the candy has gone rotten.

2Amature / The Snorts DCxPC Live Presents, Vol. 32 split LP

The DCxPC concept is simple: two friends who want to capture what is happening in their tiny spots on the planet, this case Central Florida and Upstate New York, and give back to the fans and bands that trickle through their area. They do limited pressings of live bands, which ensures that everyone who was at the show has the option to take home more than just a memory; they get to have a physical piece of something that they’d helped create. From the DCxPC records I have heard, the quality has always been clear while still maintaining the feeling of being inches from the band. With this volume, the SNORTS kick off Side A and musically fall in line with SIDEKICKS, CARPENTER, or JIMMY EAT WORLD—I think all five songs on here are about being broken up with and being bummed out. They probably have songs about other things too, but these are all about that. At least one of these people needs a hug, and it is a bummer that the band isn’t there to do that for him. On the flip, 2AMATURE blasts out six songs of snotty hardcore not unlike the VINDICTIVES, musically chaotic and landing somewhere unpredictably between LOVE SONGS and BLACK FLAG. This is another delightfully, unsurprising DCxPC Records release. Everyone who was at these shows should grab a copy of this ASAP.

Advoids Appearances EP

ADVOIDS have a throwback sound that reminds me a little of WASTED YOUTH with MINUTEMEN playing rhythm. The bass is driving this EP of boiling and tinny layers, the proof conveyed in the track “Total Confessions.” Hard to track down any identification on these cats…solid offering nonetheless.

Apocalypse Apocalypse LP

Here we have two recording sessions on one LP, one entitled The End of Crow and the other is entitled Apocalypse. Whether the band is called CROW or called APOCALYPSE, the main focus is always going to be on the vocalist who is called CROW. There are quite often, in my mind, some definite similarities to GISM. The record starts off with some psychedelic-sounding screams and continues for what seemed to me to be six or seven minutes, then they break into some fantastic hardcore. My favorite track on the first side is called “Despair and Despair.” It sounds like the CROW that I love, Japanese hardcore punk. Side B, which is a totally different band, starts off similar to Side A, with screams and psychedelic sounds on the guitar, then some music eerily similar to DISCHARGE’s Grave New World with much better vocals—the sticker on the front calls Side B “the beginning of the grave new world.” The guitar is blazing on the next track, what a great song! They switch it up on the following track, where the music is blasting away but the vocals now sound like Grave New World vocals. Lastly, we are treated(?) to what sounds like a sexual release brought about by oneself. Crow is what Crow does. There is a lot to love about this, and a little that I questioned whether it was necessary, that’s not my decision, and Crow has it covered.

Bad Fidelity We’ve Peaked CD

This debut from Asheville trash punks doesn’t do much for me. Far be it from me to tell a group not to keep doing what they’re doing, but I found this to be a low-energy affair that suffers from redundancy. Songs are mostly based on one hook, and typically not one that is strong conceptually or melodically. The repetition of a phrase like “ramen noodles,” for example, doesn’t lead me anywhere in particular. There are bands that excel at this sort of thing, namely MOMMY LONG LEGS and SURFBORT, but that’s because they sell what they’ve got with high energy and earworm melodies. Now I can get behind a band doing its own thing, and I applaud the self-recorded, self-released model. I hope they keep at it and keep tweaking the formula. To my ear, the songwriting just isn’t there yet.

Bastard Priest Doomed to Decay / Faceless Death 7″

Can you imagine if ENTOMBED hadn’t switched gears and gone into a more death’n’roll direction after Clandestine? What if they had kept playing like they did on Left Hand Path? Well, just listen to BASTARD PRIEST from Sweden, and you will get an idea of what could have been. Swedish death metal played in a very punk kind of way, like CARNAGE and AUTOPSY (who influenced a lot of the Swedish sound), with a very rock’n’ roll (not death’n’roll) feeling to it, if you know what I mean. The punk intersection doesn’t end there, as this two-track 7” was released by D-Takt & Rapunk, known to release the best in the game. And it makes all the sense to me. A band that crosses genres in an honest way and will appease death metal maniacs and crusties alike!

Chance to Steal Learning to Be Sad CD

Politically conscious and kinetically-charged Epitaph/BAD RELIGION-styled hardcore pop punk. These folks can certainly play their instruments in a way that reminds me of early PROPAGANDHI. I feel like CHANCE TO STEAL, for some, could be gateway punk to deeper scene involvement in the same way that GREEN DAY was. Their lyrics are thoughtful and it’s easy to understand where they stand on cops and other things. Each of the ten songs are three-minutes or longer, which was immediately intimidating to me. The song length had me convinced this was going to be physically draining to sit through. Let’s be honest, three minutes is a long time for a hardcore pop punk song; however, these CHANCE TO STEAL people manage to keep the listener involved sonically as well as reading along with the lyrics, which is what a record should do.

Daniel James Gang Darkness Over This Town CD

I’m waffling on this one. First of all, I have an aversion to a band named after the lead person in the band. There’s an ego thing in there that kind of annoys me. Four tracks in total, and I thought I kind of liked the first one. Then the second cut comes at me with way too much vocal inflection. It just seems like he’s trying too hard. The third track starts to get back on track, but the damage is done. They finish with a NEW MODEL ARMY cover that’s honestly pretty damn good. Self-described glam punk; this sounds a little too stadium rock for me. I’ve heard Mr. JAMES in other projects that I appreciated more.

Dark Harvest Commandos Live in Peace EP

I’m no scientist and I can barely change a light bulb, but I suspect building a time machine would cost shitloads. That’d be a bit of a waste of time and money considering most people would probably use it to see dinosaurs and end up being eaten by a giant lizard. I suppose there are worse ways to die and it’ll be viral on TikTok, but it can hardly be said to justify the whole enterprise. If you crave to travel back to the ’90s, don’t bother with silly technologies and just grab a copy of DARK HARVEST COMMANDOS’ EP. Granted, the name is a bit of a mouthful (it refers to a militant Scottish group who pressured the British state into decontaminating an island that had been used for testing anthrax weapons), and I’ll use that as an excuse for this Glasgow hardcore unit completely flying under my usually reliable punk radar until now. The band is made up of ex-members of DISAFFECT and QUARANTINE, which gives you a fair indication about their artistic ambition. Unsurprisingly, they unleash fast, old school political anarcho-thrash with shouted female vocals reminiscent of the aforementioned DISAFFECT, but also SEDITION and the mighty PINK TURDS IN SPACE. Direct and to-the-point, nothing fancy, no wheel being reinvented, just six solid political hardcore punk songs for the masses. Thanks to Sanctus Propaganda for putting this out.

Descrente O Tribunal dos Incautos cassette

This four-track cassette of songs by DESCRENTE is presented by A World Divided, and it’s everything to me right now. DESCRENTE is from Portugal and plays a breed of raw, dark hardcore punk with additions of atmospheric elements. The culmination of these sounds creates a foreboding but defiant energy, a sort of biome of depressive rage born from oppression and alienation. Overblown vocals rage over propulsive rhythms that shift and mutate rapidly. The guitars mostly grind along but occasionally take off on harmonic flights. This cassette is nearly twenty minutes in length, with the shortest song clocking in just shy of four minutes, so buckle in and get ready for a long noisy ride. If you like things like WET SPECIMENS, PART1, or AXEGRINDER, then rest assured, you’re going to love this.

The Fadeaways Pretty Wild LP

This is like the ninth or tenth full-length—one of two they put out in 2024!—from this long-running Tokyo act that at times borders on garage rock cosplay. Looks like it was assembled to support a tour of Australia, but it’s all new music: eleven tracks of straightforward garage rock, played loud as hell. They’re not tossing out any curveballs, so this is more or less interchangeable with all their other releases. But I don’t think they’d have it any other way. Regardless, it’s fun as hell. It’s also wild how good the recording sounds—it’s got that same recorded-inside-a-nuclear-reactor vibe that you get with a TEENGENERATE or GUITAR WOLF record, but also somehow comes across crystal clear. More bands need to get in touch with this sound engineer!

Gaki / Naked Charge 1995–1998 CD

Collected output from this Japanese outfit that changed their name midway through their three-year lifespan from GAKI to NAKED CHARGE. Great stuff here, with a quintessential mid-’90s Japanese hardcore sound. Three of the tracks were featured on the Tottori City Hard Core compilation released by the MCR Company label—prolific purveyors of this exact flavor of speedy, frothing-at-the-mouth punk. Thrashy and bordering on powerviolence, NAKED CHARGE blazes up nine-ish songs with the requisite tempo changes and shouted group vocals one should expect. There are two entries for personal fave “I Don’t Care A Fuck It,” but one is a brief 37-second-long return to the tune’s eponymous refrain. We likewise get two versions of “Fake,” and it shreds both times. What else can I say? They all shred!

Käräjät Pimeä Nykyaika EP

First off, ten-fukkn-song EP. Not sure what year these Finns think we’re in, but I’m so damn glad they are here with me today. Atonal, ramshackle, harsh, uncompromisingly raw hardcore punk with exactly one cut that kisses the one-minute mark, this record is the living embodiment of sonic brutality. And then “Hallitus Uudistaa” opens, and I feel like I’m listening to a STOOGES outtake before I get blasted by ten seconds of primal shit-fi grind, and I remember that I am most definitely not listing to STOOGES—more like MEDELLIN, or maybe a fidelity-free FEAR OF GOD. Pimeä Nykyaika is an extremely harsh listen…more of this, please.

Lasso Parte LP

This is another excellent slab of heart attack hardcore from this group out of Brazil. While the music is played at a blurring pace, it’s nonetheless sharp and clear as the pain from a broken rib. This is played precisely, which is all the more impressive because the sum of its performances creates a sort of maelstrom effect of mad-eyed, howling hardcore that sits handsomely alongside contemporaries like ELECTRIC CHAIR and MURO. The vocals are front and center, which I prefer in my HC, and they are some of the most spittle-dribbling, throat-shredded vocals I’ve heard in a minute. This is bolstered by a massive rhythm section and innovative guitar work, especially on tracks like “Enquanto Descansa, Carrega a Pedra” which features haunted and dissonant, effected clean(-ish) tones in the guitar on top of the otherwise crushing assault. This is some of the most melodically-minded hardcore guitar work I’ve heard in some time, and it plays perfectly with the nimble bass. Every piece is in place, resulting in maximum impact from a band that keeps to a standard of excellence with each release.

Modern Man Rodent cassette

On their sophomore release, Los Angeles, CA’s MODERN MAN has honed their sound considerably since their first cassette release in the summer of ’23. Seven songs of incredibly pissed hardcore punk. More upbeat and driving, not as slow and plodding as I remember the first tape being. The slowest this gets is a dirge that goes on a bit too long, but has some BLACK FLAG-style noodling guitar leads/solos through it, received with no complaints here. I remember reviewing the first tape and there being a SCHOLASTIC DETH-type feel to the singer’s vocal styling. That is completely gone with this second release, sounding like he’s now singing in FILTH. Here’s hoping that vocal polyps aren’t around the corner, but seeing as how the band has apparently only played a total of four shows, I’m not too worried about that being in the singer’s future. Both the label’s and the band’s Bandcamp pages make a point of explaining that “Psycho Squat” was originally performed by RUDIMENTARY PENI, and while that is undeniably a true statement, a cover of the song was nowhere to be heard on the cassette or either of their corresponding Bandcamp pages. I was already aware of that unrelated factoid, but thanks for the reminder to turn on Death Church, I guess.

Negative Rage If You’re a Punk, I Don’t Wanna Be One & Sensitive City LP

These guys are punk as hell. Insanely badass punk/HC band that doesn’t seem to take themselves too seriously, as seen on tracks like “Ack Ack Ack” (URNIALS). In classic punk fashion, they aren’t afraid to call people out in tracks like “Local Rocker” or “Social Networking.” Besides the definite aspect of punk, they’re able to bring elements of sheer noise and chaos, as well as a variety of spoken word apathy and absolute disheveled screams. Because most songs clocked in around the one-minute mark, they pack a lot of good meat into this album; I was never bored. I couldn’t decide if this album made me wanna buy a guitar so I could smash it into pieces or to pick it up and play along. Either way is great.

Post Regiment Post Regiment LP reissue

This is a reissue of their 1991 debut album. Hardcore punk from Poland that has an excellent mix of styles, and they aren’t afraid to show their influence of their native country’s music while playing some fast hardcore with very tuneful vocals. This is an incredible album of political hardcore punk that has something for everyone. I am happy to see this available again. This is amazing and a perfect document of the early ’90s scene.

Power of Dusk If You Don’t Speak cassette

Third cassette from this hardcore punk outfit from Champaign, Illinois, and it is far and away their best release to date. I reviewed their last cassette at the end of 2023, and while I liked it, these five songs put it to shame. This stomps from start to finish. POWER OF DUSK continues their output of incredibly pissed, politically-driven hardcore punk. There is undeniably a lot to be angry about in this day and age, so we can presumably expect more releases coming from Central Illinois.

Reo La Marca Maldita LP

A plodding street punk effort here from REO. It never ever really seems to get out of first gear throughout, sadly. I found myself repeatedly waiting for it to fully boot off and for me to get into it, but instead I was left wanting. For a genre that seems to pride itself on edge and realness, there’s an awful lot of it that leans too far into studio sheen that completely sands off any of the real grit and intrigue. A shame!

Running Man Running Man CD

Absolutely fantastic garage rock/power pop from my Illinois brethren in Rock Island. Featuring former WYONNA RIDERS and current DEAD KENNEDYS singer Skip Greer, this album is chock-full of rock’n’roll diversity. Spans such flavors as dancey horror punk, twangy hardcore, and flowery indie ballads. This slab was obviously carefully crafted and produced. Everything sounds crisp and clear. Greer’s vocal range is beyond impressive, hopping between moody DANZIG-esque melodies and rustic BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN howls. Really great stuff here, and well worth a spin.

Self Defense 12 Track EP

British Columbia’s SELF DEFENSE rips it up on the frantic and fuzzy 12 Track EP. This thing sounds straight from the early ’80s down to the production, with similarities drawn to URBAN WASTE and WHITE CROSS. The vocals are stellar and really unhinged, completely holding it down alongside the thrashy guitar work. If my old ass was still trying to make a part for a skate video, I’d use something from this EP as the soundtrack. Highly recommended.

Seven Foot Spleen Reptilicus CD

Primal, slow, crushing, and filthy. North Carolina’s SEVEN FOOT SPLEEN was active from ’94 to ’98, but in this short span, they cooked the filthiest sludge around. Sludge is nothing but a slower, doomier version of hardcore (started by My War, Side B), so it ticks a lot of the same boxes, but the most important one is the resignation. For some reason, they slipped through the cracks when it comes to recognition. Like EYEHATEGOD or BUZZ*OVEN, SEVEN FOOT SPLEEN excels at making you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. It hits hard and never lets up, like a really bad nightmare. Reptilicus is a compilation of all their stuff, originally released in 2010. Standout moments come in the form of RUDIMENTARY PENI and DOOM covers.