Reviews

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Please send one copy of vinyl (preferred), CD, or cassette releases to MRR, PO Box 3852, Oakland, CA 94609, USA.

Maximum Rocknroll wants to review everything that comes out in the world of underground punk rock, hardcore, garage, post-punk, thrash, etc. No major labels or labels exclusively distributed by major-owned distributors, no reviews of test pressings or promo CDs without final artwork. We reserve the right to reject releases on the basis of content. Music without vocals or drums will not be considered. All music submitted for review must have been released (or reissued) within the last two years. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!

The Liarbilitys Vandalheart LP

Here’s a reminder to never judge an album by its first track. Vandalheart kicks off as your standard skate punk affair: basic power chords, call-to-arms lyrics, and NOFX-esque drumming. I prematurely wrote the rest of the record off, assuming it would all sound similar. I was dead wrong. This slab completely opens up following the second track, “Sickbed,” and is a masterclass of modern punk rock songwriting. While the guitar work itself is as catchy as it gets, the vocals and the lyrics are what drives this home. The storytelling here is reminiscent of the CLASH; very personal yet undoubtedly relatable and sentimental for all who listen. The vocalist themselves is on another level—pure unadulterated talent here. I mentioned the guitars being catchy, but goddamn, this singer has hooks for days. It all reminds me of an English ARMCHAIR MARTIAN and Chad Price-era ALL. Very solid album, well worth hundreds and hundreds of spins.

Mandy Die Herrin Ist Mein Hirte LP

Germany’s MANDY belts out twelve tracks of no-frills powerviolence in around ten minutes. Throat-shredding vocals, tempo changes aplenty, blastbeats…they’re ticking all the right boxes. The down-tempo parts stand out for not being overtly metallic or floorpunch-y, and the production is exceptionally balanced with just the right amount of grain. The between-song feedback and samples add enough flesh to the skeleton for it to clock as a full-length LP, though I wonder if it would actually feel more complete as a 7” EP. That’s really splitting hairs, but I suppose that’s what I’m here to do. All told, a solid release with heft and force that leaves me searching for something corpuscular that would push it into brilliance.

Nite Sprites Only Better Changes LP

This sits in that sweet spot of soaring pop punk with gritty hollering and chunky diamond bass lines. The shout-along melodies are triumphant in a triumphless world, weary but fighting ‘til the end. While the band can air it out, too, with tracks like “Teaching Boys” and its chiming arpeggios, they’re muscular in sound in the evergreen tradition of groups like LEATHERFACE and OFF WITH THEIR HEADS. There is a wistful heartachingness to these tunes, but it always gallops forward. I also appreciate the lyrical abstraction, evocative and poetic even as the music sounds like anthems. A smart, spry full-length that’s recorded beautifully.

Open Veins Dead Inside LP

On Dead Inside, OPEN VEINS channels a distinctly metallic strain of hardcore that favors suffocation over flow. The riffs land in full-speed, collapsing patterns—less about momentum and more about pressure—while the low-end churn gives everything a nauseating density. The band does accelerate in almost each track, but it’s in short, panicked sprints that only heightens the sense of entrapment before dropping back into breakdowns that feel engineered for maximum structural damage (excepting their LP intro “Scorched Earth”), The vocal performance is all serrated edges, riding the mix like a threat rather than a guide. There’s a calculated bleakness running through the entire LP that resists easy release. Dead Inside doesn’t posture despair; it manufactures it in real time.

En Dead Inside, OPEN VEINS canalizan una veta marcadamente metálica del hardcore que privilegia la asfixia por sobre la velocidad. Los riffs caen en patrones lentos y derrumbados —menos sobre el impulso y más sobre la presión—mientras el bajo le da a todo una densidad nauseabunda. Cuando la banda acelera, lo hace en sprints cortos y paranoicos que sólo intensifican la sensación de encierro antes de volver a breakdowns diseñados para daño estructural máximo. La performance vocal es puro filo dentado, montándose sobre la mezcla como una amenaza más que como una guía. Hay una negrura calculada que recorre todo el LP y resiste cualquier liberación fácil.

Plant Bau! cassette

Talk about a good switch-up—these guys range from a mid-tempo post-punk feel to classic punk in just one song. I loved how I was caught off guard with guitars streaming in and out all of the time, and just when you think the song’s over, they bring in something new. Overall, these guys do a great job of bringing something fresh for every single song.

Quite Ridiculous Nonsense A Failure… EP reissue

Long-lost DIY EP from 1984 whereupon a young man named Dan Foley made audio experiments with a drum machine, a bass guitar, and kitchen appliances in his Montreal bedroom. Why go all the way to New York City when you can get SUICIDE at home? The ingenuity shines in all four tracks, like the blender solo in “General Attitude,” and the warped conga beat in “Appropriate Blocks.” Teenage ennui leaks out of the gurgling “Boredom” in the form of a looped “Dull / Boring / Dull / Boring” lyric. Kind of like a junior league THROBBING GRISTLE in that there is more creative spark than musical aptitude in these short song kernels, this is a curious document of DIY industrial-leaning punk, and a testament to the joy of fucking around with what’s at hand.

Radioactivity Time Won’t Bring Me Down CD

RADIOACTIVITY’s Time Won’t Bring Me Down arrives ten years after Silent Kill, and, damn, the wait just might have been worth it. If you’re not familiar with this crew, Jeff Burke, Mark Ryan, Gregory Rutherford, and Daniel Fried intersect across so many bands (including MARKED MEN, MIND SPIDERS, BAD SPORTS, HIGH TENSION WIRES, etc.) that their family trees must look like a spirograph. Here we have eleven songs in just over thirty minutes, each written with clear purpose and played with the kind of tightness you’d expect from people who’ve spent their lives doing this. At times, for me, this brought to mind Meltdown-era MIND SPIDERS, but I think fans of any band in this extended universe will feel right at home. The faster songs are always going to be my happy place, but one standout track for me was the more nuanced “Shell,” where the rhythm section locks in below a soaring guitar line that opens up an unexpected sense of space while maintaining that forward momentum. Ten years between full-lengths, and they’ve evolved without losing the best parts of their sound. This would have made my top ten list last year if I had heard it in time. Strongly recommended.

Serial Experiments Freshly Baked Ritual cassette

Tokyo’s SERIAL EXPERIMENTS offer some of the most deranged and psychotic powerviolence I’ve heard in a while. Freshly Baked Ritual sounds absolutely hostile. Two bass guitars dialed to the most sledgehammer-y tone imaginable along with abrasive guitar riffs and blistering drums create a wall of sound that is impossible to penetrate. And yet, two vocalists rip off their vocal cords trying to do just that. The result is a noisy, almost avant-garde kind of fastcore that would be impossible to replicate. It’s totally, uniquely disgusting. Therefore, I love it.

Thee Headcoatees Man-Trap LP

“Dude, did you see THEE HEADCOATEES have a new record out?” I asked my bandmate. “I’ll check the press release, I doubt it was recorded recently,” he responded, followed by “Welp, I guess I’m immediately eating my words.” Eat ‘em and smile, my friend! This is their first new release in 26 years, and features a few BILLY CHILDISH-penned originals along with a bunch of covers. If you’re an existing fan, you take comfort in knowing that the band still sounds great after all these years, and CHILDISH’S songwriting has improved the same. If you’re new to their music, sit back and hear where the COATHANGERS learned it all. I would have loved to hear more originals, but you can’t slight the band for having fun and letting the tape roll again after all these years.This one is a no-brainer for all the garage heads out there.

The Tights Bad Hearts EP reissue

Didn’t the TIGHTS have a single called “Howard Hughes”? They did, way back in the late ’70s. This is also from that era (1978) and originally came out on the Cherry Red label. This is classic early UK punk rock/power pop, back when the two weren’t necessarily distinguished. This is a must-have. In addition to the punk and the power pop, this one’s got a dusting of new wave you can throw into the mix, just for fun.

Ultra Bleach Ultra Bleach cassette

Eight songs of quirky, bubbly, unhinged, repetitive art-punk from Richmond, VA. Musically, ULTRA BLEACH stays within driving, mid-tempo punk range. Cool little drum fills, tight-sounding band. I am not entirely sure if it is how loud the vocals are in the mix or the eccentric yelp styling of the vocalist itself that makes the repeated lines in each song feel less like hooks and more like someone aggressively lecturing you from a soapbox. There are moments where I hear a little bit of early MEAT PUPPETS, which only added to my overall feeling that this has much more of a grunge-type feel to it than anything near the band’s self-proclamation of egg-punk.

Windley Cloverleaf CD

WINDLEY opens up with a quiet and pensive look back at moving on and into the next phases in life. However—dang, duder! WINDLEY likes the DESCENDENTS and ALL and gobs more Bill Stevenson-esque bands. Look, of this specific kind of powerhouse pop punk, WINDLEY does it very well and prolly kills it live. The lyrics are a bit more introspective than usually tend to drive tunes of this ilk. Ten songs is the perfect amount for an album, and they nail it with nine out of ten, only because I’m not a fan of tunes about hangovers, and one of the ten songs is thirteen minutes long and sounds like maybe four different songs, so maybe eight out of ten or fourteen out of ten for someone else (¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). I’ve spun through this three times trying to find ways to beef it up or be more descriptive, and I think I’ve nailed all you need to know for you to jump in. Oh, the only other band I knew from Myrtle Beach, SC was BAZOOKA JOE, and now I know of WINDLEY too, so there’s that.

XSmashcasters Tokyo Rose CD

Virginia punks the SMASHCASTERS broke up in 2013. Three years later, three of the group’s four members decided to reinvent the band, christening their updated configuration with the logical moniker XSMASHCASTERS. And now they’ve put out this CD. Though the tunes take cues from classic English street punk, they present an earnest rock’n’roll style akin to the HUMPERS. I’m reminded at times of the ANGELIC UPSTARTS, the BUSINESS side project PROLE, and also poppy ’90s punk like early BOUNCING SOULS. It’s smooth, upbeat, and punchy stuff that probably rocks harder live.

V/A Stop Genocide Now! Volume 1: In Solidarity With Lebanon & Palestine War / Genocide Victims cassette

The Stop Genocide Now! series has put together an impressively diverse roster across four volumes to raise funding for Lebanese and Palestinian victims directly affected by the ongoing genocide. This tape (the first volume to be put out as a physical release) features twenty bands from across the globe, spanning Brazil to Canada to Mexico to the Philippines and beyond. I recognized a couple of names here like INDIKATOR B and TÀRREGA 91’, but I was mostly introduced to these bands through this comp. There’s a lot to dig into, but standouts include raw punks MAU AGÖURO from Brazil, Dis-beaters DISANXIAN (地三鮮) from China, and ’80s USHC-inspired STILETTO from Singapore. I could go on, but this collection is best explored by the listener. Pick up a copy, discover some new bands, and support a good cause.

Amy Beth and Thee Creeps Shitheel EP

Portland, Oregon’s AMY BETH AND THEE CREEPS put down some turned-up trash garage on their debut 7”. Led by drummer/vocalist Amy Beth, whose bullhorned vocals and lo-fi bashing create a classic budget rock sound, the group smashes through three originals along with a fun cover of the URINALS’ “I’m a Bug.” It’s a nostalgic racket recommended for fans of the DUMMIES, THEE HEADCOATS, and other 1990s noisemakers of the stripes-and-sunglasses ilk.

The Blue Gods Youth An Ode to Blight cassette

I’ve got to admit my confusion with this release and will do my best to make sense of what I’ve got here in front of me. Musically, the BLUE GODS YOUTH play heavy, anthemic, mid-tempo melodic hardcore with pirate punk “yo-ho-ho” kind of parts, all with a singer doing his best TRAGEDY impression—like, if TRAGEDY decided that after Vengeance, they wanted to have more traditionally catchy parts in their songs but still wanted to keep their heavy-sounding recording style. Artwork: An Ode to Blight has very minimalist art, just simple text surrounding a heart wearing a crown and angel wings, and crosses on the back panel and on the tape. Sure, one of the crosses is broken, but with song names like “The Trespasser,” “A Lifeless Prayer,” ”The Chains,” and “Faith and Fury,” I am left thinking that either this is a Christian band, or that the band is attempting to be very strongly tongue-in-cheek against Christianity, taking the piss out of many aspects. Unfortunately, with no liner notes, no lyrics, and every aspect of the band’s online persona having been wiped clean, I have absolutely no way of knowing which one of those things the band was attempting. Can’t give you any other information other than it seems like they’re from Manitoba, Canada.

Briefbombe Deutsche Pest EP

The BLACK FLAG font on the cover had me dreading the first listen. I get a homage, but I see it used so often that it feels overplayed and unoriginal. It just feels kind of cheap, ya know? Are we so starved for fresh ideas that we must reuse and rehash the past? As much as I loathe the cover art, the music fuckin’ rips. It’s as angry, fast, and as pissed-off as the stuff our forebears were releasing 40-plus years ago, but it’s a different animal entirely. BRIEFBOMBE brings the riffs, and they do it with a fury. The songs are quick and meaty, packed with tight riffs and over-the-top drum fills. The vocals are intense and sung entirely in what I presume to be German. I can’t understand a word they are screaming, but the intensity in which it is delivered leaves no question that they mean every word. Cool stuff.

Control Freaks TV Generation LP

CONTROL FREAKS return with their fourth LP, TV Generation. Twelve garage punk salvos from San Francisco, all clocking in around two minutes each, which is perfect. Greg Lowery (SUPERCHARGER, RIP OFFS, INFECTIONS, ZODIAC KILLERS) trades vocals with Amy Munoz, and the back-and-forth between them gives the record a spark that made this stand out for me. Sammy G provides exactly the right drums for these songs, never showing off, just nailing it. The sound will land immediately for anyone familiar with Lowery’s earlier bands, though maybe a notch or two down in aggression. We all mellow eventually, but don’t mistake that for going soft: about half the tunes are diss tracks aimed at bosses, ghosters, liars, lazy slobs, and people who smell bad, so clearly nobody’s gone zen. It’s not reinventing anything, but it delivers the goods. Twelve songs, zero filler, job done. Recommended.

Cuyahoga Fails Still Punk as Fuck CD

I really don’t know what to make of this. I really like it, but maybe not for the regular reasons. This is mid-tempo, RAMONES-ish garage/punk rock, maybe a little DIESEL QUEENS-ish too. I get the feeling that these fellas are lifelong best friends and this band maybe started more as a hangout session first and band second. I’d put money on the majority of their practices being just goofing off and reminiscing about stuff like “Remember when Turtle and Willie broke into that cop’s house and stole his Coors?” This album is a fun romp, catchy, with gobs of humor, and an overall truly “fuck you” attitude that can really only be achieved when you’ve become this level of grumpy.

Fantasma Quase LP

Debut release from FANTASMA, a group started by Gustavo Venturelli and Lucas Cabu who immigrated from Brazil to New York City. Sung all in Portuguese, I can’t accurately describe anything more than their Bandcamp, which says the album “tells the story of a soul that aims to become real and establish a better future amidst dystopian times.” The post-punk instrumentation does an excellent job channeling this energy, with riffs that are dark, melodic, ceaseless, and—at times of extreme peril—ear-splitting. A few songs, like “Lugares Mais Altos,” take a slower, calmer approach with a rubbery bass, chord sweeps, and a feel that reaches for a memory (not knowing the lyrics, that’s where it takes me, anyhow). Having formed as a two-piece, the band is now filled out with Marc Grillo (STIGMATISM), Margaret Chardiet (PHARMAKON/DOLLHOUSE), and Craig. Had I heard this earlier, I think Quase would have easily placed in my 2025 year-end top ten. The album plays with mood, energy, and tempo, acting as a mirror to the modern scatterbrained sense of feeling everything at once equating to feeling nothing at all; finding some way to compartmentalize each piece. Fantastic debut.

Fruit Tones Easy Peelers LP

Budget garage rock played loose with a little swagger like OBLIVIANS, NATURAL CHILD, or BLACK LIPS back when they were on Bomp! Records, a label that has both pioneered and preserved this genre and would suit this band nicely. The vocals will recall HASIL ADKINS’s style, not just in tone and measure but in an attitude which carries across the dozen tracks.

Goolagoon Patrickviolence Demo EP

I’ll be honest, when I saw that the first thing on my review list was a Spongebob-themed powerviolence demo, I rolled my eyes and shrugged, thinking it was going to be one of those gimmicky bands. But seven minutes lay-tuhh, it was clear that my review had to be a written apology. GOOLAGOON, I sincerely apologize for underestimating the potential of the glorious genre that is Patrickviolence. It’s just that I wasn’t familiar with your game, and my biases got the best of me. All those pulverizing riffs, the extremely tight drumming, and abrasive vocals proved me wrong, though. Long live Patrickviolence.

Highway Ghost Nightmares LP

Ranging from screechy garage punk to a gloomier post-punk feel, HIGHWAY GHOST bombards you with a constant dark and spooky atmosphere. I love how scratchy and raw every track is, with backup vocals that feel like a ghostly voice hovering just behind you, sending shivers up your spine. Get ready to enter a hypnotic and amped-up dream-like state, flowing from one track to another.

Illuminati Hablar Contigo / La Promesa Imposible Del Mar 7″

Wowzers! Side A could be from Can I Say by DAG NASTY, with its thoughtful lyrics delivered powerfully over the driving, melodic, upbeat tune. Side B comes in a bit slower, but still with the same impassioned vocals delivering a song about the past eating you alive and a future just out of reach. I’m bummed that there are only two songs. ILLUMINATI has certainly piqued my interest, and I will be checking out their other releases with the hopes of finding more stellar post-hardcore tunes.

Los Idiotas En Las Sombras Se Mueven Mucho Mejor LP

When LOS IDIOTAS’ debut 45 came out in 2007, its raucous and electrified garage sound was about a decade late for its heyday. Now, they’ve doubled down on their winning concept of delayed gratification, waiting a lengthy eighteen years to follow it up with this ferocious full-length LP. These sunglasses-wearing Spaniards are out here ripping like the ’90s never ended, and here you have thirteen tunes with old school budget rock energy. At this rate, we may have to wait another 30 years for a follow-up, so let’s enjoy the devil-may-care, dive-bar spirit of this one thoroughly in the meantime, shall we?

Musty Flick Make It Out Alive CD

Very BLINK 182/early ALKALINE TRIO-coded, with a bit of AMERICAN FOOTBALL tossed in here, too. This is probably a lot for me to ask, but I would love to hear what these songs sound like with a real drummer. The sequencer is a tad too perfect, and it does not pair well with the off-key vocals and loose guitar. I’m a big fan of the bedroom punk aesthetic, and I think MUSTY FLICK is sitting on some potentially great songs, but this squeaky-clean production does not do them any favors. Regardless, there’s a lot of authenticity and promise in these tracks. I just think they would really benefit from having a full band behind them.

Normativ Demo_1 cassette

Out of the foothills of the Italian Alps comes NORMATIV. After forming from the ashes of two separate acts (A/LPACA and SUBMEET), NORMATIV began creating raucous post-punk smeared with noise. Their three-track demo cassette features two originals and a BJÖRK cover. The two originals (“Papers Back” and “Positive Sanction”) are defiant, indignant, and blend layers of punk instrumentation with synthesized clangor while lyrically eviscerating global capitalist police states and describing the emotional fortitude required to survive under their oppression. The BJÖRK cover (“Declare Independence”) closes the cassette with an explosive display of the band’s sonic capabilities, taking what was a minimalist composition and flushing it out into a full-on punk pummeler.

Onyon Pale Horses LP

A dark and gothic album that ranges from more classically post-punk to more melodic rock. I found myself losing focus throughout, though I’m not sure if that’s from the songs feeling a bit long or because of how dark and gloomy they could be. Some of the songs didn’t quite land with me, as a couple sounded quite similar to one another, but I still enjoyed the album as a whole. You should listen to this if you like general post-punk and want a solid gloomy vibe.

Pet Play Hell to Tell cassette

Chicago’s PET PLAY isn’t here to fuck around, coming out swinging with six slices of furious, noisy, seething punk. Fast and to the point, they display the chops and vitality of DETESTATION with a modernized approach. It’s easy to see that these folks are fueled by outrage but they don’t take themselves too seriously, as evidenced by the last song “Bowser’s Theme,” with an instantly recognizable riff that inexplicably translates perfectly. Crazy solid demo here—mean, with great transitions and slick but understated guitar work. Lots of character, verve, and a seriously killer vocal delivery. More, please.

Psychic Death Trilogy LP

While taking notes during my listen to PSYCHIC DEATH’s Trilogy, a collection of their three releases so far, I wrote down the words “rabid,” “offbeat,” and “chaotic” to describe the first few songs. By the time I reached the final two bonus tracks, those three adjectives still felt like the most appropriate ways to describe them. PSYCHIC DEATH plays eclectic hardcore punk with shrieked vocals that have been compared to ’90s West Coast bands like SWING KIDS. Their songwriting is anything but straightforward; each track twists and turns, speeds up and slows down, and at times feels too busy for its own good. That said, across three tapes, their sound has stayed impressively consistent, making this a cohesive if not exhausting collection.

RHDP Kaskasero LP

Virginia Beach’s answer to ANNIHILATION TIME, with a melodic twist. This power trio has been plugging away for quite some time. Yes, they’re rowdy and quite possibly intoxicated, but they don’t fit into the party punk box entirely. The vocals being sung in Tagalog is one of the elements that sets RHDP apart. Another is their willingness to experiment with rhythms and instruments that don’t often turn up on a punk record (is that a jaw harp I hear?). The balance of expression and full-throttled savagery is what makes this album so interesting. Just when it feels like they’ve ventured out to the ledge, they snap back onto a locked groove that hits ya dead between the eyes. Their sound on this album is absolutely massive, a perfect fit for the lean, muscular tunes. A layered, dense collection of powerful rock’n’roll songs that draw me in further with every listen.

Strange Program Strange Program LP

Detroit stoner psych that pulls from the grand SABBATH-ian tradition of slow, distorted blues figures and hammer-on riffs. It’s honestly pretty boring, to the point that I zoned out and forgot it was playing. Recommended if you like inoffensive, unremarkable hard rock playing in the background of your black mass or LSD party or whatever.

Tin Foil Chicken Sandwich LP

You like late-era MINUTEMEN? You’re gonna like this a whole bunch, then. This album sounds like if D. Boon fronted MOLLY HATCHET. Jazzy drums, soaring guitars, and twangy vocals with tongues firmly placed in cheeks. We’re treated to a little bit of banjo action as well, which is a huge A+ in my book. This is the thinking-man’s punk, folks. Outside the box, unconventional, and catchy as hell. I adore this record. Possibly one of the best slabs I’ve heard in a very long time. Highly recommended.

The Vee Bees Third in Line for the Throne / Yeah Orright 7″

It takes less than five minutes for the VEE BEES to make their statement. They’re here to rock, and they are here to party. They’ve been saying it since the turn of the century, and they haven’t changed their tune yet…ROSE TATTOO, beer, JED WHITEY, riffs, AC/DC, not giving a fuck. Grizzled, thick, meaty Aussie punk.

Whyte Lipstick Deadbeat cassette

The snotty vocals at the forefront of this Boston garage punk act, with satisfyingly sneering backup, immediately caught my ear. I’ve long lamented the end of MOMMY LONG LEGS, and I’m not saying this sounds like that band one-to-one, but it’s a similar sort of stupid on purpose, “who gives a fuck” garage abandon that fills a well I’ll fill my bucket from every day of the week. The hooks are simple, the production is dry and unflashy in just the right way. There’s a sense of humor, but it’s not cloying, especially on the title track which rollicks along with the emblematic garage beat while celebrating (and lampooning) being a broke-ass dysfunctional punk in love—I mean, but also you should probably dump him. “Why Can’t You Love Me” is another bruised-heart rager with doo wop backing vocals that utterly shreds. Rules.

V/A Florida Underground Fest, Volume Two LP

At first, I thought this was a showcase of Christian punk. Turns out, it’s a compilation of live acts from Florida Underground Fest 5, and features a hearty mix of pop punk, ska, and metal. It’s not rough enough around the edges for my personal tastes, and there is too much silly onstage banter for me. It reminds me of watching a small local fest where you catch two or three bands that really have their shit together, and the other ones are bands you’ll probably never hear again. Even the “metal” songs are silly and soft, lacking any real edge or intensity. FLAGMAN sounds like a pop punk version of SYSTEM OF A DOWN (interpret that how you will), and CHILLED MONKEY BRAINS do a cover of the “The Trooper” by IRON MAIDEN that is as dumb as their band name. The GILLIAN CARTER tune kind of rips if you’re into that heavy screamo noise thing. I am not, but it’s the cream of the crop here. I’m still not convinced this isn’t a Christian punk comp.

At Night At Night LP

I can’t quite place these guys in any specific genre and I love that. They truly have created something entirely their own, drawing on more pop or indie-style vocals with the occasional synth, keyboard, and distorted guitar. The standout track for me is “I’m Afraid They’re All Talking About Me,” as it felt so unique and powerful from multiple vocalists repeating the same line (sans instruments) that quickly dropped into an utter explosion of guitar and noise. Overall, a really fun band worth listening to.

Backstage Pass Legend (Come On Up to Me) / Let Me Show You Love 7″

Originally recorded in 1977, this has all the elements of early Bomp! Records, NIKKI AND THE CORVETTES, MNM’S, HOLLY AND THE ITALIANS, and perfectly encapsulates the early days of L.A’.s underground music scene. “Legend (Come On Up to Me)” was previously released on the Saturday Night Pogo LP on Rhino Records in 1978, but has been remastered to bring out the full attitude of the tune. Like all of the best power pop and pop punk from this time, “Let Me Show You Love” kills from the opening riff and continues straight through to the last ringing note. Simple and melodic guitar solos and instant earworm lyrics make this a very great and tight single. I’ve read that there was a 2019 cassette of live and recorded material floating around—I think it’s time that cassette gets a proper vinyl release, please.

Clan Dos Mortos Cicatriz Técnicas de Morte LP

Blackened death punk from Brazil that is difficult to wrangle. Técnicas de Morte is a genre-blurring affair that pulls the listener in a multitude of directions, often within the same song. From a one-two pogo beat one moment, to a blastbeat the next, CLAN DOS MORTOS CICATRIZ is erratic and at times disjointed. Across the fifteen tracks, you’ll find elements of crust, hardcore, black metal, and even rock’n’roll. The vocals are the most consistent component, with a pervasive echo that’s like Elmer’s glue and doesn’t hold the parts together sufficiently. The lack of cohesion is a shame, because there are some searing moments with consequential riffs. Tasty morsels, but the whiplash is too disorienting to provide sustenance.

Dogsblood Distorted Reflections / Beat It Out 7″

Violent, no-frills hardcore punk that explodes in short, vicious bursts. DOGSBLOOD strips everything down to pure impact: pounding drums, serrated riffs, and vocals that sound like they’re being ripped straight out of the throat. Both tracks feel urgent and confrontational, rooted in frustration and street-level anger. This is hardcore punk meant to hit fast, leave damage, and disappear before you catch your breath.

Hardcore punk violento y sin adornos que estalla en ráfagas cortas y feroces. DOGSBLOOD reducen todo al impacto puro: baterías demoledoras, riffs serrados y voces que parecen arrancadas de la garganta. Ambos temas suenan urgentes y confrontativos, anclados en la frustración y la bronca callejera.

Drunks With Guns Live CD

Remastered live set from this cult St. Louis band that released three 7” records and played four shows during their original ’80s run. Emerging around the same time as bands like MELVINS and NO TREND, DRUNKS WITH GUNS took misanthropic, slow-motion, My War B-side reverse hardcore to new depths of sludge, and do it again on this record. Thick, monolithic riffs envelop the audience with stacked, crackling distortion, while pounding drums, played on this set by Weasel Water of the FLYING LUTTENBACHERS, propel the band like a workhorse. Vocalist and founding member Michael Doskocil hollers with his full chest, sounding like John Brannon on downers. It is awe-inspiring and fucking heavy. “Zombie” might be the bummer punk national anthem: atop the bludgeoning riffs, a chorus of howls engages in anti-harmonic vocalizations that last way longer than is comfortable. “Tomorrow We Kill” keeps Glenn Danzig awake at night in his black satin pajamas with jealousy nightmares of not writing it first. “Drug Problem” gets close to a catchy chord change/vocal hook before receding back into the sludge, like the sneaky wink of a rock song stepping out a window. If you like your punk syrupy with contempt, your hardcore on the verge of entropic implosion, check this out and wish you were there live.

Eddy Current Suppression Ring Shapes and Forms EP

Melbourne’s EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING return with Shapes and Forms, their first release since 2019. For a band not exactly known for prolific output since forming in 2003, three new tracks feel like a genuine event. The production maintains their lo-fi garage rock foundation but sounds slightly more fleshed out than past releases, with Brendan Suppression’s characteristically flat vocal delivery cutting through the mix just fine. The tunes are all mid-tempo head-nodders, and I think there’s a melodic quality running through them that continues the evolution that we saw on All in Good Time—still tight and jangly, but not on the edge of a nervous breakdown. There’s also a cover of CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN’s “Oh No!” that fits surprisingly well. Released on black vinyl with sleeve variants in red, green, blue, black, and yellow for the collectors among you.

Fuckfuckfuck Fun LP

Not at all what I thought a band called FUCKFUCKFUCK would sound like. Surf punk mixed with a bit of pub rock and golden oldies radio, as if the CRAMPS were commissioned to rewrite the American Graffiti soundtrack. Poppy as hell with a fine line of fuzzy grit sitting right below the surface. I love the use of the dual vocalists. One sounds like a belligerent Lux Interior, while the more melodic of the two could pass as NICK LOWE in his prime. The combination in tandem makes for a powerful dynamic that builds to the climax of each song. Very high-energy and authentic; these folks can write some catchy tunes! Now who’s gonna tell me where I can find a pair of these short shorts adorning the album cover?

The Goons Mars EP

This is the GOONS’ first studio release in nearly twenty years. I gotta talk about the cover of this lil’ spinner, where we see an astronaut’s boot on the surface of Mars stepping in gum amongst cigarette butts and bottle caps. Does this mean there are punks on Mars, or just litterbugs?  The tunes are punk’n’roll ragers in the ZEKE, CANDY SNATCHERS, and NASHVILLE PUSSY vein. In the six minutes it takes you to get through these four songs, two things are going to happen. First, you’ll want to flip the record over and hear them again. Second, you’ll want to flip the record over and hear them again. And on and on, until you get to Mars to start your mission of finding punk Martians or litterbugs or both. Solid release. There are only 500 of these (on Mars red vinyl, no less) so grab this while you can to keep you company on your journey.

The Higher State Internecine Free LP

Self-described “authentic ’60s garage punk” from the UK. Twelve fuzzy songs, riddled with bass leads and Farfisa organ stabs, but where’s the punk? While the band manages to capture the saccharine sounds of the late ’60s, they fail to capture any ferocity or attitude. Simply put, they excel at crafting and performing psychedelic garage rock that doesn’t actually rock.

Human Greed Absolute(ly) Greed(y) LP

Québécois grinders HUMAN GREED just released this 24-track opus of crusty crossover entitled Absolute(ly) Greed(y), and it’s really fucking good. HUMAN GREED displays their reverence for old school grind while also completely reinvigorating the genre by introducing contemporary sounds and compositions. Throughout the album, I’m reminded of NAPALM DEATH, early FUCK THE FACTS, and AGATHOCLES. However, HUMAN GREED keeps the energy high by maintaining a blistering pace and a dual vocal approach that makes the lyric delivery enter warp speed.

Law and Order Anything But the Critic’s Choice + Unreleased and Vintage Tracks LP

Absolutely loved this. It’s everything I think hardcore should be, encapsulated into one snotty compilation. Lightning-fast, barely coherent at times; it feels like if it stopped at any given point, it’d collapse, so barely is it being held together. It’s wild, it’s sneery, and it’s played with no fixed idea behind sticking two fingers up at The Man and telling him to shove it up his arse while he’s at it. This deserves so much more than to be a footnote in a hardcore history. It’s this Critic’s Choice, that’s for certain.

Lipstick Killers Tour De Force: Live in Adelaide 1979 LP

LIPSTICK KILLERS’ Tour De Force: Live in Adelaide 1979 captures sixteen tracks from a 1979 radio session, documenting a band that never seemed to have achieved the recognition of Australian punk contemporaries like the SAINTS or RADIO BIRDMAN but still helped lay groundwork for what became a ridiculously vital scene. The set includes live versions of “Hindu Gods of Love” and “Shakedown U.S.A.,” plus a cover of the 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS’ “I’ve Got Levitation.” Fans note this recording appeared on the CD version of 2021’s Strange Flash double LP, but got cut from the vinyl due to space constraints. The quality is brutally raw and the vocals sound like absolute hell at times, but that’s part of the charm when you’re documenting a band from this era. This might be for completists and historians, not casual listeners, but if you’re invested in the deeper corners of Australia’s late ’70s punk history and its ongoing legacy, this messy snapshot is worth the trouble.

Mundo Muerto Mundo Muerto cassette

Second band this month that I mistook for another, as I thought it was a new release from the Californian MUNDO MUERTO (that would have been unlikely since they haven’t recorded anything since 2012, but you never know). On the other hand, this is the name of a brilliant song from RIP, so you are bound to have a few bands going for the moniker. This one is from Saltillo, Mexico, not far from Monterrey. I understand it is a new act, and this is a first demo tape that is rather promising. MUNDO MUERTO goes for the direct D-beat punk style with angry words in Spanish. There are some solid Scandicore riffs here, so they have clearly done their homework. I am reminded of thoroughly enjoyable ’00s Barcelona bands like HORRÖR, TOTÄLICKERS, or DISUNDEAD. I like the raw primitive production, the sincerity and unpretentiousness of the music, and the slightly unhinged vocals (MAQUINA MUERTA, anyone?). I do think the band can improve though, and I’ll be watching for their next steps.

The Not LP1 cassette

If you like rabid, no-holds-barred, raw D-beat noisecore punk, then you need to listen to the NOT out of Montreal. Scathing lyrical criticisms squall over blown distortion with intermittent breaks for wild but captivating displays of feedback, squelch, and rhythm shifts. If you like ZYANOSE, ENZYME, and PHYSIQUE, this is for you. Personally, I want to hear a whole lot more from the NOT.