Reviews

For review and radio play consideration:

Please send 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. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!

Downwinder Claws of Despair LP

Can it be said that there is currently some sort of stenchcore revival? The genre never really went away since the early ’00’s, and “stenchcore” arguably became an actual genre, solidified, adopted specific traits, and was considered as such at that time, already twenty years ago. DOWNWINDER has both feet in the modern stenchcore camp and, as a sucker who automatically buys any record with this tag, it got my undivided attention, like my dad watching darts on the telly. DOWNWINDER is from Volos in Greece, and is made up of members of UNFIT EARTH, DIRTY WOMBS, and FERAL KIDS, although they are not influenced, in terms of music at least, by the traditional Greek crust sound, and they do not sing in the language (apart from the last song of the LP). Claws of Despair is their second album, and I find it more convincing than the first one. It sounds heavy, mean, and dark, the production highlights what it is supposed to given the template, and the singer sounds like a zombified bear. The band can clearly be mentioned in the same foul breath as current bands like TERMINAL FILTH or CIMITERIUM, but they are even more death-metal-oriented and, not being a massive fan of the genre, I found myself unable to completely connect to some the songs. It is still a solidly executed work checking all the modern stenchcore boxes. I guess you already know if you’ll be up for this.

Fumist Coaltar LP

FUMIST is a supergroup based in Lyon, known for their seasoned members from HORDUR, CIVILIAN THROWER, LOVGUN, and OVERMARS. Their first album includes fourteen intense, D-beat-infused grindcore tracks with obligatory death metal slow sections that are sure to crush your head. The powerful drumming shines brightly on this album filled with nostalgic moments, creating a unique blend of grinding violence. Featuring both slow and fast movements, this album is a complete banger! Get your smoke on!

The Hamiltones In Space LP

For their second LP, these Buffalo punks boldly go where…actually, quite a few instrumental rock acts have gone before. The HAMILTONES, fresh off a stint playing for a convention of draculas a couple hundred years back, are joining the SPOTNICKS, the VENTURES, and MAN OR ASTRO-MAN? (not to mention countless lamer acts) out in space. So, you should know the deal: surf guitars plus bleeps and bloops, scratchy mid-century NASA samples, and maybe even a theremin. They’re by no means reinventing the Saturn V here, but I’ll be damned if this record isn’t just great. The guitar melodies are super compelling, and they’re often accompanied by soaring, lyric-less vocals (think the theme from Star Trek: The Original Series) or John Carpenter synths, giving the record more of a movie score vibe. And like their previous release, this thing is full of cool artwork and inserts adding more dumb fun band lore—the physical release even comes with an extra 7” by some mystery band that goes by MOON PEOPLE. Real cool shit!

Itchy and the Nits The Worst of LP

More stripped-down than a nudist on holiday, ITCHY AND THE NITS blast out twelve cuts of cave-beat rock’n’roll simplicity. Absolutely minimalist in their approach, it turns out that the “worst of” their output is actually pretty great. No time for bozos or searching around for that fourth chord, this power trio from Down Under gets straight to the point with their brand of budget rock bangers à la THEE HEADCOATEES or the DELMONAS. Not a single song breaks the two-minute threshold! Gritty, charming, and imminently replayable, there’s even a GIZMOS cover. What more could you possibly need?

Kiégett Föld Kiégett Föld cassette

Anarcho-punk from Budapest that throws everything at the wall with mixed results. This recording might be a new level of lo-fi. Bandcamp indicates that this was recorded in a bedroom; now imagine walking down the street about a block away from said bedroom and hearing the band through the window. That is the level of fidelity on display here, but it doesn’t necessarily take away from the echoing vocals and guitar and the dribbling basketball bass. Several of the tracks have an ear-catching surf twang that recalls the quirkiness of SHADOWY MEN FROM A SHADOWY PLANET. However, once the chorus to “Élelmiszer” kicks in, KIÉGETT FÖLD rips through fast punk rhythms and reveals a tightness and ability to rage. Three out of the nine tracks are short instrumental pieces that incorporate sound collage, field recordings of a farm, and strummed acoustic guitar. While they sound interesting enough, they come across more as undercooked sketches of songs not yet fully materialized than meaningful interludes. Not bad overall.

La Llama La Llama cassette

Was extremely ready to hate this, as the cover art had a strong whiff of the eggier end of punk about it, and I was prepared to mentally file this in the dustbin of history along with all those other poorly-dressed oddballs who can’t write tunes—however, how wrong I was (someone should come up with an idiom about not judging covers)! This is a tidy little cracker of a debut; scuzzy, taut garage rock that genuinely sounds like it was recorded in an actual garage. Songs fizz and whip past at a rate of knots, and never stay around too long to stay boring. Really good.

Machine Go Boom Your Skin’s Been Peeling Off EP

The five songs that comprise this EP were recorded way back in 2010. I’m always curious about these posthumous releases from bands that made a regional splash before getting sucked into the vast and encompassing void of non-existence. At the heart of my curiosity is a burning, one-word question: “why?” Why do bands from yesteryear feel compelled to scrape the barrel of nostalgia over a decade later to see what detritus they can dredge up? Perhaps it’s what their fans demand. Maybe there are legions of MACHINE GO BOOM-heads out there just pining for a few more songs to help them relive the glory days. In 2007, NPR said they “pound out high-energy, upbeat pop.” Sure. To my ears this is the kind of generic ’00s indie rock that I would have actively avoided when it was fresh. How has this aged fourteen years after its conception? Do I really need to answer that question? If you have a soft spot for this band or loved them in their heyday, I’m sure you’ll be thrilled that this is seeing the light of day. Personally, I’d rather literally peel my skin off than have to listen to this again. 

Negatives Whole Lotta Shakin’ EP reissue

Early ’80s Boston was ground zero for a certain strain of tense, wiry punk by and for art freaks and eggheads, and this long-lost EP from NEGATIVES hews so closely to that particular sound that I was completely taken aback to learn that the band was actually from New York City—cue the ’90s Pace Picante commercial. Originally released in 1979 or 1980 (apparently the band isn’t even entirely sure), Whole Lotta Shakin’ is basically the stuff of “punk records as retirement fund” dreams: band exists for under a full calendar year, records and releases one poorly distributed single, doesn’t even bother to put together a sleeve for it, then vanishes without a trace. “Mind Scan” is a sneering, snotty rocker and the most classically KBD of the EP’s four cuts, albeit on the nerdier/weirder end of that spectrum (the one occupied by the SCIENTIFIC AMERICANS, DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS, PLASTIC IDOLS, etc.) as opposed to the fuck-up/dum-dum side, but that said, the real hits are the ones bookending it. The dark, desperate harmonies of “Paradise” and jagged, stop/start rhythm pushing right into the soaring, anthemic chorus of “Whole Lotta Shakin’” conjure the dissonant post-punk beauty of Boston’s best—think MISSION OF BURMA, NATIVE TONGUE, and various deep cuts on the great Propeller label—which only makes it even more wild that NEGATIVES (just barely) predated all of them. New York for the win!

Ruined Virtue Ruined Virtue demo cassette

Every now and then (usually once a month or so), the music review gods look down upon me, smile, and say “Eric, here’s a tape to review that you’re really going to fall in love with.” This month, that assignment is RUINED VIRTUE’s demo, a five-track banger that is my new favorite thing. Coming from the same swamp in Sheffield as the magnificent RAT CAGE, RUINED VIRTUE’s demo sounds like WARTHOG, GOLPE, and the rest of modern punk’s finest. They even have a little bit of medieval charm, heard most prominently on standout “Flowers of Flesh & Blood.” If that intro isn’t enough to make you want to suit up in some chainmail and go to battle I don’t know what is. I’ll be eagerly awaiting some wax from these guys, really, truly killer stuff.

Schedule 1 Crucible LP

It’s hard for me to avoid the CURE comparison here, so I’ll just embrace it. Yes, SCHEDULE 1 is more than a touch faster than most of Smith and co.’s work, but the lower-register melodies and lines like the titular “You melt me down, just like a crucible” make this sound like an aggro version of Disintegration. It’s propelled by an anthemic quality which felt almost glam or like some early Oi! bands. Not a combination I would have predicted, but here we are.

Sectarian Bloom Strategies of Tension LP

SECTARIAN BLOOM has a sound that is all their own. If you haven’t yet checked them out, well, here is your chance. Bass-heavy with searing guitar leads, and powerful yet almost spoken vocals are their hallmark. Punk rock’n’roll. Strategies of Tension is eleven songs harvested from their 2020 self-titled release and 2022 New Spring recording. A fresh mastering provides the songs with new energy and packages them all into a single record which makes playing their to-date material a bit easier. In all, this is a great collection of songs created by a band that wishes “a hundred sects bloom.”

Traumatizer Release Fear EP

Relentless, thrashy, incisive, and violent outbursts of fast-paced hardcore punk on the debut EP from this Dutch band. Pure raw hardcore punk and even a pinch of synth work here and there (like in the track “Traumatizer”). Sharp, riffy guitars that couple with tight bass lines and non-stop drumming make this a corrosive blend and solid record. Sonic violence is guaranteed, on behalf of Spain’s underground battle label Discos Enfermos, and their allies in Canada, Neon Taste. Give it a go, eager to hear more from TRAUMATIZER.

Unabomb Cabin Fever cassette

Ripping hardcore from Michigan that goes hard from start to finish. These five tracks blast by with lyrics commenting on corruption, organized religion, racist punks, and martial law. I have a feeling the members of UNABOMB have some classic thrash records in their collections because they have riffs, and when the Big-Four-style, palm-muted, galloping power chug starts up on songs like “Blind Patriot” and “Old,” the songwriting arrangement soars past the confines of your everyday one-minute HC song. The vocals surge into a blackened holler at times, and the drumming is locked-in and super tight with a high-pitched snare tone that blazes through the buzzing guitars and ups the intensity. Also cool is the simple line-drawing cover art, which looks like the background setting for an EXTORTION record.

Virus X 1983 Vol. 2 (The Final Vinyl) LP

Originally formed in the early ’80s in Niagara Falls, New York, VIRUS X lives on. One side of this record has some old recordings from 1985, and the other has new tunes from 2023. The ’85 tracks showcase an ominous, outsider rock sound that leans into ghoulish themes in the vein of early T.S.O.L. and the FREEZE, and the band carries their strange sense of humor into the new songs as well. They’re sounding like old pros on the new stuff, and the songs are more densely-composed, but these guys are obviously still having fun.

Why Bother? Serenading Unwanted Ballads LP

Wow. WHY BOTHER? made another album. Another very, very good album. This prolific band comes from Mason City, Iowa, and this is their seventh full-length record since 2021. Serenading Unwanted Ballads hits all of the marks of their signature sound: Terry’s foreboding-doom vocals and hallucinogenic synth, Speck’s shimmering guitar that’s drenched à la country western ballad in reverb or full of crunch and fuzz; Pamela’s growling bass (check out “Some Don’t Dance (Post Modern Mix)”); and the equally precise yet destructive drumming from Paul (check out “Frothy Green (Live Dec. 2020)”). The A-side comes off as a darker and at times slower version of the band, like on my favorite of the album, “Come on Inside”—absolutely haunting. The B-side gets a little more energetic and feels akin to previous releases, yet still has some dark reveries like “Thanks for the Ride” and “Testify,” the latter written and recorded by Aaron H in the Anamosa State Prison. In full disclosure, A City of Unsolved Miseries made my year-end top ten for 2023, so I come predisposed to loving this band, and I’ve been listening to this release on repeat since it came out in March. But I digress, as I’m gushing at this point—if you like post-punk cloaked in a gothic shawl set to horror synth, then do yourself a favor and listen to WHY BOTHER?

Becky & the Politicians Play the Early Hits of Cub cassette

This cassette is in honor of CUB’s original drummer Valeria Fellini. CUB is the Vancouver, BC icon of twee pop and cuddlecore that was, intentionally or not, the foundation of the bedroom projects that surfaced during the pandemic. All nine tracks are CUB covers, as BECKY & THE POLITICIANS skip down the road and hold hands with contemporaries like 1-800-MIKEY, RICHARD HAMILTON, BABY TYLER, BILLIAM…the list could go on. BECKY & THE POLITICIANS play a jangly guitar, an obstinate bass, and a tight little hi-hat drum beat that are—collaborative-sounding band name aside—the solo project of Jacyn Nickle, also of COLLATE, CONDITIONER DISCO GROUP and the BEDROOMS. With quite a few other releases on Kennel Jitters (Options, Punk Rolls Over the Hill, Drop Acid, and Own Thing), I first heard the “band” on the 2022 Girlsville comp She Don’t Need You that I reviewed. On Play the Early Hits of Cub, the synth is put away, which gives a much different tone to the whole thing compared to those previously mentioned releases, creating distance from the synth cover band pigeonhole that BECKY & THE POLITICIANS isn’t in. Awesome lo-fi recording that honors the life of Valeria Fellini and pays homage to CUB’s greatness.

Brass Lip Vol. 1 cassette

Two-piece recording project from Calgary. Cool, weird, home-recorded four-song demo of lo-fi, simplistic, plodding garage punk. Please don’t take that to mean that BRASS LIP is boring, because they are anything but. These four songs are great and the vocal delivery is spot-on. I don’t think there is a single thing about this tape I don’t like. The layout looks great, the lo-fi recording works really well with this style, the songs are memorable. Here’s hoping they get a couple more people on board to round out the band and start playing live, ‘cause this seems like it would be a pretty rippin’ live band.

The Breed Kingdom Dolorous 12″

Harsh, neo-caveman Dutch hardcore punk. On the A-side, you can find their new EP release, and on the B-side, you have their previously released demo. Things of a raw primitive nature, vibrant and executed mercilessly. Filled with POISON IDEA vibes but in a much somber tone, they seem to have been brought back to life from the most blistering era of ’80s USHC. Never-ending drum beats stomping your brains out while the riffs are still hot, and desperate, angry vocals. Dark, somber atmospheres are reached here that resemble a cathartic blow into the void of existence. Fourteen destructive tracks. Go blast this.

Committeemen Extended Play CD

Houston, Texas-based COMMITTEEMEN release six new songs on this EP. Forming post-pandemic through answering some Craigslist ads, vocalist and guitarist DJ Gilmore-Innis and drummer Ken Dannelley (also of the NERVE-CURLERS and CORNISH GAME HEN) got together as the heads of the project, having their second guitarist and bassist amicably change over since this release. COMMITTEEMEN play post-punk-flavored garage rock, with some fairly gruff/shouted vocals and fuzzy guitars way up front in the mix. They remind me of the BLACK DOTS who I reviewed a while back, but not as emotive. They take the “Are we not men?” line from “Jocko Homo” on their “Total Devo,” give a dissonant little guitar intro, but otherwise don’t try out any mimicry. Another namedrop comes on “Kate Bush Plays Coachella,” but I can’t really parse what’s happening in that song, as they sing “Just like the movies / You see right through me”—your guess is as good as mine. Anyway, decent release, with another single (“Stimulated”) that has come out since.

Crise Lonxe EP

Look, I’m sure this lot are a lovely bunch of lads, polite to their mum and always getting their round in and such, so I hesitate to go in two-footed on this, but you sometimes just have to ask, “what’s the point?” Is the world crying out for more MOR Oi! in name alone? What is the inherent desire to add cod-ska inflections on songs that do not require them? Will I remember any of this record a mere fifteen minutes after it finishes? Signs don’t look good! Not particularly worth any of your time, to be honest.

The Darbs She’s a Dungeon Master Now LP

Catchy and fun pop punk out of the Malibu of the Midwest: Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Maybe I’m being subconsciously influenced by the dairyland association, but these guys remind me a lot of BORIS THE SPRINKLER. Fantastic vocals, especially the harmonies. This is the kind of band I’d love to see live at some desolate Wisco bar late on a Friday night, with a lukewarm bottle of PBR and a matching neon sign hung behind the stage (in this fantasy, the stage is just a spot on the dining room floor where they cleared away the extra tables and chairs). Great album here. In my opinion, Wisconsin’s punk scenes in general are crucially underrated and they need to be boosted on everyone’s radar.

The Dumpies / Night Court The Shit Split Part Duh split EP

Bold move to name your record after such an iconic split as the original BLATZ/FILTH Shit Split. The DUMPIES clock five fleeting cuts of mostly melodic pop punk with nasally vocals. The least melodic track, “Hats,” is also the shortest (a whopping 25 seconds) and most memorable of the bunch. Exhibiting a competence that comes with experience, it’s clear that the DUMPIES know their way around their instruments, but this batch of songs seems a bit undercooked. It’s like they are hinting at something greater than what has been committed to tape, and ultimately flame out before leaving the launching pad. On the flipside of the platter, NIGHT COURT wades even further into the syrup of jangly pop punk. This is the type of cloying, cavity-inducing, artificially sweetened pop that makes me long for the whine of the dentist’s drill. At least their songs are quite brief, too. Needless to say, this falls far short of the record its title references.   

Ex-Dom En La Mira 12″

Very cool shit from EX-DOM, a four-piece from Bremen, Germany who sing in both Spanish and German and play D-beat-influenced tupa-tupa that sits comfortably next to contemporaries GOLPE and DELETÄR. Even if you’re like me and not bilingual, you’ll still get the picture; this is raw, ass-kicking music that gets the point across in spite of potential language barriers. Everything on here smokes, but “Devastactión” is my favorite. Its screeching feedback and caveman stomp intro leads into a heavy riff-fest with tasty guitar leads guiding the way. Like I said earlier, this shit rules. Two thumbs way up, highly recommended.

Fuera De Sektor Juegos Prohibidos LP

FUERA DE SEKTOR has made a triumphant return with their debut full-length album, following the release of their four-song demo in 2022. Hailing from Barcelona, this band has skillfully crafted their own sound by fusing the vibrant energy of ’80s punk with the edgy sensibility of post-punk. The guitar work, which stands out for its distinctiveness, takes center stage as it weaves through a collection of mid-tempo riffs. With a solid rhythm section providing unwavering support, the recording is flawlessly executed. Picture the infectious catchiness of LOS ILEGALES combined with the unique character of L.A.’s X. The lyrics delve into themes of desire, lust, loss, and confusion, offering a fresh and thought-provoking perspective on self.

Hans-a-Plast Hans-a-Plast LP reissue

The year is 1978, the place is Hanover, Germany, and HANS-A-PLAST is playing their version of punk rock that draws upon the sounds of X-RAY SPEX, the SLITS, and PATTI SMITH, ending up rocking similar to the REZILLOS. Pogo along to this reissue and you’ll be transported to a previous time and place. Lyrics sung in German are layered upon hopping but sparse guitar riffs, while the bass guitar and drums keep a tight, speedy beat. Songs like “Monopoly” and “Rank Xerox” seem to highlight a musicality that embraces play over refinement and assists in keeping things artfully noisy. In all, this reissue is easily listenable if you like punk from this era, and might make the perfect backing track for a night of playing pool at the local punk dive.

Kirkby Kiss / Medicinal split EP

Great split EP here. MEDICINAL sounds like a modern rendition of the lost wave of emo that no one really ever talks about, which featured bands like CAR VS DRIVER and BOYS LIFE. Noodly riffs in a minor key with a vocalist who appears to have worshiped at the altar of Guy Picciotto. This is what I think about when someone references post-hardcore. KIRKBY KISS plays a more stringent version of hardcore, but their singer really stood out to me. Very raw and real, sounding like they blew their voice out before they even got into the studio. My only complaint is that it’s over too soon!

Lost Dead Love and Hate CD

Influenced by ’80s post-punk, ’90s shoegaze, and melodic punk/Oi!, LOST DEAD emerges from the rich musical history of Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods, where they were born out of the legacy of bands like PKDORES and ESKE. LOST DEAD defies traditional categorization by blending elements from various music genres. Instead of trying to pigeonhole them into specific categories, allow yourself to be immersed in their dark, melodic chords and intense beats.

Mindless Let ‘Em Know EP

As hardcore bands become more and more abundant these days, it’s understandable that some would want to think outside of the box and come up with something to stand out. With that in mind, I applaud MINDLESS from Kent and their EP Let ‘Em Know, which is a nasty slab of aggro hardcore that swings for the fences by way of adding in some Oi! and powerviolence influences that sometimes work and sometimes don’t. Opening track “Business as Usual” is just that, a serviceable bit of UKHC that has a cool breakdown and will please the two-steppers. The title track follows suit, as well as fourth track “Nightmare,” while the closing track “Evil” is a surprisingly upbeat Oi! number that has a heavy BUSINESS influence that would sit comfortably on a setlist by contemporaries the CHISEL. It’s the song “Cold Hell” that throws me for a loop, with a powerviolence influence coming by way of some blastbeats that, to be honest, I don’t love. It may be personal preference more than anything, but I don’t think it adds much to the song and leaves me wishing they had omitted it entirely. Still, four out of five isn’t a bad average by any means—I’d say it’s worth a listen if this is your thing.

Nights Templar Half the Year cassette

NIGHTS TEMPLAR has been releasing a steady stream of recordings over the last few years, and Half the Year is their first that is not self-released. Garage punk and noise pop combine on this release to form songs that are dreamy and feel like they’re from another era. I begin to immediately recall things like BEAT HAPPENING and BLACK MARBLE. Drifting and lilting guitars, blending with shuffled beats, and soft but stable vocals seem to effortlessly create musical magic as the songs on this cassette meander and float into existence, almost as if one becomes the extension of the previous.

O-D-Ex Breaker LP

Trippy, hypnotic, and weird digital noise duo. Lazy and strident, trashy-to-the-core drum machines mixed with some vague lyrics and constantly repeating synth work. These disco-techno sounds are not my jam at all. An immediacy is achieved, but it seems that some things have been lost along the way.

Pedigree Run Away LP

The rhythms on PEDIGREE’s Run Away, which veer between a driving 4/4 and a jolting stop/start, recall many of the Copenhagen bands of the ’00s. That’s reinforced by their comparatively clean, catchy guitars. Catchy, but not above a little sonic grit or atonal drones (another quality they share with GORILLA ANGREB). I don’t want to stretch the reference, as this is not the unabashed K-town worship of PLANET Y’s 2022 En Plads i Solen (not that I’d complain if it was), but it’s channeling much of the same angsty bop.

The Real Losers Good Clean Fun LP

Rescued from obscurity by the esteemed Total Punk, it’s the unreleased intended second album from the REAL LOSERS! And it’s an old-fashioned smoker for all you garage freaks out there. Fed on ’70s sleaze and forged in the apex of the budget rock movement back in the early ’00s, these fourteen blown-out tracks deliver raucous and rocking ’90s-style punk in the lineage of early MAKERS, REATARDS, the REDS, CHINESE MILLIONAIRES, et al., channeling the likes of TEENGENERATE and CLONE DEFECTS in places. It’s down, dirty, and to-the-point rock action. They’ve got a real knack for making their simplicity so filthy, and they’re not afraid to shake a tambourine. Just when I thought the well had run dry on this kind of stuff, I get smacked with this banger. It’s easily one of the greatest revelations of the year thus far, right next to realizing that the fantastic KÜKEN are the same dudes from later-era Rip Off Records act the KIDNAPPERS! Who knew?

Shit Tax World Demise cassette

SHIT TAX seems to be a band that has been going for more than ten years, but only bothered to release something last year. To each their own pace, I guess. The moniker gave it away a little: SHIT TAX is a punk-as-fuck band playing direct, punk-as-fuck music. I am reminded of ’90s US anarcho-punk bands a lot, like RESIST, BROTHER INFERIOR, or DEPRIVED. Fast and snotty punk rock with lyrics against the pigs, religion, and consumerism, and about trying to survive in a violent society without going insane. It’s not bad, but with all the songs sounding a lot like each other, I found myself losing focus halfway through the tape. It is not so easy to keep the listener engaged with such a straightforward punk rock sound, and I think the EP format would have suited SHIT TAX better. They must be fun live, though, and I’m sure the local studs-and-spikes brigade are into them. And they’ve got a raptor playing the guitar on their Bandcamp, which is a definite yes.

Total Sham Total Sham LP

I like “capital A” Art and experimentation as much as the next music nerd, but sometimes you just want a band to kick your ass. TOTAL SHAM is just the group. No-frills, no-bullshit hardcore that recalls the best of ’80s Midwest punk like NEGATIVE APPROACH and DIE KREUZEN with their shredded power chords, raw vocals, and stark album art and logo. Every song is a punch in the teeth: urgent, fast, and vital. “Mind/Matter” and “Murder on My Mind” are straight-up classics (we even get a “one, two, fuck you!” count off on the latter), and distill everything powerful about punk into potent audio cyanide capsules. The rest of the record is as strong, with arrangements as ear-catching as they are piercing. If you like hardcore punk of any era, it comes highly recommended.

Uranium Club Infants Under the Bulb LP

This is going to sound like a contrarian take, but I really wasn’t looking forward to more URANIUM CLUB. Don’t get me wrong—I love this band. 2015’s Human Exploration is easily one of the best records of the past decade. It still blows me away every time I put it on. But with each subsequent release, the band seemed to be leaning away from the wiry but dense, concrete-slicing panic punk that drew me to them in the first place, in favor of the more DISMEMBERMENT PLAN-y, smart-guy rock aspects of their sound. That’s not to say I disliked those later records, but by the time their 2019 LP rolled around, it really started to feel like I was listening to the album out of an obligation to some former enthusiasm. That was five very long years ago at this point. How many subpar soundalikes have we been bombarded with in the interim? So, yeah, that’s why I wasn’t super keen to dive into this one. I obviously wasn’t going to not listen to the album, though, so I was pleasantly surprised when “Small Grey Man” kicked things off and didn’t quite sound like more of the same. It was a little gentler and more thoughtful than their previous stuff—they’ve even woven some subtle horns into the mix—yet there was enough angularity and anxiety to clearly signal this was a URANIUM CLUB track. I really liked it! But as the record wore on, that novelty wore off, and I started to realize that the band has continued to evolve away from what I’m looking for. They’ve clearly grown as songwriters—the compositions are among their densest, and they’ve even pushed things in an AOR direction with the aforementioned horns and a handful of conceptual interludes that are a mix of Just So Stories and Discreet Music. I’d even go so far as to say it sounds like a great record, one they should be proud of and that I’m sure lots of folks will love. Maybe I just don’t know what I want from the band at this point, but I’m pretty sure it’s not this.

Xmal Deutschland Early Singles 1981–1982 LP

A collection of the earliest recordings from Hamburg’s goth paragons XMAL DEUTSCHLAND, and a much-needed history lesson for those only familiar with them as typically black-clad, hairsprayed creatures of the night. The first two XMAL DEUTSCHLAND singles came courtesy of the local Zickzack label, home to some of the most out-there, art-fucked experimental German sounds of the early ’80s, and they were perfectly situated there, with the band still basically learning how to play after forming in 1980 with no prior musical experience—these songs are unpolished and immediate in all of the best ways afforded by post-punk amateurism, with stilted beats, sharp but sparing guitar incisions, and wild shouts over insistent blurts of synth. “Schwarze Welt” pounds along with a monominded, cymbal-free fixation that borders on no wave until the unexpected disco beat breakdown kicks in, and the giddy rollercoaster rhythm of “Kälbermarsch” (their contribution to Zickzack’s Lieber Zuviel Als Zuwenig comp LP in 1981) is much closer to KLEENEX/LILIPUT than the stern, MALARIA!/SIOUXSIE nexus of later 4AD-backed XMAL records. The slow creep of goth is more pronounced on the second EP’s perennial batcave floor-filler “Incubus Succubus” (later cleaned up and reworked for their 1984 Tocsin LP), but there’s still an unpredictable and slightly shambolic element at play, cutting through the cobwebs—there’s only a faint trail of clove cigarette smoke between the elliptical, bass-driven bounce of “Zu Jung Zu Alt” or “Blut Ist Liebe” and, say, DELTA 5. Super sick.

4 Kopniętych I Fred 4 Kopniętych I Fred LP

As I type, I’m also listening to this LP by ’80s crew 4 KOPNIĘTYCH I FRED out of Poland. The groovy, melancholic opening track features some surfing guitar with a dark bend and some excellent shifts in pattern. When the vocals start, they feature some nice reverb that adds a bit of goth-rock touch. Post-punk song structures pervade this album, but the energy is pure punk rock. I really enjoy how the drums are featured prominently in a lot of songs and guide the tempo with expert precision. The record features a nice fold-out lyric sheet with some photos of the band playing. From 1983 to 1986, 4 KOPNIĘTYCH I FRED gigged in Jarocin. A lot of songs on this self-titled album seem to meander in unexpected directions that are increasingly enjoyable. 4 KOPNIĘTYCH I FRED seem to have an endless musical quiver to draw upon. If you like AGENT ORANGE, the ADICTS, or the DAMNED, then you absolutely must check this out. If you believe NED’S ATOMIC DUSTBIN is amazing music, then you’re going to love this.

Anonymous Carpetting Anonymous Carpetting cassette

The latest missive from Arielle McCuaig, Calgary’s leading art-punk agitator in PUPPET WIPES, VACUUM REBUILDERS, JANITOR SCUM, and probably at least two or three new projects just in the time since this ANONYMOUS CARPETTING cassette appeared last month. This one’s a solo home-recorded effort, all rinky-dink Casio presets layered with gnarled, freeform guitar and surreal spoken/chanted lyrics, scratching and collapsing like the most genuinely oddball Messthetics oddities. The appropriately anxious electronic twitch of “Nervous Habits” pays tribute to the PETTICOATS (connect the conceptual dots straight to “Paranoia”), the nagging, CHROME-plated rhythm of “Scab Thief” devolves into something far more mutated than mutant disco, and “Bell Bottom Strutter” is like a roughed-up, needle-pinned version of PRESSLER-MORGAN’s poetic, minimalist punk—all signposts from the past dotting the well-trodden path of wonky DIY, but ANONYMOUS CARPETTING takes plenty of detours along the way.

Blessure La Maniere EP

Serving up some tight and tense cold Oi! from the Spanish city of Bilbao, BLESSURE channels old school street punk with an anarcho vibe on these four florid tracks. Painting their driving backbeats with a post-punky feel, the band’s guitars take on an ethereal quality that works particularly well with the soft and direct tone of the vocals. Even though it’s dressed up in modern fashion, you don’t need to understand Spanish to recognize this as classic punk protest music.

Brute Spring Turquoise Window LP

Solo synth punk project in the tradition of “Hot on the Heels of Love”-style THROBBING GRISTLE and the slinkier moments of EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN. Songs like “Blood on Sand” and “The Crash” mechanically churn with propulsive beats, electro-funk bass, and catchy, lo-fi keyboard lines. It sounds thickly analog and scratchy but also forward-thinking. Long-distance vocals call out through an echo tunnel to deliver barely intelligible communiqués to all the punks on the dance floor. The collection nears traditional industrial in moments, like on “Through the Window” and “Engines of Hate,” but the harder stuttering beats, guitar leads, and vocals still retain the melodicism of the surrounding songs to keep the record cohesive. Imagine your favorite vintage coldwave single left outside overnight exposed to the elements. The resulting sound, cracked, weathered, and slightly decayed, is BRUTE SPRING at its best.

Brux Fills De La Nit EP

This recording, as Working Class Drama, was released by the band’s label La Parca on a limited run of 100 cassettes in late 2023. However, its exceptional quality demanded a vinyl release. And here it is! BRUX returns with a collection of four tracks that embody their distinctive style. These hard-hitting anthems showcase a fusion of the sharpest post-punk elements, leaning towards deathrock, with raw street punk vocals. The band fearlessly navigates between two seemingly opposing genres, creating a fresh sound. Their music is both for traditional boot boys and post-punk enthusiasts alike. By combining the essence of BLITZ and deathrock, BRUX has crafted a diverse sound. Skins and goths can co-exist.

Cop an Attitude Cop an Attitude cassette

This tape is the first recording from this young band from Karlsruhe, Germany. Now, when I say young, I am talking about the actual band, since the members seem to have all played in other bands before, like ’90s hardcore unit DIAVOLO ROSSO (to be fair, the only band on their resumes I am familiar with). COP AN ATTITUDE plays fast, ’90s-style hardcore with hooks, tunes, and quite a variety of paces and moods (from emotional hardcore—the acceptable term for “emocore”—moments to fastcore) and political lyrics. The songs were recorded live at their rehearsal space, so you can infer that they are seasoned musicians who already know what they are trying to create. It is a little too “progressive” and clean to my ears and not raw enough (but I am half-deaf anyway, so that certainly affects my perspective). It sounds passionate and I can imagine quite a few people being into COP AN ATTITUDE, what with the current ’90s revival, but it is not my cuppa.

Cornish Game Hen Death Process CD

Imagine my surprise when a dance punk band named CORNISH GAME HEN wasn’t from across the pond, but instead from Houston, Texas of all places. Sounding like ADAM ANT, the B-52’S, and THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS all smashed together, it is a daunting task to get through this fourteen-track album. Very repetitive and drab, which is interesting to me because it sounds like each member takes up vocal duties throughout this disc. You’d think this would spice things up a bit, but it still just all sounds the same. I do need to point out that out of all the tracks, the vocal performance on “Poster Punk” really stands out, as it showcases an impressive run during the chorus. The synth work is great, don’t get me wrong. However, it does a metric ton of the heavy lifting and doesn’t fill the gaps left wanting by the rest of the band. CORNISH GAME HEN ultimately chose quantity over quality here. Death Process may have worked better as an EP with a handful of their best songs from this session.

Dead People / Disthroat split LP

Cool two-creature feature here from two great Spanish bands. DEAD PEOPLE from Barcelona plays simple and slick hardcore with a thumping bass, sing-along choruses, and an overall fun feel. They tie their six solid songs up in a neat bow with a surprising cover of “Suffragette City.” Flipping it over, Zaragoza’s DISTHROAT comes in sounding completely crazy with “A World in Decay,” and their portion continues in a barrage of brutish DISCHARGE-inspired riffing and ripping. Fans of DECADE will likely dig this side.

DSM-5 / 暴力装置 (Bōryoku Sōchi) The Future Means Murder split CD

Swedish D-beat mercenaries DSM-5 don’t waste any time, delivering five flaming tracks almost instructing the whole audience on how to properly handle distorted beats and how they should be grasped and executed. On the other half of the split CD, 暴​力​装​置 (VIOLENT DEVICE) gives us a fit filled with a raw hardcore essence, mixed with vocals echoing another era. Dis-lovers, this one’s sure going to satisfy your cravings.

The Follies Permanent Present Tense LP

The FOLLIES are a little FLAMIN’ GROOVIES with some BOB MOULD, and a little LOVE.  Lots of jangly pop to be had here, and I am not ashamed to admit liking the majority of it.  There might be a couple of songs that fall short (“I Idled,” “I Tried”), but all in all, Permanent Present Tense is a tightly-wound ball o’ power pop. Give us more vocals from Jess Poplowski, who contributed to  one of the better moments to be had on the record, “Bad Habits.”

Holy Shit! Have a Couple More Good Songs CD / Used Punk EP

It’s hard for me to really accept that Wisconsin’s HOLY SHIT! is well into their third fucking decade of thrashing, but here we are. Eight songs of beautiful, irreverent, ripping fastcore on the Used Punk EP, with just two songs kissing the sixty-second mark (neither get close to seventy). HOLY SHIT! continues to push envelopes, with blatant ’80s hardcore references mutated and damaged at will—this recording is no different, and I feel like every time I hear a new record of theirs, I get reminded all over again that “oh yeah, of course my brains are coming out of my ears….this is a HOLY SHIT! record.” You need a reminder too? They’ve got you. Just pop in the 78-track Have a Couple More Good Songs CD and hear the stellar KBDOOP LP, Not My Tempo and Old Hat EPs, splits with YOUR PEST BAND and GROANING GROOVE, the Live on WMSE cassette, plus some comp shit. It’s a lot, to be sure…but life is a lot, my friends. And it’s worth it. Also, the cover art is straight-up genius.

Los Retumbes Y De Postre, Komtessa cassette

If I had to imagine a garage band from the Basque Country in Spain releasing an album on a punk label out of Nashville, Tennessee, this is exactly what I would want to hear. Fast, driving, distorted guitars leading punk-tinged garage bangers with lyrics in Spanish, reminiscent of DIRTBOMBS and early MARKED MEN. Extra plus is album art that looks something William Hanna and Joseph Barbera would illustrate if they had worked for Adult Swim.

Monta​ñ​a Monta​ñ​a LP

The highly anticipated debut LP by MONTAÑA, a band hailing from Seville and formed in 2020, has finally arrived. Following their initial EP which made a splash in the vibrant Andalusian DIY punk scene, this new album features eight fresh tracks that stay true to the band’s signature style. With a focus on rhythms and danceable tunes, MONTAÑA boldly explores various elements of punk music that have evolved since the late ’70s, drawing from post-punk, new wave, and no wave influences. The songwriting and sound on this debut album have matured, showcasing the band’s ability to create songs that are both simple and complex, with an energetic vocal delivery taking the spotlight. Driving bass lines propel the music forward, supported by a solid rhythmic foundation and guitar work that keeps you moving while immersing you in the band’s dreamy and melancholic universe.

Northeast Regional Fitness EP

Following the band’s debut LP Brand Managers of the Mid-Atlantic from last year, NORTHEAST REGIONAL fires off three post-hardcore/power punk tracks on this latest 7”. The group comes to us from Richmond, VA by way of Washington, DC, and is the brainchild of vocalist and guitarist Jeff Byers. The group was formerly a studio-based effort with lots of credited musicians, but a steady lineup has since formed and the group has been found on stage with local acts like DARKER THAN and the ARMORS. For their sound, Byers sites inspiration from groups like the HIVES, OSO OSO, MENEGUAR, and brings it back to his regional roots “[with] LUNGFISH’s ‘less is more’ songwriting approach.” The songwriting and ethos of the band seem to be a mélange of mistrust of capitalism, a good gym routine, and heavy, fast guitar riffs, producing song titles like “Agencies” and “Isometrics.” If you’re looking to reminisce on the RVA punk sound of bands like STRIKE ANYWHERE and the riffy metal- tinged mood of DC’s DARKEST HOUR, look no further than NORTHEAST REGIONAL.