Latest features — browse all

Commerce or Amusement?

Regular Columns / Commerce or Amusement? • January 26, 2026

Howdy out there! Welcome to the introduction for a new interview series I’ll be helming. Thanks to SPB for having me. My interviews are going to revolve around “music biz” kinds of things. Before I keep going, I need to tell you something…I am not actually in the music business. However, I am involved in music. As a musician, label owner, producer, engineer etc…I never approached any of those monikers from a business standpoint. I’m a fan above all else and the rest has occurred as a direct result of that. As such, the interviewees will all be drawn from various corners of the music world. It’s important to realize that there are financial implications in various fields of music, but that will unfold over the course of the interviews I conduct. For anyone doing a band, label, blog, etc., I’d like you, the reader, to ask yourself: “Am I in the music business, or just involved in music?” If you’re reading this as a music fan, the question for you changes slightly: “Do I support the music business, or just support music?” These are not trick questions and there are no wrong answers. It’s not the '90s anymore, where if you’re in a punk band and admit you’d rather make money than lose money you’ll be ostracized. If you’re a fan that wants to work at a record label or manage a band, you won’t get any sideways glances by people who are suspicious of your motives. What this … Read more

The Rousers

Interviews • January 26, 2026

A dripping handful of Brylcreem and a well-used black comb situated in the pack pocket of the rolled up Levis, … Read more

Demos You Want To Check #2

Music / New Kids On The Block • January 12, 2026

The musical landscape is ever changing. New genres are popping up, new hypes burst out of nowhere and then die … Read more

Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2025)

Music / Year End 2025 • December 23, 2025

Every year we diligently assemble a list of our favorite albums of the year. Each SPB staff member enters the … Read more

Latest album reviews — browse all

Mariachi El Bronx

IV
ATO (2026)

As I review Mariachi El Bronx's latest album, IV I'm not going to pretend I'm well-versed in the deep cultural tradition that inspired The Bronx to adopt this project well outside of their fiery hardcore "main project." Instead, I'll grade it on "do I like it" merits. And I definitely dig the rhythmic and festival Latinx flavors. If you're familiar … Read more

Hoaxed

Death Knocks
Relapse (2026)

There’s a fine line between dark rock that feels theatrical and dark rock that feels transportive. On Death Knocks, Hoaxed land firmly in the latter. This is an album that doesn’t just flirt with atmosphere but commits to it fully, wrapping heavy riffs, melodic hooks, and occult-tinged drama into something that feels natural and not staged. Three years in the … Read more

Carnivorous Flower

Carnivorous Flower
Dead Broke Rekerds (2025)

There's a time to be cerebral and there's a time to tell it like it is. Carnivorous Flower lives by the latter. Their debut has 10 songs: 18 minutes in total. Each of the songs is catchy as heck and you can pretty much singalong on your first listen. It's "simple" punk with peppy energy and a lot of heart. … Read more

SUB/SHOP

Democatessen
Independent (2025)

Richmond, VA has always had a way of bending punk into something sharper and stranger, and Sub/Shop feels like a direct product of that tradition. Their EP democatessen isn’t a debut in the wide-eyed sense but a statement from musicians who’ve already spent years inside heavy, confrontational music and are now choosing precision over spectacle. Across six tracks, Sub/Shop delivers … Read more

Additional album reviews

200 Words Or Less

Guerilla Teens

I Cyclops / Pride of the Savanna-7"
Heavy Medication Records (2024)

One-eyed wind-up dancing eyeballs boppin' and weavin' with Scott "Deluxe" Drake and Jeff Fieldhouse from the one and only and never replicated the almighty "The Humpers". I was lucky to … Read more

Joyce Manor

I Used To Go To This Bar
Epitaph (2026)

Surely by now, you’ve heard their name. Joyce Manor have been writing soundtracks for heartbreaks and hangovers for nearly two decades now. They create short songs with their hearts on … Read more

La Luz

Extra! Extra!
Sub Pop (2026)

Formed in 2012, La Luz built their reputation on hypnotic surf-noir, eerie harmonies, and a uniquely supernatural warmth that made them one of Sub Pop’s most consistently compelling bands. Their … Read more

Dead Boys

Night Of The Living Dead Dolls
Cleopatra (2025)

Dead Boys, or should I say Dead Dolls (no, not those creepy little Dolls that were mass produced for wannabe Wednesdays). Johnny Blitz had just been stabbed on the streets … Read more

Crystal Lake

The Weight Of Sound
Century Media (2025)

Formed in Tokyo in 2002, Crystal Lake have spent more than two decades shaping their own high-velocity hybrid of metalcore, hardcore, and atmospheric chaos. Few bands of their era survived … Read more

Tired Radio

Hope In The Haze
Red Scare Industries (2025)

I knew of Tired Radio, but I didn't really know the band's work. When Red Scare announced they'd signed the band, I figured it was a good excuse to dive … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Resinators

Recorded In 2005 By Jay Reatard
Independent (2024)

Interesting little slab we got sent to SPB by a Mr. Ed Young. Two originals and a cover, recorded in Jay Reatard’s living room back in 2005 as the title … Read more

Various Artists

Bombs Away!
Rad Girlfriend Records (2025)

Split records have always worked best when they feel intentional rather than convenient, and Bombs Away! lands firmly in the former category. Bringing together East Bay veterans Tsunami Bomb and … Read more

News headlines — browse all

Graveface Revival Series

Posted in Labels on February 7, 2026

Celebrating 25 years of operations, Graveface Records has announced the subscription based Graveface Revival Series, a year-long proejct that will issue "unreleased, unissued, and vinyl-absent recordings from Graveface’s 25-year history," the label says. "The series includes albums that were completed but never pressed, titles previously available only on CD or … Read more

Time Bomb High School repress

Posted in Records on February 7, 2026

Merge Records has announced plans to reissue Reigning Sound's Time Bomb High School, first released in 2002. The new edition comes on March 6, available on vinyl and remastered with … Read more

Pool Kids Audiotree (karaoke) session

Posted in Bands on February 7, 2026

Pool Kids, following last year's Easier Said Than Done album (Epitaph), have posted an Audiotree Far Out session with two live tracks from the album, as welel as some karaoke … Read more

Tsunami Bomb hits PNW

Posted in Tours on February 7, 2026

Tsunami Bomb has announced a Pacific Northwest tour this April, playing four dates in Everett, Seattle, Bremerton, and Portland. They will play with Crimewave 66 (feat. Matt Freeman of Rancid), … Read more

Sella and Emperor X

Posted in Records on February 7, 2026

Sella, the solo project from Brian Sella (The Front Bottoms), has a new debut album on the way. The record, Well I Mean, will release on Bar/None on March 13. … Read more

Big-time Nausea reissues

Posted in Records on February 7, 2026

Nausea's World Struggle: Extended Edition (2LP w/ bonus 7" / 2CD) and Exile to Confinement: The Forgotten Demo Years Collection. are being reissued, courtest of F.O.A.D. Records in an attempt … Read more

SUX SELLS in springtime

Posted in Records on February 7, 2026

Synth-punk SUX will released SUX SELLS on March 27, the band's latest album -- which is out via Youth Riot Records The first single just debute, “NO THX”. Read more Read more

More news — browse all

American Steel's debut LP reissue

Posted in Records on February 7, 2026

The self-titled debut album from American Steel, born in the … Read more

A message from The Taxpayers

Posted in Records on February 7, 2026

Folk-punk-ish band The Taxpayers have released a new split 7" … Read more

Good Riddance X

Posted in Records on February 6, 2026

march 27 will be the release date for Before The … Read more

Las Cruxes, NE

Posted in Records on February 6, 2026

Las Cruxes, a solo/collective project from Yayo Trujillo (ex-Pastilla) of … Read more

Talk About It with Grade 2

Posted in Records on February 6, 2026

Grade 2 has a new album on the way, with … Read more

Chain X with Swing Kids, Trace Amount, Body Stuff

Posted in Shows on February 6, 2026

Launched in 2016, by Curran Reynolds, Justin Pearson, and Brandon … Read more

New Hymns from Poison Ruin

Posted in Records on February 6, 2026

Poison Ruin returns with the new full-length album Hymns From … Read more

Kathryn Mohr with Carve

Posted in Records on February 5, 2026

Bay Area, CA artist Kathryn Mohr has announced Carve, a … Read more

even more new mclusky

Posted in Records on February 5, 2026

mclusky has announced an upcoming 6-song EP from the recently … Read more

KALLOHONKA: slug metal from Texas

Posted in Records on February 4, 2026

Calling their sound "slug metal," KALLOHONKA of Texas has announced … Read more