Chicago’s Action/Adventure have been grinding the pop-punk trenches since 2014. They have always played pop-punk like it still has something to prove because for them, it does. They went viral in 2020 on TikTok with their song “Barricades” by calling out the exact thing no one in the scene wanted to say out loud. The genre is full of white bands singing about being outsiders, while the actual outsiders get ignored. Since then, they’ve signed to Pure Noise Records, dropped two releases (Pulling Focus, Imposter Syndrome), toured their asses off, and racked up everything from hype to burnout. Their newest offering, Ever After is the sound of pop-punk growing up without losing the bruises. This record opens with “DAYTERROR” and ends with “Daydream”, and that’s intentional. It starts with the question every musician on the verge of breaking down eventually asks: “Is this where I’m meant to be?” From there, the album runs like a spiral through doubt, grit, growth, and the version of “success” nobody warns you is still full of bills, jobs, emotional exhaustion, and every kind of second-guessing. Produced by Alan Day (Four Year Strong), the record leans heavier than previous ones. Not metalcore heavy, but emotionally … Read more
Contrary to what I said on Vh1’s Behind the Music, Tim from Hovercraft is one of my favourite human beings. … Read more
If the name Ace Enders sounds familiar, it should. He’s been the voice behind The Early November, one of Drive-Thru … Read more
You may not be familiar with the band Summer Blue, but that’s your issue. If you do know the San … Read more
At a time when experimental artists are constantly churning out new music, it is curious to find some that take … Read more
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You know, I could sit here and lie to you about how there are certain artists that are doing something important and/or completely original. Why not? I mean most people who review albums for other websites do. I could do that, but it wouldn't really matter 'cause the people who will read this probably won't care anyway. Mental comes from the newer wave of hardcore that says, "We like our music hard and fast. We know what we want. We don't care about sounding fresh and original and if you have a problem with that, then fuck off!" Hopefully, that scared off anyone who might have wanted to dispel the hype of this band, and they have certainly been getting their fair share of it. That definitely goes with being … Read more
Whenever I see the cover art of an album for a metal band and there’s impaled skulls, blood, and a logo I can’t read, I know I’m getting ready to get obliterated. If I’m at the record store, I instantly flip it to the spine of the album to see the band’s name so I can check them out on … Read more
If I said that Poland is known for pierogis and punk rock, would you believe me? Punk has a deep history in Poland ranging all the way back to the late 70s with the band Tilt and from the looks of it, it’s not stopping any time soon. CF98 has been a part of the scene for over two decades … Read more
Dmytro Fedorenko and Kateryna Zavoloka are two legendary artists who have defined much of contemporary experimental electronic music through both their various projects and through the now-defunct Kvitnu record label. One of their newer collaborations is Cluster Lizard, a project that has undergone an interesting evolution. Starting in 2017, Fedorenko and Zavoloka opted for a deeply off-kilter approach, with Edge … Read more
Sometimes I'm surprised at how averse I am to change. Hearing that Street Eaters had expanded to a trio caused me more trepidation than I want to admit -- and, like most fear of change, it was all for naught. The band hasn't changed and they aren't spilling over with annoying guitar solos either. They just have a little more … Read more
On their debut, Somehow, We Are Here, Faulty Cognitions made their statement. This wasn't a garage-punk band in the style of the members' previous bands (Low Culture and Shang-A-Lang, among others). It's a guitar-first rock indie-punk band schooled by the college rock of the 1980s. This time around the transition has been so seamless that maybe the debut was a … Read more
I used to dislike punk music where people sing. And, well, I'm still not super fond of it but there is an exception to every rule. The Penske File are one of those exceptions and maybe it's because while they have a singer (as compared to a "vocalist"), it's still authentic and conveys that everyperson vibe I seek in the … Read more
One of the most unique voices in extreme music, Menace Ruine stand out in their sonic evolution. The duo of Geneviève Beaulieu and Steve de la Moth started out in a raw, uncompromising fashion, merging black metal and industrial to create absolute havoc in Cult of Ruins and The Die is Cast. In the coming years, they would expand this … Read more
With a band name like Extortionist, you instantly know they aren’t messing around. I’ve watched enough true crime documentaries to know when you’re going to get tangled up with someone you shouldn’t. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, this band gives you exactly what you want and expect – raw, merciless and unforgiving music. Looking at the cover art and their … Read more
This is one of my "find" records of the year so far. I caught a few songs by The Carolyn at FEST 22 and that essentially put them on my radar, but a new record gets a band even more on my radar. But I've been struggling on how to describe The Carolyn. I'll start with "like The Lawrence Arms, … Read more
Slovenly calls this JAPANPUNK. My preliminary google search of this portmanteau didn’t come up with much but I already know Angel Face features Fink from noisey ’90s Japanese garage rockers Teengenerate. I also learned that some people consider them a supergroup as members also previously played in other bands like Fadeaways, Raydios, Ruler, Triple Junk and Firestarter, none of whom … Read more
Let’s get formally introduced to the underground and independent band Neutral Snap. They are an upcoming pop punk/emo band from New Orleans that have been around since 2018. Or maybe you’ve heard of them from their viral, first show where Shaquille O’Neal jumped on stage to sing with them. Either way, they have just offered up their latest EP, I … Read more
Coming from Australia, To The Grave bring their brutal vegan deathcore offering Still to fans worldwide. This EP punches you right in the gut with seven tracks of horror infused mayhem. These tracks were originally recorded during their sessions of making their previous full-length, Everyone’s A Murderer. However, the band thought they didn’t fit the overall feel of that record … Read more
Occasionally bands will surpass being musicians and become artists. La Dispute aren’t making music. They’re making art. The band returns after six years with their self-produced 14 track, full-length, No One Was Driving The Car. It was neat how they launched this album through songs grouped in “acts” via a staggered rollout of EPs before the full drop. The album … Read more
From their hardcore days to their newer, progressing sound on Flesh Stays Together, Dying Wish has been inching toward something sharper, more spectral, more personal. Not just lyrically, but also in sound. The band formed in Portland, Oregon in 2018 and haven’t stopped terrorizing the world alongside Spiritbox and Pain of Truth to name a few. Through nonstop touring, explosive … Read more
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