Review / 200 Words Or Less
Fleshies
Introducing The Fleshies

Dirt Cult (2019) Loren

Fleshies – Introducing The Fleshies cover artwork
Fleshies – Introducing The Fleshies — Dirt Cult, 2019

Sure, I know of Fleshies but I don’t really know them. I’ve heard the hits over the years, but I’m coming at Introducing The Fleshies from a relatively clean slate. And it’s a rager. It’s got the aggression, a little bit of slop, and lyrics that are both biting and intelligent. It works on both levels: something to shout along to, and something to digest and think about.

While the vitriol hits from the start, the record is fairly diverse. “Hold Me Up” is a bit more melodic with some almost singing involved, “You Playin’” is super fuzzed out with some reverb on the vocals, “Like A Pillow” has shades of ‘80s West Coast hardcore, “Bombs” defies all those expectations with a heavy, plodding vibe, and “Dirtier Harry” flat-out pummels.

Let’s be honest. The majority of punk bands sound “punk.” They don’t sound original and if you aren’t already a fan of the band, you probably couldn’t pick it out of a lineup. Fleshies have their own sound, the way that the vocals simultaneously spit, shout, and through and the chords pummel.
As a whole, it’s angry, and manic but still composed, just hanging on the fringes.

8.0 / 10Loren • November 26, 2019

Fleshies – Introducing The Fleshies cover artwork
Fleshies – Introducing The Fleshies — Dirt Cult, 2019

Related news

SPB exclusive: Introducing the Fleshies

Posted in Records on April 28, 2019

Recently-posted album reviews

Crippling Alcoholism

Camgirl
Portrayal of Guilt Records (2025)

Crippling Alcoholism have always navigated a delicate balance between musical depth and immediacy. A blend that few bands attempt, let alone master, but Crippling Alcoholism's two previous full-length records, When The Drugs That Make You Sick Are The Drugs That Make You Better and especially With Love From A Padded Room did exactly that. With a foundation formed through post-punk … Read more

The Necks

Disquiet
Northern Spy (2025)

There are no signs of slowing down for Australian jazz masters The Necks. Following the release of the excellent Bleed in 2024, the legendary trio makes a return with their 20th full-length record, Disquiet. Long-form compositions are nothing new for the trio, but here they dive headfirst into a three-hour tour de force, traversing the abstract and meditative territories they … Read more

The Eradicator

You Can Hate The Eradicator
Independent (2025)

Is The Eradicator a joke that's been going for 10 years (the band), or for 35 (the skit)? Does it matter? Well, only in the sense that I question how much material the Kids In The Hall-inspired hardcore band can cull from a 5-minute skit. (Maybe 10 minutes. The character was revived in 2022's Season 6.) Why do I bring … Read more