Fleshies

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 / 10 — Loren