Browsing Tag

Punk Rock

Batten down the hatches, Below Bermuda is back with another rip-roaring slice of alt-rock, Wings

Posted on 2 January 2023

After a brief recording hiatus, the international alt-rock outfit, Below Bermuda turned up the temperature with the blazing hot funk-dripped riffs with their first release since 2018, Wings. If you’re sick of four-chord rock, dig right into the complex rhythmic patterns in this hit that will dizzy you into mesmerism. Although you might want to batten down the hatches first, Below Bermuda is about as unreckonable as the Bermuda Triangle itself.

The Rise Against vocal reminiscence and melodically hooky instrumentals in the choruses around the frenetic punk rock pacing in the verses create a track that keeps on giving. After one hit of Wings, I knew that Below Bermuda is a band well-worth catching live. Their animated energy that pulls it together just enough to create a tight AF performance will undoubtedly make for an unforgettable live experience.

It just so happens that before lockdown crimped their touring and recording plans, Below Bermuda rip roared through venues and festivals in the UK, earning themselves the accolade of one of the hottest live acts on the scene.

Wings is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

O Odious Ones put the riff-driven teeth back into American rock n roll with ‘Blues Waffle’

Posted on 12 November 2022

With their customised brand of regressive rock/trailer punk, O Odious Ones are putting the riff-driven teeth back into the bite of rock n roll. Their scuzzy single, Blues Waffle, interlays melodic grungy vocals with the raw-throated outcries of contempt directed at life’s protagonists who always make us regret misplacing trust, while the gnarled guitars put you in the headspace to sink a few warm beers with likeminded degenerates before going off into the night to fight a raccoon.

Just mind how you go searching for Blues Waffle; it could take you to some dark places. Don’t go alone; watch the live recording by Fallopium Films at the Flats Pub on YouTube, which is sure to fill you with envy for whoever got to taste Blues Waffle live. At least you can live the punch-drunk mayhem vicariously via their first official music video.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ryan Bowen and the Non-Player Characters got something, even if you’ve got nothing.

Posted on 12 November 2022

Ryan Bowen and the Non-Player Characters know how to forge a sound, taking elements of blues, punk-rock, and gritty classic sounds, there’s a lot happening here. Their newest track “You Got Nothing” is a two-fisted warning to the unwanted and annoying – it’s the kind of song we’d all sing to those individuals who deserve a punch in the face, but never receive one because of things like “social norms.”

Grungy distorted rhythm guitars start the song. I assume that Ryan Bowen is the lead singer (but the way band names are created, we never know), and his tone is fantastic – think David Bowe’s 70’s era style mixed with a mild folk/blues character, processed like singing through a megaphone and you sort of have the aural image of what it sounds like. The rhythm section is tight on the level of a sailor’s knot. I’d be remised if I didn’t mention the fantastic guitar solo; it’s melodic and sharp and breaks the character of the song somewhat in a way that ramps up the energy when the main themes return, making the track “You Got Nothing” the right kind of journey in a world full of cookie-cut pop-songs.

I was pleased to find out that these folks are somewhat local to me, they reside in Portland, Oregon, whereas I live in a small town about three hours south (I might have to make the trek north to check out a show). But upon reflection, I’m not that surprised. Portland is known for its artistic scene and this kind of refined yet against-the-grain sound is as native to Oregon as the Nike corporation and it’s good that Ryan Bowen and the NPCs are making us proud.

Check them out on IG and listen to the track on Spotify.

We Are Wasted has recently released a brand new track titled “Make It Out Alive”.

Posted on 7 November 2022

We Are Wasted is a punk rock band with a very energetic and one-of-a-kind sound. The group’s music burs the lines between modern punk and hardcore tones, while also incorporating elements of rock and roll and garage for an ultimate rush of energy. The band’s most recent single, “Make It Out Alive”, stands out as a perfect example of their creative vision. The track kicks off with a monolith guitar riff, and the vocals kick in soon after, matching the intensity and grit of the guitar with a very powerful performance. As soon as the rest of the band tags along, they’re able to create a big, yet somewhat groove-driven sound that is reminiscent of rock icons such as Stone Temple Pilots or Guns N Roses, while still retaining some punk attitude.

This track is highly recommended to fans of artists such as NOFX, Social Distortion, and Dead Rituals. Find out more about We Are Wasted, and check out “Make It Out Alive”.

Siggy are harbingers of future in their proto-punk comeback album, 25th Century

Posted on 2 November 2022

Featuring a cover of Echo and the Bunnymen’s Lips Like Sugar which contains all of the salacious murky atmosphere of the original, it is safe to say that Siggy’s comeback album, 25th Century, arrived with a proto-punk bang.

After making their debut in 1999 with the album, Harlow’s Girl, which carried a Crampsy sense of killer off-kilter volition, 25th Century had a lot to live up to, but the rhythmic pulse is strong across the 10 singles which traverse the themes of hope, fury, and the rank psychic pathology of the 21st century.

The gothy Echo and the Bunnymen vibes carry across more than just the cover, along with hints of Television and bites of Splitter-Esque punk. But for me, the highlight had to be the title single, which truly embraces the stifled with strange nature of the 21st century while throwing back to the time when guitarists knew how to lick right into your soul. “If there’s going to be a 25th century there has to be 21st century morality” is a lyric I will never forget.

25th Century is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast
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Live Review: The Virginmarys mainlined blues through punk veins with rock & roll reverence on their tour of their EP, Devil Keeps Coming.

Posted on 16 October 2022

The UK live music scene may be on its knees. But on October 15th, a near-capacity crowd flocked to Gorilla in Manchester to kneel at the unholy alter of The Virginmarys as the Macclesfield-hailing band played the home leg on their tour of their critically acclaimed EP, Devil Keeps Coming.

With it being my first Virginmarys show amongst their devout fans, I was unsure of their ability to cut through the usual awkwardness of live music in the new normal. From the very first note of The Meds, any sense of cynicism slipped away. The crowd was instantaneously thrown into animation. Yet evidently, this was no average punk rock pit. Euphoria fuelled the momentum in place of the usual boozy weight-throwing aggravation. Something I’ve scarcely seen unless Riot Grrrl icons and their descendants are gracing the stage. As a testament to how much adoration The Virginmarys garner from their fans, one couple made the 3,000+ mile journey from Ohio to witness the deafening duo tearing up the turf in their hometown.

One thing I will never forget is how it wasn’t just the blues mainlined through punk veins with holy rock n roll reverence that gripped the crowd through the symbiotic dynamism between Ally’s guitars and Danny’s Bonham-Esque drum fills. In every direction, I saw how viscerally the lyricism resonated and psyched the crowd into a frenzy through the wit-deep lines that strip the alienation from political disillusion and mental precariousness.

The acoustic rendition of Sleep was also a tear-jerking memorable feat of the hit-after-hit setlist, which forwent the egocentric inclusion of an encore. I’m fairly convinced that in Ally’s past life, he was a tortured soul from Tennessee. His uninhibited songwriting skills are only matched by his ability to get to the crux of emotions that mostly go unspoken.

If you get a chance to catch them on the remaining legs of their UK tour, take it. You won’t regret it.

Artist Links: Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Twitter.

Live Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lucifers Beard roll with the surf-rock punches in their latest punk-rock single, The Guy With A Black Eye

Posted on 7 October 2022

Frenetic alt-rock cavorts with the waves of surf-rock and rolls with the punches of punk rock in Lucifers Beard’s twisted spaghetti western single, The Guy with a Black Eye.

After hearing it, I’m not so sad about the disbanding of Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster. The dynamically tumultuous track was mastered by the deft touch of Ed Ripley, who has previously worked with NOFX, Frank Turner, and Goat Girl. If there is any justice left in the industry, Lucifers Beard will receive the same amount of acclaim as all of the aforementioned.

Short of sticking a fork in the toaster, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more electrifying sensory experience than this animated feat of ingenuity.

The Guy with A Black Eye is due for release on October 7th. Hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Embrace Little Villains in all of their Machiavellian metal glory in their latest single, Spitfire

Posted on 6 October 2022

War, what is it good for? Influencing pit-worthy hard rock hits such as Spitfire from the UK’s loudest and heaviest outfit, Little Villains. Their Machiavellian nature is exhibited in all of its frenetic glory in the instrumentally Motorhead-Esque release, taken from their fourth studio album, BATTLE OF BRITAIN.

Spitfire is a rarity in its ability to offer the classic raw rock n roll production while enticing you with the fresh innovation exhibited by each member of the powerhouse. Even the staunchest hard rock fans won’t be able to eye roll to having heard this all before with the catchy cataclysmic furore in Spitfire, which compels you to catch it live. Luckily, Little Villains are touring their 10-track album through late 2022 and early 2023 – you won’t want to miss it.

The official music video for Spitfire premiered on September 16th; check it out on Youtube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

AJ Elkins has released his indie folk meditation, Breathe In Breathe Out

Posted on 25 September 2022

With an acoustic guitar intro that rings with the same evocative timbre as Neutral Milk Hotel’s Two-Headed Boy before bursting into an art-rock arrangement, AJ Elkin’s indie folk single, Breathe In Breathe Out, is an emotionally-charged extension of sanctity.

The Nada Surf-Esque lyricism that sympathises with the trials and tribulations of the modern age becomes efficaciously consoling against the rugged progressions. The US singer-songwriter clearly has a knack for creating connective music; we can’t wait to see where his compassion and songwriting tenacity takes him – he is undoubtedly one to watch.

Breathe In Breathe Out is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

British Quintessentialism meets riotous pop-punk and post-hardcore in DEFS’ latest single, No Worries If Not

Posted on 7 August 2022

DEFS is a one-man mission to create groove-saturated raucous pop bangers; based on the Sheffield, UK-based songwriter and producer’s latest riotously off-kilter single, No Worries If Not, his endeavour is a resounding success. If you could imagine how Liam Lynch’s United States of Whatever would have unfolded if he was quintessentially British, you’ll get an idea of the animated exuberance.

With his influences ranging from punk rock to nu-metal to 90s indie, DEFS constructed a genre-fluid rancorous mockery of our awkward over-polite tendencies. Through catchy pop-punk choruses, hammering post-hardcore breakdowns (literally and metaphorically), schizophrenic vocal transitions and psychedelically anthemic mayhem, No Worries If Not became the ultimate alt-indie playlist staple. Half-Man Half-Biscuit has nothing on DEFS.

No Worries If Not is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast