Punk

New EP: Satanic Togas || Your Choice

A couple of months ago, I witnessed Satanic Togas absolutely crushing it on a stage in Rotterdam on a double bill with the amazing Gee Tee. Somehow, I forgot to write about the amazing 7″ Euro Tour single the Australians brought with them. Here is a chance to make that right. The masked outfit’s latest single Your Choice has five songs of mutant punk from the dark side. Written, recorded and mixed by Satan, out now on 7″ at Sweet Time. You know you want it.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: LEATHERMAN || Telephone / Tryin’ 2 4get

“Think The Exploding Hearts, The Shivvers, Thin Lizzy and Judas Priest all wailing on each other in the street.” Leave it to Legless records to up the excitement level for its latest roster addition. The words are about LEATHERMAN, a formidable 5-piece from Melbourne that I am sure will send shockwaves around the globe with their hard-hitting debut 7″. The 7″ is comprised of two songs, each a powerhouse in its own right. Telephone rocks and has a lot in common with the best parts of Sheer Mag songs. Tryin’ 2 4get is an electrifying power pop blast that wastes zero seconds.

Brace yourself for a wild ride with lung piercing vocals and instruments that fly around frenziedly. You’ll find yourself irreversibly hooked! From the looks to the tunes, LEATHERMAN appear to be the real deal. This 7″ will sell out quickly.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Gimme 5! C.C. Voltage Shares Five Recommended Records In Celebration Of His New Podcast (The Eradicators) And Forthcoming Autogramm LP

With ‘Gimme 5!’ we take a peek into the collections of artists we admire. The premise is simple: artists WE like share five records THEY love.

We’re not keeping score, but of all the nice people we’ve met since we started this website – and there are a lot-, C.C. Voltage may be one of the nicest. It’s truly admirable for someone managing such a busy schedule to stay this kind. In the past year or so, alongside his day job, he launched his own PR agency (No Rules PR) and released a killer single. Yet, there is more.

First of all, his band Autogramm has a new record coming out Nov. 17 on Stomp Records (North America) and Beluga (Europe) – pre-order here. The video for the first single WannaBe already has garnered close to 90k views, so the band may very well be rock stars by year-end. But seriously though, I’ve had a sneak peek and Music That Humans Can Play sounds amazing and absolutely briming with powerpop and new wave magic. I’m talking ’80s chart-topper material.

But that’s not all. Recently, C.C. embarked on a podcast venture with his buddy Joseph Martin. The direction of the podcast (The Eradicators) is delightfully broad. A short explanation would be that the duo talk about life with old buddies from the road. But based on the first episode I believe it may actually be about aging gracefully, about staying forever curious (for the best travel spots, the best places to eat, the best music etc.), and about finding a healthy alternative to burning up or fading away. Episode one is with Justin Maurer (Clorox Girls, Suspect Parts, Jenny) and I liked that one a lot. Check it out wherever you listen to podcasts.

Sufficient reason to touch base with C.C. and ask him about some music recommendations for our infrequent Gimme 5 feature. Somehow, he found the time to get back to us despite his busy schedule and being down with the flu. Like I said, one of the nicest people in the industry! [continue reading below]

New album: Wimps || City Lights

Scarcity and brevity are a virtues in the sonic universe of Seattle trio Wimps. Don’t expect the band to release a record each year, nor expect their songs to exceed the two minute mark. Okay, some will. But they are the exception rather than the rule. Still, even by Wimps’ standards, it’s been a long pause since 2018’s Garbage People and City Lights which is out this week via Youth Riot Records.

Judged on my early spins of City Lights, there is no rust on the hands and vocal chords of Rachel Ratner, Dave Ramm, and Matt Nyce. The record is full of concise darts thrown with a purpose. The songs are punky and poppy at the same time, both in sonic range as in style and attitude, and come with sneaky smart lyrics. Wimps make it look all so effortless and easy, you have to actually pick up an instrument to full acknowledge the skill and talent that goes in writing songs this straightforwardly awesome.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Youth Riot

New album: The Young Hasselhoffs || Dear Departed

The Young Hasselhoffs (Omaha, Nebreska) are one of those bands I know from name only, and don’t recall ever giving a listen or at least a fair chance to make an impression. The main reason I checked out the band’s newest offering Dear Departed, the band’s fifth full length in their 25 year career as a band, is that Josh Rutledge wrote a rave review of the record. I guess I needed the endorsement from a trusted sense of ears to finally open up to The Young Hasselhoffs, and wow, what an amazing pop punk record Dear Departed is. While thinking about and listening to the record, my keyboard wants me to type words about the band’s mature sound, or how this band have aged gracefully. But that neither cuts it nor does it do justice to the quality of the songwriting. Dear Departed is a super accessible record with a smooth production, but what really stands out is the songs. Let’s highlight a few. The title track is pop punk bliss, and Hold Me Now is about as perfect opener of the record. It showcases all of the strengths of The Young Hasselhoffs: amazing melodies, dynamic build ups, sweet harmonies and hooks that hit their mark. How rewarding is the moment when after 35 seconds the chorus breaks in Enjoy Your Part? And the harmonies in songs like You Belong To Me and McKibben’s Grove would have made John, Paul, George and Ringo proud.

This is still very much a pop punk record at heart, but it won’t break any speeding laws, won’t offend or scare people away. Dear Departed is a welcoming record that has a replayability factor that is atypically high. It’s out now on CD and LP at Mom’s Basement Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Mom’s Basement

New EP: Mad Vamps || Episode 1: For Those Who Sin

António Pedro, Diogo Nunes, Mike AM and Paulo Cunha call themselves Mad Vamps, and their debut EP Episode 1: For Those Who Sin literally and figuratively screams what they’re all about. In four dangerous songs, the Portuguese troublemakers mix 90s alt-rock and hardcore punk into a slightly disturbing but exciting cocktail that can easily make a live audience explode. This is what bad behavior should sound like.


Episode 1: For Those Who Sin is out now digitally (self-released).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Mil-Spec || Marathon

If you ever were a hardcore kid, if you’ve ever experienced that rush of cathartic release, heartfelt screaming, bodies slamming into each other, if you’ve ever felt that sense of community at hardcore shows, I believe that feeling never completely leaves you. In fact, it takes only one great song, one great record to take you back. Mil-Spec’s new LP Marathon is that kind of record. It’s heavy, it’s emotional, it’s familiar yet different, it’s truly special. Touché Amoré, As Friends Rust and Turning Point appear to be influences Mil-Spec (Toronto) draw from, three bands that have tilted our expectations of what hardcore punk should sound like. Indeed, Mil-Spec are not your average hardcore band – the video of standout The Days Don’t End is something else as well, and I am pretty sure that with Marathon they will fuel or reignite a hardcore passion of past and present hardcore kids around the globe. It’s out now on Lockin’ Out Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Lockin’ Out

New album: True Stars || True Stars

Ready for another heavenly discovery? I would like to introduce you to True Stars, a rock trio from Bellingham, Washington, consisting of songwriter Jody Waymire (guitar, vocals), Arnold Gallows (bass, vocals) and Diane McQuesten (drums, cowbell) – they share hand clapping duties. They’ve just released their self-titled debut album, featuring a cover model who seems to have walked out of Tom Waits’ 1976 Small Change sleeve. Musically it’s a different story, though: this is energetic garage rock that has shopped ideas in power pop, grunge, indie rock, punk and doo-wop. The musicians kick the door down convincingly – “Looking for another 15 minutes of fame // I’ve got myself to blame more than anybody else // Looking for someone, who just wants to have some fun // Not that anyone really gives a shit” (from telling opening song Sing Along) – but also manage to fascinate all 32 minutes and 32 seconds. The interesting and clever thing is that these are essentially tough and noisy songs, but at the same time they have classic pop qualities. “We want you all to sing along.”




True Stars’ self-titled debut album, produced by True Stars and Chad Yenney, is out now digitally and on limited edition vinyl LP (self-released).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Mujeres || Desde Flores y Entrañas

Desde Flores y Entrañas is the sixth album by Barcelona trio Mujeres, a band that has quite the following in their home country but remains relatively obscure in the rest of world. Whether that will change with the new LP is up in the air, but the punky garage pop of Mujeres is definitely a source of joy. In all fairness, the band has more to offer than concise and contagious pop punk blasts. Desde Flores y Entrañas is a sonic manifesto that is diverse, life-affirming and should appeal to a broad audience. If you are looking for something energetic with a familiar core yet vibrant execution, give this record a chance.

Desde Flores y Entrañas is out now on double LP (45RPM) at Sonido Muchado.

Add to wantlist: Discogs

New EP: Sick Thoughts || Born To Blitzkrieg

Sure, the late ’70s were fun and all if you were into punk. But have you tried being alive on October, 6th 2023, the day not only Cherry Cheeks and CLASS dropped two modern punk classics, but the amazing Sick Thoughts sneaked in a four-song EP as well?

Last time we covered Drew Owen’s Sick Thoughts on our site, they had just released what quickly became my favorite punk LP of the year. The Born To Blitzkrieg EP is more reason to get excited. If you like your music mediocre and safe, looks elsewhere. Sick Thoughts come charging at you with full force, cutting your skin with their hooks, piercing your ears with their amazing shredding guitars, bleeding over you with their sore throats. It may hurt a little, you may get dirty, but fun will be had. What a blast to hear Sick Thoughts churn out monster hit after monster hit on Born To Blitzkrieg. It is out now on 12″ at Drew Owen’s new ROKK Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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