Toronto, Ontario based Cursed Blessings Records release provides an opportunity for smaller bands to get their records on wax for more ears to hear bands that may not have a far reach. Their latest release features two of Toronto’s best: Almighty Trigger Happy and Het Up! This four-song split features two songs from each band and is perfect for that 1990s punk rock fan in your life.
A lot of bands want to move on from the melodic skate punk sound that they started playing in their youth, but Almighty Trigger Happy leans into it with their two contributions to the record. Their first song, “The Ghost of Jim Cherry,” is about the fallen punk rock bass player of Strung Out, Pulley, and his own band Zero Down. Their two-minute ode is the strongest song on the split and a fantastic way to start this record. Working simultaneously as a memorial and a song in the vein of the era, Almighty Trigger Happy Tribute is a riffy remembrance for a fallen friend. Much faster in tempo, Almighty Trigger Happy’s half also includes a cover of “Cops Ain’t Tops” by Chronic Submission. The band is currently working on a full-length LP, but these two songs are a good sample of what’s ahead.
While HET UP! may have been formed during the pandemic, they sound like they’ve been around for much longer. After releasing an album in 2023, the band continues to release a couple of songs here and there to keep their fans satiated. Their first song, “Down with You,” is a pop-punk song with fingerprints of genres from a decades-long history. The best way to describe it would be melodic and fun. “Smile… (See You In Hell)” is a different beast, although from the same era. A double-bass-pedaled punk song that sounds straight from Fat Wreck Chords in the mid-1990s.
This is a solid EP. The musicianship, the sound, and, more importantly, the songs are all top-notch. These songs feel more like contributions to the era, rather than homage. Pick up the Almighty Trigger Happy/Het Up! split on Cursed Blessings Records.
Discover more from Dying Scene
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
