Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold […]
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold one, and break out those wallets, because it’s go time. Let’s get into it!
Check out the video edition of this week’s Record Radar, presented by our friends at Punk Rock Radar:
The almighty Against All Authority‘s 1998 album All Fall Down is being reissued in honor of its 25th anniversary. I haven’t seen any official announcement from the band, but it’s available to pre-order on red colored vinyl with a listed release date of October 27th. Get it here and save 10% with code THANKS10.
Another record turning 25 this year is Good Riddance‘s Ballads from the Revolution. Fat Wreck has repressed the album on yellow w/ blue splatter colored vinyl and the same silver accents on the cover art as their other 25th Anniversary reissues. Get it here.
And that’s not the only anniversary reissue from Fat this week, because apparently The Flatliners‘ Dead Language was released a decade ago. Time flies! Fat has a variant exclusive to their webstore, and Dine Alone Records has additional colors on their store as well.
And because you can never have enough Fat Wreck releases on the Record Radar, here’s another one! The label has some copies of No Use For A Name‘s Incognito on clear colored vinyl up on their store; these are leftovers from the No Use Black Box that was released last year. So if you somehow missed out on the box set or just want a copy of this specific record, you’re in luck!
Keeping with this week’s theme of anniversary reissues, Social Distortion‘s debut album Mommy’s Little Monster is getting a 40th anniversary reissue. There are a handful of retailer exclusive color variants for this one, including Brooklyn Vegan (500 copies, grey), Craft Recordings (black & white marble), and a clear smoke variant you can find at most independent record stores, to name a few.
Here’s a cool Replacements tribute album featuring Mikey Erg, Timeshares, Jon Snodgrass, Sammy Kay and a bunch of other cool people/bands. It comes out October 27th on Creep Records; you can get it on three color variants here.
Newbury Comics (aka the home of the $35 LP) has a new exclusive variant of Ignition by The Offspring, limited to 500 copies on gold colored vinyl. If you want to buy it, have at it. I refuse to pay $35 for a single record. Fuck that.
Tooth & Nail one ups Newbury Comics with a $40 LP! What is happening??? Anyway, it’s a Ninety Pound Wuss compilation album. It’s $40. If that sounds good to you, you can buy it here.
A mystery color variant of 88 Fingers Louie‘s Back on the Streets recently popped up on Revelation Records’ distro. They don’t specify if it’s a new 25th anniversary pressing or just someone leftover copies of the 2019 reissue someone found in a box… at the very least, it’s way cheaper than any of the Discogs listings, so why not roll the dice?
Well, that’s all, folks. Another Record Radar in the books. As always, thank you for tuning in. If there’s anything we missed (highly likely), or if you want to let everyone know about a new/upcoming vinyl release you’re excited about, leave us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, and don’t blow too much money on spinny discs (or do, I’m not your father). See ya next week!
Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Click here and you’ll be taken to a page with all the past entries in the column. Magic!
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. After taking a one week hiatus to observe the resurrection of our […]
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. After taking a one week hiatus to observe the resurrection of our lord and savior Jesus H Christ, we’re back in action with a ton of awesome colorful plastic music discs on tap. So kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold one, and break out those wallets, because it’s go time. Let’s get into it!
If you don’t feel like reading, check out the video edition of this week’s Record Radar, presented by our friends at Punk Rock Radar:
At long last, Blink-182‘s classic live (but not actually live) record The Mark, Tom and Travis Show is back in print! I think it’s been 7 years(?) since this was last repressed. Finally, you can get your hands on this bad boy for less than the $100 it fetches on Discogs. If you wanna grab a copy of this new pressing, this eBay listing looks like the cheapest option.
Also new from Blink this week: Buddha gets its like 30th color variant, thanks to Cleopatra Records. There’s an undisclosed number of copies on Blue w/ Red Splatter colored vinyl (it looks pretty sweet honestly). Get it from the label’s webstore; everything on there is 20% off right now, so this is only like $22.
Pennywise‘s 1993 classic Unknown Road turns 30 this year! Naturally, Epitaph is marking the occasion with a 30th Anniversary reissue. There’s a bunch of color variants; here‘s where you can get all of them.
German skate punk veterans Not Available are getting in on the reissue action, with a new pressing of their 2001 LP V8. They made 99 copies of this new Orange Marbled color variant, get yours here. Very underrated band.
Left Alone‘s debut album Streets of Wilmington is getting a 20th Anniversary reissue! There are 300 copies on Coke Bottle Clear colored vinyl – and 20 test pressings – available here.
The reissue train rolls on! (we’ll get to this week’s new releases soon, I promise). Striped Music has issued a second pressing of the 30th Anniversary Screeching WeaselAnthem For A New Tomorrow reissue. The first pressing on hot pink colored vinyl is long sold out, but now you can get it on blue wax here.
One of the most critically acclaimed releases of 2022, Soul Glo‘s Diaspora Problems, is back in print once again. 500 copies are available on this new Gold / Transparent Green / Pink Split color variant. This LP moves fast (I think this is the sixth pressing in just a year), so act fast and get it here if you want a copy.
Last reissue / repress, I pinky swear! Anywho, Chuck Ragan‘s 2016 solo album The Flame in the Flood is getting repressed. There’s a few variants: “Sunshine” (Canada), “Swamp Green” (US), “Flame” colored, and of course, black wax.
Alright you’ve all been patient, time for some NEW releases! First up is Italian skate punks Wasei, who just put out their awesome new record Vulgar Misplay of Burkett. 100 copies on black wax, 100 copies on colored vinyl. Listen below and grab the LP here.
Suicide Machines singer Jay Navarro’s side project (one of many) J Navarro and the Traitors have a new album coming soon on Bad Time Records. Check out the first single below and pre-order All of Us or Nonehere.
My favorite Ramones drummer Richie Ramone is putting out a new solo record! It’s called Live to Tell and it’s due out on April 21st. Listen to the title track below; get the record here. Available on black wax, as well as 250 copies on autographed, clear colored vinyl.
Teenage Bottlerocket has a new four song 7″ coming soon on Pirates Press Records. There are three color variants: Hot Pink (1,200 copies) and “Evergreen & Blue Jay” (500 copies) are available on the label’s online store. Kelly Green w/ Black splatter (300 copies) is the tour variant. Check out the A-Side title track “So Dumb” below.
California punk supergroup Versus The World (members of Good Riddance, Lagwagon, etc.) has a new album due out May 26th on SBÄM Records. Listen to the latest single below and pre-order The Bastards Live Foreverhere (US) / here (EU).
Another awesome upcoming release from SBÄM: The Dead Krazukies have announced their new album From the Underworld will be released on June 16th. Check out the first single “Maniac” below and pre-order the LP here.
Juno Award winning Canadian rockers The Dirty Nil have also thrown their hat into the ring with a new record called Free Rein to Passions. The album is due out May 26th on Dine Alone Records. Check out the lead single below; pre-order here.
Michigan pop-punks the Zoanoids are releasing their long awaited sophomore album Effigyon Hey Pizza! Records. You can check out a handful of tracks below and grab the LP here; also available on cassette here! For fans of horror / sci-fi themed pop-punk like the Lillingtons.
Asian Man Records has launched pre-orders for the debut LP from Doki Doki (members of Dog Party, Grumpster, etc.). Check out one of the singles below and pre-order the record here.
And last but most certainly not least, former Face to Face, No Use For A Name, Pulley, etc. bassist Matt Riddle’s new band Fire Sale has launched pre-orders for their new 7″ A Fool’s Errand. Listen to the EP below and pre-order the record here.
Well, that’s all, folks. Another Record Radar in the books. As always, thank you for tuning in. If there’s anything we missed (highly likely), or if you want to let everyone know about a new/upcoming vinyl release you’re excited about, leave us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, and don’t blow too much money on spinny discs (or do, I’m not your father). See ya next week!
Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Click here and you’ll be taken to a page with all the past entries in the column. Magic!
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold […]
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold one, and break out those wallets, because it’s go time. Let’s get into it!
Check out the video edition of this week’s Record Radar, presented by our friends at Punk Rock Radar:
Dine Alone Records has reissued (almost) every Gob record! This is the very first time any of these albums have been released on vinyl. They’re available individually for $22 CAD each, or in a 5 LP bundle for $100 CAD. That’s about 15 Freedom Dollars a piece for my fellow Americans; pretty good fuckin’ deal! Get your Gob records here.
Lagwagon‘s Let’s Talk About Feelings is the latest iconic in Fat Wreck’s back catalog to receive the 25th Anniversary reissue treament. Head over to the Fat webstore to get the colored 10″ record (editor’s note: the record pictured is the “EU Store” variant, available at BrakRock and Punk Rock Holiday).
Boris The Sprinkler’s Group Sex cover LP is getting its first ever vinyl release, thanks to Radiation Records‘ pop-punk imprint Hey Suburbia Records. Get it on pink colored wax (limited to 500 copies) here.
Ska-punk veterans Mustard Plug have announced their new album Where Did All My Friends Go?, due out September 8th on Bad Time Records. There are a bunch of color variants; my favorite is this Alternative Press exclusive yellow & black pinwheel variant. Check out the lead single “Fall Apart” below and go here for links to buy all the different variants.
German melodic punks Astronuts‘ debut album Dark Matters is out now on vinyl, with two color variants limited to 100 copies each. If you’re into No Use For A Name, Good Riddance, etc. you’ll dig these guys. No matter where you are in the world, there’s probably a label you can get this LP from – it’s being co-released by Punk Rock Radar (US), Cat’s Claw Records (UK), Johnny Be Good (EU), and Waterslide Records (JP).
Australian skate punk mainstays The Decline have a new record coming soon! Magical Misery Tour is a compilation of all the singles they’ve put out over the last few years. There are two color variants: orange galaxy & pink/purple marble w/ white splatter, each limited to 250 copies. You can get it from Pee Records in Australia, Thousand Islands Records in North America, Disconnect Disconnect Records in the UK, and Bearded Punk Records in Europe.
1-2-3-4 Go! Records just put out an exclusive variant of Jawbreaker‘s Bivouac a few weeks ago, but they’re back with another Jawbreaker exclusive. This time they’ve got the band’s 1990 debut Unfun on “Marble Masher” colored vinyl, limited to 474 hand numbered copies.
Keeping it in the East Bay, we’re wrapping up this week’s Record Radar with a surprise reissue of Knowledge’s A Gift Before I Go. The band fronted by Link 80’s Nick Traina recorded this album before the singer passed away. Asian Man Records released it on CD in 1998, and 25 years later it’s getting its first ever vinyl release. Grab a copy here.
Well, that’s all, folks. Another Record Radar in the books. As always, thank you for tuning in. If there’s anything we missed (highly likely), or if you want to let everyone know about a new/upcoming vinyl release you’re excited about, leave us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, and don’t blow too much money on spinny discs (or do, I’m not your father). See ya next week!
Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Click here and you’ll be taken to a page with all the past entries in the column. Magic!
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold […]
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold one, and break out those wallets, because it’s go time. Let’s get into it!
Check out the video edition of this week’s Record Radar, presented by our friends at Punk Rock Radar:
Beloved Green Day side-project Pinhead Gunpowder is rising from the ashes with the announcement of their new full-length album Unt, due out October 18th on 1-2-3-4 Go! Records. This is the first new music the band has released since their 2008 West Side Highway 7″, but more notably its their first studio album since 1997’s Goodbye Ellston Avenue. Check out the album’s title track below and pre-order the record on one (or more) of five vinyl color variants at the following places:
Also available on CD & cassette (two colors), and your local record store probably has free promotional flexi 7″s with the lead single (and posters!) to give away with pre-orders.
Off With Their Heads has a new record called Inhale. Exhale. Smile. coming out soon. It features cover songs they released digitally on Bandcamp over the past year, including their latest cover of Pretty Girls Make Graves’ “Speakers Push The Air”. The first pressing sold out already but you can get it on “Laguna Eco Blue” colored vinyl here.
The almighty Smoking Popes are celebrating their sophomore album Born to Quit‘s 30th birthday with Born To Quit (Live Session), a live-in-studio re-recording of the LP. Get it here on Eco Red (250 copies), Eco Blue (350 copies), Oxblood / Aqua Blue (400 copies), and Black Vinyl (500 copies).
The Copyrights‘ fan favorite(?) album Make Sound was repressed on this color variant in 2019, but only 100 copies made it out into the wild and were sold by the band at a few shows. Good news! It’s Alive Records is back from the grave and they threw the remaining 400 copies of this pressing up on their Bandcamp, where you can obtain it for $20! Fuck yeah.
Speaking of It’s Alive Records, they’ve got a new release out now as well! City Mouse’s new record So Far Out is now available on two stunning color variants – Blue & Orange Sunburst (206 copies) and Crystal Red Stripe Vinyl (200 copies) – on It’s Alive’s Bandcamp and from Brassneck Records in the UK. You can also get a band-exclusive red color variant on their webstore and from their merch table on tour this fall.
Hopeless Records is reviving its long-dormant Hopelessly Devoted To You compilation series with this 30th Anniversary edition featuring: The Wonder Years covering a Thrice song! Bayside Covering a Weakerthans song! A bunch of other bands you probably don’t know covering songs by bands you maybe do know! Get it on yellow w/ black splatter colored vinyl right here.
Philly punks The Bad Ups will be releasing their debut album Life of Sin on September 27th through Jump Start Records. The lead single “Ego Trip” is bad ass and reminds me a lot of early 2000’s Gob. Check that shit out below and go here to pre-order the record on yellow/black splatter (200 copies) and/or black vinyl (100 copies).
Not sure how I missed this one when it came out about a month ago, but better than late than never! Santa Cruz hardcore punk supergroup Seized Up (ft. members of Good Riddance, BL’AST!, The Distillers & more) have a new record out now on Pirates Press Records. Modify the Sacred is the band’s sophomore album, following their 2020 debut Brace Yourself. You can get it on a bunch of sweet color variants here, and it looks like Revelation Records has an exclusive variant(?) of their own that might be the prettiest of them all.
Austrian melodic punk band hatsnriver‘s new record Good for Nothing is out now and it’s available on two beautiful splatter color variants, limited to 50 copies each. Check out one of the tracks below and grab the record from their Bandcamp.
Former Bad Cop / Bad Cop guitarist / singer Jennie Cotterill’s new band Reckoner – also featuring members of Fireworks, Walking With Ghosts, etc. – will be releasing their debut 7″ next month on Double Helix Records. It features the band’s first two tracks “Short Stories” and “One Size Fits All”, and is available to pre-order now on Coke Bottle Clear (250x) and Transparent Magenta (250x) colored vinyl. Get it here.
Teen Idols guitarist Phillip Hill’s label Idol Time Records has released a new split 7″ from Nashville’s The Rip Taylors and Boston’s The Cretins. For the low, low, low price of $6, this is a no-brainer pickup for any and all self-respecting (or maybe non-self-respecting) Ramonescore appreciators. Buy buy buy!!!
And it’s a two for one special on old school pop-punk splits this week, as Punkerton Records has announced The Prozacs and The Downstrokes‘ new split LP Better Late Than Never. This is due out on December 13th and is available on seven (7) color variants!!!!!!!!!!!! You can pre-order that shit right here.
And to round out this week’s Record Radar, we’ve got Jacksonville, FL pop-punk band Knives with a fun update on their new record One Cut Away From Love. They’ve announced two new color variants (in addition to the six (6) I covered in the last Record Radar!). They’ll have a Jags-themed Duuuuuuvaaaaalllll variant available at their record release show in November (date TBD) and a half pink / half blue Fest Exclusive variant available at – you guessed it – The Fest! I’m dubbing that one the Alaaaaaaachuaaaaaaa color variant. Both are limited to 50 copies each. If you can’t make it to either show, you’ve still got those six other color variants to fall back on.
Well, that’s all, folks. Another Record Radar in the books. Short one this week! As always, thank you for tuning in. If there’s anything we missed (highly likely), or if you want to let everyone know about a new/upcoming vinyl release you’re excited about, leave us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, and don’t blow too much money on spinny discs (or do, I’m not your father). See ya next time!
Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Click here and you’ll be taken to a page with all the past entries in the column. Magic!
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold […]
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold one, and break out those wallets, because it’s go time. Let’s get into it!
Check out the video edition of this week’s Record Radar, presented by our friends at Punk Rock Radar:
Rancid’s 1992 self-titled debut 7″ (not to be confused with their 1993 self-titled LP, or their 2000 self-titled LP) has been reissued for the first time EVER! OMG! You can get it on two color variants, each of which is limited to 1,000 copies. The band’s US store has Royal Blue vinyl and their UK store has Piss Yellow vinyl. Collect ’em all!
Sloppy Seconds was on the last Record Radar with the 35th Anniversary reissue of their legendary debut album Destroyed, available on coral (orange) and/or black wax from Puke ‘N’ Vomit Records. Now they’re back on this week’s Record Radar with an additional color variant of the same amazing record: Green! This one’s limited to 500 copies and you can get it from Radiation Records.
And just when you thought you had enough Sloppy Seconds, they give you more! Here’s a brand new release that they just announced this week: Play With Yer Records: Mistakes & Piss-takes Vol 1, featuring “6 new, never released tracks as well as a collection of rare, unreleased demos and hard to find gems”. Limited to 600 copies on pink / blue swirl colored vinyl and available here.
90’s pop-punk band Cletus’ third and final album Horseplay Leads to Tragedy was released on vinyl for the first time ever last year, and now their first two records Grease, Grits And Gravy and Protein Packed are back in print as well. Hey Suburbia Records is giving both records their first reissues since 1996 and 1997 respectively. Both are limited to 500 copies and you can get them here.
Hawaiian hardcore punk band 13th Legion just released a new record on Felony Records and Free Swilley Records. You can get Face First on a bunch of bitchin color variants right here. Recommended pickup for fans of Good Riddance!
Surprise! New Diesel Boy! They’ve got a 7″ with two brand new songs out now. Here’s some background on the songs from the band: “One song is about falling in love with music via cassettes (“Tapes”), and the other is about a family road trip to see punk rock landmarks (“Punk Rock Minivan”).” Very nice! Get it on three different color variants here.
Here’s another record from the last Record Radar that has since had more color variants announced. I already told you Guttermouth‘s Eat Your Face is being released on vinyl for the first time thanks to SBAM Records, but now our friends at Double Helix Records have some exclusive color variants up on their store. Storm (the grey one) and Salmon (the pink-ish orange one) are limited to 250 copies each.
Australian melodic punk flag carriers Pee Records‘ awesome label sampler compilation Pee Approved – Volume 6 is getting a physical release very soon; June 21st to be exact. Go here and get it on black wax (limited to 200 copies) or CD. Or get the bundle with both! And be sure to grab the awesome new records from Goldenboy, Chaser, etc. while you’re there.
Asian Man is releasing short lived San Jose indie band Korea Girl’s lone album on vinyl for the first time, 27 years after its initial release on CD (that’s short for compact disc in case you weren’t aware). It’s been remixed and remastered, and is available on 500 random colored vinyl record album 12″ music disc LPs which you can purchase here.
In an unsurprising turn of events, Monster Zero Records is putting out some bad ass new records. Up first is Dutch punks Florida Men with their sophomore album Dive Bar, due out July 5th. These guys released one of my favorite albums of 2022 and I’m really looking forward to this new one! It’s limited to 50(!) copies on “Hardpink” colored vinyl and comes with their aforementioned debut album on the B-Side. Get it here.
Monster Zero release #2: Sweatpants Party – Wee Little Songs. Another sophomore album from a band with a 2022 debut, also limited to 50 copies! This band is fronted by Kevin Aper (from The Apers!) and also features Andy from 7 Years Bad Luck, Jay D from Jagger Holly, Frizzante from Stockkampf “and a whole bunch of random amigos”. 12 super fast, super short old school pop-punk songs. Get it on “Weird Blue/Greenish” colored vinyl right here. Nothing’s streaming from this yet, but you can check out their first record for an idea of what’s in store:
And the penultimate (I hope I used that right) Monster Zero release on this week’s Record Radar: Eager to Please, the brand new LP from German Ramonescore veterans Neon Bone! The blue vinyl (50 copies) sold out already but you can still get it on black vinyl here. Check out the lead single “Sometimes”:
Well, that’s all, folks. Another Record Radar in the books. As always, thank you for tuning in. If there’s anything we missed (highly likely), or if you want to let everyone know about a new/upcoming vinyl release you’re excited about, leave us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, and don’t blow too much money on spinny discs (or do, I’m not your father). See ya next time!
Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Click here and you’ll be taken to a page with all the past entries in the column. Magic!
Hi babes! I’m finally over my festival blues and ready to bring you my second highlight of the year. Or third? It could be fourth or fifth. I’ve lost track, and who cares anymore. As many of you have noticed from my Instagram and our Dying Scene’s Instagram, I’ve been in Belgium to visit the […]
Hi babes! I’m finally over my festival blues and ready to bring you my second highlight of the year. Or third? It could be fourth or fifth. I’ve lost track, and who cares anymore. As many of you have noticed from my Instagram and our Dying Scene’s Instagram, I’ve been in Belgium to visit the highly recommended festival, Brakrock. The festival took place on August 4th and ended the following day. Yes, a totally sad face from my side. But you know, sometimes we must go home and regroup for next year’s festival season.
Anywho, let’s get on with it. Because Day 1 is already going to be longer than… Something. My brain didn’t survive Brakrock. So how was it? What happened? Did it blow my mind? All these questions will be answered. But first, here’s a sweet picture of our wine and water—something you’ll need to get through this post.
So, Brakrock! That happened, and we started with me getting a few bracelets. Fine, fine. I entered a different entrance and hit right when Public Serpents did soundcheck. I had to race to my friends because I had our locker combo, and I had to return for Public Serpents to go on stage. But FIRST, let’s do a Brakrock 101.
At Brakrock, you don’t pay with a card – Actually, that’s a lie – you can pay with a card or cash for merch. But if you want wine or beer or food. That’s tokens, my friends. 10 tokens cost you about 30 euros. Yup. But it’s whatever. It works? I was actually not convinced until I tried it myself. If you want a locker – please, reserve it prior to the festival. It sucks waiting 20 minutes in line to scan a bloody QR-code. Or actually, Brakrock, make sure there’s maybe three screens for the lockers? Idea. Beer or Wine? Wine. Always wine. Belgium beer is amazing, but it does fill you up fast. Switch things up. But honestly Brakrock, I actually missed my cider.
But everything else worked. Clean toilets, barely any queue for drinks and food. Nice people. There were three stages; Riverstage, Ruinstage and Woodstage. They weren’t more than three minutes apart, so you can tell it was actually a nice and intimate compared to many of the other festivals I’ve covered this summer. I loved it. I could find my friends, easily. I could find merch and there were bars at every stage. What more could a girl ask for?!
So let’s get to my job. Which is reviewing bands and hopefully not pissing anyone off with this review. Oh and due to miscommunication, we actually didn’t know we were press until we were there and therefore all pictures and videos from day 1, are from my telephone.
I will be honest; I love ska. I do. And I like Public Serpents; they are the fine mix between ska, and there’s some screaming, some hardcore in there. You know what? I suggest you get your asses out to a show if they are around you. They started us off with ‘Hated by a Nation’ – probably one of the most popular songs that helped put them on the map. People were getting ready to mosh, and the crowd gathered fine around my friends and meme. It’s important to state here; Public Serpents are far from unknown here in Europe. And the name that they’ve worked incredibly hard for has only benefited them. I saw young people bring beach floats to the show to throw around and start a wild mosh pit where I needed to excuse myself. I wasn’t prepared for that at all. But damn, that show was one of the best I’ve seen that day. They would have had me going immediately if I hadn’t been in the mood to dance before their set. Another thing, their set went by in a flash of the eye. I was surprised how well everyone in the band was to interact with the audience and keep the mood high. I’m excited to see them again.
After a show like Public Serpents that has the adrenaline rushing, it’s time for some nice, slow third-wave ska and chill. That’s right; it’s time for me to experience The Slackers for the first time. I fell in love with their album, and I had heard their previous material in passing, but not where I could tell you the name of many of the golden oldies they played. I will say they played the songs that I know and hold dear. “Shameboy”, “Wasted Days”, and “Married Girl,” and they did a cover of Misfits’ “Attitude,” and that was even better than Misfits’ own version. Yeah, I said it; it was awesome! Words can’t describe how much I’ve fallen in love with The Slackers after this. They were even the best-dressed band the entire weekend. I could have spent another hour listening to them. They sounded outstanding and respect to the audience for feeling the music as much as the rest of us.
Ah, yes. I forgot about this clash, and honestly, that was my first annoyance (we will get to the rest). I had never seen either band live. I have been a fan of The Dickies since childhood, so this felt obvious. But I wanted to check out the hype about Wonk Unit to see if they were all talk or the fact that they deliver. So, fair is fair sometimes; you decide to leave halfway through a set to see the end of the other band’s set. I’ll start with Wonk Unit because they were the first of the two bands we decided to see.
Wonk Unit
Wonk Unit is punk. It’s unique and super underrated. It reminds me… Of some 90s punk but updated, the whole band is just firecrackers. I had a considerable part, and so did my friends. I lost Annette; she entered the crowd while Bjarke (from The 20 Belows) hung out on the side and took it in. They don’t care if you know the songs or if you do know each lyric in the music. They want you to dance, and dance was something we did! Shit, everyone should book them.
The Dickies
The Dickies! Dream comes true to the smallest ones of us. Okay, I’m pretty tall, but still! I fangirled throughout the last fifteen minutes of their show. And when we arrived, who would happen to come and join The Dickies on stage? None other than one of my favorite bassists, Randy Bradbury from Pennywise. I was full after that show. I felt I had seen everything, yet I wanted more of The Dickies. Call me greedy. It was fun, and the sound was good. I was standing nicely on the grandstand. The view was good, and probably one of my new favorite spots for Riverstage. It worked out well. Let’s get The Dickies back for next year?
They might have a tough name, but Satanic Surfers are still to date some of the sweetest guys I’ve met on my journey as a music reviewer. This is my second time seeing them, which blew me away. Now, the setlist was full of the bangers “The Usurper”, “… And the Cheese Fell Down”, “Don’t Skate on My Ramp”, and my all-time favorite song, which they aced and closed their concert off with “Head Under Water”. Rico still goes hard on the drums, and Andy steals the show as usual with his outgoing personality on bass. Max and Magnus throwing themselves around on stage. But the sound, compared to the last time I saw them was much more rehearsed, much more intact, and they delivered. I had my own party on the side.
Are we going to pretend for a minute that I would skip Good Riddance? Not today, Satan. Apart from the annoying smoke machine, I have little to contribute to their show. Russ was feeling the crowd, and the crowd was feeling the energy that Russ was delivering and the rest of the band. Mosh pits found their way to the front, and I witnessed a few crowd surfers. Honestly, Good Riddance has been around longer than I’ve been on this planet. And last year, when I saw them in Copenhagen, they had an off day. But on Riverstage, it was the complete opposite. They had room to move; they had room to perform. This has to go down as one of the best concerts from Brakrock’s day 1.
… I got stuck in the mosh pit and experienced my first human sandwich in the worst possible way ever. One from the back and one from the front at the same time. But it was AWESOME. It’s not exactly how I imagined my first Cigar concert but damn. Can we talk about how fantastic Cigar is? It’s flawless. They started with an oldie from the album they released back in 1999. And I set the playlist up in perfect order. In between the old stuff, they played “We Used To”, “Classic You” (one that I’ve always said is a stand-out on the album), “Legacy of the 7 Piles”, and “Gone Wrong” from the new album. Rami has terrific vocals, and they are equally impressive live. Jon Sortland made me tired watching his powerful drumming; I’m terrified of him.
It’s been eight months since I last saw Pennywise. It’s been eight months since the venue in Copenhagen killed my first time seeing Pennywise. I still haven’t forgiven the venue. BUT how can you stay mad at a band that helped shape you? Or, in fact, a band that has such a massive impact on your own kid’s life? You can’t.
As it is Pennywise, and everyone was there, you couldn’t not expect some minor appearances from different bands. We got some NOFX covers from Pennywise and Russ from Good Riddance to sing a Minor Threat cover; we had Steve Caballero from Urethane on guitar during “Bro Hymn”. And Brakrock also had a pleasant taste of Dying Scene’s very own favorite ginger, ME, on stage for Bro Hymn. We had kids singing and showing us why Pennywise are where they are. Randy Bradbury, on bass, was on fire once again. I have yet to witness a better bass game from anyone but Randy, which is why he is my favorite bassist. Fletcher and his unforgiving humor got the already rowdy crowd going.
I didn’t care about anything else. I was taken aback because I had been waiting for this in January. I got to experience it and became an even bigger Pennywise fan. #sorrynotsorryfriends
They delivered an incredible show and continue to amaze after decades on the scene. People commented that this may have been the best Pennywise show they’ve seen post-covid. So, I am not alone. Pennywise, we love ya.
Hey Diesel Boy, I know I’ve reviewed your new album, interviewed you, and now I’m reviewing half your gig for the first time. I’m counting my lucky stars. Okay, so it’s been years since Diesel Boy has been on stage, and it’s their first time at Brakrock – What a catch for Brakrock. What a catch for me. After Pennywise, I need a drink, and I want to see what Diesel Boy can deliver since the hype around them has been so huge. I come in time for “Lime Green” from their ’96 album Cock Rock, Diesel Dave, the vocalist, does know how to sing. I’ll give him that much. So, sipping my beer, I noticed how the band seemed energized even though they were closing the festival with The Meffs playing on Riverstage.
They played well together; my beer was excellent, and they continued to play their golden oldies. To be nice here, that is why most of us were there. Listen to the old stuff and hold out hope for some new stuff. But either way, after five songs, it’s time to go home because there’s a new day, Saturday, and it’s as heavy as Friday.
I actually might need to see Diesel Boy once again to give a proper, and decent review.
Hello, friends! My name’s Dylan, but you might know me better as “Screeching Bottlerocket”. I write stuff for Dying Scene. I also write snide replies to your comments on our Facebook page. For some reason you’re supposed to care what my favorite albums released this year are (at least I think that’s why you clicked […]
Hello, friends! My name’s Dylan, but you might know me better as “Screeching Bottlerocket”. I write stuff for Dying Scene. I also write snide replies to your comments on our Facebook page. For some reason you’re supposed to care what my favorite albums released this year are (at least I think that’s why you clicked on the link). On the off chance that you do, in fact, care, here are my Top 10 Albums of 2022:
Remember how Duke Nukem Forever took like 20 fucking years to come out? This album’s kinda like that, except it doesn’t blow complete ass like Duke Nukem Forever. Cigar released their debut album Speed is Relative in 1999 and kinda just peaced out. Then they came back and released some demos of new songs… and kinda peaced out again. Then they signed to Fat, and we finally got this skate punk beast. They haven’t lost a step. This is a great record. For more eloquent analysis, read my full review here.
One of my favorite things about the revival of Dying Scene has been seeking out lesser known bands and, in turn, discovering some great albums nobody’s talking about. No Quarter‘s Fear and Loathing on the Pacific Highway is one of those albums. These Australians don’t fuck around. If you’ve got a hankering for fast, melodic, no frills skate punk, listen to this. “Long Distance” is the best song.
Two Australian bands. Band to back. What’s going on down under? Those Aussies make some great music! I like this Friends With the Enemy album a lot. These guys (and girl) have been around a long time, but this is by far the best thing they’ve ever done. I’m a sucker for riffy melodic punk, and that’s exactly what Divide & Conquer delivers. I reviewed this album, too, so you can read that here if you’d like.
Look, it’s another album I reviewed! Are you seeing a pattern here? Anywho…OFF! makes their triumphant return after eight years without releasing a new album. Keith Morris is one of the best do ever do it, folks. Their new drummer Justin Brown is pretty fucking awesome, too. This is OFF!’s best record.
After years of being a hardass about not listening to The Flatliners‘ non-ska output, I finally decided to give them a shot with New Ruin. And you know what? It’s a great album! I also went back and listened to Inviting Light, and you know what? That’s a great album, too! I’m usually not a fan of slower shit, but I’ll make an exception here. And on an unrelated note, I think New Ruin‘s cover art is really cool. Kinda reminds me of Insomniac.
Pulley has never released a bad album, and The Golden Life certainly doesn’t buck that trend. This is the veteran SoCal melodic punk band’s seventh LP, and their first with Sean Sellers of Good Riddance on drums. It’s not radically different from their previous output, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Pulley still kicks ass! (oh yeah, I reviewed this album by way).
In case my username isn’t a dead giveaway, Screeching Weasel is one of my all-time favorite bands. The Awful Disclosures of Screeching Weasel sounds a lot like First World Manifesto and Some Freaks of Atavism. And that’s a very good thing, because I love those records. I enjoy this album a lot as well. That’s why it’s in my Top 5 (and also why I gave it quite the positive review).
Alright, folks! We’re in the Top 3. No more fucking around. On the cusp of their 30th anniversary, Italian pop-punk mainstays The Manges released their best album ever. Book of Hate for Good People is a near perfect pop-punk record. “Lucky Tiger”, “Back to Bangkok”, “High On Stress”, “The Hate Parade”, “I’m Not A Sissy”, “Red Flags”… all bangers. If you have not listened to this, you’re a god damn idiot. Read my fuckin’ review, too, while you’re at it.
I thought I had my Top 10 list locked in about a month ago, then I found out The Windowsill had a new album coming out in December and I knew my list was about to be blown up. My fears were confirmed when I hit play on Focus for the first time. Dear lord, this album is incredible! I’ve listened to it at least once a day since it came out. This album deserves to be on a lot of Top 10 lists. Did I mention that I reviewed it? Because I did.
No Fun At All is one of the greatest skate punk bands of all time, in my opinion. Seventh Wave is the band’s seventh full-length album, and I think it’s one of their best. This is right up there with their 90’s output, rivaling classic records like Out of Bounds and The Big Knockover. NFAA never disappoints. Seventh Wave is easily my favorite album of 2022.
In case you didn’t already know, Less Than Jake‘s Roger Lima has a killer side project called Rehasher. They came through with a new single in the 11th hour of 2022. “Open Roads” is excellent. Shit sounds like Motorhead gone skate punk. How bout a new ‘Hasher record in 2023, Roger?
Megadeth – The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!
I like Megadeth. This is a pretty good Megadeth album. I think Anthony Fantano gave it a bad review, but fuck that guy. Long live MegaDave!
What’s that? You thought I was done plugging my album reviews? Think again, motherfucker! I thoroughly enjoyed Dutch pop-punk band Florida Men‘s self-titled debut album, and gave it a glowing review. Perhaps you, too, will enjoy it.
2022 saw Canadian skate punks Handheld making a triumphant return with their first new album in 14 years. I had actually never heard of these guys before, but when I saw they were on Thousand Islands Records, I knew A Canadian Tragedy would probably be a good record. I was right!
The Bruce Lee Band – One Step Forward. Two Steps Back.
Hailing from the land down under, Friends With The Enemy is a band of Four Loko-loving Aussies who have been pumping out some of the Southern Hemisphere’s finest melodic punk for over a decade now. Six years have passed since the release of the band’s debut album Declassified, and it seems they’ve made extremely good […]
Hailing from the land down under, Friends With The Enemy is a band of Four Loko-loving Aussies who have been pumping out some of the Southern Hemisphere’s finest melodic punk for over a decade now. Six years have passed since the release of the band’s debut album Declassified, and it seems they’ve made extremely good use of that time. Their new record Divide & Conquer is a marked improvement over all their previous output in every way. The quality of songwriting, playing, and production have all been taken up multiple notches, and the end result is an absolutely killer melodic punk record.
Friends With The Enemy plays a riffy, metallic, brand of melodic punk similar to bands like Strung Out, Belvedere, and Mute. For me, this sound has always necessitated top notch production, and my biggest gripe with the band’s last record Declassified was that it severely lacked in this department. On Divide & Conquer there is no more compromise. This album is head and shoulders above everything this band has done before. The production is on point and the songs finally have a chance to shine. The drums sound punchy as fuck, singer Chelsie Bomb’s voice cuts through the mix, and the vocal doubling, while used quite liberally on some songs, is well executed. Most importantly for me as a guitarist, they nailed the guitar sound on this record.
Anyway, let’s talk about those songs! There are ten of them, and they are really damn good. Starting us off is “Raise the Alarm”, complete with machine gun-like drumming, anthemic choruses, and more whoas than you can shake a stick at. The high point of this album is tracks like “Days Are Numbered” and “Set Me Free”, which lean into the heavier, more metallic side of Friends With The Enemy’s sound, as both guitarists put their fretting hands to the test with an onslaught of relentless chugging riffs. “SML” and “Patricia Anne” are more straightforward melodic punk in the vein of Good Riddance, featuring octave runs that immediately bring to mind the classic “Shadows of Defeat”. And since I’m creatively deficient and can’t find any better way to describe lesser known bands than incessantly name dropping established punk bands, I’ll also concede that “Facebook Value” reminds me a lot of more mid-tempo Pennywise songs like “My God“.
Don’t be misled by my lazy comparisons though, Friends With The Enemy are certainly not just another band imitating the classic “Epi-Fat” sound. Divide & Conquer is one of the more unique punk records I’ve heard this year. It stands on its own as a heavy, melodic, technical, exciting breath of fresh air. And for all the middle aged dudes who have spent the last 20 years listening to Punk In Drublic on repeat while lamenting that punk died in the 90’s, this album is your wake up call.
If you’re not familiar with Friends With The Enemy, right now is a better time than ever to check them out. Divide & Conquer is their best release yet, rivaling the recent output of all the bands I shamelessly name dropped throughout this very review. Give the album a listen below, and go here to find links to all the platforms the digital download is available through.
Six years after their last studio album, Pulley’s esteem driven engine keeps on rolling with a new record titled The Golden Life. As one of the bands that shaped melodic punk, this album sees Pulley sticking to the sound they helped define in the 90’s. And why shouldn’t they? Very few bands do it better […]
Six years after their last studio album, Pulley’s esteem driven engine keeps on rolling with a new record titled The Golden Life. As one of the bands that shaped melodic punk, this album sees Pulley sticking to the sound they helped define in the 90’s. And why shouldn’t they? Very few bands do it better than these guys.
The SoCal punk veterans come out swinging on the opening track “Repeat Offender”. This song does an excellent job setting the tone for things to come, putting the band’s impressive musicianship and the iconic voice of frontman Scott Radinsky on full display. “Two Winds”, “Northbound” and “Sad Song” are a few more standout songs. With a healthy dose of unrelenting guitar riffs, powerful percussion, and the earnest lyricism Radinsky and co. are known for, these would fit perfectly on any classic Pulley LP.
Something these guys have always benefitted from is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to drummers. For fuck’s sake, Jordan Burns played on their first three records; that dude’s one of the greatest punk drummers of all time! Having said that, I’d be remiss not to mention the newest man to sit upon Pulley’s throne: Sean Sellers. You might know him from a little band called Good Riddance. Sellers fits right in with the band and delivers the kind of performance you’d expect from a musician of his stature. In other words, the drums on this record are very, very good.
The title track is undoubtedly the highlight of this record for me. The rhythmic variety showcases Sellers’ chops very nicely, the melodic lead guitar parts are great, and it has by far the most memorable chorus of all 12 songs on The Golden Life. “The engine has failed after blazing a trail of hopes and dreams, though it seems… destiny, broken history. They hide away online daylight, can we set them free and restore their golden life?”, Radinsky pleads as the band pounds away at their instruments.
Many veteran bands plod along, releasing a clunker of an album every few years and resting on their mid-90’s laurels. Pulley isn’t one of those bands. They take their time to make new music and always put their best foot forward; The Golden Life is proof of that. If you like anything this band has ever done, odds are you’ll like this record.
Hello, friends! Welcome to the latest installment of the Dying Scene Record Radar. If you’re new here, thank you for joining us! This column provides a weekly round up of all things punk rock vinyl. We highlight the new releases, as well as those ultra limited reissues that get the collector nerds’ hearts racing. Open […]
Hello, friends! Welcome to the latest installment of the Dying Scene Record Radar. If you’re new here, thank you for joining us! This column provides a weekly round up of all things punk rock vinyl. We highlight the new releases, as well as those ultra limited reissues that get the collector nerds’ hearts racing. Open up your wallets, fire up your Paypal account, and let’s get into it…
Danzig‘s 6:66 Satan’s Child is getting its first official pressing since 1999. Cleopatra Records is handling this reissue, and there’s a bunch of different variants (some with the uncensored version of the cover art) available on their webstore (sign up for their mailing list and save 10%). Pay up, people! Glenn needs to stock up on kitty litter.
Fat Wreck Chords has announced European festival exclusive variants of some of their classic releases, including Good Riddance‘s For God and Country, No Use For A Name‘s Making Friends, and Swingin’ Utters‘ A Juvenile Product of the Working Class. The only place in the entire world these will be available is the label’s merch booth at SBAM Fest, Brackrock Festival, and Punk Rock Holiday. Think of it like an Easter egg hunt, but much more expensive! Follow Fat on Instagram for more info.
Keeping their recent hot streak alive, Epitaph Records is back at it with even more reissues! Up first is NOFX‘s White Trash, Two Heebs, and a Bean, which turns 30 this year. They’re pressing TEN new variants of the fuckin’ thing. Links to where you can purchase all of these can be found here.
Also from Epitaph: some new pressings of Dropkick Murphys‘ Do Or Die and Blackout, both on white vinyl. These are limited to 500 copies each, and are only available on their European webstore.
And their third and final reissue this week is a 25th Anniversary edition of the Refusedalbum Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent, featuring bonus tracks and demos. This is available as a clear 2xLP on their webstore. There’s also an Indie Exclusive blue variant; hit up your local record store for that one.
Knock knock! Who’s there? Another god damn reissue, that’s who! This is a really good one though. It’s the Angry Samoans‘ classic Back From Samoa. You can grab this one on green vinyl from Puke ‘N’ Vomit Records, or from Garageland if you like you’d rather have an orange plastic disc.
Surprise! Here’s another new pressing of an old-ass record. The Vandals reissued 1988’s Slipper When Ill (also known as their country album) on red marble vinyl, available through their Bandcamp page. I’m not big on this one personally, but hey, maybe it’s your favorite Vandals record. If that’s the case, I urge you to seek professional help.
Okay, these are the last of the reissues… I promise. Psychobilly icons Reverend Horton Heat are repressing their first three LPs on colored wax. Due out on September 9th, this is the first time these records have been in print since their initial release in the early 90’s. Get ’em here.
Finally, some new music! MU330 frontman Dan Potthast has a new solo record out, and as the title suggests, it’s pretty good! Each LP has a unique outer sleeve, hand made by Dan P himself. You can give the album a listen below, and grab it on vinyl on his Bandcamp.
Next up we have another solo album, this time from former ALLfrontman Scott Reynolds. Chihuahua in Buffalo is his first solo acoustic release, and it’s quite enjoyable! This came out on CD/digital last year, but Thousand Islands Records is now releasing it on vinyl. Listen below, and go here to get the wax.
Something To Do Records has announced a new After School Special LP titled Lost Episodes. For those who are unfamiliar, this was Enemy You frontman David Jones’ (RIP) original band. This release will be available to preorder on the label’s webstore starting Friday, July 15th.
And last but not least, Less Than Jake just released a new single titled “Fat Mike’s on Drugs (Again)”. The song is great, and it’s getting a physical release as a flexi disc. Watch the music video below, and preorder the flexi here.
Well, it’s getting late, so I’ll wrap things up. If you’re still reading this for some reason, thank you once again for tuning in to this week’s edition of the Dying Scene Record Radar! Is there a new record you think should be highlighted in next week’s column? Suggestions are always welcome – send us a message on Facebook or Instagram and we’ll look into it!
