A week ago Friday, beloved Boston punks Rebuilder finally held the very-long-awaited record release show at Cambridge, MA’s Sinclair for their latest full-length, Local Support. If you read our recent chat with Rebuilder co-frontman (and Local Support‘s primary architect) Sal Ellington, you’re no doubt aware of the trials and tribulations that went into the drawn-out […]
A week ago Friday, beloved Boston punks Rebuilder finally held the very-long-awaited record release show at Cambridge, MA’s Sinclair for their latest full-length, Local Support. If you read our recent chat with Rebuilder co-frontman (and Local Support‘s primary architect) Sal Ellington, you’re no doubt aware of the trials and tribulations that went into the drawn-out making of the album. All of that added up to not just the successful release of a wonderful album, but an extraordinary evening of revelry and celebration that truly exemplified the idea of “local support” in the best ways possible.
The evening was kicked off by a tremendous four-piece known as Trash Rabbit. If you’re not familiar with Trash Rabbit…well, you’re like I was until a couple of days before the show when I decided to familiarize myself with them. The results were tremendous. The original Trash Rabbit trio (Mena Lemos on vocals and guitar, Nick Adams on bass and Gibran Mobarak on drums) have been playing together since their formative years and took their talents to the vaunted Berklee College of Music, adding Gia Flores on guitar to fill out the sound. The sound is up-tempo garage rock, a sort of post-emo cacophony of hooks upon hooks upon hooks. The crowd were infinitely more familiar with Trash Rabbit than I was and were at the ready with their dancing shoes afoot. Adams and Mobarak switched places for set closer “Scuba Queen,” a delightfully weird and interactive singalong.
Speaking of bands who have been together since their formative years, I feel like beloved Boston punk quartet Choke Up have been playing together since they were diapers. They don’t play in Boston – or many other places – much nowadays because life happens; Sam put out pretty great solo record and Harley moved to NYC and plays in a fun band called Sadlands and James plays in like 87 other bands including the super rad Cape Crush for example. And so it’s always a celebration when they do get together and especially when they play on the big stage at Sinclair. Songs like “Blue Moon” will never not turn into glorious, drunken, sweaty-arm-in-sweaty-arm singalongs.
Thanks to the high-energy table-setters on the bill, the mostly-full crowd at the 525-capacity Sinclair was sufficiently warmed up by the time Rebuilder graced the stage. In keeping with the album-release theme, the band took the stage in matching lemon-print Hawaiian-style shirts and in a formation that I don’t think I’d previously seen despite this being my 19th Rebuilder show to date. Choke Up’s Harley Cox did double duty, manning the drum kit for the set’s first couple of songs while normal Rebuilder drummer Brandon Phillips joined co-frontmen Ellington and Craig Stanton in a three-guitar attack, alongside stalwart Daniel Carswell on bass and frequent Rebuilderer Pat Hanlin on keys.
After a few songs as a six-piece, Cox departed and Phillips assumed his throw behind the kit as the band tore through a set that, as you might imagine, leaned heavily on the new material. Because the album was released on time a few weeks prior to the show (thanks Iodine Recordings!) a solid number of showgoers were already singing along to tracks like “Hold On” and “Wedding Day” and “Another Round.” For album closer – and set closer – “Disco Loadout,” Ellington left his guitar to the side and assumed full-on frontman role as the band were joined by a pedal steel player and not-one-but-two horn players to fill out the sound (and/or turn them into the world’s first ska/Americana (would that be Ameriskana or skamericana?) pop-punk band.
And thus it was time for the evening’s headliners, although No Trigger frontman Tom Rheault joked that since the evening was Rebuilder’s record release show, there was essentially no pressure on the antifascist sextet from straight outta the Worcester Hills. Everyone’s favorite discount Strike Anywhere blazed through a super fun set that included crowd-favorites old and new like “No Tattoos” and “Too High To Die” and “Dogs On Acid” and, of course, “Anti Fantasy.” Rheault programmed the digital backdrop to include a mix of No Trigger artwork and logos and scenes from all your favorite sociopolitical documentaries, like “Dumb and Dumber” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze”.
Head below to check out slideshows from each of the evening’s bands! And Jeff Bridges pooping!
The Burlington Bar welcomed Nox Novacula and two Chicago bands, Black Cross Hotel and The Feral Ghosts, for a night of death rock, industrial, and darkwave bliss. Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Nox Novacula brought their death rock style to the Windy City. This Pacific Northwestern gothic rock-n-roll band consists of vocalist Charlotte Blythe, bassist and […]
The Burlington Bar welcomed Nox Novacula and two Chicago bands, Black Cross Hotel and The Feral Ghosts, for a night of death rock, industrial, and darkwave bliss.
Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Nox Novacula brought their death rock style to the Windy City. This Pacific Northwestern gothic rock-n-roll band consists of vocalist Charlotte Blythe, bassist and keyboardist Dav Tafoya, guitarist Zu Leika, and drummer Ezra Bolotin. Check them out here.
Black Cross Hotel is a Chicago-based 80’s horror inspired post-punk industrial band featuring vocalist Dee DeEmme, guitarist Marcus Eliopulos, bassist Sanford Parker, drummer Mike Miczek, and keyboardist Andrew Ragin. Check them out here.
Also from Chicago, The Feral Ghosts is a dark post-punk psychedelic band. This dynamic trio consists of guitarist Alex, vocalist/bassist Annu, and drummer Lucy Boots. Check them out here.
I am very excited to be reviewing Mustard Plug’s latest release on Bad Time Records, Where Did All My Friends Go?. In my younger years, I spent a good amount of time with my terrible ska-punk band opening for them. The heroes of the Michigan ska-punk scene have been known to put on a very […]
I am very excited to be reviewing Mustard Plug’s latest release on Bad Time Records, Where Did All My Friends Go?. In my younger years, I spent a good amount of time with my terrible ska-punk band opening for them. The heroes of the Michigan ska-punk scene have been known to put on a very energetic live show that can be hard to capture in the studio. Let me tell you, that is not the case regarding Where Did All My Friends Go?. They have captured what has made Mustard Plug a force to be reckoned with in the ska scene. The raw energy can be felt throughout this entire album. It really does take me back to being crammed in the small basement of the Dolphin House in Kalamazoo, shouting along with horns being blasted directly into your face. It’s amazing.
Check out the video for the latest single “Vampire”
Stand-out songs on this record for me include “Another Season Spent in Exile” which has the dynamic mix of the catchy ska verses mixed with more punk “whoa-oh-oh” choruses that I see becoming a staple during lives shows. “Why Does It Have To Be So Hard?” is such a catchy ska/reggae song and the melodica in the intro gives off serious Big D vibes and fits in so well throughout the rest of the song. My second favorite song on this record is “Distraction.” From the moment the horns come in, I am hooked on the intensity, and it’s a great juxtaposition to “Why Does It Have To Be So Hard?” Arguably, the hit here (and my personal favorite off this album) is the title track “Where Did All My Friends Go?” and it is the best way to lead off the record. This song will become one of the classic Mustard Plug songs and is sure to become played at every show.
Since I often listen to music in my car while the wife and I are out, I thought I’d get her take on this album. So, for my album reviews, I will be including the wife’s comments in a section I’d like to call “Wife’s Comments.”
Wife’s Comments: “This album is really hopping!”
Be sure to check out Mustard Plug “Where Did All My Friends Go?” September 8th and, following a handful of album release shows in their home turf of Michigan, will be out on tour this fall, starting off with Big D and the Kids Tables and Matamoska!
disclaimer: I do volunteer PR for Nasty Cut Records. But I heard this album before it was added to Nasty Cut Records. And this review was underway BEFORE Fabled Mind got added to the roaster. Hey, Fabled Mind, welcome back to earth! It’s been four years since Passenger was released, and for those four long, […]
disclaimer: I do volunteer PR for Nasty Cut Records. But I heard this album before it was added to Nasty Cut Records. And this review was underway BEFORE Fabled Mind got added to the roaster.
Hey, Fabled Mind, welcome back to earth! It’s been four years since Passenger was released, and for those four long, very long years, it’s been radio silent on their end. But with good reason. The band has had something unique and cool planned for their sophomore album. “Another generic skate-punk album?” Oh, babes, so, so much more! Fabled Mind returns with a concept album. It’s something that isn’t that rare, but when you turn it upside down and listen to the album – it’s rare enough.
Two years ago, Dion Finne – lead vox from Fabled Mind, quit his job to focus solely on his music. He spent two years writing songs and melodies, demoing, and sending the demos to his band members to regroup. And those two years have been spent well. Because that became the birth of Project Paradise, the album I’ll focus on for today’s review. What can I say about Project Paradise apart from the info I’ve already dropped? As I mentioned, it’s a concept album and, to quote their press release, “electrifying full-length dystopian concept album, emerging from the shadows as an experimental hybrid-genre phenomenon, deeply rooted in a love for the exhilarating punk rock from the 90s.” Well, that’s something, which is probably what intrigued me the most, when I started listening to the album. Let’s dive into it before you all start wondering how to get your fingers on it. Because that is one fun choice of release that we should dive into.
So, basically, Project Paradise is about AI taking over the world, which fucks with my head enough. But Perfect World starts us off with some lovely robot lady that speaks as monotone as we’ve seen in movies—a solid opener for getting an idea of what the listeners can expect. Next up, “Project Paradise,” the lead single and title track. This one started as my least favorite song on the album, but I’ll happily admit I was wrong. After a few play-throughs, it grew on me. Between Leo Wallin’s (yes, Leo, that’s basically in every punk band in Europe) rapid drumming, the mix between Dion and Brian’s guitar riffs, and Dion’s skill for penning catchy lyrics throughout the song – I finally understood why it became the lead single.
Something I find funny when I review concept albums is that it’s hard not to mention every song – because they are so connected. The story continues in every song, and “Algrothrim” goes harder than your usual punk song. It reminds me of Cigar, which we all know I don’t mind. “Awakening” sees the protagonist in the story discover that things aren’t as they appear. It’s noticed in the lyrics, “It’s time to destroy this invisible cage now” – break loose!
We will skip a song because while “The Program” isn’t a skippable song, the intro to the song poked at one of my fears with a robot repeating “Critical thinking detected” on and on. There are plenty of good riffs, and it is very futuristic. “Vultures” might be one of the album’s most catchy songs, we hear lyric-wise on the album. I tend to joke that if the songs on the album are “Instagram Caption Worthy,” it’s a good album. When Dion screams, “So get on board, we’re leaving now / We’ll fucking burn this holy place down to the ground,” I get goosebumps, and the hairs on my neck stand up. The harmonization of the vocals and instruments nails it. It’s incredible.
My somber heart yearned for a sweet acoustic ballade after six songs that went on with full force. I needed a palette cleanser. And indeed, “Heirs Of The Stars” serves as one. Starting in the band’s native language, Danish, which isn’t a made-up language, Dion somberly sings, “I dybet af mit sind, forsøger jeg at nå dig alligevel” and added with the humming from the backing vocals. It haunts me that a band with such force can produce something delicate and sad. I’ve cried a few times to this song, indeed.
You’ve been along for the ride so far; let’s wrap it up with a few words about the other songs and spoilers.
After sadness… comes something ska-inspired, with trumpets, synths, and much fun. And that’s what I hear before the chorus comes along, and we go back to the skatepunk sound in “Architects of Deception.” I swear the lyrics are taken from the point of view of the resistance group that has formed and the protagonist. Still, the experimental sound of the song gives it the catchy hooks it needs. When “The Great Hack”came on, I won’t lie. I thought the TV show’ X-files’ came on. I’m not punching down on the song. It’s heavy and fast when it needs to be.
“Altered Reality” certainly takes a different spin on the album sounds, with more robotic effects. It’s the AI system’s views on humanity and reasoning for being unreasonable. Let’s go, “Interlude”! It was 1:06 minutes of what sounded like throat singing in the beginning, and barely any instruments apart from vocals. “Time Machine,” the last track, babes! We made it, and it was one captivating ride to be on. For nearly eight minutes, we are taking into battle between the AI system and the protagonist. But forget the lyrics; the sounds that we hear throughout the song are what catches on. It’s fantastic to listen to some aggressive drumming to some pop-punk to… I’ve tried to talk about this song to multiple people, and words have failed me each time. Because it’s unique, there’s some funk after that five-minute mark. But the song, without a doubt, ends the story and sends a throwback to “Perfect World“ with Dion’s backing vocals singing,” Another day of tripping out in paradise…”
So, now you’ve read my thesis on Fabled Mind – And I mentioned how you get your hands on it. Well, Fabled Mind went with an untraditional marketing plan for the album. It would be best if you bought it to listen to it. Our streaming platforms only have the released singles, and it’s scheduled for release on all platforms in January 2024. So, the question is – why do this review already now? I’ll get to that, but I want to add if you like Bad Religion, Coheed and Cambria, and general skatepunk, it’s worth every minute. The harmonization that comes between the instruments does a big deal in making the album sound coherent. They might experiment with some different synths, pop-punk, ska, trumpets, aggressive punk, some funk, and much more. But it does work on the album; it adds volume to the lyrics, and that is noticeable during “Time Machine” where Fabled Mind has different genre-inspired melodies that set the mood for the closing song. In certain, the album thrives on the added sound effects and robotic voices and brings in a different dynamic when it comes to working with skatepunk. They tore up the rule book and decided to expand their own creative search for themselves. I would argue that I mentioned earlier that Dion was skilled with a pen. But to be able to create a story like this goes to show that when you mix fantasy with some personal stuff. You get a great concept album.
Project Paradise takes you on a ride, where you start to visualize the story between the AI system, impending doom, and the protagonist and their resistance group. For some, it may be a hit or miss, a grower, or whatever you can think of. But it’s undoubtedly an album one should add to their vinyl collection.
9/10 Listen to “Vultures,” “Time Machine,” “Heirs Of The Stars” & “Architects of Deception”
Hear ye, hear ye! Beloved Seattle punks The Subjunctives have got a brand new album due out later this month. It’s called Let’s Try This Again, and it’s being released by Top Drawer Records on September 15th. In order to get you fired up for the release – as though you weren’t already – we […]
Hear ye, hear ye! Beloved Seattle punks The Subjunctives have got a brand new album due out later this month. It’s called Let’s Try This Again, and it’s being released by Top Drawer Records on September 15th.
In order to get you fired up for the release – as though you weren’t already – we get to debut a pretty kick-ass video for the track “Thanks For Driving Me Home, Old Friend.” The clip is hot off the presses – so hot that we’re like 99% sure it’s done, but you’ll have to watch it all to see for yourself! That’s showbiz, baby!
As I return home from my first-ever edition of Punk Rock Holiday in beautiful Tolmin, Slovenia, my biggest takeaway was how great it was to see bands I usually wouldn’t get to see in North America. While the PRH main stage is adorned with the names of frequent festival headliners and punk icons, the festival […]
As I return home from my first-ever edition of Punk Rock Holiday in beautiful Tolmin, Slovenia, my biggest takeaway was how great it was to see bands I usually wouldn’t get to see in North America. While the PRH main stage is adorned with the names of frequent festival headliners and punk icons, the festival also features a stage on the beach played by some of the most exciting up-and-coming punk bands from around the world. One of my favorite sets of the week was turned in by a hardcore punk band from Norway: Exploding Head Syndrome. Exploding Head Syndrome has been around since 2010 and plays a heavy hardcore sound while mixing some influence of American punk music with a heavy dose of influence from California. The band was named when the group searched the internet for things that sounded like a good band name, when they then stumbled across the sleeping disorder known as exploding head syndrome. While the name certainly sticks out, it is also one the group’s designer sometimes laments due to its difficulty being incorporated on logos, shirts, etc.
Not only was I fortunate enough to discover the band, but also to talk to them about their latest project in the form of the albumVictimsand their experience at Punk Rock Holiday.
Exploding Head Syndrome Performs on the Punk Rock Holiday Beach Stage as a young fan watches on.
Victims
Our interview begins with a polite email letting me know the band will be a few moments late due to the festival food truck taking longer than anticipated. Even at a festival as well run as Punk Rock Holiday, there were sure to be some hiccups. When the band arrives, they come with a present…a vinyl copy of their album that was just released in February, Victims!
Havard Jacobsen, Exploding Head Syndrome’s bassist, plays to the crowd.
Between the thoughtful alert and gift, Exploding Head Syndrome appear to be a sharp contrast to the savage, cutting performance of their hardcore punk material they unleashed just a day prior.
Their new album is a natural place to begin the conversation, and the band dives in on the process of making the record, a project that has been in the works since 2020. The singer of the band, Eirik Ekholot, speaks about the project’s title and how it ties into the themes present throughout the album.
“The title, Victims, is kind of an interesting word. It can mean so many things. You can be a victim without really being one, you can be a victim and be accepting of that part. It’s a fun word to play around with, because it means so many things.” Ekholot says. “The lyrical content is a bit more outwards than facing inwards on this record. There’s a bit of hope, but it’s usually pretty dark. It’s about the world, and systems, and things that just aren’t working.”
As a quick aside, the project is excellent and I recommend any listeners of hardcore to check it out.
Guitarist Morten Rørvig
The Punk Rock Holiday Experience
While the band took the stage yesterday to play a mix of their new and old material, they are staying for most of the festival’s duration as fans. This practice is not uncommon at Punk Rock Holiday. Many bands stick around to enjoy the beautiful scenery and tight-knit community that feels like one big happy family. While summer represents the festival season in Europe with many great options, PRH stands out as a unique one for artists and attendees. Guitarist Morten Rørvig speaks about the experience of playing and attending the festival.
“It’s pretty scenic, right? We played right by the river, and it’s beautiful. Playing early in the day, sometimes it’s hard to know what kind of crowd you’re going to get. We were here in 2019, and I think this year the crowd was even better. We definitely felt great about the show. But beyond that, we’re excited to see as many bands as possible. Especially on the beach stage, there are bands you have never heard that are great. I’m trying to make a point to see as much as we can.”
Eirik Ekholot then discussed the topic of the crowd and the community at the festival.
“People are here for music, but they are also here for the community. As we’ve talked about, it’s quite different to other festivals.” Ekholot says. “It may be cliché but we really do this for the people we meet. The experiences we have. The audience is just as important as the band and that’s why I got into punk. Everyone is equal. Everyone is important. We play on the stage, but you have your stage too, in the crowd. We’re all equal.”
This sentiment is something that’s readily apparent in Exploding Head Syndrome’s performance. One of the highlights of the set was when Ekholot and Rørvig took to the crowd to perform a song surrounded by the mosh pit. A move the vocalist believes is natural given the connection between band and fan at punk gigs.
“It feels very natural. We want to be a part of it. It steps the audience up as well, which also steps up our performance. I feel like when you’re playing a show, you’re there to create something. Sometimes erasing the lines between the crowd and us makes that creation easier. It is a conscious decision for us to play a song in the audience, but it also feels very natural.”
Exploding Head Syndrome’s Future
As we wrap up our pleasant talk, I ask what comes next for the Oslo-based band who is nearing the end of a European tour. They play in Budapest the following day, but say that new music is always a bit of a long process.
“It takes forever for us. This is our hobby. We have families and day jobs. But we’re hoping to put out an EP in between now and our next album.”
With the performance they gave at the stage, the band is sure to have more ears listening to their next project and a slew of new fans, myself included. Follow the band and keep an eye out for more music whenever it comes. Check out their old stuff if you’re interested! You can keep up with the band at their Bandcamp or their Facebook as well as a multitude of other social medias.
Thank you to Exploding Head Syndrome and stay tuned over the following days for more coverage of Punk Rock Holiday 2023.
Happy Tuesday, comrades! Another day brings us another killer video that we’re super lucky to get to premiere for you. Today’s offering comes to us from Yawn Mower, who hail from one of my favorite places in the world (at least until gentrification finally does it in)…Asbury Park, New Jersey! The video is for a […]
Happy Tuesday, comrades! Another day brings us another killer video that we’re super lucky to get to premiere for you.
Today’s offering comes to us from Yawn Mower, who hail from one of my favorite places in the world (at least until gentrification finally does it in)…Asbury Park, New Jersey! The video is for a song called “Stagnant Lake” – here’s what the band had to say about it!
“We have 3 old tube televisions in our rehearsal space that always have DVDs rolling on mute in the background. We’re all ADHD enough to need 3 other things to process in the midst of practicing. Usually have a Wes Anderson night, a Tarantino night, once in a while any trilogies on hand are going simultaneously. Movies and shows play an equal part in inspiring us as much as any music does.
This music video was our attempt to try something new visually and in the edit. We’ve mostly been lighthearted and fun in our past videos, so we wanted to overstimulate the viewer with this one. It’s a quick edit, it’s always pushing and pulling, and if we did our jobs right, a bit jarring. I made the paper mache mask, the kale can labels, etc. So it’s still very much DIY and budget-free as always, but through a different lens this time.
Most of it was shot at Prototype 237. It’s an art space with communal living inside of a warehouse in Paterson, NJ. There’s a full stage, soundboard, and lighting rig for events they host, so we’ve made it a habit to perform there whenever the opportunity arises. We believe in their mission statement and support the space 100%, so we knew it would be the perfect spot to shoot this music video. Every nook and cranny of their space is covered in beautiful chaos. You can walk in a circle for hours and spot something new every time. It was such a pleasure to walk around and select which parts of their home we would highlight in each scene. There were no wrong answers!”
“Stagnant Lake” appears on Yawn Mower’s most recent album, To Each Their Own Coat, which came out last year on Mint 400 Records. You can still pick up copies on Bandcamp and wherever else you pick up your music. And now…behold “Stagnant Lake”!
Here at DS, we believe the best way to celebrate any holiday is with an Exclusive Premiere and Labor Day is no different. So, today dear readers, we’re treating you the debut EP from Nashville based skate punks, The Catastrophes! The album, appropriately titled E.P. #1, officially releases on 9/8 but no need to wait […]
Here at DS, we believe the best way to celebrate any holiday is with an Exclusive Premiere and Labor Day is no different. So, today dear readers, we’re treating you the debut EP from Nashville based skate punks, The Catastrophes! The album, appropriately titled E.P. #1, officially releases on 9/8 but no need to wait until then. Go ahead and crank up the volume, give this one a few spins and then make sure to pick up the EP later this week!
Hello, and welcome to the August, 2023 edition of Dylan’s Favorite Punk Albums, EPs & Things! This is the column where I, Dylan aka Screeching Bottlerocket, tell you what new punk rock albums, EPs and singles I enjoyed the most this month. This is a collaborative effort with our friends at Punk Rock Radar, with whom I’ll […]
Hello, and welcome to the August, 2023 edition of Dylan’s Favorite Punk Albums, EPs & Things! This is the column where I, Dylan aka Screeching Bottlerocket, tell you what new punk rock albums, EPs and singles I enjoyed the most this month.
This is a collaborative effort with our friends at Punk Rock Radar, with whom I’ll be doing a video version of this Best Of wrap-up each month. If you like discovering awesome new bands as much as I do, be sure to follow Punk Rock Radar on Instagram and YouTube, and keep tabs on their Upcoming Release Calendar.
Here’s our video for August (let us know what your favorite releases of the month were in the YouTube comments):
MxPx – Find a Way Home
I’m a huge MxPx fan; I’d say they’re one of my Top 5 favorite bands of all time. I really liked their 2018 self-titled album, and I think Find a Way Home may be even better than that one. A few songs (mainly “Cautious Optimistic”) took a handful of listens to grow on me, but I think this is an excellent record. It pulls from a lot of different chapters of the band’s sound, with some songs reminding me of Secret Weapon and others throwing back to the classic Life in General sound. Find A Way Home does not disappoint.
7 Years Bad Luck – No Shame
I’ve always thought that Austria’s 7 Years Bad Luck were one of the most overlooked bands in punk. These guys have been cranking out excellent music for over 20 years, but I rarely see anybody giving them the love they deserve. Their last record Great, Big, Nothing is awesome, and their new record No Shame is awesome, too.
Swill – Delicate Subjects
As a second generation Florida Man I’ve always gotta show love to my Florida bands. Jacksonville’s Swill have been on my radar for a while now, and now with the release of their new album on People of Punk Rock Records they’ve hopefully appeared on a few other people’s radars. Delicate Subjects blends blazing fast melodic punk with some more experimental, At The Drive In-ish elements.
The Kimberly Steaks – Big Noise
The Kimberly Steaks are another band that I don’t think gets their due. Big Noise is the latest in a long line of stellar albums these Scottish punks have released over the past decade. What’s more, I think it may be their best album yet. If you like old school Green Day, you’ve gotta check these guys out, and Big Noise is a great album to start with. Imagine if Green Day could still write good songs and were from Scotland and you have The Kimberly Steaks.
Dead on A Friday – Limited Time Offer
The name Dead On A Friday looks and sounds familiar but I think this is the first time I’ve checked out these fellas from Queens, NY. Limited Time Offer makes a great first impression – my fellow Bad Religion fans will like this record. I need to go back and listen to Dead On Friday’s last two albums.
The Decline – Magical Misery Tour
Australian melodic punk mainstays The Decline are back with a new album! Well, kinda… sorta. Magical Misery Tour is actually a collection of a shitload of singles they’ve released over the last few years, but there’s a new song, too. “Hillsong of the Damned” features Jay from Frenzal Rhomb on guest vocals and, coincidentally, it’s also my favorite song in the bunch. If you haven’t been able to keep up with the barrage of singles The Decline have unleashed since 2019, this compilation is a good way to catch up – and it’s the only way you can get all these songs on vinyl! Very cool.
Stuck Lucky – Golden Serpent Holy Tabernacle, Pt. 1
Stuck Lucky is a bad ass ska core band that’s been around as long as I can remember. Their new EP Golden Serpent Holy Tabernacle, Pt. 1 is great, probably the best songs they’ve ever released. I’m looking forward to Pt. 2!
Keep Flying – Daylight
Another great ska-ish punk release. Keep Flying plays high octane pop-punk with horns. Their sound reminds me of In With The Out Crowd era Less Than Jake, but with a lot more energy. The songs on Daylight are fast as hell; this is a great little EP.
Skamagotchi – EP
And completing the trifecta of ska EPs released in August (actually, looks like this came out in late July but let’s look past that) we have Buffalo’s Skamagotchi! They call themselves a third wave ska band but I hear a lot of two tone influence on here; I’d describe their sound as Mad Caddies meets The Toasters. Fun songs, solid debut release!
Fallen Legacies – Another New Beginning
SoCal melodic punks Fallen Legacies are back with their second EP in as many years. Another New Beginning will be enjoyed by fans of Strung Out, Pulley, etc. I like the title track the most of the 5 songs on offer.
There were a ton of great singles released this month! Way too many to talk about them all actually, so I’ll take a second to shout out my Top 3 singles of August, and direct you to check out the Spotify playlist down below for the rest.
Making Friends – “Happy Fucking Whatever“
I think I’ve already said it a few dozen times, but I’ll say it again. Making Friends’ Fine Dying is one of my most anticipated albums of the year. “Happy Fucking Whatever” is the latest single and probably my favorite yet. If you like 90’s skate punk you’ll love Making Friends. Don’t sleep on these guys! You will regret it.
Modern Shakes – “Ask the Dust“
Here’s a band I’d actually never heard of before this month. London’s Modern Shakes really impressed me with their new single “Ask the Dust”. Apparently they’ve got a new record on the way and I’m really looking forward to that now as well.
One Reason To Rise – “One Reason To Rise“
Colombian skate punks One Reason To Rise are killing it this year! I really liked the single they released in February “Live.Ride.Repeat.” and I like this new one even more. Check it out and stay tuned for their new City Lights EP coming October 27th.
Anywho, that concludes the August installment of the column. Thanks for checking it out! Keep your eyes glued to Dying Scene for all things punk rock and follow our friends Punk Rock Radar on Instagram, YouTube, etc. Join us again next month!
Last May, at Nasty Cut Fest 2023, a band backed out. The band that ended up replacing the canceled band was a new band called USERS. They had only been playing together since January and hadn’t released anything. But we took a chance and gave them a slot at Nasty Cut Fest 2023. That might […]
Last May, at Nasty Cut Fest 2023, a band backed out. The band that ended up replacing the canceled band was a new band called USERS. They had only been playing together since January and hadn’t released anything. But we took a chance and gave them a slot at Nasty Cut Fest 2023. That might have been one of the best things we did. Since I saw them play at Nasty Cut Fest 2023, I have had the pleasure of following them and getting to know each and every member of USERS. I’ll spare you the sappiness because I absolutely adore them and have the pleasure of interviewing for Dying Scene. It is my way of giving back to them for everything they do and continue to do for the Danish punk scene. So, friends, foes, and everything in between let us introduce you to USERS.
Photo credit: Karina Rae Selvig
Introduce yourselves. Who are Users? Where are you from?
Sean: My name is Sean, but I feel that introducing myself and explaining who I am today will not necessarily reflect who I am tomorrow. It most likely will be similar, but not it’s not always the case. But a short introduction could be that I shout and write the lyrics in the band USERS. I grew up with an English dad and a Danish mum in a suburb outside Copenhagen. A working-class dad and a mum from academia itself. USERS are my heart and soul; it’s the creative outlet and the non-blood family I’ve always dreamed of. I grew up with a lot of English music in my household and take pride in growing up with punk music playing loudly in the living room. At the same time, my old man would do well basically anything.
Sune: My name is Sune, and I play bass. I’m 23 years old and originally from Esbjerg. I met Oskar and Esbjørn right before lockdown at a music folk high school. We didn’t play any music together there at the time or even become close friends, but we became acquainted. Then, last December, I was talking with Oskar at a party, and he told me he was starting a punk band with Esbjørn and a guy called Sean, and he asked if I wanted to join and play bass. I instantly said yes, even though the guitar is my main instrument.
Esbjørn: My name is Esbjørn. I play guitar in the band. Until just a year ago, I thought I wanted to be a jazz musician. Then I went to see Idles at Roskilde Festival, only knowing one of their songs (Beachland Ballroom). I was completely blown away. From that day on, I had no question: I wanted to do what they did at Roskilde. A few weeks later, I met our lead singer, Sean; he came to see a concert I was playing with one of my friends’ singer/songwriter project. The first thing he ever said to me was, “We need to form a punk band. That energy and attitude need to be in a punk band, not a singer/songwriter”. I remember I was stoked and thinking I would never hear from him again, and I didn’t until we met randomly at a nightclub in Copenhagen half a year later. He said, “You still wanna do that punk band?”. We met for our first rehearsal just a week later, and the rest is history. For me, it was love at first sight. We just clicked musically and personally as well. I grew up in a small ecovillage in Jutland. I’ve been a victim of a lot of bullying throughout my life. Since the age of 17, I’ve dropped out of high school, been in and out of kontanthjælp, dealing with depression, and been struggling to find my place in this world filled with suffering. This band is almost the first time I really feel at home. For that, I’m thankful.
Oskar: I’m Oskar, I’m a drummer, and I’m a USER. I come from the northern part of Germany, where I have been trying to start bands all my pre-Denmark life. It’s a little village, so if you want to play any kind of music and are lucky, you find a pianist who knows one or two chords …but that doesn’t do it in the long run. Eventually, I moved to Denmark at 20, where I was lucky to meet the now lead-screaming Sean, with whom I went to school for a semester. The following semester, I was fortunate to meet Esbjørn and Sune too. After moving to Copenhagen, I started working as a Carpenter; not the best decision of my life, but I somehow kept stuck to it for some years because it still gives a steady income, which is super important if you want to live in the capital of Denmark where everything is absurdly overpriced. Sorry for the long sentence…
I have been playing many instruments through the years. Still, I have always wanted to play drums in a more aggressive sound setting, and when Sean and Esbjørn met at a party and started talking about playing punk, I was all ears. My connection to the post-punk genre isn’t the biggest, but since starting the project, my eyes and ears have been opened to the sound of it, which I really love.
What inspired the band?
Sean: Well, I used to play in a just-for-laugh punk band with Oskar back at højskole. I ended up at one of his concerts with a pop artist where, funny enough, Esbjørn played guitar as well! We talked about starting a punk band for laughs and got hammered. And six months later, I ran into Esbjørn, that lovely bastard, at a nightclub at like 4 in the morning and said, let’s do it. A week later, we had our first rehearsal. We started talking about direction and sound, and it just clicked. We share a lot of the same views and struggle with similar things. And it’s a way to get heard, so I believe this keeps us inspired and pushing hard!
Sune: I’ve played music for most of my life and have always had varied influences. Still, since I was a teenager and started playing guitar, I’ve always dreamed of playing dark, high-energy, and abrasive rock music. My first love was Nirvana; through that, I started getting into all kinds of punk rock, subgenres, and many different obscure bands.
It’s an endless rabbit hole that you just can get lost in. Growing up in Esbjerg, I couldn’t find anyone with the same taste I wanted to start a post-punk band with. In many ways, it feels like the universe has arranged all the right circumstances to make this happen. Like we’re finally allowed to freely and fully express ourselves.
Esbjørn: What inspired the band also lies in the story about what inspired the name “USERS”
“We are all users of capitalism, the toxic system, social media, etc. Almost everything we do daily contributes to someone else’s suffering. The clothes we wear, the food we eat, the gas and oil we use, etc. This breaks my heart every day. With an urge almost throughout my life to scream at people, trying to make them realize this, I came upon punk music. I discovered it’s the perfect way to scream all my frustrations out.:
Oskar: I think musically, all four band members have been drawn to the more complex sounds of the grunge, punk, and rock genres since early in life. So, there has always been a pretty good basis for us to start this project purely musically.
Every one of us needed a place to show emotion and get rid of excess feelings. For me, there is no better way to do this than playing hard drums and screaming into a microphone about what makes us feel the way we do. When we do a rehearsal or a concert, you can see us showing emotion in how we play. Hence, the band somehow enables us to channel these emotions into a product that is relatable and exciting to witness live. For me, the emotions in play are desperation, powerlessness, and stress.
I think in the beginning, the band was inspired by us just wanting to play the genre of post-punk since some of us had just seen IDLES at Roskilde festival and came back to Copenhagen with lots of inspiration. Esbjørn and I have always been playing in many different band settings together, and we have always wanted to start a harder-sounding project after moving to Copenhagen. So when Sean (with whom I had played punk during our time at DRH) and Esbjørn randomly met each other in Copenhagen’s nightlife, they began moving things and setting up what is now called USERS.
You are a new band, but you haven’t slowed down. You played Nasty Cut Festival in May, had another show that night, and played Nordlys at the beginning of August. How does it feel to be able to do what you enjoy?
Sean: Strangely, it doesn’t feel different l, but to be fair, this band has swallowed me. It’s all I think about during the day and all I dream about at night. I feel very privileged that people enjoy what we create. You say,” You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” But I’ve realized I’ve always missed this in my life! If I look at it, I’ve never worked harder for something, but I’ve never had it so easy with what I do because it doesn’t feel like work! It’s like a gift from the universe that keeps giving, and I’m ever grateful.
Sune: To be frank, it feels amazing. We all love playing live, and it’s been a pleasure to see this project snowballing from the get-go. It’s all very exciting for us. We are all very committed to the band and playing as much as possible. We are always making new plans for the future, and constantly having upcoming gigs in our calendar helps motivate and keep us focused. It can be hard work, but we can tell that it pays off. We definitely have no intention of slowing down anytime soon.
Esbjørn: I feel incredibly thankful and privileged. I can’t imagine or think of a time or place where I feel more comfortable and happy than when I’m on stage with what has become some of my absolute best friends in just half a year. I’m completely overwhelmed with gratitude for how lucky we’ve been with the support we’ve gotten and that people keep coming to our shows.
Oskar: Pretty sick! The main thing that makes me enjoy USERS as much as I do is the feeling that this project means something to us and the folks around us. I have played in many constellations through the years and never felt the same excitement towards a band like this one. The band is filled to the brim with high hopes, engagement, and determination to make this project our life’s work. I enjoy being part of that and seeing myself do as well. I have always wanted to perform music as we do in USERS, so I hope we get to show it to everybody.
You have yet to release an album but are ready to release a live session. How does it feel to put some music out, and where can the listeners find it?
Sean: For me, it’s not the first time I have released music. And I’m sure you can find if you’re on par with Nardwuar type of digging. But I’m so stoked about this, as this is something I can be proud of! The blood, sweat, and tears we’ve put into these live sessions have been worth it!
You can find them on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook! If you fancy checking them out, I’ll definitely appreciate it!
Sune: We’ve only played since January, but even at our first band practice, we talked about releasing an album. So that’s always been in our plans, but we didn’t want to rush anything. Then we came up with the idea of making a live session, and it seemed like a good way to burst the bubble of releasing music. And to be honest, it turned out much better than any of us expected. So we’re all very excited to finally be releasing. I can’t wait to return to the studio and start recording again. The live session can be seen and heard on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. And for those who want the music, you can also listen to it on Bandcamp.
Esbjørn: I honestly feel stressed about it. With everything happening so fast, we had to put something out ASAP. In some way, I would have liked our first release to be a proper studio recording with lots of time to experiment… Things have just been going so fast that we haven’t had the time, and it was about time we put something out there. I’m just looking forward to our coming studio sessions this fall.
We’ve decided to release the Live sessions from Hotel Cecil on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Bandcamp.
From following you, I know you are a pretty politically active band. Are you politically active in your spare time?
Sean: I want to think I have my thoughts about what’s happening, but as a political activist, I would not call myself. I have my thoughts and feelings about human ethics and how we treat each other. Believe the best and easiest way to find respect and love between people of different views, backgrounds, and cultures is to sit down eye to eye with no defense or prejudice. I have my ethics and political views, but I don’t believe that I am right by default. There’s nothing more amazing than meeting someone who can make you expand your point of view on the world. I hope that in the future, I can be seen as politically active by giving that gift to people through my lyrics or at least opening up the discussion between friends and friends!
Esbjørn: Yes, I’ve always been aware of how much inequality there is, and I always felt an urge to discuss this. A few years ago, I got active in the climate movement Extinction Rebellion in Copenhagen, and it just made so much sense to me. Besides the band, this is one place I’ve felt at home. I was then very active for a year, doing civil disobedience in Denmark and Germany with different movements. I’ve been less active the past year because I’ve had some very uncomfortable experiences with the police, which I’ve had to digest. The people/activists I’ve met doing this are some of the most loving and caring people I’ve ever met. Undoubtedly, the concerts I enjoy playing the most are at demonstrations. It makes so much sense to me.
Oskar: Not as much as I want to be. I have always been a part of protests and marches against climate change back in my days in Germany. Since I have come to Copenhagen, I have realized the matter to be even more pressing than ever before. Moving to Copenhagen has put me in a difficult financial situation, which I am often stressed out about. I find myself too stressed out or too exhausted to join marches and other political events I support. The system I want to demonstrate against is simultaneously the reason for my inability to do so.
The band is the best way for me to be political in many ways. I feel like I can change something by being part of the strong political messages that are the backbone of every USERS-lyric.
Do you have any goals for the rest of the year? Or maybe even next year?
Sean: I think career-wise, we’ve got loads of goals. We dream of playing Scandinavia’s most prominent festival, Roskilde, and start touring internationally. That’s always been a dream of mine, and I believe in it! But for my personal artistic side, I hope to get to explore more of my traumas and troubles through our music. And hope that I can make people feel seen like the small and fantastic crowd we’ve gathered has made them feel seen!
Sune: We have plenty of new exciting things planned. It’s almost hard to keep track of sometimes. We’re having a release party at Basement on the 28th of September, when the final live session is released, which we are all very excited about. We’ll do more recording this Autumn and then a few other shows in Copenhagen and possibly in Jylland and Fyn. Next year, we’ll get back in the studio. Then we plan to play as many concerts and festivals as possible and maybe even some shows abroad.
Esbjørn: Of course! I’m looking forward to recording and releasing a full-length album, and we’ll do this within a year. That’s a massive milestone for me. Another goal is to play international shows, hopefully soon. We’re working towards playing a lot of festivals next year, and Roskilde Festival is probably my biggest goal/dream as a musician. It feels very surreal that this may be within reach. Besides all this, my biggest goal is to contribute to opening people’s minds and have them reflect upon their privileges.
Oskar: We have a lot of goals for the near and far future. We have many plans for recording in the upcoming months until 2024. The first part of the plan was recording live sessions, which we had just finished. We recorded 3 songs, which will be released in the time up to our release party we have organized to celebrate our live-session release. The next step is to go to the studio we are currently setting up with some of the best people we know. We have lots of material, so we are discussing whether to record an EP or go for the full album. We will probably finance the recording since we don’t have a deal with a label yet, so we will see what will happen. November is going to be the first time USERS go on tour. At least, that is what we plan right now, and things are looking very promising. At some point, the studio records will be released, and we will start preparing for a wild festival season in 2024. We are currently getting everything ready for a promising 2024.
