Swiss punks Überyou return with their first new record since 2019’s Night Shifts. Due out February 3rd on Gunner Records and Say-10 Records Silver Linings delivers a dozen new gritty punk rock songs. Listen to a few tracks below and grab the LP here (EU) or here (US).
After the birth of my children I found, as many do, that my social circle changed as did my activities. Gigs, festivals and club nights were replaced with baby groups, cafes and play dates. I’m not complaining, it’s an inevitable part of being a parent but I confess, I got lazy. Listening to the same […]
After the birth of my children I found, as many do, that my social circle changed as did my activities. Gigs, festivals and club nights were replaced with baby groups, cafes and play dates. I’m not complaining, it’s an inevitable part of being a parent but I confess, I got lazy.
Listening to the same old bands, never branching out, never putting time into new artists. I was tired, I didn’t have the energy to spend on new music and when I did get the chance to enjoy music (mostly limited to in the car) I wanted an instant, familiar hit. I didn’t have time to waste on something that might not satisfy my needs.
As my kids get older, I’ve invested time and effort in catching up. There’s been a lot of great bands come and go over the last ten years, and playing in my own band has opened me up to whole genres of punk, where old guys like me feel safe.
On this musical journey I discovered that the type of punk that I like (the sing along, street punk, skin head music) is popular across mainland Europe, and there are many great bands currently delivering this style of music. Away from the “mainstream” of Spotify and YouTube, Bandcamp has been a great asset in discovering new bands, searching by country, as has the radio shows of punk n oi worldwide.
It was on this journey of musical discovery that I came across Ukrainian punk bands, and with the on going conflict in Ukraine, I wanted to highlight that behind the invasion, the murder and the headlines, there are people like you and me, and bands and a punk scene, and when this senseless violence is over, there will still be people like you and me, and bands and a punk scene.
Cios (Polish for punch), formed in 2011 in Khmelnytskyi in Ukraine. Formed from members of a folk/ska/punk band. Gigs in neighboring countries preceded their first release, followed by a line up change due to emigration of the singer to Poland. At this point, Punk Rat took on vocal and guitar duties, Ruslan was drafted in on bass and Vadik continued on drums. January 2014 saw the release of an eponymous album and the superb 8 track album, Streets on Fire. 4 further releases bring us up to 2021’s Pain. Abuse. Dirt, 23 minutes of slightly different sounding tracks to earlier work, with more of a garage rock sound, opening track “Defector” has a feel of The Hives at their prime, and title track “Pain. Abuse. Dirt is a dramatic soundscape, leading into penultimate track “Everyday life”.
All releases are available on their Bandcamp Page with money going directly to Ukrainians affected by the Russian violence.
Bezlad (it means derangement according to Google!) hail from Kharkiv, which if you follow the news on what’s happening in Ukraine, has been a hot point for the violence. The band had a recent tour derailed by failing to gain permission from the ministry of culture to leave Ukraine. Since the start of the combat, most men aged 18-60 are not able to leave the country without permission, and sadly this was declined.
2019 saw Bezlad release a debut EP “Kharkiv Hardcore Skins”, four tracks of blistering street punk, and the eponymous track has an excellent video capturing some of the energy of the punk scene Bezlad are a part of. Grab the EP here.
Beton (Concrete) released a cover of The Clash’s “London Calling” reimagined as “Kyiv Calling”. Wide publicity for the band raised suggestions of fascist leanings as a member of the band was pictured in a T-shirt depicting Stepan Bandera, a Ukrainian nationalist who collaborated with the Nazis during WW2. Guitarist Andriy Zholob was quick to deny the allegations and described Beton as being an anti-fascist band and released a statement condemning fascism and trying to explain the complexity of the history of Bandera, and why his nationalism is often seen by Ukrainians as a symbol of their independence and strength.
Despite playing together for 12 years, this group from Lviv didn’t form as Betonuntil 2017. Playing hardcore punk of the more classic style than the modern growl sound, I’d perhaps describe them as more street punk style if I’m honest, with singalong choruses and shouted verses. Either way, it’s catchy, and I have no doubt superb when played live in sweaty basements and dive bars. Head over to their Bandcamp page for more!
Stinx, from Kyiv are more of an old school punk rock band, formed in 2005, they have seven releases, all available on Bandcamp. The first thing you’ll notice with Stinx is that they sing in English, making their music immediately more accessible to western audiences, and lyrically they’re strong, tackling the usual punk topics of alienation, anger and the love of punk rock.
The above bands are just a tiny taste of the quality music coming out of Ukraine over the last few years, and it is important to remember that when all this is over, these bands, these people will need our support to rebuild and provide hope and distraction for the punks living in Ukraine. Punk brings people together, and those that have lost friends, family, band mates, instruments, venues and practice spaces will need the support of the international punk scene to rebuild and come back harder. If a recent gig featuring Bezlad, Cios and Mauser, performed in a bomb shelter is anything to go by, these bands won’t be held back!
Half Dead is the latest EP from Brooklyn’s Ultra Major. I’ll let the press release tell you what the deal is, but I can also tell you I vouch for it!
With their latest album, Half Dead, Ultra Major hitch their towering ‘90s-indebted melodic hooks to the restlessness of 2020s anxieties; creating a roadmap to finding comfort in a thorny world. The foundation of Half Dead is seven songs that firmly anchor one foot in youthful nostalgia to be able to authentically make sense of today. At stake is the front man Ty Jontz’s quest to make his life work on his own terms.
While the group hails from New York City, and carries the weighty grit that pervades much of the region’s sonic output, their music reaches far beyond the city limits to pull from a vast spectrum of American rock. Keen-eared listeners might catch traces of that midwest Pumpkins-esque sneer within the first seconds of opening track, “Fader”, or the howling echoes of 4AD-ready guitar lines that weave throughout the album. Perhaps amongst the inescapable energy and searching emotions they’ll recognize the imprint of those trailblazers who first blurred the boundaries between indie, punk and hardcore.
“Picture Perfect” is a runaway ripper where Jontz reflects on the eternal quest to find a sense of community; in his case it’s a world of music freaks and basements. “As Seen On TV” thrashes against the mainstream current with punishing guitars backing the warning that “it’s spitting you out, and calling you in”. “Niners” lets frustrations boil over amongst a crunching bass and guitar riff as Jontz rails at the frustrations of working with someone who never seems to be on the same page.
Half Dead is music for those who find themselves forever drawn to the left of the dial, those unquiet souls constantly seeking to make sense of now while never forgetting yesterday.
Skateboarding legend Steve Caballero’s band Urethane (members of Skipjack, The Bombpops, War Fever, etc.) has released a new single titled “Dog Years”. The blazing fast skate punk song is paired with a cover of country classic “Remember Me (When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming)”. The latter features guest vocals from Brenna Red of The Last Gang and accordion by another Skateboarding Hall of Fame inductee, Flogging Molly‘s Matt Hensley. Check out both new tracks below and stay tuned for more info on the sophomore LP Urethane is working on.
Chris Fox (Guitar/Vocals), Pat Mayfield (Bass/Vocals), and Dave Masud (Drums/Vocals) are the Zappa-violence road dogs known as Vampirates. Starting in December of 2023 with the first of many new songs, “WTF?” is a d-beat ripper that blasts you with immediate questions, “What the fuck were we thinking? Rarely opened our mouths to say something ornate. […]
Chris Fox (Guitar/Vocals), Pat Mayfield (Bass/Vocals), and Dave Masud (Drums/Vocals) are the Zappa-violence road dogs known as Vampirates. Starting in December of 2023 with the first of many new songs, “WTF?” is a d-beat ripper that blasts you with immediate questions, “What the fuck were we thinking? Rarely opened our mouths to say something ornate. Why did we buy all those Dead Kennedys records if we were never going to read the liner notes?” With their first single back they’re letting you know where their heads are at, this song is almost a thesis statement that you’ll feel throughout all their new songs, “Write something that means something, benefit everyone.”
This band has seen the decline of society’s compassion for one another as a privileged few race to hoard everything around us. “Can you remember the last time you saw a bridge that wasn’t also someone’s home? For the left behind and down out of luck. While up above, a surplus of vacant second houses. Keep pulling up, but those old bootstraps keep getting stuck.” Between the bands fretboard melting riffs and frenetic fusion drums, there’s a desperate plea to be better to one another, “We need help, this culture is only motivated by the distraction of wealth; not by community, not by progress, not by health. Our social fabric, a cheap plastic caste of itself.”
It can be difficult to feel like you’re doing anything genuine in our current digital age, but with each new single Vampirates puts out I feel their frustration. With titles like “Cancel Culture” and “Wake Up”, there is a palpable anger that these songs convey. I am excited to see what Vampirates will be cooking up till the whole album releases in October, make sure to keep an eye out every month for the next single!
Bottle Music For Broken People is a sampler compilation featuring songs by bands on Fat Wreck imprint label Bottles To The Ground, including Codefendants, Fishbone, The Meffs & more. Listen below and get the LP here.
California punk rock supergroup Versus The World are streaming the first single from their upcoming album The Bastards Live Forever. Check out the new track “Roadsick/Roadsick” below.
Versus The World’s lineup includes Lagwagon‘s Chris Flippin on guitar and Good Riddance drummer Sean Sellers, among others. Their new LP is set to release on May 26th through SBÄM Records.
California punk supergroup Versus The World make their SBÄM Records debut with The Bastards Live Forever. The album features a revamped lineup with new drummer Sean Sellers (Good Riddance, Pulley, etc.) joining Lagwagon guitarist Chris Flippin and co. It was produced by Cameron Webb, who has previously worked with bands like NOFX, Pennywise, and Sum 41.
Italian skate punks Vertical Drop caught me by surprise with their debut album Dying Wish. The band’s sound reminds me a lot of Satanic Surfers, Adhesive, Cigar, etc. but with some thrash metal-ish stuff thrown in the mix. In other words, this shit’s bad ass! Highly recommended listening – listen below (and check out the music video for “Next Level”!) and download it for €5 on Bandcamp.
Brooklyn melodic punks Warn The Duke have announced plans for the official release of their upcoming full-length All That’s Solid. It’s due out on Wiretap Records and officially hits the streets on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th, obviously). The album will be released on 12-inch vinyl and will be available digitally on the same date. You can pre-save it here! You can also head below to check out the video for the album’s lead single “Anniversaries,” which Dying Scene premiered back in October. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL. If you live in or around Brooklyn, you can check out the All That’s Solid release show over at Our Wicked Lady. Details here!
Dave
Thanks Bobby!