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New Found Glory’s Chad Gilbert reveals new tumor diagnosis

As some of you might recall, New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert revealed a particularly scary health diagnosis late last year, specifically, a rare type of adrenal gland tumor called pheochromocytoma. It was a pretty harrowing journey; more on that here. The band were back out on the road hard and heavy throughout the course […]

As some of you might recall, New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert revealed a particularly scary health diagnosis late last year, specifically, a rare type of adrenal gland tumor called pheochromocytoma. It was a pretty harrowing journey; more on that here.

The band were back out on the road hard and heavy throughout the course of this summer for the Sticks & Stones 20th anniversary tour. Our own Chris Tracy was at the Denver show and grabbed the above photo of Gilbert in action! Anyway, as tour went on, Gilbert started experiencing back pain. Well, he can tell you the rest (per his Instagram):

Dear friends!
Was having really intense bad back pain on tour (which can happen from jumping around carrying a heavy guitar). I flew home early for an MRI. Unfortunately we found a new Pheochromocytoma tumor in the 12th vertebrae of my spine pinching on my nerve bad. I’ll be headed into surgery tomorrow to get almost all of it out then hit what’s left with some fancy radiation. Scary stuff but it’s all about the little wins. Each day we’ve been having fun in the hospital and feel lucky with so many things and God’s timing with all of this. If I didn’t go on tour and inflame my tumor, I wouldn’t have known early enough it was there! Then my band’s love and support got me home to get scanned. Knowing me, if pain is making me not play a show, it’s bad. We also discovered I have some very tiny nodules on my lungs but my amazing team feel very confident that it’s manageable and at an early stage compared to where I was last time. My vitals and heart are great this time. Moving forward with today’s amazing technology, I can be on a lifelong treatment that just keeps it all at bay. Like living with an illness but it’s not life-threatening. I no longer have to guess if it will return and can just relax. So I ask for all the prayers, hopes, fingers crossed, or whatever you do for people you care about in times like these. For my rock solid angel of a wife @lisacimorelli and our beautiful dream of a baby, Lily Gilbert. Hoping to be home recovering Friday or Saturday!
For everyone out there struggling with intense health issues and disease. I’m right there with you. Do your best to make the most of it and try not to waste too much time on fear. Process your emotions but no one’s time is ever certain, with or without good health. We are all the same. Try to love and impact where you’re at and what’s around you and look for the depth of the people around you. See how incredible it is that all these people have been on their own journeys and are now connected to you for some reason. From doctors to nurses to the person cleaning your hospital room, everyone’s story is impactful. Much love to everyone out there! Can’t wait to be back out. See you soon!

We’ll keep you posted if and when Chad keeps the world updated. Until then, probably keep him and his family in your thoughts, yeah? And in the meantime, if something wonky is going on with you, TALK TO THE DOCTOR! Don’t be a hero, yeah?

by Staff Writer jaystone
Tags: 
chad gilbert new found glory pheochromocytoma sticks and stones

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NEW MUSIC: Ways Away drop video for new track, “I Should Have Brought A Gun”

One of yours truly’s favorite bands to have materialized over the last few years is the California-based supergroup Ways Away, and yes I know the term “supergroup” gets thrown around liberally at times but seriously, it’s Jesse Barnett from Stick To Your Guns and Sergie Loobkoff from Samiam and Knapsack and Jared Shavelson from Paint […]

One of yours truly’s favorite bands to have materialized over the last few years is the California-based supergroup Ways Away, and yes I know the term “supergroup” gets thrown around liberally at times but seriously, it’s Jesse Barnett from Stick To Your Guns and Sergie Loobkoff from Samiam and Knapsack and Jared Shavelson from Paint It Black and BoySetsFire and Joyce Manor (and Seal) and Chad Darby from Samiam and The Ship Thieves, so what the heck else are we supposed to call it?!

ANYWAY, the band dropped a video for a brand new track, “I Should Have Brought A Gun.” As of now, it’s a stand-alone track, but word on the street is there’s more new music coming down the ‘pike, so stay tuned. Check the video out below, and if it’s your first time checking out Ways Away, familiarize yourself with their back catalog here. It’s great.

by Staff Writer jaystone
Tags: 
i should have brought a gun New Music new video ways away

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Paramore

Paramore is an American Grammy-award-winning rock band formed in Franklin, Tennessee, United States in 2004. The band currently consists of Hayley Williams (vocals), Taylor York (guitar) and Zac Farro (drums). They have released five studio albums: All We Know Is Falling (2005), RIOT! (2007), Brand New Eyes (2009), their first Billboard 200 chart topper Paramore (2013), and After Laughter (2017).

Paramore, as a quartet, released their debut studio album, All We Know Is Falling, in 2005. The band rose to prominence in 2007 after the release of the hit single “Misery Business” from their second studio album Riot!. “Crushcrushcrush” and “That’s What You Get” were released as the following singles experiencing commercial success. The band was nominated for “Best New Artist” at the 2008 Grammy Awards. The band announced the official line-up addition of Taylor York in June 2009 prior to the release of Brand New Eyes due later the same year. Josh Farro (guitar) and his brother Zac Farro left the band the following year, resulting in Paramore continuing as a trio.

From 2013 to 2014, Paramore released several singles from the self-titled album, including the singles Still Into You, Ain’t It Fun. The latter became the band’s highest-peaking single as well as their first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earned the band their first Grammy award for “Best Rock Song” the following year. At the end of 2015, it was reported Jeremy Davis (bass guitar) left the band.

In 2017, Zac Farro officially rejoined the band, prior to the release of their fifth studio album, After Laughter.

Sammy Kay – “California”

"California" - Sammy Kay

Release Date: July 24, 2023 Record Label: Unsigned Release Type: EPBandcamp Link: Listen on Bandcamp
Tags: 
California New Jersey oaesv sammy kay the andy kaufman of folk punk

When last we spoke with Sammy Kay, he was readying for the release of Inanna, a brand new EP he put out on his own via Bandcamp a few months back. The plan was to release some new material later this summer via a bigger-but-still-independent label, but after a shitstorm of a last week, he’s now taking putting out new music on his own. A brand-new two-song EP, California, is now available, and in direct response to the incidents surrounding his once-and-former label, all proceeds from the downloads will go directly to the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence (OAESV). Check it out. Throw them a few bucks. Believe survivors.

SWiiMS – “Into The Blue Night”

"Into The Blue Night" - SWiiMS

Release Date: November 10, 2023 Record Label: Mint 400 Records Release Type: LP
Tags: 
into the blue night mint 400 records shoegaze swiims toronto

Written and recorded over the last year, the album’s twelve songs reflect a range of personal themes that the band have experienced first hand. Navigating fear of death, loss of faith in humanity throughout lockdowns, collective grief, resilience in relationships and falling in love are some of the topics the band digs into. Describing the album, guitarist/vocalist Colin Thompson says: “‘Into The Blue Night’ feels like an emergence from a long tunnel into the light beyond. New but at the same time, familiar. It’s a natural progression from our first EP, taking the elements of our sound and amplifying them.” They enlisted the help of Toronto based producer/engineer, Josh Korody, who helped amplify and elevate their sound to greater heights. 

Ten More Underrated Punk Bands You Need To Check Out Right Now

A few weeks ago, we presented you with a list of underrated punk bands you probably, maybe, potentially hadn’t heard of before. Well, it seemed like you people may have enjoyed that, so we thought to ourselves, “What the heck? Let’s do a part two!” So, without any further ado, Dying Scene presents: Ten MORE […]

A few weeks ago, we presented you with a list of underrated punk bands you probably, maybe, potentially hadn’t heard of before. Well, it seemed like you people may have enjoyed that, so we thought to ourselves, “What the heck? Let’s do a part two!” So, without any further ado, Dying Scene presents: Ten MORE underrated punk bands you need to check out right fuckin’ now!

THE RIPTIDES

Ottawa’s Riptides have spent 20+ years producing some of the best pop-punk to ever come out of Canada. These guys are right up there with Chixdiggit in my book. They’ve never put out a bad record, and their latest album Canadian Graffiti is pop-punk perfection. Every song on this thing is great, and it’s an absolute steal for $11 on vinyl.

POINT OF VIEW

San Jose’s Point of View has been around a while, and their sound has changed pretty drastically over the years. Their first album Sideshow Years is just awesome. It’s a blazing fast ska infused skate punk masterpiece that stayed in my car’s CD player for a few months when I first got it 10 years ago. Their new stuff is good, too, and is definitely worth checking out, but this is without a doubt Point of View’s magnum opus.

THE SUBJUNCTIVES

Hailing from Seattle, The Subjunctives are a pop-punk band fronted by Ean Hernandez from Sicko (speaking of underrated bands…). If you like The Mr. T Experience or old school pop-punk in general, you’ll like these guys. Check out their album Sunshine and Rainbows below. Grab it on vinyl from their Bandcamp page.

KURT BAKER

Kurt Baker makes fun power pop music with rock ‘n’ roll flair and punk rock energy. His 2012 album Brand New Beat reminds me a lot of my favorite Billy Joel record Glass Houses. This just got reissued with a bunch of bonus tracks for its 10th anniversary. Highly recommended listening for anyone who’s not too punk to admit they like pop.

WRONG LIFE

There was a time when I was absolutely obsessed with The Murderburgers. I first stumbled upon the Scottish pop-punk band when they released How to Ruin Your Life, which quickly reeled in with fast, melodic songs about being an unemployed degenerate. I was devastated when they called it quits in 2019, but happy to hear frontman Fraser quickly started a new project called Wrong Life. He’s released two great EPs that match the more serious tone of the Murderburgers’ later output, and supposedly has a full-length album coming soon. Be on the lookout for that!

THE WINDOWSILL

Anyone who’s read any of the bullshit I’ve posted since Dying Scene came back from the dead knows of my infatuation with Dutch pop-punk band Giant Eagles. The Windowsill is basically the same band (seriously, 3/4 of the members are in Giant Eagles) sans synthesizers. Their 2017 album Make Your Own Kind Of Music shows off their uncanny knack for writing some of the coolest, most laid back pop-punk tunes I’ve ever head. Crack open a beer and give this one a spin.

CIVIL WAR RUST

During my original stint with Dying Scene, one of my greatest discoveries was Civil War Rust. Death To False Hope Records used to have a shitload of music on their website that was free to download. That’s where I came across an EP from these East Bay punks. I loved it and I didn’t waste any time ordering their record The Fun & The Lonely that the songs on that free EP were pulled from. It’s been ten years, but I can still put this record on and enjoy it as much as my first listen. These guys are still making new music; they released a new single called “Heart of Gold” earlier this year. Civil War Rust deserves your attention.

THE YUM YUMS

If you’re in the mood for some unapologetically poppy punk, might I suggest The Yum Yums? This delightful Norwegian band has been churning out ultra catchy bubblegum punk for almost 30 years. Their 2020 record For Those About to Pop is some of their best work to date. Stop reading these words and listen to this awesome album already!

RECORD THIEVES

Denver’s Record Thieves, featuring members of Authority Zero and Allout Helter, released an excellent record in 2020. There was some other stuff going on at the time, so these guys seem to have flown under a lot of radars. If you like punk with melodic sensibility, this band is right up your alley. Listen to their full-length below, and grab it on vinyl here. Make sure to check out their brand new single “Fault Lines” as well.

PARASITES

When people say there’s no justice in this world, they ain’t lying! Dave Parasite rarely gets the recognition he’s due as one of 90’s pop-punk’s most clever songwriters. I’d challenge you to show me a bad song this man has written, but that’s an impossible task so I won’t waste your time. If you aren’t listening to the Parasites, what the fuck are you even doing? Start with Retro Pop Remasters – this record compiles the best of the band’s catalog. And be sure to grab the LP from here while you’re at it.

by Staff Writer Screeching Bottlerocket
Tags: 
civil war rust kurt baker murderburgers parasites point of view

  1. Triple Deke… not on this list… should be on all lists.

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Ten Underrated Punk Bands That Should Be On Your Radar

Since Dying Scene rose from the grave a few months ago, I’ve made a concerted effort to put a spotlight on underrated punk bands you likely, potentially, perhaps haven’t heard of before. It seems like you guys have enjoyed that, so why not keep the party going? Here’s another list of ten lesser known bands […]

Since Dying Scene rose from the grave a few months ago, I’ve made a concerted effort to put a spotlight on underrated punk bands you likely, potentially, perhaps haven’t heard of before. It seems like you guys have enjoyed that, so why not keep the party going? Here’s another list of ten lesser known bands that should be on your radar and in your ear holes!

SKIN OF TEARS

Formed in 1991, Germany’s Skin of Tears plays a refreshingly unique brand of ska-infused skate punk. They’ve released six full-length albums, with their latest effort Fake My Day being one of my favorite records of the 2010’s. Frontman Toto Löhnert has quite the penchant for writing awesome guitar riffs, and his vocals are a perfect fit for the band’s fast-paced, melodic sound. If you like 90’s skate punk, Skin of Tears needs to be on your radar. Start with Fake My Day, and work your way backwards from there. 2001’s Out of Line is fantastic as well.

FLAG ON FIRE

Hailing from my wonderful home state of Florida, Flag On Fire made a strong first impression on me (in a good way!) when their debut album Practically the Best You’ve Ever Been released in 2017. If you’re a fan of Authority Zero or Pulley, or you just like melodic punk with a harder edge, these guys are right up your alley. Check ‘em out!

FRIENDS WITH THE ENEMY

Australia’s Friends With The Enemy have been around for over a decade, but their newest album Divide & Conquer is their most polished and well produced release to date. This record is fantastic and sees the band continuing to evolve their technical, metallic melodic punk sound. This is one of my Top 10 albums of 2022.

SYMPHONY OF DISTRACTION

If there’s one thing California’s good at, it’s pumping out some of the finest skate punk on the planet. Sacramento’s Symphony of Distraction keeps that tradition alive, playing lightning fast punk songs with witty lyrics and a surplus of melody. Just imagine if Slick Shoes never found Christ and you have a pretty good idea of what Symphony of Distraction sounds like. They’ve released four records (including one earlier this year!), but my favorite is 2018’s Horse.

7 YEARS BAD LUCK

Austrian punks 7 Years Bad Luck are the second band on our list to have eclipsed the 20 year mark. Their 2017 LP Great, Big, Nothing delivers melancholy pop-punk that harkens back to Reactionary era Face To Face, mixed with a dash of The Copyrights. It’s a crime that these guys only have a little over 100 monthly listeners on Spotify. Let’s change that, folks!

DUCHAMP

Duchamp may be a 2020’s baby, but don’t be fooled: the members of this band are grizzled punk rock veterans. The band lead by Donots singer Ingo Knollmann cites Kid Dynamite, None More Black and Dag Nasty as some of their influences. I can definitely hear bits and pieces of each of those bands in Duchamp’s sound. Slingshot Anthems is a stellar record that flew under a lot of people’s radars (including mine), and it definitely deserves your attention.

FULLCOUNT

Quebec City’s Fullcount takes cues from their bigger Canadian brothers in Belvedere and Mute, playing technically proficient, riffy skate punk that goes toe-to-toe with those bands. They’ve released two full-length albums, with 2018’s Part of the Game being the most recent. These guys are players and this is some high quality shit, folks! I can’t recommend Fullcount enough.

SACK

You’ve heard of Teenage Bottlerocket, you’ve heard of the Lillingtons, but have you heard of SACK? If you’re looking for raunchy punk songs about the joys of binge drinking and general debauchery, SACK is the band for you. The band has the same general feel as TBR and the Lils, but Kody Templeman puts down the guitar and presents a more theatrical persona akin to that of Guttermouth‘s Mark Adkins. Their new record Ripper! is pretty fuckin’ good.

REAL SICKIES

Edmonton’s Real Sickies have been on a roll lately, having cranked out three records in the last three years. The COVID lockdowns couldn’t even stop them from writing and recording an album in just seven days! Their 2021 LP Love is for Lovers is their best work yet. This is some top notch pop-punk. European friends: catch the Real Sickies on tour with the Real McKenzies this winter!

NERDLINGER

Look, another Australian band! There must be something in the water down under. Melodic punk, pop-punk whatever you wanna call it, Nerdlinger is all of that and more. Their 2018 album Happy Place has a little bit of everything: some songs are slow and mellow, others are obscenely fast. Track #8 “Sunny Days” is my favorite song on the album, and it’s a prime example of both sides of the band’s sound. Check that shit out and stay tuned, because I hear they’re working on a new record as we speak.

Thanks for joining us! Hopefully we were able to help you discover some awesome new bands you hadn’t heard of before.

by Staff Writer Screeching Bottlerocket
Tags: 
7 years bad luck duchamp flag on fire friends with the enemy Fullcount

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Ten Underrated Punk Bands You Need to Check Out Right Now

Most people have a handful of bands and records that they keep in regular rotation; some might call them “favorites”. But there is a world of possibilities out there, my friends! Sure, it’s convenient to stick with what you know and not venture too far off the beaten path, but let’s be honest, that shit […]

Most people have a handful of bands and records that they keep in regular rotation; some might call them “favorites”. But there is a world of possibilities out there, my friends! Sure, it’s convenient to stick with what you know and not venture too far off the beaten path, but let’s be honest, that shit gets boring! To me punk rock has always been about discovering exciting new bands. Variety is the spice of life! Anyway, enough chit chat, these are some really good bands that deserve your attention. Give them a shot – I think you’ll like what you hear.

THE LEMONAIDS

God damn, these guys were so good! Scotland’s Lemonaids put out a few excellent pop-punk albums then seemingly disappeared into the ether. Their sophomore release Back to the Beach was one of my favorites in 2014. The songs are fast, fun, catchy 90’s pop-punk. If the Lemonaids came back and announced a new album tomorrow, I’d be the first in line to buy it!

WINNING STREAK

Winning Streak deserves credit for putting out one of the best skate punk records of 2020. The band’s sophomore effort We Need a Plan introduced Much The Same frontman Chris McGrath as their new backup vocalist/guitarist, and he fit in very nicely. The record marches along at breakneck speed with a healthy dose of the metallic guitar riffing popularized in melodic punk by bands like Strung Out and Mute. They’re supposedly working on a new album right now, too, so be on the look out for that!

THE HUMAN PROJECT

Leeds, UK’s The Human Project plays hard hitting melodic punk band in the vein of bands like A Wilhelm Scream and This Is A Standoff. Their latest album Clarion Call gets my heart racing like an audio energy drink every time I listen to it. Seriously, this shit is intense! Check it out.

MEGA

If you haven’t heard of Mega before, I don’t blame you. The band’s name makes it nearly impossible to find them on Spotify or any social media platform. I was introduced to these Italians by the Dummy Room podcast a few years ago. These guys are incredible! Some of the best (and most unique) pop-punk I’ve heard in a long time. They don’t sound like anything else out there – honestly I’m not sure I’d even call them pop-punk. Every time I put on 2019’s Narcissistic Punk Rock Disorder it’s like I get lost in a trance.

UP FOR NOTHING

Brooklyn’s Up For Nothing has been around for a while, but they seem to have flown under a lot of people’s radars. That’s quite the injustice, because these guys are a solid pop-punk band! They went MIA for a bit, but have returned with a new record called Escape Route. UFN draws a lot of influence from the Bouncing Souls, so it’s fitting that Souls guitarist Pete Steinkopf had a hand in the recording of this album.

BLOWFUSE

I fell in love with Blowfuse the first time I heard them almost a decade ago, watching the “Basket Case”-esque music video for their song “Ripping Out”. This band is from Barcelona, but their extremely frantic brand of punk rock draws a lot of influence from west coast punk and the 90’s Epi/Fat sound. Their whole catalog is fantastic, but the Couch EP is my favorite.

THE KIMBERLY STEAKS

Here’s another great band from Scotland! Those Scots sure do churn out some quality punk rock. The Kimberly Steaks sound kinda like Insomniac era Green Day, but snottier, faster, and… more Scottish. I’d suggest starting with their 2014 album To Live and Die in West Central Scotland. This record is the definition of all killer, no filler. It hits you like a freight train and just doesn’t let up. Great band, great album.

THE REAL DANGER

Face to Face fans will love The Real Danger. It’s been almost a decade since these Dutch punks put out a new record, but 2013’s Down and Out has aged quite gracefully. This album as a good starting point for new listeners. Fast, melodic punk brimming with hooks and vocal harmonies. Speaking of underrated bands, these guys kinda remind me of One Man Army, too.

THE HEXTALLS

Do you like pop-punk? Do you like hockey? How about pop-punk songs about hockey? Well, then I’ve got just the right band for you – The Hextalls! To be fair, not all their songs are hockey themed… they cover a myriad of topics such as catching your dad masturbating to Shania Twain, buying a singing toilet for your newborn child, and begging your parents to let you sleep in the treehouse… as a 33 year old man. Very serious shit! Anyway, all the Hextalls’ records are great, but if I had to pick a favorite it would be Get Smashed. “I Don’t Wanna Be a New York Ranger” is a Top 10 song of all time for me. Fuck the Rangers!

REHASHER

People who know me know my all-time favorite band is Less Than Jake. I’m also a super fan of Roger Lima’s other band Rehaser. A passion project that occupies Lima’s time when he’s not touring the world with LTJ, Rehasher has released three blazing fast melodic punk albums (and recently a fun covers record) over the last 20 years. I love everything this band has put out, but my personal favorite is High Speed Access to My Brain. This is some of Roger’s best songwriting, in my opinion. If you like Belvedere, Rehasher is right up your alley.

by Staff Writer Screeching Bottlerocket
Tags: 
a wilhelm scream belvedere bouncing souls Less Than Jake much the same

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Ukraine Punk

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!

by Staff Writer Jim Meehan
Tags: 
europunk Hardcore oi skins Street Punk

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Ultra Major – “Half Dead”

"Half Dead" - Ultra Major

Release Date: October 27, 2023 Record Label: Trash Casual Records Release Type: EPBandcamp Link: Listen on Bandcamp
Tags: 
as seen on tv brooklyn half dead niners NYC

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.