If you’re looking for some unique punk rock to check out, it doesn’t get much more unique than Oslo, Norway’s Fights. I stumbled upon this Norwegian “boogiecore” (that’s the term they’ve coined to describe their fusing of hardcore and boogie rock) band and their new single “Serenity Now”, and I was instantly hooked. I went […]
If you’re looking for some unique punk rock to check out, it doesn’t get much more unique than Oslo, Norway’s Fights. I stumbled upon this Norwegian “boogiecore” (that’s the term they’ve coined to describe their fusing of hardcore and boogie rock) band and their new single “Serenity Now”, and I was instantly hooked. I went back and listened to the long line of singles they’ve released over the last few years, and they’re all fucking awesome. Their singer’s got a cool scratchy, screaming vocal delivery, the drums are driving and give the songs a real adrenalized feel, and there’s a bunch of fuzz on the guitars and bass. Most of the songs have bad ass guitar solos and other experimental shit going on, too. Overall it really sounds like these guys have their shit figured out and know exactly what kinda sound they’re going for. Check out a few tracks below and find more on Spotify. I think they may have an album in the works, too, so be on the lookout for that.
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.
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold […]
Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold one, and break out those wallets, because it’s go time. Let’s get into it!
Check out the video edition of this week’s Record Radar, presented by our friends at Punk Rock Radar:
This week’s first record is from The Yum Yums, a great bubblegum pop-punk band from Norway. They have a new record called Poppin’ Up Again due out next month on Screaming Apple Records. It’s available to pre-order on black wax (limited to 500 copies) right here, and shiny red vinyl (100 copies) right here. Unfortunately, no tracks are streaming yet, but if you haven’t already heard of the Yum Yums just know that they have my ringing endorsement. If you don’t trust my opinion, just check out their last record:
2 hours down I-4 from yours truly, Orlando, Florida’s Suck Brick Kid are releasing a new record on local label Smartpunk Records. If you enjoy newer pop-punk, you’ll wanna pick up a copy of The End is What I Want on one of these pleasantly named color variants: Urinal Cake Vinyl (ltd. 100), and/or Shit ‘n Piss Vinyl (ltd. 400). Check out a few tracks below and pre-order the record here – it’s due out May 17th.
New Jersey pop-punk veterans The Ergs have announced a 2xLP 20th Anniversary reissue of the cult favorite dorkrockcorkrod. LP1 is the original mix, remastered by Justin Perkins (Screeching Weasel, the Riverdales, the Manges, etc.) at Mystery Room Mastering. LP2 is a brand new 20th Anniversary remix of the album, completed by Steve Albini using the original master tapes. This one’s due out June 5th on Don Giovanni Records; not sure how many copies were pressed but the splatter variant looks pretty sweet. Get it here.
Rancid‘s B Sides and C Sides compilation LP seems to be getting its first official repress in a decade, as a random pre-order has popped up on Amazon with a listed street date of May 3rd. Details are nebulous at the moment; aside from the cover art looking pink instead of red, I’ve seen some conflicting information. Amazon and this store both list Pirates Press as the label, but one says its a Double LP and the other does not. There also seems to be some debate about the release date. I rolled the dice and pre-ordered it, surely Bezos won’t disappoint.
The Circle Jerks and Descendents are on tour with the Adolescents right now (no, you did not just step out of a time machine in the mid-80’s). They celebrated the tour’s kickoff with a 7″ on which they cover a few of each others’ classic songs. The Descendents take on “Red Tape”, “I Want Some Skank”, and “Beverly Hills”; the Circle Jerks put their spin on “Kabuki Girl” and “Hope”.
Like a lot of the shows on the tour, literally every variant of this 7″ sold out fast as hell. The (potentially) good new is, you can (potentially) get a copy from the bands’ merch tables on tour. There’s a tour exclusive splatter variant, limited to 500 copies and signed by both bands (it seems these are limited to 20 per show), and it sounds like they’ll both have the red color variant as well. Peep the dates here.
Denver punks SPELLS have a new record coming out on April 11th on Rad Girlfriend, Shield Recordings, and a few other venerable labels. Check out the lead single from Past Our Prime below and pre-order the record on “Snowy White” and/or “Blade Bullet” colored vinyl right here. The first 80 people to pre-order will get a hand numbered alternate cover art print. Cool!
Another leak from big dawg Bezos at Amazon.com – looks like The Dwarves are releasing a new “mini LP” not even 6 months after their latest record Concept Album. Keep It Reel features 7 new songs, 2 remixes, and “All for You” from the band’s aforementioned 2023 LP. Here’s the tracklist:
1. One Musketeer 2. Voodoo 3. Kinda Konsensual 4. Nobody Fucked You 5. I Had a Dream 6. Blast Off 7. Parasite 8. Invisible People 9. We Won’t Skate 10. All For You
Pop-punk supergruppe The Phase Problem‘s lineup includes members of Squirtgun, The Murderburgers, City Mouse, and a bunch of other great bands. Their 2023 debut album was 10 years in the making. Luckily the wait for album #2 was not nearly as long; The Power of Positive Thinking is due out next month on Lavasocks Records (US), Brassneck Records (UK), and Stardumb Records (EU). The record features guest appearances from Heather Tabor from the Teen Idols and original Squirtgun frontman Matt Hart, among others. It’s limited to 250 copies on red w/ yellow splatter colored vinyl. Pre-order this shit!
One of the marquee releases featured on the last Record Radar was NOFX‘s new EP Half Album. At the time, all the color variants were sold out, but since then a new variant on “green-gold” colored vinyl (whatever that means) has popped up on some European distros including Green Hell Records, Coretex Records, and Cruise Records. Supposedly this is limited to 500 copies and exclusive to German indie stores. I guess if you missed out on all the others (or you’re sick in the head and collect every NOFX variant) this is a good option for you to import.
Israeli punks Free Sergio new record The Nail in the Coffee is being released on vinyl by our friends at Punk Rock Radar, Cat’s Claw Records and High End Demin Records. Limited to 100 copies on yellow wax, this is a highly recommended pickup for fans of melodic punk with a harder edge (No Fun At All, Satanic Surfers, Belvedere, etc.). There’s even some ska-core sprinkled in here and there. Check the record out below and pre-order it here (US), here (Canada), or here (UK).
Washington State melodic punks Hilltop Rats are back with a new record for the first time in a long time. I’m about halfway through my first listen as I’m typing this and can confidently proclaim this is a god damn banger. Life You Lead is out now on Felony Records, with three bitchin’ color variants; one of those already sold out so quit fucking around and get your copy.
Everyone’s favorite Green Day album Warning is back in print on colored vinyl for the first time in a decade. The new Florescent Green color variant is up for pre-order everywhere but ol’ reliable Amazon is probably the cheapest place you can get it.
Dutch pop-punks Jetlag Jenny have a new 3-song EP called Animal Escapades due out April 19th on White Russian Records. Check out one of the tracks below and click this link to grab the 7″ on green and/or blue colored vinyl (each limited to 125 copies).
Days N Daze are releasing an LP of demos from recording session for their latest album Show Me the Blueprints. That includes five (5) never-before-heard songs. Very cool! The record is streaming now but the physical release won’t be out on SBÄM Records ’til May 31st. Get it here on one (or all three) of the following color variants: Dopamine, Cosmic Green, Dirty Orange. Limited to 200 copies each.
German punks Resolutions are releasing their sophomore album Monster Mirror on May 24th via End Hits Records. The lead single “Drop Dead” is great and the record comes in a pretty sweet looking reflective silver jacket. 3 variants: 50x lobster red, 200x black / white swirl (get both of those here), and 50x dewdrop (get it at the band’s shows).
New York pop-punk band Egghead (whose existence I’m just now being alerted to) released a compilation album called Dumb Songs for Smart People on Mutant Pop Records in 1999. 25 years later, it’s being released on vinyl for the first time thanks to the friendly people at Dead Broke Rekerds and Mom’s Basement Records. And as I finished writing this and went to look for links to pre-order I realized this shit is not up for pre-order lmaooooo. Well, when it is, it’ll be available on red and white color variants. Also probably worth noting these guys are playing some shows with the Ergs and Boris the Sprinkler in July.
Well, that’s all, folks. Another Record Radar in the books. As always, thank you for tuning in. If there’s anything we missed (highly likely), or if you want to let everyone know about a new/upcoming vinyl release you’re excited about, leave us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, and don’t blow too much money on spinny discs (or do, I’m not your father). See ya next time!
Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Click here and you’ll be taken to a page with all the past entries in the column. Magic!
Hello, and welcome to the April, 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 April, 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 April (let us know what your favorite releases of the month were in the YouTube comments):
Australia’s finest Frenzal Rhomb pick up right where they left off on Hi-Vis High Tea and Smoko At the Pet Food Factory. I had this penciled in as one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and unsurprisingly, it did not disappoint. Read my album review here.
Here’s another one you’ve probably seen a lot of hype for on the pages of Dying Scene (and elsewhere) over the last few months. NOT is a new ALL / Descendents inspired project featuring members of Mercy Music, Sharp/Shock & others. This record is excellent and reminds me most of Chad Price-era ALL albums like Mass Nerder and Problematic, while still sounding fresh and original.
Manchester, UK’s Clayface made a great first impression with their debut album Ailments. Some of the songs have a cool Lawrence Arms-meets-Dead To Me kinda feel, but I’d place the overarching sound into the “orgcore” category. Fast and loose, rough-around-the-edges punk. Listen below and get it on vinyl here (US) / here (UK).
If you like basically anything Epitaph or Fat Wreck Chords released in the 90’s, you’ll wanna check out this new record from Italian skate punks Wasei. Vulgar Misplay of Burkett aces that classic Epifat feel without feeling stale or unoriginal in the slightest. Listen to the album below and get it on vinyl / CD here.
Here’s another one for the orgcore enjoyers (ya know, that used to be a dirty word around these parts, but I’m using it quite liberally now!). It’s another debut album, this time from Texas punks Debunker. Misfortunes reminds me a lot of early Banner Pilot, especially the Pass the Poison EP. Super fast, great hooks, cool guitar parts. I like these guys and I think you will, too! Listen below; buy on Bandcamp.
I’m not usually a big Oi! / street punk guy, but I’ll make an exception for this record from Las Vegas’ Fool’s Errand. Songs like the album opener “It’s a Problem” are slower and bordering on pub rock; others like “Know What I Mean” and “That’s Yer Lot” are fast as fuck and closer to a mix of Rancid and Bombshell Rocks. The whole record’s awesome, though. Get it on limited colored vinyl here.
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge old school pop-punk fan. If you like any band that was on Lookout! in the 90’s (Screeching Weasel, The Queers, Squirtgun, MTX, etc.), I have no doubt you’ll like this debut album from Corpus Christi, Texas’ Öldie Häwn. Nothing revolutionary going on here, but this is an extremely solid Ramonescore record.
DS Band Spotlight alumni, Oslo, Norway’s Fights showcase their signature “boogiecore” (hardcore punk mixed with boogie rock) sound on their debut album Scampirock. It’s hard to explain what that sounds like, so I’ll just advise you to listen to it. This is a bad ass record.
I’mma be honest, folks. I wasn’t that stoked on the last Teenage Bottlerocket album; it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything special either. So when I found out all four songs on their new 7″ So Dumb / So Stoked were tracks that didn’t make the cut for that album, I wasn’t too stoked on it either. Surprisingly, though, I like these songs more than most of that record. I think “It Wasn’t Enough” is the best of the bunch. Listen below; get the 7″ here.
Australian pop-punks The Malphs‘ debut EP Sometimes I Think About You delivers six tracks of Ramonescore perfection. Check it out below, get the 7″ here (US) or here (AUS) and download the EP on Bandcamp.
Look, another debut EP from an Australian pop-punk band! Newcastle’s Long Distance plays a very different kind of pop-punk from The Malphs, though. The band cites influences like Blink-182, Sum 41, New Found Glory, etc. and that’s evident in the sound on their four song debut EP Left for Dead.
“Bridges” is the second single from SoCal skate punk veterans Jughead’s Revenge‘s comeback EP Vultures, which is is due out May 5th on SBÄM Records. Pre-order the 12″ EP here (US) / here (EU), and check out the last single “I’ll Be Seeing You” if you haven’t already done so.
Rancid caught everyone by surprise with the announcement of their new album Tomorrow Never Comes, and I’ve seen a lot of people lauding the album’s lead single (and title track) as a return to form for the band. I agree – this song is better than anything on their last two records – and I’m excited to see if the album makes the grade when it releases on June 2nd through Hellcat Records.
We hosted the exclusive premiere(!) for Dutch punks Ink Bomb‘s music video for their new single “Theme Song”. The video’s awesome, the song’s great. Can’t wait to hear the new album these guys (and girl) are working on.
I’ve been waiting for some new music from Barcelona’s Acid Snot since their debut album Attitudes was released in 2016, so I was really excited when I saw the band signed to Thousand Islands and Lockjaw Records. “Biopsy” is their first new song in 7 years, and it’s a real ripper. This is a big step up from that debut album. Looking forward to more to come from Acid Snot!
REHASHER “Rabbit Hole”
Roger Lima simply does not miss, folks. The Less Than Jake bassist / co-frontman’s melodic punk side project Rehasher has long been one of my favorite bands. Their new single “Rabbit Hole” is the latest in a long line of bangers. I honestly can’t name a single bad Rehasher song.
“Fenix” is the latest single from Barcelona skate punks Flying Frogs‘ upcoming album WTF Is Going On, due out later this year on 20 Chords Records and Melodic Punk Style. It’s been 7 years since their last record Playing Again came out, but they haven’t missed a beat. Check out the music video for “Fenix” below.
Another recent pickup by our friends at Thousand Islands Records, SoCal melodic punks Strike Twelve are gearing up to release their new album new album Last Band Standing on June 30th. Check out the music video for the lead single “Smart Phones, Stupid People” below and pre-order the record here.
“I’m A Rat” is the final song Japanese punk veterans Hi-Standard recorded with drummer Akira Tsuneoka before his untimely passing in February. It’s a super fast skate punk song (supposedly written by Fat Mike) that recaptures the raw energy of albums like Angry Fist and Making the Road. Fat Wreck Chords is releasing a 7″ picture disc for the song and donating profits to Tsune’s family.
That concludes the April 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!
Here’s a Spotify playlist with songs from all the releases featured in Dying Scene & Punk Rock Radar’s Best of 2023 series so far:
Hello, and welcome to the March, 2023 edition of Dylan’s Favorite Punk Albums, EPs & Things! This is the column where I, Dylan (otherwise known as Screeching Bottlerocket), tell you what new punk rock albums, EPs, singles, etc. I enjoyed the most this month. March was jam-packed with new releases (especially in the last week), so […]
Hello, and welcome to the March, 2023 edition of Dylan’s Favorite Punk Albums, EPs & Things! This is the column where I, Dylan (otherwise known as Screeching Bottlerocket), tell you what new punk rock albums, EPs, singles, etc. I enjoyed the most this month. March was jam-packed with new releases (especially in the last week), so there’s no doubt some stuff I missed. Maybe we’ll circle back to some of the really good stuff that came out on the 31st in next month’s column.
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 punk bands as much as I do, I highly recommend following Punk Rock Radar on Instagram and YouTube, and keeping tabs on their Upcoming Release Calendar.
Here’s our video for March (let us know what your favorite releases of the month were in the YouTube comments):
Italian skate punks Thousand Oaks released a new album completely out of the blue and I ain’t complaining. On A Wing And A Prayer is their best album yet. If you like technical melodic skate punk like A Wilhelm Scream, This Is A Standoff, or Jet Market (these guys used to be in that band), this is a must listen. Sidebar: someone really needs to step up and put this shit out on vinyl. Incredible record.
This new Bouncing Souls record is killer. I’ve probably listened to it 100 times since I got my review copy back in January (Wanna get super early access to bad ass new music? Hit us up and become a contributor!). I already wrote an album review for this and I don’t have much else to say beyond that. “True Believer Radio” is my favorite song on Ten Stories High.
If you’ve even been kinda-sorta paying attention for the last few months, you’ve probably seen me post something about this album. I’ve run out of new things to say, so here’s an excerpt from my album review: “Bridge The Gap’s lineup is comprised of members of long defunct Salt Lake City punk band Unfold, in which they released an album over 20 years ago. When paired with the warchest of knowledge Bill Stevenson brings to the table, that past experience pays dividends on Secret Kombinations. Bridge The Gap put their spin on the skate punk conventions of yesteryear, and the end result is an ultra-polished record with laser focused musical direction.”
German melodic punks Baxter have been around over 20 years, but I just recently discovered them with their new album Between Punk and Bourgeois. This is a fantastic record. Our friends at Punk Rock Radar are releasing it on cassette – get it here.
Look, it’s another Italian band! Weekend Cigarettes remind me a lil bit of like Sum 41 meets Rise Against. The Chosen One is a really polished, well produced album. Check it out:
This one could have been on April’s list, but Shield Recordings put it out early. With their new album CVLT, Dutch punks Harsh Realms deliver 13 powerful, anthemic tracks that will be enjoyed by fans of The Menzingers, The Flatliners, Red City Radio, etc.
One of my favorite discoveries of the month is Newcastle, Australia’s Melvic Centre. This is a one-man punk band started by a kid named Will Mitchell. His self-titled debut album was recorded with Frenzal Rhomb singer Jason Whalley at his recording studio The Pet Food Factory. It’s kinda orgcore-ish, but also kinda skate-punk; there’s even a hardcore song! This dude is a versatile musician. Highly recommended listening.
I’d been looking forward to German melodic punk band Melonball’s debut album Breathe since I heard the first single “Sicker” back in January. So I was super stoked when Thousand Islands Records asked if I wanted to host the album’s exclusive premiere. Are you kidding me? Of course I did! The whole record is as good as that first single. If unrelentingly fast, aggressive skate punk is what you seek, Breathe is the album for you.
Seven years after the stellar Increasing the Minimum Rage, UK ska-punks Faintest Idea march on with their new album The Road to Sedition. This record delivers more of the hard and heavy, politically conscious skacore these guys are known for. This thing’s all killer, no filler, but if I had to pick a favorite song it would probably be “False Prophets”.
Here’s another one for my fellow technical skate punk fans: Australian melodic punks Fake News‘ new EP Take Me Away is a god damn banger. My only complaint is it’s not a full-length album! For more, check out their 2021 debut Everyday Warrior.
Primetime Failure joins their countrymen Melonball and Harsh Realms as the third German band on this month’s list. Their new EP Oxygen has some their best songs yet. If you’re a fan of 90’s melodic punk and the “Epifat” sound, this shit’s right up your alley.
Toronto pop-punk band Fluffio’s debut EP TV Generation is a 4-song ripper with hints of Green Day and Blink 182 influence sprinkled throughout. What their sound reminds me of most is the Suicide Machines‘ poppier output. If that sounds like something you’d be into, check it out:
I’d never heard of Dutch punks Toska Fall before, but their new EP A Little Advice was a great introduction (especially the title track, that mofo’s a ripper). It’s also available on vinyl with the band’s last EP It Falls Apart on the B-Side; get that here (US), here (EU), or here (UK).
FRENZAL RHOMB Thought It Was Yoga But It Was Ketamine
This is the second single from Frenzal’s long awaited new album The Cup of Pestilence, due out April 7th on Fat Wreck Chords. Spoiler: the rest of the record is even better than the singles.
Oslo, Norway’s Fights popped up on my radar with the release of their new single “Serenity Now”. I was immediately taken aback by their unique “boogiecore” sound, which fuses elements of hardcore punk and boogie rock. Shit’s super unique. Read Dying Scene’s Band Spotlight on them to learn more.
I’ve been hyping up Los Angeles pop-punk band NOT for months now. The project ft. members of Sharp/Shock & Mercy Music recorded an album of songs that recreate that distinct ALL / Descendents sound. Stop the World is due out April 7th on Wiretap Records, Brassneck Records, and Waterslide Records. “Alien” is my favorite track released so far from one of my most anticipated albums of 2023.
SoCal punk veterans Jughead’s Revenge are gearing up to release their comeback EP Vultures, and our first taste is the blazing fast skate punk ripper “I’ll Be Seeing You”. Vultures releases May 5th on SBÄM Records. You guys are gonna love it.
Columbus punks Prime Directive‘s new single “Reaper” is a catchy horror punk track with a cool Graves-era Misfits kinda feel. The music video’s pretty fuckin’ sweet, too.
Hey! These guys are in that band NOT that we discussed earlier. Well, Mercy Music is their main band and they have a new record called What You Stand To Lose coming June 30th on SBÄM Records. This first single “Love You / Need You” is excellent and has that newer Flatliners kinda feel. I really like it. I pre-ordered the record, have you? Also worth noting they’re on tour right now with Unwritten Law and Authority Zero.
We talked about these Aussie newcomers last month when they dropped their first single “Left for Dead“. That was a super fast skate punk song, this new one has more of an early 2000’s Blink vibe (just listen to the guitars). Really looking forward to their debut EP.
That concludes the March 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. and be sure to join us again for the April edition! Like I said, a lot of good shit snuck in on the last day of March, so we’ll probably circle back to some of that in the next column.
Here’s a Spotify playlist with songs from all the releases featured in Dying Scene & Punk Rock Radar’s Best of 2023 series so far:
Exploding Head Syndrome started up in 2010 and have since toured extensively and released four albums. They draw inspiration from hardcore acts and also from the Californian Punk Rock scene. This makes for EHS’ unique take on the hardcore punk genre.
Dying Scene Band Spotlight alumni, Oslo, Norway’s Fights put their signature “boogiecore” (that’s hardcore punk mixed with boogie rock) sound on full display with their debut album Scampirock. High octane guitars drowned in fuzzy overdrive, vocals shouted full throat, big guitar solos, and just the right amount of weird experimental shit: this album has it all. Also noteworthy is the production, which is excellent, but manages not to take away from the band’s raw energy in the slightest. Needless to say, this is highly recommended listening. Stop reading and listen to Scampirock already!
