Review: It sometimes only takes one great song to gatecrash your way to prominence and Australian modern punk greats The Chats managed that with the opening cut here, 'Smoko', which is an ode to the joys of the fag break: "Leave me alone / I'm on Smoko". This reissue is of their second EP that was released by Sunshine Coast label Bargain Bin records. With the first pressing going for big money, it's a welcome chance to get your hands on this classic. Despite 'Smoko' being the biggest song, it's loaded with bangers and a stroke of genius that they realised that a song about struggling to afford bus money would connect on such a wide level.
Review: This six-track EP, crated between the late 'Cloud rap' icon and producer Nedarb Nagrom, is a miraculous refind and repress. The EP originally dropped in 2016 during the early wave of Peep's rise to the broth cream of the etherground emo rap and SoundCloud scene. Peep was still in the thick of lo-fi, punk and emo experimentations, and fellow traveller Nedarb had already been a frequent collaborator. The Katy Perry song referenced in the title is a red herring, as these tracks are original internet artefacts through and through, bearing none of the same pop sensibilities; they're loose and aerated, packing slipshod 808s and drawly hooks from the pink-haired icon.
Review: 2022 saw the unlikely return of late 90s New York screamo/"skramz" pioneers Saetia, who have seen a massive surge in popularity in the decades since their initial disbandment, due to being credited as a major influence by numerous affluent modern post-hardcore acts such as La Dispute and Touche Amore. Noted for their expansion of the chaotic "emoviolence" sound by imbuing their cataclysmic compositions with heightened melodrama, spoken-word vocals and poetic lyricism pulling from Greek tragedies, both their self-titled EP and sole full-length have been held aloft as quintessential blueprints for the genre in the decades since their original tenure. Following a hectic reunion schedule which has finally brought the group to new foreign shores across the UK and Europe, the three tracks that make up the Tendrils EP serve as their first new material in 26 years, marking the follow up to 1999's Eronel EP.
Review: Originally forming in 1982, Agnostic Front were one of the pioneers of New York City hardcore punk and they've left an indelible mark on the scene and movement ever since. Inspired by their dilapidated surroundings of Lower East Side Manhattan, then blighted by poverty, drugs, violence, and high levels of urban decay, the ugliness around them would help to chart a venomous new course for the sonic potential of hardcore as an urgent, abrasive form of catharsis. This incendiary compilation offers up recordings which date back to the very start of their career, including demos of cuts that would eventually appear on their 1983 debut United Blood 7", while also featuring other recordings from the period that were left unissued at the time; some of the material would later be included on 1995's Raw & Unleased CD, though several of these tracks are making their wax debut. If you're eager for more homeschooling, the band were featured as part of Showtime's The Godfathers of Hardcore documentary in 2017, while frontman Roger Miret's autobiography offers insightful and frightening lore to an already clearly tumultuous yet integral time in punk history.
Review: Formed in 1982, New York City hardcore pioneers Agnostic Front left a defining impact on the burgeoning scene with their unmatched ferocity and sonic abrasion as well as their intimidating attitude and skinhead aesthetic, which would lead to them incorrectly being perceived by some as racists or neo-Nazis. Coming up in the rundown streets of Lower East Side Manhattan, surrounded by urban decay in an area battling severe poverty, drugs, and violence, they channelled their anger into a new breed of punk that would serve as both a rallying cry for the less fortunate as well as an urgent, abrasive form of catharsis. This blistering compilation contains recordings dating back to the very beginning of their career, featuring demos of tracks that would eventually appear on their 1983 debut United Blood 7", while also offering other recordings from this period originally left unissued at the time; some of these would later be included on the 1995 Raw & Unleased CD, though several of these cuts have never been made available on wax until now. The band would later be featured as part of Showtime's The Godfathers of Hardcore documentary from 2017, while frontman Roger Miret's autobiography provides a deeply insightful yet frightening firsthand account of an already clearly tumultuous yet integral time in punk history.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.