ALBUM REVIEW: Neck Deep – Neck Deep


There’s no question about it; if you follow modern pop punk, you know what a massive influence Neck Deep has had on the scene for the past decade. Ever since they made Life’s Not Out To Get You, one of the best pop punk albums of the 2010s (dare I say, of all time?), the British rockers have been a prominent staple in pop punk history. Even with the bar set so high, they continued to stack their catalog with upbeat anthems to blast from your car speakers with the windows down.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Trophy Eyes – Suicide And Sunshine


 

Five years and a near-breakup since their last full-length record, Australian rock outfit Trophy Eyes have fortunately returned for the foreseeable future. The long-awaited fourth album, Suicide And Sunshine (Hopeless Records) has reinforced the connection shared between the four-piece band. In the process, they made their most vocally, musically, and emotionally diverse collection of songs yet.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Death Pill – Death Pill


 

Starting in the nineties and still continuing to this day in 2023, it’s safe to say the Riot Grrrl movement isn’t dying out any time soon. New bands such as all-female hardcore punk trio Death Pill continue to emerge from the shadows, and this one has a debut album that’s tough to forget once crawled through unsuspecting ears.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Holy Popes – Holy Popes


 

Formed right before the great lockdown of 2020, Bristol-based trio Holy Popes eagerly put out their debut self-titled album via Man Demolish Records. Having played their first show the week the pandemic hit, one can imagine how much songwriting inspiration has piled up for them since. Each song turns a simple guitar riff into an earworm groove, then sprinkles some noisy chaos onto it for a raucous result you’ll quickly find yourself involuntarily moving to. Couple that with their indignant resistance to capitalism and patriarchy, and you have the very epitome of post-garage punk.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Other Half – Soft Action


 

Hailing from Norwich, England, post-hardcore trio Other Half have put out their second album Soft Action (Big Scary Monsters), consolidating their presence in the modern punk scene. It is a record that keeps the adrenaline pumping throughout its fourteen-track run-through and brings solid production to an otherwise disorderly DIY kind of tone. Despite its title, the album is anything but soft.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Kid Kapichi – Here’s What You Could Have Won


 

Fusing the punch of distorted guitar with funky drums and free-thinking lyrics, Hastings, UK-based quartet Kid Kapichi show off their distinctive ‘beat punk’ style with their new album Here’s What You Could Have Won (Spinefarm Records). The title represents opportunities certain groups miss out on due to poverty, discrimination, or mental health. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Dune Rats – Real Rare Whale


 

With the majority of rock bands using their platforms to speak out about common world issues through blunt execution, Australian trio Dune Rats acknowledges those issues with their own amusing perspective. Their new album Real Rare Whale (BMG) was written in an effort to fight off the negativity brought on by the pandemic using rowdy feel-good tunes. With this new release, the band says, “Life is hard, but let’s have all the fun we can while we’re here.”Continue reading


EP REVIEW: Shooting Daggers – Athames


Any punk fan who has had to suffer through sexism or any form of discrimination knows how cathartic loud, unfiltered music can be. For bands like the UK’s Shooting Daggers, turning that rage into a career is the most effective way to keep their sanity. They appropriately characterize themselves as feminist hardcore punk and queercore, spreading empowering messages that stand against misogyny and abuse with a Riot Grrrl angle. Influenced by G.L.O.S.S., Gel, Turnstile and the like, this trio will give you a mentally productive thirst for thrashing away all your repressed anger and disgust.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Ocean Grove – Up In The Air Forever


Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, the Ocean Grove trio put out their third full-length Up In The Air Forever (UNFD), shining a new light on their grunge, rock, and pop elements. The title is a reminder that nothing in life is set in stone, and one should be liberated by this realization rather than fearful of it. Each song shares a lighthearted and fun energy, yet sends empowering messages about creative expression and freedom from systematic lifestyles. Continue reading


Irk – Recipes From The Bible


I get a real kick not only out of reviewing a band from the UK, but also a band that are from the city I hold very dear. Irk are a Noise Rock trio from the bastion of Yorkshire, Leeds. It will never be the most commercial genre, but there is a lot about Irk that is worthy of note, and to show exactly what they’re all about, they have served up their self-released crowdfunded debut album, Recipes From The Bible.Continue reading