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Pop Punk

Toronto’s Premier Alt-Rock Outfit NAKEDBURN Entered the Post-Hardcore Pantheon with ‘Jaded’ ft Liam Cormier

Posted on 29 November 2024
NAKEDBURN

Electrifyingly frenetic emo-rock furore pierces and pulsates through the latest sonic juggernaut from Toronto’s premier post-hardcore outfit, NAKEDBURN.

‘Jaded’ featuring Liam Cormier is enough to put the generalisation that Canadians are placid to perpetual rest; the onslaught of intensity starts with an intro which wouldn’t be out of place on a Rocket From the Crypt LP before NAKEDBURN intravenously injects modernistic hypersonic power into the Post-Hardcore installation of angst that any fans of Dillinger Escape Plan will want to devour.

As a precursor to their debut EP, Drowning, which is set for release in early 2025, Jaded is a blistering statement of intent from a powerhouse that will show the alt-rock scene no mercy as they prepare to enter the post-hardcore pantheon.

Jaded will storm the airwaves on November 29th; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.

For more ways to listen and connect with NAKEDBURN, visit the band’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Topdown – I Feel Everything: An Intense Alt-Rock Odyssey Through Empathetic Angst

Posted on 17 November 2024

Topdown’s eponymous debut LP is a hit-after-hit tour de rancorously evocative force, starting with the scathed opening salvo, I Feel Everything, which will make a bruisingly vindicating impact on anyone who knows how much of a curse empathy can be.

With frenetic frustration coursing through every hook-decorated progression of volition, I Feel Everything is a candid outpour of the desperation to chemically numb yourself to the weight of the world that bears down on the psyche as it conflates with introspective scars.

It’s impossible not to draw thematic comparisons to Dinosaur Jr’s ‘Feel the Pain’, but there is no refuting that Topdown are blazing their own trail through their eagerly anticipated LP which fuses the ferocity of post-hardcore, the emotive intensity of pop-punk and the aesthetics of 00s rock anthems.

I Feel Everything is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Punk Fury and Bruised Egos: Itz Namo Lets Loose in ‘SCREAMING’

Posted on 26 October 2024

At just 20, Itz Namo from Grand Rapids, Michigan, has already carved his niche in the pop-punk rock scene by blending garagey grit with earworm-worthy hooks. What started as a musical joke during his high school years has now catapulted him into the alt-pop-punk spotlight with his latest single, ‘SCREAMING’.

Echoing the antagonised energy of Fidlar, Itz Namo exhibits a deft hand in weaving augmented instrumentals around razor-sharp hooks in the visceral confession of the humiliation that comes when you shoot your shot with someone way out of your league, only to be knocked back to reality. The track is a cathartic middle finger to rejection, and with any luck, it’ll be the anthem to blast in the ears of incels who sulk in frustration and lash out with contempt when it turns out feelings aren’t mutual.

Namo’s high-octane energy and raw delivery make the track an infectiously bouncy amalgamation of alt-pop punk chaos. Beneath the brash riffs and brimming aggression, there’s a deeper emotional core for anyone who has ever found themselves on the receiving end of romantic disappointment.

With ‘SCREAMING’, Itz Namo proves that his knack for blending personal confessions with high-energy punk is a goldmine for the genre. It’s only a matter of time before more people start tuning into the infectious chaos he’s bringing to the scene.

SCREAMING is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Knottie Boys are on unhallowed ground with their horror punk hit, Monster Man

Posted on 21 October 2024

The Knottie Boys came through just in time for Halloween with their horror punk LP, The Weeping of Los Alamos, featuring the ferocious sonic juggernaut, Monster Man.

With The Creepshow-esque vocals, odes to The Misfits’ iconically infectious sonic signature and ska-reminiscent brass for good measure, Knottie Boys haunted the middle ground between psychobilly and horror punk with a tumultuous anthem that sweeps you up in its adrenalised riptide of frenetic energy.

As the third album from the Long Island-hailing alt-punk powerhouse who borrow influences from all across the punk spectrum, The Weeping of Los Alamos is set to skyrocket The Knottie Boys to even greater heights. Their ability to ensure their influences never outshine their ingenuity is on full display in the 15-part installation of cultivated chaos.

The Stream Knottie Boys’ LP, The Weeping of Los Alamos in full via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lauren Ash scorched the pop-punk sphere with her trailblazingly vindicating earworm, Pathological

Posted on 18 October 2024
Lauren Ash

The pop-punk Billboard chart-topper Lauren Ash has been trailblazing her way through the industry since her debut single; with her latest hit, Pathological, she started a fire that could rival the inferno Dante walked through.

Nailing the Y2K pop-punk aesthetic, Ash intravenously infused swathes of nostalgia in the release, which finds an exhilaratingly cerebral way to protest against people glamorising mental illness-derived idiosyncrasies. The unfuckwithably emboldening lyrics reach their peak with, “You think I’m sexy, but I’m broken… you think I’m passionate or just irrational, no baby, I’m pathological.”

Sonically, Ash fuses the scintillating indietronica motifs of Shiny Toy Guns, the demure seduction of Garbage and hints of No Doubt with a little bit of Avril Lavigne to heighten the choruses, synthesising a sonic signature that scorches its way through the assimilative mundanity of the pop-punk scene. Clearly, she’s not here to play, she’s here to reign supreme.

Pathological will be available to stream and purchase on all major platforms from October 18th. Find your preferred way to listen via Lauren Ash’s official website.

Connect with the artist via TikTok and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lauren Presley lost the past to history in her empowering rock-licked EDM pop anthem, H-I-N-T

Posted on 28 September 2024
https://on.soundcloud.com/XqdqHcpudoAN7A7Z9

Texas’ freshest pop icon-in-the-making Lauren Presley shunted Taylor Momsen and Hayley Williams to the wayside when she dropped, H-I-N-T, her latest dark pop anthem, which uses the augmentation of rock to add even more electricity to the head-spinningly hot EDM pop choruses.

The only thing bigger than the sound in H-I-N-T is the cross-over appeal of this high-octane earworm which sends pulsating surges of adrenaline to your rhythmic pulses as Lauren Presley harmonises over the distortion-slicked hyper-sonic guitars which caustically cut their way through the Grammy-worthy production.

The energy in H-I-N-T gives the recently romantically scorned all the empowerment they could possibly harness to walk away from a toxic dynamic. With this hit on your playlists, you will be unreckonable.

Presley may have gone viral since her debut single, A Little Longer,  after garnering 1 million streams on Spotify and 5.6 million views on YouTube. Yet, she remains committed to delivering unpretentious pop with universally relatable lyrics. Even if she reached the same heights as Chappell Roan, there’s a sense that Presley would never be out of touch.

H-I-N-T will drop on September 27; stream the single on all major platforms, including SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sticker – Making Mistakes: A Garage Grunge Anthem for the Fatally Fallible

Posted on 22 September 2024

Sticker’s debut single ‘Making Mistakes’ erupts as an explosive anthem for the perpetually remorseful and as a vindicating release for anyone haunted by the spectre of past missteps.

With its garage-grunge aesthetic sharply intersected by the electrifying surges of pop punk, the track from their debut EP, ‘Hello! My Name is Sticker’, cements the Nevada-based powerhouse as unreckonable evocateurs of caustic catharsis.

Formed in Las Vegas in 2019, Sticker, led by vocalist and guitarist Dennis Fija, alongside drummer Carlos Daniel Herrera and bassist Jacob Anthony Hennagir, the trio rapidly distinguished themselves in the Las Vegas circuit with a raw, fuzzy punk sound steeped in a plethora of influences. ‘Making Mistakes’ marries the nostalgic grit of Nirvana during their ‘Bleach’ era with the melodic poise of Smashing Pumpkins, layered with the contemporary edge of bands like Fidlar.

The track’s relentless energy and piercing lyrics provide a mirror to the soul, reflecting the tumult of self-criticism and the liberation found in acknowledging fallibility. It’s more than just music; it’s a frenzied, sonic purge of pent-up emotions, driven by dissonant chords, catchy melodies, and harsh vocals that challenge social norms and delve into the theme of unreciprocated emotions.

As the centrepiece of their EP, ‘Making Mistakes’ is the perfect introduction to Sticker’s gritty domain of rhythmic rebellion, proving that sometimes, the most profound reflections are found in the echoes of our errors.

Making Mistakes was officially released on September 8th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Reservations at 8 – Come Around: A Visceral Anthem of Disparate Desolation

Posted on 20 September 2024
Come Around / Not So Easy St by Reservations at 8

Reservations at 8 unleashed a formidable force in their double A-Side release, “Come Around / Not So Easy St.” This sophomore installation from the Massachusetts-based trio drenches listeners in a sea of distorted melodies that gnaw deep into the soul.

The hybridic beast of a synthesis of grunge, no-wave and pop punk in Come Around created the ultimate anthem of disparate desolation which thrives on visceral hooks that intertwine seamlessly with Peter Tuohy’s vocal onslaught.

The single encapsulates the agony of clinging to the ephemeral, with guitar solos that mourn like the final throes of a resigning hopeless romantic. If you’re all too familiar with the tumult of fading futures and the strife of holding onto the slipping threads of hope, find swathes of resonant consolation in this antagonised earworm.

Since forming in 2019, Reservations at 8 has evolved from covering bands like Green Day and Nirvana to defining their unique sound—a cagey cocktail of power rock and pop imbued with their idols’ spirit. Now entrenched in the local Massachusetts music scene, the trio aims to transcend the preference for covers in bars and make an indelible mark with their original material. With several tours and a growing following, they stand at the cusp of their creative zenith

Stream and Purchase Come Around on Bandcamp now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Divert from your destination to isolated despair with IGOR’s pop-punk anthem, Alone

Posted on 16 September 2024

IGOR pierced the pop-punk veil with his latest single, Alone, which implants a self-deprecating flag in the post-breakup landscape and anthemises the ache of romantic dissolution.

Born in Ukraine, raised in Russia, finessed in America, and now based in New York and part of the LGBTQ+ community, the independent artist is unflinching in his mission to soak the airwaves in self-love. Alone is one of the most affecting sonic extensions of his dedication to uplifting his listeners from self-inflicted despair.

Alone taps into early 2000s rock vibes, offering a rhythmic rebellion that evokes nostalgia while marinating it in a euphorically projected melancholy. The battle cry for the soul pulls at the heartstrings with the universal mantra we’ve all whispered post-heartbreak, “I’ll be better off alone”. IGOR transforms this often private concession into a rallying cry for communal solace, affirming that no one is truly isolated in their feelings of destined solitude.

It’s so much more than just a journey through emotional desolation; it’s a cathartic release that prises serotonin from the grips of despair. IGOR paved the path back to embracing the empowering nature of self-reliance with the therapeutic hit dedicated to the broken-hearted looking to find their way back to themselves.

Alone hit the airwaves on September 4th, stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mars Playground carried an arsenal of earworm potential in his alt-pop hit, ‘S.O.S.’

Posted on 9 September 2024

Mars Playground, helmed by Chris Dixon, embarked on a bitter-sweet alt-pop exploration of angst and existential rumination with his latest track, “S.O.S.” The South Florida native melded the nostalgic beats of mid-2000s hip-hop with the crisp innovation of modern bedroom pop, set to the pace of hyper-pop while touching the raw nerve of pop-punk to craft a boldly original sonic profile worthy of drawing comparisons to the likes of Dominic Fike and Post Malone.

The icon of genre fusion synthesised trap’s rhythmic dynamism and indie’s subtle introspection to create a masterpiece of modern sound which oozes commercial potential. After initiating with percussive breaks that nod to the likes of Alexisonfire, the song subverts expectations with its euphonic pop aesthetics which envelop an emotional upheaval wrapped in a veneer of sticky-sweet melodies that cling relentlessly to memory.

As Mars Playground continues to chart a course towards critical acclaim, S.O.S. is yet another testament to the resonance of his boldly candid sound. The universal plea for solace amidst chaos sends a lifeline, woven with the threads of his vibrant, varied influences and the unvarnished truths of his journey.

S.O.S. hit the airwaves on August 28th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast