Browsing Tag

Alt Punk

The Empty Page affront the new normal with their 90s nostalgia-implanting electro-punk anthem, Dry Ice

Posted on 20 November 2022

Rather than releasing a sonic sign of the stagnant times, The Empty Page protested our drab and dog-eared-with-anxiety modernity by letting pulsating synths guide the way towards 90s nostalgia in their electro-punk hit, Dry Ice.

Lyrically, you’re reminded of how it felt to be stripped of inhibition, sharing the euphoria with strangers long before they could request you on Facebook and never speak to you again and even longer before the pandemic left its mark on our social appetites while the dizzying guitars drop off-kilter momentum around the gravelly pulls of the post-punk bass strings.

It’s a major shift from the Manchester-based outfit’s previous sound that has been lauded by just about everyone that matters. The duo has ventured into their The Julie Ruin era, and we couldn’t be here for it more. After all, synths were the true gateway to punk and DIY (FIGHT ME), and this new anxiously frenetic earworm that will pull Polaroids of strobe-lit hedonism towards your temporal lobe is the ultimate affront to the new normal.

Dry Ice will officially release on November 18th. Watch the official video on YouTube, add it to your Spotify playlists, or support the band by purchasing the single on Bandcamp. 

Follow the Empty Page on Facebook, Instagram & TikTok. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

ATR delivered sheer punk rock defiance in his no-wave stormer, A New Life, Featuring Kellii Scott

Posted on 26 March 2022

ATR served up another gnarled no-wave punk single with the release of the blisteringly sweet lo-fi anthem, A New Life, featuring Kellii Scott (Failure).

ATR was formed in 2014 after the founder, Jess, returned from his tour in Iraq as a combat medic with PTSD, a traumatic brain injury and other sustained injuries. With that context, the defiance within A New Life takes on a whole new meaning. If you have ever known how it feels for your mind to wage war on you, the lyrics in A New Life hit like mantras you’ll want to follow and turn to for resilience.

Before his time in the army, Jess was the lead singer and guitarist for an MCA Records-signed punk rock band in the 90s. Even though they were an underground outfit, they shared stages with the likes of The UK Subs, Anti-Flag, The Ataris, and At the Drive In; he never lost his discordant biting touch, but he did attune his sonic signature to the lo-fi alt-grunge style that will electrify you in A New Life.

A New Life will officially release on March 26th. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

The Magnapinna brought in the new wave of no-wave with ‘Party Rumours’

Posted on 27 February 2022
Party Rumours by The Magnapinna

With riotous vocal reminiscence to Against Me paired with their scuzzily volatile new wave energy, The Magnapinna’s single, Party Rumours, is just a few voltages short of taking a bath with a toaster.

The Magnapinna started as an online international outfit before evolving into an Ireland-hailing collective that has garnered positive press across the board. They have been lauded by Kerrang, who rightly observed the maniacally eccentric band are like no other.

The title single from their 2022 LP has all the party rock energy of Andrew WK’s Party Hard paired with the discordant punk edge of Dead Kennedys and lofty nuances of surf punk in the gorgeously layered backing vocals. The LP itself scales the entirety of the alt-rock spectrum in absorbingly visceral fashion and lets The Magnapinna’s Mike Patton influence shine through.

Party Rumours is now available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Emancipate Yourselves with Sh’Bang’s Alt-Rock Hit, Bail Money

Posted on 4 August 2021

Philadelphian alt-rock 4-piece Sh’Bang defines themselves as sweeter than punk and heavier than rock, based on their single, Bail Money, taken from their 2020 EP, The Woman Who Changed the World, we affably agree.

Any fans of Neutral Milk Hotel, AJJ, Harley Poe and Amigo the Devil will get caught up in the soulfully eccentric eminence of the single that carries the energy of punk paired with their pretence-less passion that makes no bones about utilising abrasively honest expression.

If you turn to artists such as Social Distortion for your serotonin, you won’t know what has hit you when you hit play on Bail Money. The volatile single delivers the efficacious reminder that eternal conflict is perpetual in many minds; your angst doesn’t alienate you; it offers commonality.

Check out Sh’Bang’s latest EP, The Woman Who Changed the World, via apple music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Flick Of A Pen: California band Joker’s Hand show us into the ‘War Profiteer’

Posted on 19 May 2021

As their curious minds go into the dark midst to fully see what is going on despite the distractions, Joker’s Hand show their displeasure with how money is made from so much suffering on ‘War Profiteer‘.

Joker’s Hand is a thriving two-piece indie alt- rock/punk band from Torrance, California. They cook up a tasty ska-fused track here which showcases their rising talents with Kevin Kawano and Matt Lau, letting it rip on how messed up this profit-driven world really is.

This is the story of how politics can be so thoughtless sometimes — as many people are struggling — whilst the horrific greed and decay of morals, is so worrying and needs to change urgently. They cleverly add their sarcastic undertone to this promising single, that has a real message that needs to be heard far and wide.

They sing with so much passion and honesty, as they show you into their thought process while doing it with a cheeky grin on their faces too. The performance is top notch, as the catchy rhythm has you listening intently the whole way though.

‘War Profiteer‘ from the talented Californian two-piece alt-punk/ska/rock fusion band Joker’s Hand, opens up the truth newspaper to page through the truth and to dispel the fake. They have a likable sound that has you impressed and nodding your head, while your whole body follows to join in.

Stream this truthful single on Spotify and see more on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Fall Town has released their punchy alt-punk-rock anthem, Freedom without End.

Posted on 17 May 2021

The evolution of punk gained a brand-new trajectory with Fall Town’s latest single, ‘Freedom without End’. The Scottish powerhouse put accordant tones up against caustic walls of noise that power-pop, pop-punk, and alt-rock fans alike will want to hear.

Freedom without End is from Fall Town’s forthcoming debut album; the endlessly pioneering track that seamlessly switches up instrumental style is transfixing from the first unpredictable progression to the last. It’s so much more than a random smorgasbord of assimilative increments; Fall Town made every texture their own.

The screeching guitars get forcibly shunted into overdrive after melodic reverb-soaked winding chords, while the vocals prove to be just as versatile as the instrumentals. Discernibly, Fall Town have perfected the art of punchy power-pop choruses; it’s the kind of track you hear for the first time and know you have to see it live. We can’t wait to hear what the rest of the album holds.

You can check out the official music video for Freedom with End via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Getting it done: Instead of waiting around King Whisker turns on our brain channels via truthfully real ‘Television’

Posted on 6 January 2021

King Whisker are brilliant on their new ironic indie-punk rock single that speaks the truth about modern day society via ‘Television‘.

With an exciting new lineup that features a re-tooled five-piece team, the addition of a second guitar player, and a keyboard player, this has added an extra fiery element into the California-based outfits soundscape.

‘Instead of waiting around or having the ‘what could have been’ conversation, we took classes from Berklee, built or scrounged together whatever gear we needed, and got to work.’- King Whisker

His voice reflects how so many feel, yet can’t help getting enough of. TV is a addiction and it gets a free pass in the world.

The band have an electric style and you can’t help but smile and jump around to a track like this. This is a song that makes you think about your time spent on the couch instead of outside, no matter what the weather is doing. Seeing friends and going on adventures post-covid, is something we all need to look at closer and take action on.

The San Diego rockers King Whisker show their funny side that is soaked in so much truth via the new single ‘Television‘. TV has made so many humans brain washed and with so much beauty in the world, its a shame that it has clouded our minds and hearts. They sing and perform with such passion about this subject and also add some welcome comedy relief to a world that needs as much of it as possible.

Opening our minds to what is really important, is what life should be about, not wasting so many hours stuck on the couch looking at a box.

Share this new track with your friends on Spotify and see more from the free-thinkers on their IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

 

Church on Sunday – Destiny: Boisterously Eclectic Contemporary Punk

Posted on 29 December 2020
https://churchonsunday.bandcamp.com/track/destiny-2

With an opening riff reminiscent to ACDC’s ‘Thunderstruck’, Church on Sunday’s feisty new single ‘Destiny’ kicks off before evolving into a high-octane feat of boisterously eclectic contemporary punk rock.

The Toronto-based artist found the perfect balance between connectable angsty energy and raucously playful charisma with Destiny. With a massive chorus, a plethora of rhythmically-binding hooks and the sheer relentless talent exhibited, it isn’t hard to see why Church on Sunday have shared stages with the likes of Cancer Bats.

With elements of hard rock, pop punk and skate punk all influencing the insurgent matured track, it’s distinctive enough to grip you by its authenticity alone. The volatile euphoria and optimism which Destiny instils is the cherry on the cake. You can assume the cake has been left in the gutter in this instance.

You can check out Destiny on all major streaming platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NYC band Lower Power are fully-charged on ‘All About Me’

Posted on 23 September 2020

Lower Power charge in with the politically aware new Rock banger called ‘All About Me‘.

New York City band Lower Power rages with fire and self-confessed wild and honest abandon. They speak on the important topics that usually get brushed under the carpet. Issues like gun violence, mental health, war, status of women, the rise to power of evil people that take over with their greedy style are all mentioned here. This is a video that cuts into the real problems that modern day society face, both in the USA and the world.

The story goes that the band came together when Pat met Jon and Ben playing at an 80’s Karaoke gig. Singing at the top of the lungs I’m sure as they are all passionate music fans, first and foremost. Pat asked them if they’d like to play in a punk rock band. they said yes. Pat met Konrad at a bar where he was playing a country gig and asked him if he wanted to play in a punk band. He said yes and the rest as they say, is history. They had two 2 hour rehearsals a month apart. The band went into Konrad’s and recorded the basic tracks in just 4 hours. This shows how energetic the band is and they wanted their music out there as soon as possible to spread their message, far and wide.

Lower Power rock out with the best intentions on their new single ‘All About Me‘. Their video and song strikes a topic that we all need to be aware about.

Click here for the YouTube.

Head through to the Bandcamp to support.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Hellwaffles has dropped their quaintly angsty Indie Punk Folk single “Audrey Hepburn”  

Posted on 6 July 2020

After hearing Hellwaffles’ resonantly candid debut single “Training Wheels”, there was little chance we’d forget the Indie Punk Folk artist’s instantly endearing style. Upon hearing of the release of their second single “Audrey Hepburn”, we couldn’t help but dive right in and embrace the angsty quaint alchemy one more. It definitely didn’t disappoint.

The short and bitter-sweet track is as uncomplicated as they come. The frill-free Garage Lo-Fi-style guitar give the lyrics and vocals plenty of room to leave you transfixed by them as they playfully allude to Hellwaffles’ complicated relationship with the ultimate on-screen icon. It’s pointed, it’s playful, and it’s utterly ingenious.

We’re already stoked to hear what Hellawaffles serves up next with their unpredictably refreshing style.

You can check out Hellwaffles’ latest single for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast