DeeCRACKS’ 2021 LP ‘Serious Issues’ was by far the best of their career. On that LP, the vocals were still a little too aggressive for their often melodic punk sounds, but the Austrian band’s command of a riff and a catchy hook was still a cut above their earlier work, and a lot of other European punk acts. It was the kind of record that was capable of reminding people that Euro punk was far from dead, and even with DeeCRACKS dropping into some very familiar riffs on occasion, the speed and energy within the material suggested the band had a huge belief in the material.
Tag Archives: punk
LAMBRINI GIRLS – You’re Welcome EP
When confronted with a cartoon of a burning turd on a release’s artwork, there’s a hint that you might be about to encounter something with a lack of subtlety. When it comes to Brighton’s Lambrini Girls, “a lack of subtlety” only really scratches the surface when it comes to describing a fantastic musical assault. On their 2023 EP ‘You’re Welcome’, their mix of anger, social commentary and musical punch is so needed that such absolute directness is vital.
INDUSTRIAL PUKE – Born Into The Twisting Rope
On their debut EP ‘Where Life Crisis Starts’, Industrial Puke made a tightly wound noise that took the guts of Propagandhi circa ‘Supporting Caste’ and fused that with elements of classic Discharge and a pinch of Earth Crisis for hardcore goodness. Although brutal, the EP had a little more melody than those influences would immediately suggest, and thanks to a couple of smart arrangements, it was clear that the band were a cut above your average extreme music acts, or any of crust punk’s low budget heroes.
THE PIGEON BOYS – Detox/Retox
Following a string of digital singles and an EP, this album by Austrian punks felt a long time coming. Not only because the gradual release of singles built up interest slowly, but also because the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the planned recording of the bulk of the material. Better late than never, The Pigeon Boys finally released their first full length in the summer of 2022.
DEATH PILL – Death Pill
Combining elements of hardcore punk, classic thrash metal, a little crust/d-beat intensity and the attitude of the Riot Grrrl movement of the 90s, Death Pill are genuine musical force. Throughout this debut full length, the Ukrainian three piece appear musically diverse, and although the way they jump between hardcore punk and thrash-based metal might sometimes seem as if they’re splitting loyalties between two audiences, in reality, their sound is a perfect crossover.