[engl] On this, the Whatever Brains' fourth and final full-length, the band continues tilting at the windmills of punk’s aesthetic myopia and the United States’ gradual political unraveling, and it’s as musically and lyrically brilliant as ever. The Brains continue to exploit their knack for combining rhythmic complexity with big, melodic hooks, but the vibe here is less frantic than their previous releases. They are now able to ride an EDM-influenced groove or wallow in a sax-drenched psych jam for much longer than the ADD-addled songwriting style of their earlier records would have allowed. There’s no small degree of provocation in the fact that the Brains take their most ambitious work and plaster the word “PUNK” across it in giant letters. I still haven’t figured out whether this gesture is an homage or an indictment, but forcing myself to square my definition of punk with Whatever Brains’ combination of lyrical sincerity and musical nihilism has been one of the chief pleasures of following this band.

[engl] From the first few riffs of “Fuck Death!”, you can tell that you are in for a special treat. This is not your typical 3-chord punk rock wasteland - this is a very well written post hardcore/punk album. And it took those 4 guys only 6 years to record it... These 12 songs show that When There Is None perfected their sound & songwriting over the past years. The album has more melodies than power chords and more sing-alongs than boredom. Sounding like a hybrid somewhere between the Sainte Catherines, Leatherface and Hot Water Music - this album keeps on growing with every spin. Also, finally a concept we all can agree on. Fuck Death!

[engl] This town is an ashtray. And the sky doesn't give a shit. It just looks bored and grey. Boy, you can really tell that these 4 guys are from Aachen. But jokes aside, this LP will remind you of an awesome mixture of Leatherface meets Hot Water Music meets Hüsker Dü. Sandpapery voice, melody driven post-hardcore guitars and very tight drumming. Fist in the air!

[engl] "If you look at the band photo on Make Me Sick’s insert, you’ll see people from pretty much all the best and most popular hardcore punk bands in Pittsburgh for the past few years. These people know how to make great hardcore punk, and Make Me Sick is White Stains doing just that. While White Stains isn’t as as blistering as Loose Nukes or as brutally intense as Blood Pressure, that’s only because they’ve taken a different tack here, channeling the snotty, punky hardcore of bands like the Circle Jerks, Sick Pleasure, and Chronic Sick. Of those bands, Circle Jerks is the most apt comparison given how White Stains’ snottiness comes along with so much catchiness and rhythmic density. And like Group Sex, the drum parts are almost catchier than the riffs here… I need to be careful listening to this while driving because these songs might make steering seem less important than air drumming" (Daniel Lupton)

[engl] Wonk Unit were formed several years ago by Alex Johnson, formerly of The Flying Medallions, I’m told they began as a performance art project, essentially a vehicle for vocalist Alex. Alex Johnson is a one off. He provokes reaction. Poet, songwriter, performer, "tourtured soul", there isn't much that life hasn't already thrown at him. Wonk Unit have released several albums on CD and become one of the hardest working bands in the UK, playing countless gigs (I mean, they even have their own festival, Wonk Fest!). An obvious reference point would be Snuff (hell, Duncan Redmonds even plays on some songs and occasionally drums for them live), with the perfect UK pop- punk sound, organ and horns. Wonk Unit are much more than that though, with songs that are fun, energetic, heartfelt, thought provoking, angry, hilarious, exciting and catchy as fuck. Never afraid to push boundaries, whilst having a sound born out of Snuff/ Wat Tyler/ China Drum, they still have an originality that makes them unique. With songs chosen by the band, Johanns Face and Drunken Sailor and taken from the albums 'Trolleys, Muffy, Nervous Racehorse and a couple of exclusive songs, we think it is the perfect introduction to one of the best UK bands.

[engl] It's been four years since Woolf unleashed their debut album, The Right Way to Play also on La Vida Es Un Mus and described as a “pungent spit on the face of musical normality”. Now they're back with a dystopian revision of feminist queer punk. Born out of South London's squats and social centres, all but erased in recent years by the Tory government, the four-piece have produced an album conveying alienation and activist fury, the opening track “Civilisation” setting the tone with the (rhetorical) question “is this what they call civilisation?”. Wall of sound guitar distortion provides a backdrop for a commanding, minimalist bass and insistent drums, with vocals that straddle the line between anxiety and paganity. It’s 11 unsettling songs in 11 uncompromising minutes, recalling the experimentation of no wave bands such as UT distorted by a raw punk aesthetic. (Melissa Steiner)

[engl] Rising from the underbelly of London's underground queer scene WOOLF have been shocking anyone who cares to listen, for a couple years now. After a primitive self released cassette and a brief venture into the vinyl world via a split 7" with Trash Kit on the Milk imprint, the time was ripe for a longer player. "The Right Way to Play" delivers a pungent spit on the face of musical normality. Clocking out at slightly over 13 minutes their debut is everything but Right. Bouncing between dissonant punk, inept proto hardcore and psycho noise-pop whilst dealing with issues as relevant as having fun, forest witchery and queer love - all under the tag of primitive musik. All this racket has been wrapped carefully under a great sleeve design by Sophie Brown to top things up.

[engl] Yesterday’s Ring is a country-folk band from Montreal founded in 2000 in Memphis, Tennessee, by singer Hugo Mudie, guitarist Fred Jacques and guitarist Louis Valiquette. Yesterday’s Ring was born from road adventures while the musicians were on tour in the United States with their punk band, The Sainte Catherines.

[engl] If ever a band were to wear their influences firmly on their sleeves, in bright glowing colours that could be seen from miles away regardless of the weather conditions, then it would be the Young Leaves. It doesn't take long to ascertain what those influences are, either by listening to their music or by visiting their Facebook page, which unashamedly name-checks the bands that come to mind having placed the needle on this LP. Some people are firmly against the revisiting of any sort of sound from the past as they constantly seek something new to listen to, and I occasionally hear something that has me bemoaning the idea that “This has been done before and by so many bands, so please move on.” On the other hand, though, you will sometimes listen to a band who are paying homage to a sound, a band or a genre and think, “Yes, this is a job well done.” I guess the problem is, it’s hard for the band to get that balance right and to make music that can sound as if it’s got something fresh to offer. The Young Leaves, a trio from Massachusetts, get the job well done by sounding as if they really should have been playing alongside bands such as Dinosaur Jr., Buffalo Tom and Jawbreaker, as well as all of the other indie rock bands that were popular way back in the mid-to-late 1980s. I liked a lot of that stuff back then but haven’t listened to many of the bands in a few years, so hearing Life Underneath is a really enjoyable experience. The one "modern" band that comes to mind when playing this is Dan Webb and the Spiders, and on looking at the Young Leaves’ Facebook page it’s no surprise to see these two bands playing together in the near future. The songs have hooks aplenty, with the guitars based around that slightly fuzzed sound of yesteryear (I’m no guitar tech, so the myriad of guitar pedals that could possibly have been used here are beyond me) that has a warming quality to it—almost like someone wrapping their arms around you and immediately creating a glow inside that heats your body from the inside. Vocally, it’s really got a deep kind of J Mascis quality going on—again, one of the key elements that is able to warm the cockles of your heart when listening to this. The quality is constant throughout and the band do a grand job of recreating and creating music like that many of us grew up listening to and that influenced many who heard it to take up arms themselves. Hats off to the Young Leaves and also to Drunken Sailor Records for releasing this fine piece of work (which features great cover art, too).

[engl] Zero Zeroes: just one of those ungoogleable band names, scuppered a tad by the existence of Californian ‘70s punkas The Zeroes. But this German band are definitely their own beast - OK, there are touches of San Diego legend John Reis in their DNA (the garage-centric power chords are pure Rocket From The Crypt; the relentless drive of the guitars calls to mind the wild focus of Hot Snakes), but they’re here to make a racket their own way, and it’s scintillating. Together with Drunken Sailor Records, UK, we released their debut album in 2020 (and the repress in 2021), it was critically acclaimed from all sides, real punk magazines like MAX RNR said “DAMN NEAR PERFECT MODERN PUNK, mainstream punkrock media even did album streaming premieres (NEW NOISE MAGAZINE) so in case you missed this, check ebay or discogs to buy yourself a black, blue or silver copy...

[engl] This is the 2nd LP of the quartett from Ottawa, playing NWOBHM influenced UK-Punk. ZEX features members of Iron Dogs, Bastardator, Blue Cross und Germ Attak. limited to 800 copies on black and 200 copies on white vinyl (only available at the band & the labels). including download card.

[engl] The Zits were a short-lived phenomenon, forming in February 1981 and disbanding upon graduation from Oakton High School in late May. Initially dubbed Nic Beery and The Zits, the group quickly shortened things to The Zits while rehearsing and playing a mix of basement parties, high school events, and community centers. Within a few months, The Zits had a solid repertoire of punk originals and covers, which included The Ramones and The Undertones (see track 5 for a great version of "Can't Get Over You"). Inspired by a classmate who had pressed a solo 45, The Zits pre-sold copies of their very own single, and booked time at Eastern Recording in Glen Burnie, Maryland to record their two strongest tracks. Produced by Scott Wilson of regional new wave act The Intentions, the two tracks - "Sick on You" and "Beat Your Face" were quickly mixed and sent off to be released as a 45 on singer Nic Beery's own Olympic Records. Both tracks are total teen punk hits with great snotty vocals, crunchy guitar, keyboard, and some of the best dry heaves ever committed to tape! Nearly 40 years later, the single - and it's appropriately low-brow picture sleeve - has gained a reputation as a bonafide Killed By Death/Bloodstains-comp level hitter, and appears here remastered from the original 8 track tape. But that's not all! The Zitmusic archives yielded an incredible cache of unreleased cassette material taken from rehearsals and live shows. "Back in Blackhead" also features 7 previously unheard cuts, including what could have been the second Zits single - the killer "Bertha Was a Slut", the warped twelve bar "No Dough Blues", and several other exuberant teenpunk anthems. The Zits may have not had the sex or the drugs, but they certainly tackled the rock'n'roll better than most other class of 1981 bands can claim. After receiving a promo copy of The Zits 45, Greg Hawkes of The Cars replied via postcard, "I played your record and thought it was pretty ridiculous." Thankfully that ridiculousness has been preserved on "Back in Blackhead" - the ultimate Zits collection.

[engl] from Lyon who are, since 2014 and alongside Syndrome81 & co one of France’s favorite Punk band right now. There is an amazing new wave of french punk bands singing in French nowadays, taking their La Souris Deglinguee / Camera Silens / Leatherface influences into a more modern and melodic approach, with amazing lyrics and federating choruses. Zone Infinie are definitely one of the best examples... Their shows are always crowded with tons of different people coming to their shows, from squatters to antifa skins, hardcore kids and punk rock lovers. A very unique band indeed and their new 6 songs are killer, comprising an unconventional and unexpected cover of Mylene Farmer’s Generation Desenchantee !!

[engl] It’s hard to realize that almost three years have passed since the release of ZONIE INFINIE second full length “Rester et Fuir” as the songs of the band sound timeless. “Dégâts” makes no difference to the very distinctive sense of both melancholy and warmth ZONE INFINIE has built its universe on. The band has no fear of integrating new influences and atmospheres to their punk music. These four new songs are a great testimony of the harsh world the band is living in, still developing a realistic and sometimes poetic everyday life lyrics style. Once again, the artwork has been by the brilliant Yvan Brun.

[engl] Bleedin' Punk Rock from Toulouse with two members of the Jerry Spider Gang. One of the best punk rock band in the world Influenced by all the best punk rock bands in the world! Made to played very loud.