[engl] Andy The Band is the solo project by Andy Dahlström from Terrible Feelings, Sista Sekunden & Satanic Surfers. The music is more straight forward rock than the other bands, but with clear punk roots and attitude; something that a punk can’t wash off. The energy translates through the poppy melodies. All instruments are played by Andy, and produced by him and Tommy Tift. After the first EP (Carry On, Sabotage 2017) and a few shows in Sweden, ATB went to Japan as support to Vånna Inget on their tour.

[engl] Austin Lucas releases his new album ”Alive In The Hot Zone!” October 30th, 2020. Written and recorded in the earliest days of the Covid-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter/American uprising, this album represents a new direction for Austin, yet retains his distinctive voice and hyperliterate writing style. Contained are ten songs that serve as direct commentary regarding the ongoing global situation, isolation, fear and the indomitable spirit required to stand up against systemic racism and fascism, in a world spiraling out of control. An American songwriter and political activist currently experiencing a more or less involuntary exile, Austin finds himself isolated in a foreign land, far away from his family and friends. He watches with terror and no small amount of inspirational awe, as his country buckles under the weight of a pandemic and yet it’s people find the courage and strength to rise up for a long overdue reckoning with centuries of systemic oppression. Although an authoritarian narcissist and white supremacist sits in the White House and men of his ilk occupy top positions of power all across the globe, Austin Lucas comes to us with a message of hope and his most concisely empathetic and political album to date!

[engl] A year after the release of Bleakness first album « Functionally Extinct » december 2020 will see the release of another Bleakness record entitled « A world To Rebuild ». Rather than a continuation of the album, this records must be considered as an extension since it features tracks recorded in May 2019 at Swan Sound Studio during the same session as the full lenght. This 6 songs EP includes the two very last songs written before the band entered Swan Sound Studio : « A World To Rebuild » and « Revenge », some may see in these an indicator of the direction that the next recordings will take. This record also includes re-recorded and slightly different versions of Discarded Tales and Remedy The Unease, this one was previously released as an instrumental on the Disquietude 2018 demo. And to give even more consistency to this 12 », long time friends Jacky Cadiou (from Syndrome 81) and Ryan Pattersion (known as Fotocrime) have worked on remixes of « The Closing Door » and « Over and Over ». The result is both varied and coherent, this limited 12” is a collection of dark and bleak melodies played in different forms. Depending on their mood, the listener can enjoy these sad Bleakness hymns in a raging post-punk or almost cold wave and terribly dancing way.

[engl] Things are getting crazier every day, these times are even worse than what we could have feared only a few years ago but thankfully there are many forms of expression which are so many ramparts to resignation and defeatism. BLEAKNESS is a great testimony of that. “Life at a Standstill” is the second full lenght of this prolific and inspired band. Through these ten new songs, BLEAKNESS walks on a wire between tension and a certain sense of sensibility. The band succeeds in nuance and inventiveness : more vocal diversity, more melodic and rhythmic richness… without losing the energy and the urgency acclaimed in their previous efforts. « Life at a Standstill » shows the range of possibilities of punk culture, BLEAKNESS brings lots of new atmospheres in its universe.

[engl] In the past few years Portland has produced some top-notch hardcore, most notably in the family of bands such as ALIENATOR, SUCK LORDS, REEK MINDS, etc. The latest installment of this cluster of weirdos is CHUEKO, with their four song debut 7”. Fierce fast, hard punk with solid paces, great tones (notably the bass, often taking the helm as the courier of riffage) and really catchy tunes. There are many nods to HC bands past, specifically 80’s USHC, but there is also a nice UK82 overtone, giving the songs a nice swagger, often bringing to mind GBH (in fact the intro for “Stupid People” is a direct homage to said band). This ep deserves to be on your turntable if you appreciate the aforementioned bands and hardcore with an emphasis on punk. No cheezy breakdowns or macho posturing, just steady driving slamming shit which will demand multiple flips of the record.