In what could possibly be the coolest thing ever, one of our favourite underground punk bands 9 o’clock Nasty have joined forces with our favourite unicorn-based psych rock bands, I Am The Unicorn Head, to create a two track wonder EP called The Worms.

By Graeme Smith

Leicester-based 9 o’clock Nasty have been all over our pages over the last year with their own brand of irreverent punk rock that takes aim at capitalism in all its forms. Whether it’s Christianity cashing in or billionaires gambling with our well-being, they’re there with a sardonic verse and monster riff.

I Am The Unicorn Head hail from St Austell, Cornwall and have a much more otherworldly approach to their indie rock. Since 2021, they’ve been regaling us with surreal stories while donning plastic unicorn heads, including a cosmic soap opera concept album which they’ve been drip-feeding us this year.

Together, they make an unlikely but triumphant pairing. The Worms is an EP broken into two parts. For each part, one of the two acts took the lead on production, giving us two very different sides to the same coin.

Part 1 is the 9 o’clock Nasty mix. It broods with a retro ’80s vibe, driving bass and percussion and angsty vocals. It’s a little different from what we’re used to from the rockers, leaning more into techno than punk. For Part 2, I Am The Unicorn Head take control. Their approach to the track is bolder and more anthemic. There’s a Killers-esque quality to their brash indie rock take.

I love what both 9 o’clock Nasty and I Am The Unicorn Head are doing on the underground UK rock scene and it’s great to have them collaborating again. The two parts of The Worms proves that you can be wonderfully unique while also finding synergies with other innovators. Above all, The Worms is a banger of a rock track that demands a listen (twice). You can check out the EP below.