Underground Punk #4

Punk is one of my favourite genres of music, and I always love discovering new punk bands. My Underground Punk series is one of my oldest on this site, so I decided it was high time I created the fourth iteration in the series. As always, all the acts here are slightly different from one another delving into several different punk sub-genres and styles. Let’s get started!

Review by Jane Howkins

Photo by Sexgeräusche

Sexgeräusche – Fest der Liebe

First up is German act Sexgeräusche with their new track, Fest der Liebe. It’s a punk song with a twist, featuring some interesting bells in the background that add a holiday feel to the track. The production is a little raw, but it suits the style of music well, creating an immense sound when the heavy riffs and bass collide with the drums. Admittedly I can’t speak German, but the vocals sound pretty darn good anyway, even with the language barrier. This is one for those into their hardcore punk!

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Tom Elliot – Slowly Sinking

Manchester artist Tom Elliot brings a slightly different sound to this list with his own brand of indie-punk rock, also mixing in a tasty bit of alt-rock into Slowly Sinking. The production is a little raw, but it makes the entire thing feel more genuine, suiting the punky vibes well. The guitar licks have a lovely sound, regardless of the production quality, running nicely against the fast beat and bass. The lyrics are also full of emotion here, showing a slightly different sound within the modern punk genre.

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9 O’Clock Nasty – Crowland

We’ve featured 9 O’Clock Nasty a few times now, and their music just keeps getting better and better! Crowland is the Leicester band’s latest release – it’s certainly a punk song, but it’s also got a lot of electronic elements, making for one awesome mix altogether! The synths dance around in the background against the rhythm section, consisting of a pulsating bassline, making for something you won’t be able to stop tapping your feet along to! The vocals are half shouted, but they add a really cool vibe into the mix.

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The Würmen – Holistic Medicine

We’ve featured The Würmen a few days recently, so I couldn’t not include them here! Holistic Medicine is the opening track to their new EP, Vas Deferens, and it’s an absolute blinder of a song. It’s got a punky attitude, mixed in with a garage rock sound, showing a band at the very top of their game! The riffs fit round the rhythm section perfectly, breaking down in a discordant way as the final chorus kicks in. Despite the harsh sound, the chorus actually has something of a singalong quality to it, ensuring you’ll be signing along in no time!

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Kelsie Kimberlin – Vlad

We’ve actually already covered Kelsie Kimberlin’s track Vlad, but I felt it was that good that it belonged in this review too! In terms of music, it has more in common with the pop-punk style at times, but the lyrics have a definitive political stance, fitting the punk rock scene well. The chords chosen sound great, simply oozing attitude as they play in a palm-muted way against the rhythm section. And of course, Kelsie’s vocals are on point as ever, singing with great strength here! Make sure you pay attention to the lyrics too!

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Dog in a Man Suit – My Heart’s In The Palm Of Your Hand

My Hearts In The Palm Of Your Hand is another song that expertly mixes moments of pop-punk with an overarching punk rock structure, also injecting a bit of rock and roll into Dog in a Man Suit’s song. One of the things I loved about this track is the dual vocals, creating some lovely harmonies on the chorus. The raw production style works exceedingly well with the style of music, allowing the buzzsaw guitars to hit you firmly in the brain. The ending breakdown changes the pace up and adds more variety, allowing the bassist and guitarists to show off their skills in style!

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Self Torque – Daydream

Brighton and Hove band Self Torque are clearly on the way to big things, if Daydream (taken from new EP No Rest for the Depressed) is anything to go by! It’s a huge track full of energy, with a fantastic production style to boot. The track simply oozes attitude, as the vocals sing along to the huge guitar licks in an epic way. However, whilst it’s certainly a punky song, there’s also something really catchy about this anthemic rocker – I bet these guys would be fantastic live! This might be my favourite song on this list!

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Fortitude – Star Spangled Hate

Next up we have Florida band Fortitude with their intense track, Star Spangled Hate. It’s a live track from their live album Live at Lou’s, showing just how awesome Fortitude’s gigs are! It’s a hardcore punk song that features some heavy riffs and an absolutely brutal percussion onslaught, as well as some shouted gang vocals. The beat never lets up, and it almost sounds like a heavy metal track at times – it’s that heavy! The guitarwork is really impressive here, as little solo riffs tail off from the main melody, showing the real talent of this group.

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Sunset the Machine – Owl Scream

Portland band Sunset the Machine describe their music as ‘heavy metal space rock’, but I think Owl Scream still belongs here! The opening guitar lick is really groovy, adding a bluesy quality into the music. The vocals have more of a grungy quality, but there’s still a definitive punk vibe, appealing to listeners from multiple styles and genres. There’s also a really cool breakdown towards the end of the track, seeing the band use some interesting guitar effects, before the music builds back up again in full throttle.

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