

Isn’t rock n’ roll supposed to be a young person’s game? Then how come so many of the old guard are doing such a great job of breathing new life into the genre? A case in point: Sheffield rockers Black Spiders, who are about to unleash a beast of a fifth album in ‘Cvrses’, and who only seem to have become ever leaner, meaner and hungrier since forming back in 2008.Continue Reading

There’s one glaring omission on ‘Here To Destroy’; namely that, unlike a Split Dogs gig, it comes without vocalist Harry Atkins’ utterly magnetic stage presence. Seriously, of all punk rock vocalists currently doing the rounds, they take the crown - for somehow managing to keep up such gloriously frenzied, bug-eyed, confrontational performances night after night. Suffice Continue Reading

The cheerily-titled ‘Death & The Miser’ is the third album from Fight Back Mountain, and if lyricist/guitarist Anjelica Aquilino’s musings on the state of life in the Midwest are to be believed, then it remains true that troubled times can inspire great art. There’s plenty of soul-searching on display here; a sense of faded glory in the here and now, plus uncertainty Continue Reading

It’s curious that Europeans are doing such a fine job keeping the late 90s/early 00s Californian skate-punk sound alive. It wasn’t long ago that we reviewed German quartet Noopinion’s excellent sixth record, which boasts more than a few nods to the likes of Good Riddance and Strung Out, and now here are Rebuke with ‘Things One Shouldn’t Have To Say’, continuing in a Continue Reading

First, full disclosure: I’m a big fan of the Hellacopters, not least because the Swedish quintet’s excellent 2002 record ‘By The Grace Of God’ helped to get me through some difficult times back in the day. Still, I promise I’ll do my best to be objective about ‘Overdriver’ - the band’s ninth record, and their second since reuniting back in 2016. Continue Reading

None of tonight’s bands are particularly pushing the hardcore envelope, but it’s hard to complain when they all serve up a rapid succession of raw, unfiltered street-core bangers, and it’s heartening to see that headliners Madball can still pull a decent-sized crowd after nearly four decades together.Continue Reading

The New Cross Inn may not be sold out tonight, but there is a friendly, community feel amongst the folks who’ve turned out for an evening of quality punk rock. In an ideal world, Spoilers would have become much more widely known and appreciated in their 10 years together (to date), but as things are, they’re undoubtedly and rightfully treasured by those in the know. Continue Reading

Bristol quartet Split Dogs have released a new single ‘Lafayette’, in advance of their ‘Here To Destroy’ album - out on February 28th via Venn Records. Watch out for our review of the latter!Continue Reading

It’s strange how some of the most abrasive, fierce and downright evil-sounding music comes from some of the sunniest, most beautiful places. For example, the so-called ‘sunshine state’ of Florida has birthed what is arguably the USA’s most fertile death metal scene. And clearly even picturesque Portugal must have a dark side; how else to explain the existence of Dokuga and Continue Reading

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate nearly 40 years of a record that was never actually released in the first place. Long-disbanded North Carolina hardcore punks Subculture unleashed a beast of a debut in 1985’s ‘I Heard A Scream’, but this follow-up was shelved after the band broke up the following year. Apparently, rough mixes of the tracks on 'Fred' Continue Reading