New Releases Punk News

Out of the gate like a Brahman bull comes East Bay’s ‘Charger’ with power driven new album

Punk legend Matt Freeman of Rancid/Operation Ivy fame heads in a heavier direction on this hard-hitting release

In 2018 bassist Matt Freeman teamed up with drummer/vocalist Jason Willer (UK Subs, Jello Biafra’s Guantanamo School of Medicine) and guitarist Andrew McGee to form Charger. While the members each carry a musical pedigree, it’s not about what they’ve created before — it’s about the unholy racket they’re making now. 

Charger is the soundtrack to circle pits and bar fights, to long nights and even longer mornings, to unexplained bruises and epic hangovers. The East Bay trio will release their new album Warhorse on March 18 via Pirates Press Records and can be described as raw energy from beginning to end, nothing but pure down and dirty rock’n’roll.

They’ve just released the new single ‘Rollin’ Through The Night,‘ a rager that the band says is “essentially about living wild and free – I’m riding on the wind, numb to fear or pain.’ A feeling of invincibility and living your life just to go out and own every night and get into whatever you can find.”

It comes with a pretty epic animated music clip, and the band says, “For the video, we really liked Death Angel’s video for ‘Aggressor’ by Ben Clarkson. We reached out to Ben and talked about a more metaphorical approach, and so we mentioned something about a flying car. He said, ‘How about a flying pterodactyl over a river of blood?’ and that’s all we needed to hear. Ben went and did his thing and created a great story encapsulating that feeling of invincibility into what we think is a kick-ass video where our guy’s face melts off as he rides his pterodactyl and becomes one with the universe. We think. Anyway, it’s fucking awesome.”

Included on the album, we also find the band enlisting the ear-splitting vocals of Jake Nunn from Hell Fire on the truly spectacular rager “Summon the Demon “.

In related news, Matt’s Rancid bandmate, Lars Frederiksen, has also been busy with his solo project. He recently put out his new EP ‘To Victory’, and he’s gearing up for a tour.

Meanwhile, singer/songwriter Jesse Michaels was just asked about an Operation Ivy reunion on The Hard Times Podcast, and he said, “I wouldn’t rule it out.”

Charger
Warhorse album tracklist:

Side A:
1. Devastator
2. Black Motor
3. Rolling Through the Night
4. Summon the Demon
5. Dig Your Own Grave

Side B:
6. Will to Survive
7. Foresaken Soul
8. Luck of the Draw
9. Running out of Time
10. Stand Fight or Die
11. Sword of Dio


Follow Charger on their socials


For more of the latest in punk

Share This Story!