Jerry Actually – Page 4

Social Distortion Postpone Summer Tour

Today, legendary OC punks Social Distortion announce that they have postponed their upcoming North American headlining tour due to the stage-one tonsil cancer diagnosis of vocalist Mike Ness. As he recovers from a recent surgery, the band is also temporarily halting the recording process of their eighth studio album. The previously announced tour, set to kick off on June 30th with support from fellow California rockers The Bellrays, is now being rescheduled for future dates. Check out the emotional statement from Ness below:

“We think that life is going to go according to our plan, but it has a way of saying “I don’t think so!”

In the midst of pre-production, I was diagnosed with stage one tonsil cancer. I was feeling well enough to continue with recording in the studio up until the very day before surgery. The band and I were so inspired and excited to lay down these tracks, which by the way sound f-ing AWESOME!

The recovery from surgery is a day-by-day process and in three weeks we start radiation and that should be the last therapy I need. The team of doctors are certain that once finished with this course, I will be able to start the healing and recovery process. We expect a full recovery enabling me to live a long and productive life.

It breaks my heart to post pone tours, and this album release, but time is required to heal. I can’t thank our loyal fans enough who have been waiting so patiently for this. While it will take a little longer-I promise you that it will be delivered and it will exceed your expectations.

I want you all to know that this has opened my eyes to a whole new struggle. I know it’s one that many of you or your loved ones have personally endured, and my heart goes out to you-because I now know what it’s like from this heavy experience.

I’m surrounded by love and support from my friends and family ESPECIALLY my lovely wife and incredible boys (oh and don’t forget my 3 dogs and kitty) THANK YOU ALL in advance to our unbelievable fans for YOUR love and support right now. ♥️

We WILL get through this….”

Formed as rebellious teenage punks in the working-class suburb of Fullerton, California, Social Distortion survived their tumultuous youth to pioneer an undeniably honest and fiery brand of rock ‘n’ roll that would incorporate outlaw country, classic seventies punk and primal blues. Seven studio albums and countless electrifying live shows have earned the band a dedicated worldwide fanbase and catalog of timeless anthems including “Story Of My Life,” ”Ball And Chain,” “Prison Bound” and more. The band’s last release, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes entered the Billboard 200 at #4 and in 2019 they celebrated 40 years as a band.

For More Info On Social Distortion Visit:

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

ZEKE – New single “Ride Hard Ride Free”

Short, fast, loud, ZEKE!

New single “Ride Hard Ride Free”
due out June 9

Seattle punk legends ZEKE return with new recordings. “Ride Hard Ride Free” contains two tracks laced with ZEKE’s signature mix of turbo-charged thrash-punk and Motörhead possessed rock n’ roll and provides the first taste of ZEKE’s new album, which will be released later this year.

In 2022, ZEKE was unexpectedly reborn with founding members Blind Marky Felchtone (vox/guitar) and Donny Paycheck (drums) returning to the drum kit. They went into the studio with Jason Freeman (bass) and Jeff Hiatt (guitar), they were with ZEKE before and got back in, to record a new album. The first single “Ride Hard Ride Free” is everything you’ve come to expect – or want to hear from ZEKE.

A full-on thrasher celebrating speed in more ways than one, “Ride Hard Ride Free” has a very sharp style, with the band takes cues from old Motörhead rlffs, then fusing it with hardcore punk roughage. A modern ZEKE classic. They tie in here stylistically with “Death Alley”.

Produced by Jeff McNulty (Screamers, Blöödhag, Hell Bent For Letters) at Soundhouse in Seattle, WA, and mastered by Joe Bozzi at Bernie Grundmann in Los Angeles, CA. Cover photo by Mike Mitchell.

“Ride Hard Ride Free” will be released via Hound Gawd! and distributed by Amped (US/CAN), Rough Trade (DE/AT), Phonag (CH), Plastic Head (UK), Kuroneko (FR), Compact (PT), Border (Scan), PIAS (BeNeLux), Gran Sol (ES), Heathen Natives (GR), Audioglobe (IT), Hangfelvetelkiadó Kf (HU), Matrix (SI HR, RS) and Disk Union (JP).

The tracks are not available on Spotify, Apple Music and other digital platforms.

ZEKE recently completed a successful West Coast tour. The band also has a number of high-profile European performances scheduled in the coming months, including Sjock Festival in Belgium and appearances at Pitfest in the Netherlands and Sardina Fest in Spain. The group will return to America later this year. Stay tuned to www.zekeyou.com/tour for further details.

Ride with Zeke!

“Zeke are the dive bar that’s survived onslaughts of gentrification, knowing that the charm of lawless riffing and broken bottles never fades.“

– Pichfork

Visit ZEKE online:

Home

https://instagram.com/zekeband

https://www.facebook.com/ZekeBand

https://www.zekeband.bandcamp.com

The Neanderverbs – S/T

The front cover of this new EP from Virginia’s Neanderverbs has a hot rodding caveman on it. Without even listening to it, you might already have some assumptions as to what it sounds like. Anytime an angry cartoon is driving a vehicle on an album cover, it’s going to sound a little bit like Electric Frankenstein. Although that does reflect the general tone of this record, there are also several other components about this band that make them unique and worth your time.

First of all, there’s a cover of an L7 song from their 1997 album The Beauty Process. I wouldn’t have necessarily drawn the comparison had they not covered this song, but Neanderverbs definitely have an L7 attitude and style to them. Which is to say, they play angry rock and roll and have very sick riffs. The kind of riffs that get stuck in your head all by themselves. I’ve found myself humming a couple of them around the house today.

Musically overall they remind me of the surprisingly excellent Sonics reunion album that came out several years ago, along with some Deadbolt thrown in there too. Reverb-y huge riffs all day here. Actually, just for 16 and a half minutes. There are only six songs, including the L7 cover, and an instrumental song that has more than enough to it to hold your attention.

The vocal delivery and style are what I think make Neanderverbs a bit of a unique mutant. The singer sounds straight out of early 80s SoCal hardcore, which isn’t typical for the genre. He’s probably most similar to Henry Rollins, but I also hear some early Milo in there, or maybe the dude from Reagan Youth. Lyrical content reflects this as well. Here’s an example from the opening track:

“marketers are a bunch of liars
while the suckers are all us buyers
we’re the victims of subterfuge
in the end you know we’re gonna lose”.

Also, from the song “T. Wrecks”:

“I’m user friendly and vain
a slave to the mundane
feel like I’m living my life on a leash
there’s no way to appease”.

If you consider how effectively Neanderverbs transcend geography and time to bring together these disparate genres of punk, while distilling them down into 16.5 minutes for your listening pleasure, you’re actually saving time by checking them out. Recommended.

–Zach Akenson

THE DIRTY NIL READY NEW ALBUM

The Dirty Nil, Ontario’s rock ‘n’ roll torchbearers, are emerging with their fourth album, Free Rein to Passions, and it’s a return to a more reckless approach for the JUNO Award-winning trio. In order to incinerate their apparatus, they had to destroy it completely. After experimenting with some smoother, more radio-friendly sounds on 2021’s Fuck Art, The Nil promptly returned to the studio and got back to the basics of what their band is about at its core—thrashy riffs, bashed out drums, and levels-to-the-max volume.

Set for release on May 26th, 2023 via Dine Alone Records, click here to pre-order Free Rein to Passions now.

“Fuck Art had a lot of singing on it. There were not a lot of parts where you could just jam out on riffs,” says frontman Luke Bentham. “Free Rein to Passions is a bit of a nastier record where we didn’t sweat the small insignificant details. If it sounded cool, we went with it.” The band pays homage to some of their loudest, gnarliest influences on Free Rein to Passions, with subtle nods to everything from Power Trip to the Jesus Lizard.

On the album’s catchy first single, “Nicer Guy,” The Nil reminds listeners that they also still wield the power to stitch a perfect, infectious pop hook into their rock fabric. “I’d been sitting on some of the guitar parts for a long time, husbanding them for a suitably righteous song,” Bentham explains. “In the depths of lockdown, I dusted them off and came up with the words. It was a happy day in an otherwise lonely time. Special shoutout to Kyle‘s extremely tight playing and Sam‘s stampeding elephant bass. Sincerity can feel uncomfortable, but this one feels right.”

Watch the accompanying “Nicer Guy” music video now.

The Melders – S/T

The debut self-titled EP from Portland’s The Melders throws down five tracks (17 minutes) of guitar-driven, punk informed, heavy rock and roll. The tunes are uptempo with a lot of snarl and attitude. The rhythm section is solid, and the guitar work is rife with hooks and changes.

According to the band bio, The Melders is a punk rock-n-roll band from Portland, OR. The band formed in June of 2021 with Luke Valley on vocals and guitar, Guil Halstead on guitar, Marcus Irland on bass and Matt Danger on drums.

When COVID hit, it led to the demise of Luke and Guil’s 16 year project My New Vice but they weren’t ready to hang it up. They contacted long time friends and fellow musicians Marc and Matt. They knew it’d be a great fit; you know who you’re working with, what you’re going to get and that everyone can get along.

I struggle to offer comparisons sometimes, and sometimes comparisons aren’t really fair. They can, however, provide a loose relatability for an unfamiliar artist. With that in mind, The Melders make me think if Stone Temple Pilots would have been a punk band, or perhaps a more melodic Welch Boys. Do with that what you will.

Aptness of comparisons notwithstanding, I dig it and am looking forward to hearing more from The Melders. The debut EP is available now on all your favorite streaming services, and probably some streaming services you’ve never even heard of. Go on, give The Melders a whirl. You’ll dig it.

Cheers!
Jerry Actually

Tracks:
1. Oil The Snake
2. Codswalloped
3. Stitched Apart
4. The Empty
5. Moons Die Here

Members:
Luke Valley – vocals, guitar
Guil Halstead – guitar
Marcus Irland- bass
Matt Danger – drums

SUBHUMANS ANNOUNCE U.S. TOUR

Toronto’s Debt Cemetary Unveil New Single ‘Let’s Murderlize ‘Em!’

Debt Cemetary strikes again with the aggressive new single “Let’s Murderlize ‘Em!”. This hard-hitting release explodes with huge vocal harmonies and ripping guitar riffs that soar throughout the track.
Inspired by the height of the civil rights movements that spanned across the globe in 2020, the song reflects the thoughts and feelings of guitarist/vocalist Eddie Knowlton. Mixed and mastered by Matt Gauthier, this latest release from Debt Cemetary shows a new side to the band while keeping true to their original and unique brand of fast punk.

This latest single is further proof that Debt Cemetary is on the rise to bigger and better things.

Public Serpents – When Pigs Lie (Official Music Video SBÄM Records 2023)

New Jersey crust-ska punks Public Serpents (featuring former Choking Victim member Skwert Gunn) released their new song and video “When Pigs Lie” today. The video was shot and edited by Benjamin Clapp. Watch it below.

The Slackers Announce Reissue Of “The Question” 2xLP

Catch The Slackers on tour:
04/17/2023 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
04/18/2023 – Charleston, SC – Tin Roof Alley
04/19/2023 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre
04/20/2023 – Blacksburg, VA – The Lyric
04/21/2023 – Baltimore, MD – Soundstage
04/22/2023 – Croydon, PA – Broken Goblet Brewery
04/23/2023 – Pittsburgh, PA – Crafthouse
04/25/2023 – Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
04/26/2023 – Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place
04/27/2023 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada – Opera House
04/28/2023 – Kitchener, Ontario, Canada – The Hub
04/30/2023 – Ithaca, NY – Deep Dive05/17/2023 – St. Louis, MO – Blueberry Hill
05/18/2023 – Kansas City, MO – Madrid Theatre
05/19/2023 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
05/20/2023 – Denver, CO – TBA
05/21/2023 – Colorado – TBA
05/23/2023 – Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
05/25/2023 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
05/26/2023 – Flagstaff, AZ – Yucca North
05/27/2023 – Las Vegas, NV – Punk Rock Bowling
8/03/2023-8/05/2023 – Blackpool, UK – Rebellion Festival
08/08/2023-08/11/2023 – Tolmin, Slovenia – Punk Rock Holiday

The Slackers are:
Vic Ruggiero – vocals, organ
Agent Jay – guitar
Dave Hillyard – saxophone
Glen Pine – trombone, vocals
Marcus Geard – bass
Ara Babajian – drums

Straightline – “Keep Your Cool”

“Oh no, is this a straight edge band?” I thought to myself like an asshole after receiving this link for the new album by Straightline. A quick google image search revealed a guy in Suicidal Tendencies hat and RKL shirt. Phew. No way that dude’s sober, unless temporarily ordered by the court. Sobriety, by the way, is cool as hell (I mean, not for me, but for lots of other people). The straight edge trope of hardcore just has too much baggage and endless unintentional buffoonery for me to get into a new band with that schtick. Which Straightline DO NOT have, to be clear. Lots of great classic straight edge hardcore out there that I’m glad exists, some of which is ironically great drinking music. Try putting on Turning Point or Chain of Strength next time you knock a few back and you can thank me later, if you remember. It’s for the best that culture didn’t mix those two things though, punch dancing would be absolute mayhem if everyone was hammered.

Straightline are from Munich, Germany and have been together in one iteration or another since the late 90s. They definitely borrow their sound from metallic skate punk of that decade, but also bring in elements of crossover thrash and screamo. The album starts out very strong with massive pounding drums (the entire production on this record is HUGE) and chugga-chugga guitars on “Global Frustration”, which is perhaps called that because of how hard it is to remember how to play. Straightline songs have LOTS of parts. The second song “Virus” is even better, and reminds me of when metal guys on YouTube cover old Nintendo songs. If you’re a nerd of a certain age, you know these are some of the greatest songs ever created, so I mean it as a compliment. Seriously, maybe no song in the history of music has consistently delivered me goosebumps on each listen more than the moon theme from Duck Tales for the NES. Late 80s Japanese video game music composition is the fourth genre of music that Straightline master here.

The album takes an interesting turn on the third track with “Undone”, which is a massively catchy tune that could hang with the best stuff on Leche Con Carne by NUFAN. It’s my favorite song on the album, and the one I go back to the most. Straightline just absolutely crush each of these genres so well that these poppier songs really help to break up the record effectively, rather than sound as if they were awkwardly tacked on. A couple other album highlights are “Shame on You”, and the straight up thrash of “Stood for Something Else”. It’s pretty impressive to have both “Undone” and “Stood for Something Else” on the same record, because they’re both such great and incredibly different songs.

Straightline have toured as an opening act for Ten Foot Pole, Big Wig, and Satanic Surfers, which makes sense stylistically. Honestly though, they’re better than all of those bands. They also remind me a little bit of label mates One Hidden Frame, especially in song structure and technical ability. Even though I’m not personally a fan of screamo or metal solos, Straightline use and master them well here. I saw some live footage, and they were all wearing shorts on stage (which I am definitely PRO) and jumping in unison. My rule of thumb with bands that scream is that they must be wearing shorts, otherwise it’s lame. Black pants with loops and extra belts and shit? Forget about it, no screaming for you. They also appear to be politically sound, from at least an environmental standpoint, with song titles like “Global Citizens” and “Earth Defenders”, which is cool. Protecting the Earth rules. The other planets fucking suck, from what we know of them.

If any of this has piqued your musical interest, I should mention that Straightline offer their LP on its own, or as a merch bundle with a skateboard deck.

–Zach Akenson