Amyl & The Sniffers “S/t”

Firstly, what a great name for a punk rock band! Having already released a few EPs to critical acclaim and built up a reputation as a fiery live act, it’s fair to say that this album has come with high expectations.

The anticipation grows with opening track “Starfire 500” which begins slowly with the vocals only kicking in halfway through. It ends up as a gloriously snotty punk rock song. As tracks like “Gacked on Anger” and Monsoon Rock” confirm, this is a grubby, in your face, punk n roll album.

The influence of bands like The Stooges and MC5 are pretty clear on the adrenalin fuelled rock of “Cup Of Destiny” and “Get You”. Although things get even more ferocious on the more hardcore “GFY” and “Punisha”. In contrast, “Angel” and “Shake You” offer some respite with a bit more melody on offer in those tracks. They’re still sleazy but a bit easier on the ears!

The majority of songs on this album are under 2 minutes. That makes “Some Mutts (Can’t Be Muzzled)” practically an epic at just over 4 minutes! It also has a broader ‘rock’ feel and along with the New York Dolls flavoured “70’s Street Munchies” is one of the best songs on the album. IF the band did want to expand their sound, then these tracks show how they could go about doing it.

There’s an inevitable ‘retro’ feel to the pure punk sound on this album. But, ironically, that’s what makes it sound so different to most of the music around at the moment. It’s an abrasive collection of songs built to give you a slap in the face. It’s not an easy listen, but if you’re open to ferocious punk rock then you will love it.