I’ll admit that I was shy on embracing Masshysteri after The Vicious broke up. It’s like a relationship that ended too suddenly. I didn’t want to go huggin’ someone new else right after the split. The Swedes up in Umea and the Danes in Copenhagen have a knack of forming great bands that have a tendency to break up right as their records make it to America. What’s undeniable is that Masshysteri have a lot to offer. For ‘77 punks, there’s a swift, blunt kick backed with melody reminiscent of the Adverts and X-Ray Spex. For those in the early-Blondie and Nerves camps, there are subtle, tasteful musical additions—produced, but not excessive—of saxophone and keyboards. For us DIY punks who’ve never accepted that punk’s a dead-end lifestyle over thirty years into the game and aren’t into dressing up like Confederate dead or the Raider Nation of punk rock, who also miss both DS 13 and Gorilla Angreb, Masshysteri are probably the best of all worlds. They’re a present-day band that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any punk band from the past you can throw at them. They’re easy to listen to, haunted, fangy, infection-laden, electrifying, and instantly recognizable as punk by their sheer energy. Highest recommendation.
–todd (Feral Ward)