“Non-linear, untraditional, uncomfortable, and tuneless punk/rock” is something I’d have probably said while slagging Black Flag’s 1985 output (though I’ve since come to appreciate that era). The same descriptors apply to this 2022 hardcore punk record from The Wilful Boys, but in a perversely positive way. I hear a bit of that U.K. anarcho thing in the vocal delivery—think Dick Lucas or Rudimentary Peni—paired with an aggressive, noisy punk sound not unlike an In My Head or Loose Nut, but heavier and more chaotic. The only downside is the production; this entire record is compressed to the extreme, losing any and all dynamics and causing that “sucking” sound with each drum hit. Aside from that disappointment, this album is strongly recommended for anyone who loves heavy, insane hardcore punk rock. I imagine crazy Rollins eyes when The Wilful Boys’ singer takes the stage. –Chad Williams (Big Neck, bigneckrecords.com)