Does anyone still remember RKL (Rich Kids on LSD)?
The first songs by BEACH RATS reminded me of that sound. Hectic, fast hardcore punk, melodic, for skaters on speed... for the fast life, indeed.
BEACH RATS play this old hardcore sound so incredibly well that I feel like I'm back more than 30 years ago.
The band members of BEACH RATS probably know this sound very well, as they are not unknowns. Two members of the Bouncing Souls (Pete Steinkopf and Bryan Keinlen) are involved, along with Brian Baker (Bad Religion) and Ari Katz (Lifetime), as well as Danny Windas (Let it Burn).
Twelve songs blast from the beach rats' speakers.
12 songs in just over 21 minutes!
Just from that, you can tell the band takes no prisoners and goes full throttle. They play what they want to play. That's the beauty of such projects, which is how I currently see BEACH RATS. As a project of friends who simply wanted to play the music they love together. You can hear that when listening to the CD.
Who knows what will come of this little DIY project. I can easily imagine the band on hardcore or punk stages. Minor Threat stands here as a reference comparison at the edge of the stage, just like Poison Idea, for example.
Even if I repeat myself, this old-school hardcore sound comes out of the speakers as fresh as it did back when the wall was still standing and this sound was in its heyday. I would wish that BEACH RATS could revive those times with “Rat Beat.” They have the potential to do so.
