I would consider myself fairly knowledgeable in the realm of noise music, but I had never heard of FRENZAL RHOMB until now.
Why has this band passed me by for so long? Their last albums were released on Epitaph Records and Fat Wreck Chords, so it’s almost a miracle that these Australians have eluded me until now.
All the more wonderful that I finally get to know them, the four crazies who formed in 1992 near Sydney.
Why crazies? Well, anyone who titles songs like “Dead Man’s Underpants,” “Thought it was Yoga but it was Ketamine,” or “Dog Tranquiliser” must be a bit off their rocker. So much so that the neighbor thinks about wanting to kill the singer. He only knows how to escape to where the drug dealers take their kids.
Does all this sound strange? It is strange, and at the same time extremely refreshing, to the point that I feel like getting into my DeLorean DMC-12 and taking a time travel. To a time when this kind of punk was popular, and we debated whether it was simply punk rock, melodycore, skatecore, or melodic skatecore. This album seems to have sprung from exactly that era. Fresh skatecore, melodycore, or simply Fat Wreck punk, or NOFX meets Pennywise with a healthy dose of urgency.
FRENZAL RHOMB unleashes a true fireworks display of ideas and musical gems from their tattered sleeves across the 19 (!) songs, that one can hardly grasp everything the band throws at you in a maximum of 02:34 minutes. Most songs don’t even last two minutes. High speed, breaks, hooks, and a vocal performance that ties it all together.
I am truly impressed with what FRENZAL RHOMB has put out with “The Cup of Pestilence.” I never thought something like this would come again.
Of course, it’s not just about the music, but also about the lyrics, which swing back and forth between social criticism, political critique, and (absurd) humor.
Absolutely top-notch what the band from Down Under has released here, and there can only be one score: 10!
Maybe the band will also manage to get on a plane and endure the 20-hour flight to embark on a fantastic tour in Europe. This tour can only be great!
