WL//WH Track Of The Day: DESIRE “Subversion”

Track Of The Day Desire

From the distinctly fervent Brighton punk scene, the guitarist plays also with raucous punksters Gutter Knife, arises the quintessentially British sounding, actually London-based, 4-piece DESIRE with a brand new 3-track EP “Extended Play”, following last summer’s very promising debut album “Voices of a Higher Class”.

The band’s intense, poignant sound combines a backbone of loud, aggressive, raging yet even catchy DIY punk & hardcore from their early heritage, together with 80’s gloomy, dark post-punk and raw shoegazing noise-rock.

The EP have also the peculiarity to be recorded/mixed, with my great surprise and pleasure as his follower since early 90s, by the London-based eclectic electronic experimentalist Kristian Craig Robinson, AKA Capitol K.

A song about speaking up to those in power and holding them accountable for their words, actions, and indolence. 

Tense and energetic, typical of the band’s highly melodic and abrasive approach, “Subversion” ramps up immediately with slashing guitars riffs and driving rhythms before fading to sombre melodic chords soon fueled by blistering stark guitar leads underlie by pounding drums and mechanical deep pulsing bass, as bitter, disappointed angrily snotty vocals seething fiery with hatred, desolation, and anxiety while peppy guitar resonates with dramatic grittiness and bite.

A melodic yet driving smashing seething cauldron of straight up street oi! punk, wiry and ringing, Killing Joke and Crisis instilled, guitar racket and The Jesus and Mary Chain-eque distortions peppered with malaise and angst about the dystopic world we live in.

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