The latest EP release from The Stereoflowers serves as the soundtrack to a tabletop role-playing game by a company called Critical Kit from the UK.
The Punk Is Dead record shines with outstanding and perfectly nailed aesthetics that include everything from thrashing street punk, pop punk, alternative rock, and plenty more but it's all done with this level of grittiness that feels so genuine along with a brilliant production approach that ever so slightly crosses lo-fi elements with hi-fi ones so that you get the feeling of vintage punk rock when you listen to it.
These songs are absolute bangers and really showcase the band's ability to deliver a high-octane energy that comes through completely electric and even makes you feel like these songs were tracked completely live on the floor, in the moment.
It most certainly feels like these guys are feeding off of each other's energies throughout the entire record and this gives that live performance Vibe and aesthetic so the songs end up packing such a heavy-handed punch that you can't turn away.
This record is about as fun as it gets when it comes to banging out classic punk rock vibes and you can tell that the band has an absolute love for what they're doing and why they're doing it to boot.
The guitar tone alone serves up so much drive and edginess that the record definitely feels pretty fierce, but the entire band brings that same fire so between the pounding drums, thrashing guitars, rumbling bass lines, and rambunctious vocals, everything fits perfectly.
I do indeed love the vocal approach to this because it's also classic punk rock, but it has this animated feel to it, so it's got swagger and attitude which is something that you look for with this sort of, street punk aesthetic.
This whole record hit like a sucker punch to the gut and I mean that in the best way possible.
You can tell that the band does this because they love to do it, but it does make me curious as to how they ended up creating a soundtrack for a tabletop role-playing game called Punk Is Dead.
I immediately headed over to the Critical Kit website (which I've linked below by the way) and read up on the game itself.
This is so wild that I started looking deeper into all the games they release.
I love that companies like this exist purely to create things they have a passion for just like The Stereoflowers stepping up and being involved in the musical sense and always creating releases because they have a passion for it.
I can see now how the game and the record go hand in hand, and this was a brilliant idea from the get-go.
The Stereoflowers laid it out for this release and whether they jumped on the opportunity or were offered it from the company themselves, they really gave it their all and came through with a massive come hard-hitting, ultra-fun, addictive, charismatic, and endlessly energetic punk rock record that checks all the boxes and more.
Absolutely check this EP as soon as you can and also check out the game.
Both of these elements go hand in hand and are super fun, have layers, and are a little bit free in a way.
If you're going to stick with just listening to this EP alone, that's always fine too of course but make sure you do it loud.
I don't know anyone who is into great punk rock at a very low volume so let's not start now.
Check this record out and remember where you heard it first.
Spotify // Instagram // Bandcamp // Critical Kit
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