by Robert Dean
If there’s one thing Chicago is good at, it’s churning out
legit punk bands. Not to be sold short on Chicago’s history of solid punk rock
bubbling up from the sewers, one of the Windy City’s newest offerings, The
Decayed are steeped in the tradition of working class anthems and talking some
serious shit. Chicagoans expect their punk to have a slight attitude, a sense
of foreboding, even if the city is responsible for Fallout Boy.
Equal parts Motorhead, The Casualties, Agnostic Front, and
maybe some Dickies for shits and giggles, The Decayed’s sound is nothing more
than the minimum, which is exactly what punk rock should be. Punk shouldn’t
have keyboards or atmosphere, but instead, should be some scuzzy ass folks
plugging straight into their amps and cranking the volume till eyes bleed.
The songs on The Decayed debut S/T record are fast and
pissed. That’s it. There’s a thread of early 90’s hardcore, just without the
breakdowns. Despite the apparent digital recording, the viciousness is still
present on the record, which is nice. A lot of times bands lose their bite
because of over-production. Instead, these tracks feel sonically kin to the
classic Pennywise stuff, or maybe even Strife’s In This Defiance – sans
beatdown riffs.
Given the pedigree of everyone in the band, who have played
in way too many groups over the years to share, it’s unsurprising how reliable
this batch of songs are. Considering everyone in The Decayed is in their mid to
late 30’s everyone involved has paid their musical dues.
Note: Their album/EP is available for the hefty price of $1 on Bandcamp.
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