Chain Cult, Bleakness & Feral Live at Occii Amsterdam

CHAIN CULT (post punk, Athens/GR – La Vida Es Un Mus Records) CHAIN CULT is one of the most hard-working punk bands coming from Greece the last decade or so. They have been touring the world non-stop and it was about time for their first ever Amsterdam show, on the verge of the release of their new record (once again via La Vida Es Un Mus). CHAIN CULT’s post punk is anthemic, militant and idealistic, putting music to a very dark and bleak time and place. You can hear echoes of early THE CURE, THE SOUND, Second Empire Justice era BLITZ or WIPERS in their music but also the passion and conviction of locals METRO DECAY, STRESS or ANTI… Very much a perfect reflection of what springs to mind thinking about the current Athens scene. https://chaincult.bandcamp.com BLEAKNESS (dark punk, Paris/FR – Destructure Records) BLEAKNESS walks the line between moody 80s goth and modern hardcore perfectly. Things are getting crazier every day, these times are even worse than what we could have feared only a few years ago but thankfully there are many forms of expression which are so many ramparts to resignation and defeatism. BLEAKNESS is a great testimony of that. Through their latest record ‘Life at a Standstill’, BLEAKNESS walks on a wire between tension and a certain sense of sensibility. The band succeeds in nuance and inventiveness : more vocal diversity, more melodic and rhythmic richness… without losing the energy and the urgency acclaimed in their previous efforts. « Life at a Standstill » shows the range of possibilities of punk culture, BLEAKNESS brings lots of new atmospheres in its universe. https://bleaknesspunk.bandcamp.com FERAL (drum machine dance punk, Amsterdam/NL) A drum machine, a rogue karaoke singer and a rowdy bass player walk into a bar. Their music is a blitzkrieg of rapid-fire guitar riffs and pounding bass lines, creating an electrifying atmosphere that commands the dance floor. Despite their punk roots, FERAL’s tracks are irresistibly danceable, transforming their concerts into wild, kinetic parties. They’re best experienced with the sweat of the person opposite flying at you, necks of bass guitars and mic stands inches from your face, the beat threatening to escape your chest. Expect a crossover of LCD Soundsystem, Viagra Boys with sprinkles of Idles and Ohsees. https://feralband.bandcamp.com