By DJ Monk
A short, sharp shock to the system is perhaps the best way to describe this debut offering from hardcore newcomers Smiling Assassin. Well, it’s certainly short, as, in true punk rock tradition, its nine songs are crammed into just 15 minutes.
The band’s name is inspired by what they describe as their “collective experiences and frustrations around, and with, the current economic and socio-political climate”, and more especially the term for “a so-called friend who is really an enemy whose main weapons are inconsistency and unpredictability, who uses rumour to undermine colleagues and adopts a passive-aggressive, indirect, dishonest style of dealing with people and issues”. Fortunately, there is nothing sleeked, two-faced or underhanded about these four lads from Hull or this initial collection, as it is just honest-to-goodness, straight-forward, in-your-fucking-face punk rock fury.
As mentioned at the top of this piece, SA cram the nine songs into less than 15 minutes. More, actually, it’s seven songs if you discount the appropriately titled ‘Prologue’, which melds seamlessly into the grindcore-style ten second blast that is the title track – yes, you read that correctly, it lasts just ten muthafuckin’ seconds – and mass shooting recreation which makes up the outro. Ironically, following the paucity of the title track, ‘Psycho-Apathy’ then clocks in at a positively epic two minutes and 38 seconds, making it the second longest song, as the band really hit their stride and get tore into the business in hand, which is producing exciting and enervating punk rock ‘n’ roll, as evinced by the brilliant lead single, ‘Coping’:
Lyrically, there are no surprises, as the subjects of their ire include the current socio-political climate and the mass media, the latter being the subject of the rambunctious ska-tinged jaunt that is ‘News Corp. Monopoly’.
As I said, there is no back-stabbing or talking behind your backs with ‘Plight…’. It is as honest as the day is long. The result is a very impressive declaration of intent from a fresh and vibrant new voice on the ÜK punk scene.
- ‘Plight Of The Millennial’ is released on 31 May. You can get your copy HERE.
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