The fact that the pedigree of Melbourne noise punks DENNIS consists of 3/4 of Bits of Shit and 1/6 of Chugga and the Fuckheads should tell you all you need to know about what their debut ‘The Enthusiast‘ sounds like.
Combining an absolutely filthy chugging guitar sound with cacophonic production, Dennis spits out 11 pissed-off tracks shaped by proto-punk like Crime, early hardcore à la Germs, and garage-punk like Dead Moon. There’s also a Stooges/MC5 throb that runs throughout as they cram a lot of aggression into a 20-minute hole.
The album is a perfect marriage of grimy guitars, crashing drums, buzzing bass, and a voice that goes from feral screaming to animalistic grunting to scratchy breathless seduction. It’s noisy, crude, abrasive and all funneled through a sonic reducer.
Wasting no time, Dennis kicks things off with the hardcore of ‘Window Shopper‘ a 37-second rocket that immediately blasts right into the standout punk thumper ‘No Altars.’ So far I have no idea what Chugga is singing, but who cares, his sandpaper voice will have you grunting and sneering along in unison.
‘On the D‘ is a balls-to-the-wall rocker like the Hunches cranked to 11, while the unhinged title track and Stooges strut of ‘Stiffs Parade‘ pack a 1-2 punch. ‘Operatic Keys‘ kicks out the jams and ‘Knives‘ pogos with a Dead Kennedys gusto. Chugga sneers and moans before he reaches another level vocally on the hooky ‘Hungry Hungry.’ The album closes with the almost melodic ‘Untold Feast‘, the angular rage of ‘Diminished Returns‘ and the ramshackle blast of ‘Zed.’
If you like your rock and roll dirty, visceral and agitated, you’ll happily gnaw away on this bone.
Out now via Homeless Records.
