Despite listening to the genre for close to twenty-five years I am not well versed in the Australian Hardcore Punk scene; that changes now with Melbourne’s Geld and Currency // Castration (Relapse Records), the band’s third album. I have since learned that there is a thriving scene that includes the likes of Primitive Blast and Nerve Damage and clearly, I have a lot of catching up to do. 

‘Currency’ is an instrument that sets things up for the inevitable onslaught to follow. ‘Chained to a Gate’ starts slowly, leaving you on tenterhooks while the track builds. When it finally explodes the first thing to notice are Al Smith‘s vocals that remind you of those employed by the likes of powerviolence outfits such as Infest and Dropdead. 

The music is equally vicious and exactly what I want when I listen to Hardcore, it gives you that visceral rush. A fantastic track. 

‘Cut You Down’ is another storming number with some exceptional drumming from Thomas Rowley ala Circle Jerks‘ Lucky Lehrer on that band’s ‘I Just Want Some Skank’ – this isn’t plodding mid-paced “Heavy Hardcore” making it a hell of a lot more appealing than most of the bands from that branch of the genre. ‘Clock Keeps Crawling’ is a slower number and a lot punkier than the all-out hardcore attack we’ve heard so far, seemingly taking cues from Oi bands such as Blitz as well as Boston crew Slapshot it provides for the listener some much-needed respite. 

‘Fog of War’ commences with a kickass bassline before a sound erupts that recalls the likes of Midnight and their blackened punk-metal approach (the title also seems  Darkthrone inspired), while ‘The Fix is In’ the second preview track from the record is what persuaded me to review it in the first place what with its tasty Discharge inspired sound; I could easily envisage Cal Morris belting out this one. ‘Across A Broad Plain’ a short interlude piece with random industrial noises and weird spacey psych vibes leads nicely into ‘Hanging From A Rope’. 

Considering guitarist Cormac O’Síocháin‘s background in Metal with the band Fuil Na Seanchoille, it’s no great shock that the track points to Bathory‘s ‘A Fine Day To Die’ with its anthemic aesthetic. After the somewhat atypical preceding two tracks, business is soon resumed with ‘Gas of Corruption’, a minute-long old-school Die Kreuzen-fashioned belter from before that band went down a more alternative route. 

‘Success’ nods to Thrashcore, ‘Secret Prison’ has a tough New York Hardcore feel about it, with shades especially of Agnostic Front United Blood/Victim In Pain era, and ‘Castration’ ends the album on a subdued note with some atmospheric acoustic guitar noodling which is pleasant but hardly essential truth be told. 

Geld’s Currency // Castration is an exciting and invigorating, no-nonsense Hardcore affair, with occasional stylistic detours that left one reviewer (aka me) a very happy man. 

Buy the album here:

https://www.relapse.com/pages/geld-currency-castration

9 / 10

REZA MILLS