Despite 19 years in the business, American punk rockers The Bronx’s new album Bronx VI (Cooking Vinyl) is just as energetic and full on as ever. This is the sixth record – funnily enough – from the L.A. based quintet and ‘White Shadow’ starts things off with a bang; a tone setting blast of snappy punk, bristling with pace and swagger.

No nonsense, raucous, and head-banging Punk Rock makes up the bulk of the record and it is a delight to hear. Time has not dulled them as the Thrash Metal-esque ferocity of ‘Breaking News’, with its searing guitar solo and Joey Castillo’s manic drumming, amply proves. “She is the sun, she is the moon” barks singer Matt Caughthran on the frenetic ‘Superbloom’, with this wonderfully distilled aggression coursing through the record. A similarly fierce attitude fuels single ‘Curb Crawler’, a rocker made for foot to the floor driving or wild nights. 

The cathartic ‘Watering the Well’ is a big riffed, Classic Rock influenced number about boozy nights and night time antics. There is a lust for life here, you can tell they are eager to kick covid to the kerb and get back to it. ‘Mexican Summer’ offers up a nice change of tack from the high-octane rock, it is a slinky ditty and a nod to the bands’ alter ego Mariachi El Bronx. By the next track they are back on the rocking horse though, namely the love is blind aggression of ‘New Lows’ – a taut serving of distorted guitars and a fiery solo all over in three minutes.  

Produced by Joe Barresi (Melvins, Tool, Bad Religion) Bronx VI is just what the doctor ordered; loud, short n snappy punk with plenty of vim and vigour. A welcome return to their roots after last year’s two Música Muerta records released under the Mariachi El Bronx moniker. 

Buy the album here: https://thebronx.bandcamp.com/album/bronx-vi

8 / 10

THOMAS THROWER