In the vibrant palette of the avant-garde, American punk collective Friction weaves a tableau of wild and unfettered rebellion. No crevice of subculture can contain this Phoenix, AZ juggernaut; their sound blossoming beyond borders, a defiant tribute to the power of transcending convention. With intense fervour, they pounce upon a multifaceted spectrum of genres: the shadowy recesses of goth, the gritty layers of alternative, the pixelated pulsations of hyperpop, the discordant cacophonies of No Wave, and the stark machinery of industrial music. And yet, vocalist Dominic Calderon insists it’s a rap song. He might be right.
Melding a reverence for punk’s ageless principles with a jolt of hyper-modern verve, Friction’s method to the madness of alternative is both a tribute and an innovation. Fueled by a raw ethos evocative of the golden age of punk, they daringly champion the motto: No boundaries, only unchained passion and an unyielding outcry reverberating from their grime-encrusted platform. Echoes of Fear, NIN, Deftones, and Germs reverberate in the fierce, blazing timbre of their latest single, “Flashbang.”
“Flashbang” is an audioscape painted in tumultuous hues of moody, discordant guitars, shrieking synthesizers, and incendiary, razor-edged percussion. Amidst the uproar, Calderon’s growling cadence forms the bedrock, as he sardonically navigates through the maelstrom spitting out biting lyrics. It’s a sonic riposte to superficial trends, an elegy for the eroding subculture, and a tongue-in-cheek glorification of stardom.
Find the release on Bandcamp here.
“Flashbang” is the leading single off a split release with Los Angeles post-punks Substance, as part of a joint release entitled “Friction / Substance,” released via WITH Records.
Listen on Spotify here.
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