Is there such a state as too paranoid? Whether a psy-op, a social commentary, or three musicians just mad enough to dive into a genre that has been reportedly dead for nearly half a century, it is anyone’s guess.
LA post-punk act Crisis Actor explores disparate sonic landscapes with the anthem No More, described as an “aural triangulation” between Joy Division, TSOL, and Shame. Subjects the band covers include the apocalypse, drugs, and law enforcement… or perhaps that’s just what we’re supposed to hear.
“Perhaps this is the manufacturing of an incident designed specifically with the intent of getting under your skin just enough to send your primal senses into a state of shock where you can no longer claim to be under your own mind’s control,” teases the band.
“No More” explodes with delay-drenched guitar and pulsating bass lines, smothered by a hypnotic, fierce drumbeat. The lyrics address the pitfalls of manipulative friendships, where the writer must throw off the “kindness that binds,” after all interactions have become transactional and all gifts have become traps.
The energy of the song, reminiscent of the Dead Kennedys, The Damned, Fear, and Gang of Four on warp speed, is brilliantly illustrated by the video that features live performances of Crisis Actor on KXLU’s Demolisten, and at Lem H Qinlate 2019. Topped with witty, catchy vocal lines, the result is a mixture that is as simultaneously invigorating as it inspiring. The perfect soundtrack to your next skate video.
Watch below:
Crisis Actor is comprised of Tony Knox (host of the KXLU radio program No More Heroes), bassist Zach Crawford, who moonlights as a LA punk DJ under the name Paul Cinnamon; and drummer Jonathan Ihejeto, a hip-hop artist known as Jet 2. After spending a short period in isolation writing a full set, the band began with a series of shows throughout 2019. They played many indie clubs and bars around Los Angeles.
Listen to “No More” on their Bandcamp:
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