Melbourne post-punks Bench Press channel rage through visceral, loud performances on their self-titled LP. Delivering tonnes of charisma and passion, they turn bitterness into a party.
The hot-headedness that fuels this record is completely in-your-face owing to Jack Stavrakis’s wailing vocals – he slurs out ranting lyrics like a drunk guy being dragged away from the pokies by security. The instrumentation has a more accessible tone, favouring eccentric guitar hooks, head-bopping bass lines and raw production.
What keeps this album interesting throughout is the dynamics in the instrumentation, showing an array of influence from bands such as Fugazi to Television; maybe even a bit of early Arctic Monkeys. The band drum up super tight groove-centric tracks like ‘Burning Up’, and the punchy ‘I Don’t Like You’, which captivatingly builds in rage with every fiery chorus. Bench Press are equally amusing when demonstrating their explosive and more punk-driven side on tracks like the opener ‘Hey Man’ and ‘Powerless’, both of which are thrillingly intense.
It’s fierce, bold and nihilistic. There’s nothing here that doesn’t feel authentic about the band and their message, and that’s what makes this record such an engaging listen.
Bench Press is out now via Poison City Records.
