Album Review: Era Bleak – Era Bleak

Is the Era so Bleak or are we set to move forward and see the dawn of a new movement toward ridding the world of all the self serving bigots and right-wing dicks?  The time may be right, but in the mean time what we still need is punk rock that shouts at the top of its voice, Fuck Off! 

So to Era Bleak, who are set to release this self titled debut on August 15th via Dirt Cult Records.  

Not on my radar previously to this album, I have to admit I was sceptical about another “Hardcore” punk band joining the fray, but I love it when I’m wrong, being not so much hardcore as Crass like with a definite hint of Honey bane in singer Candy’s voice.  Era Bleak have without doubt a sound of their own that only draws on influence in a look over the shoulder kind of way.

Kicking off with the title track ‘Era Bleak’ sounds a little ordinary in an album opener kind of way, but that’s where the ordinary ends.  A thumping along statement of the times we are living in in 2020, a place where trusting in your fellow man seems hard to accept, when coming together may actually be the only answer in solving such bleak times.

It’s wonderful to be confronted by some challenging sounds now and then, and with Candy’s straight up no messing vocal scrambling around inside a musical kaleidoscope of choppy guitar riffs, a rhythm section that’s forgotten were the brakes are, your not disappointed.  With songs like ‘Opinions’ that touts the idea of “we’ve all got a point to make” but it’s not my place to speak for you, to be different is to be real, then ‘Burning Sky’ which in its own way paints a picture of what will happen when humans have bled mother earth dry of her wonders, is this what ‘hell’ looks like or sounds like I wonder.  

What Era Bleak do best though, is to blur all the boundaries and drive their own way forward in Punk!  To this end ‘Night Of The Curse’ ends the 10 track onslaught, with a bass line intro that smacks of Joy Division, a manic race to the end that has all the energy of Minor Threat and then slams shut the door, with a tiny Damned like bass riff.

Punk Rock played like it should be, with no rules and in their own way!

To Pre Order this album visit Dirt Cult Records

You can interact with the Era Bleak HERE

Watch the video for ‘Mind Control Tower’ below