Death Koolaid – Vol. 2

Death Koolaid formed only a few years ago and they have been honing their sound, and their image, since that time. They are a visually striking and captivating band, and they match this with the intensity of their music, as this is a brutal blend of hardcore, punk and metal that has produced a loud, fast and uncompromising album. It shouldn’t be any surprise that Vol. 2 is their second release or that it is the follow up to 2014’s Vol. 1. Whilst album titles don’t seem to be their strongpoint, they have been steadily building a solid following, and a growing reputation, from their live performances.

Vol 2. is an album that harks back to spirit of the UK82 punk scene, the drums are relentless, the guitars are heavy, and incredibly distorted, and the vocals are delivered with raw aggression, singer Siren Sycho sounds like she’s on the verge of shredding her vocal chords throughout the album. From the opening track of Mirror to the closing number, Monkey 187, this is a brutal release that takes no prisoners and has a distinctly menacing undercurrent. The aggressive nature of the music is not to be misinterpreted though, this is the band that brought punk rock to Brighton’s Pride festival and they have been accumulating numerous awards and nominations in recognition of their music and live performances.

Death Koolaid have encapsulated a contemporary and heavy take on punk rock that has clear traces of Vice Squad and The Plasmatics in their DNA. If this album has a flaw then it’s that there isn’t much variety, every track is a relentless pounding assault on the senses. Personally I like a bit of variety across an album, but I appreciate that not everyone feels the same, if you want a band where absolutely no quarter is given, and no compromise is made, then I’d investigate Death Koolaid as they make a hell of a noise.

You can visit Death Koolaid‘s website for details of their tour dates, and to purchase Vol. 2 here

You can view the video for the single Emmeline below