Shrug Dealer – Infested EP

Shrug Dealer out New York have recently re-released back in 2021 their six track 2018 self titled EP, this was remixed and sent out digitally and on cassette tape, fast forward to now and the release of the new EP Infested is set for February 4th via Bypolar Records.

Playing some challenging punk rock that seems to have heavier roots in Europe at the moment, with the vanguard coming form the likes of Pendleton from Manchester England and those Italian maestro’s ActionMen, although Pears might be a loose American comparison, Shrug Dealer non the less are pushing through the ranks in the U.S. to bring this sound to the masses.  

An eight track monster of an EP is the where the band have headed on into 2022 with, although its possibly a realistic six or seven, ‘Get To The Point’ does exactly that in 7 seconds and ‘Skate and Decoy’ does a manic grab of the board and flings itself downhill with a very strangely familiar bass line (Bad Religion?) hanging on to its tail. What your 100% going to get with this collection of songs is a short sharp tug from all directions that could leave you in fear of being torn apart, ‘Participation Trophies’ feels like pent up tensions being aired with the force of a typhoon ripping through your head, ‘Tilt Mode’ sits you down with yourself and asks more questions than it answers (stand out track, with a killer bass line), then ‘Epigon’ throws a curve ball into the middle of it all, a song that inflects as to the nature of their sound and the reality of some bands, with a huge slab of jazz thrown in the middle to rubber stamp this perfectly.

To sum up, this EP holds you attention it gives punk music a reason to keep going, there is a place in this world for 3 chords and then there is a place for technical genius to sledgehammer its way through the barriers.

Throw your head around the room to this and never regret a single second!  

Keep your eye out on BANDCAMP for this release.

Also if FACEBOOK is your thing, check out the band there.