Review: Negative Blast ‘Destroy Myself For Fun’
San Diego’s Negative Blast formed during Covid and have brought us a wealth of releases including 2020’s The First Four Months, 2021’s DEMO 02, 2023’s split with Sweat and their debut full-length Echo Planet. Destroy Myself For Funis the band’s sophomore album and their first for Justin Pearson’s underappreciated Three One G label.
Negative Blast’s line-up includes longtime members Rainier Pesebre on vocals, Alexander Jacobelli on guitar (Lewd Acts), bassist Patrick Callaway (Hour Of The Wolf) and new drummer Hunter Martinez (Decent Criminal, Issue), who replaced the legendary Mario Rubalcaba (Earthless, Hot Snakes, OFF!) who in turn took over from Sam Rich (Del Vipers, Riverboat Gamblers). They’ve toured with big names such as Unsane, Deaf Club, Swing Kids and 7 Seconds and The Shaman colleague, Martin Williams, described Echo Planet as ‘dripping in manic, aggressive, anxiety-ridden rock and roll vibrancy’, therefore, there’s plenty to look forward to this, their latest release.
Fireplay, with its brief synth intro and new wave overtones, recalls bands such as Devo; all that’s missing are the silly red plastic dome hats. This influence gives the track a sense of dynamism and fun, which, despite being a genre I’ve loved for many years, can sometimes get wearing with its monochromatic musical approach and self-righteousness. A brilliant start.
Missinglink, by contrast, is faster, reminiscent of New York hardcore outfits such as Sick Of It All, the vocal style particularly reminiscent of that band’s Lou Koller. Also, while Pro-Pain may have pioneered an aggressive blend of hardcore punk, groove metal, and thrash, Negative Blast do it far more effectively, producing what are some truly thrilling results. It’s interesting that they had previously covered Poison Idea’s This Thing Called Progress as Mac Dawgcertainly seems inspired by the Portland legends, particularly the nihilism displayed on records like Feel The Darkness. All that can be said here is wow, this is seriously first-rate stuff.
a brilliantly inventive record for those who, like myself, lust for something a little different from the present-day hardcore scene…
Nuwage is evidence that there are some death metal influences present, particularly the mid-tempo grooves and doomy vibes of Obituary. Despite not being a fan of that genre, nonetheless, those same elements transpire to make it a surprisingly effective track. Futurerock contains some classic rock ‘n’ roll in the vein of Thin Lizzy, as do aforementioned collaborators Sweat, who have clearly had some impact on the band. Also, imagine a less sleazy Nashville Pussy, as well as the sadly long-forgotten Lollipop, who put out some fantastic records before disappearing into the ether. The track is that perfect bridge between hard rock and punk that I’ve always been a fan of.
I’m In Love is more frantic in the style of classic Dead Kennedys and the distinctive guitar playing of East Bay Ray; as such, it wouldn’t sound out of place on Bedtime For Democracy. The shortest track on the album, it does not fuck about and is all the better off for it.
Infested again demonstrates that Negative Blast are more than just a hardcore band; there are some serious musical chops on display with a creepy post-punk and horror punk feel, but with the swagger of The Sweet’s Ballroom Blitz (of all things). Intriguing and absolutely fantastic. Finally, Denial recalls The Adolescents at their most deliciously obnoxious and snotty on The Blue Album and concludes proceedings on an exceptionally strong, rambunctious note.
This is a brilliantly inventive record for those who, like myself, lust for something a little different from the present-day hardcore scene. Or to put it another way, in a world of Hatebreeds, why not be a Negative Blast?
Label: Three One G
Band Links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Reza Mills
