Speaking only for myself of course, I love music, all kinds of music. My soul is influenced by so much it’s hard to go through and pluck 10 releases out of the past year that I loved the most, it was agonizing in fact. So I narrowed it down to not only the records I loved and was obsessed over but also the records that were sent to the Audio Ammunition stronghold that collectively spent the most amount of time on my various radios. ~ J Castro 1) Impo & the Tents – Peek after a poke LP (Alien Snatch Records) Late 1970’s style power pop punk like The Undertones or Buzzcocks mixed with a splash of The Dickies: Super enjoyable, super amazing record that commands repeat listens. 2) Average Times – S/T LP (Hosehead Records) A dazzling debut LP: Monumentally catchy and loud bursts of 77 punk-pop inspiration! These are sons and daughters of punk from the last 20 years; they gathered everything that was great about so many bands from that time and discard the dead weight! 3) Ne...

Cause of Death – S/T EP (No Front Teeth) This is the debut EP from this Southern California PUNK band. They use to be called Final Solution (which if you recall NFT released their EP as well) but are now known as Cause of Death and features former members of Shattered Faith. This is their debut 7” as Cause of Death and this is one raging slab of wax through and through! This has all the raw brutality of your favorite early SoCal punk bands that recall early Bad Religion, Shattered Faith of course, and Adolescents. This record has four songs that were indeed influenced by the bands and era mentioned above but you’ll hear at first spin that these songs contain that particular new brand of rage that can only be brought out of people living in 21st century society. ~ Jay Castro Cheating Hearts – Another Lover EP (Self Released) This German duo consists of the debonair Stu Black that comes off like a mix of Johnny Cash and Nick Cave belting out vocals and passionately strumming that guita...

The Suicide Notes started as a recording project for Tim (of Epoxies) and some friends. The fun soon couldn’t be contained to just one small recording space and a full band was formed to play live. Three female lead singers were brought in to belt out those dark lyrics while harmonizing like the Ronettes. A backup band was meticulously chosen from the local talent pool including members of the Mean Jeans and Pure Country Gold. Suicide Notes play music in a fun, frantic ‘60’s girl group style only with some slightly demented lyrics. If you want another sense of what this group is like: imagine you’re on a hell bound train with Joey Ramone wearing the conductors cap while listening to The Shangri-La’s as you’re plummeting into the abyss. With lyrics like: “Life is about choice so i choose death so I don't have to see your face and smell your breath.” It’s this bitter and sweet dichotomy in their music that makes them so unique. However humorless squares: find your kicks elsewhere! ...

Venomous Pinks are an all girl punk band from Tempe, AZ. With that being said these four aren’t your typical twinkly pop punk princesses with spunky haircuts. In fact you might find a few of those types of people stuck in these girl’s boot heels. This band plays hard and fast as if they’re the Allied Forces storming the beach at Normandy. If you’ve seen this band live you know what I’m talking about. First you hear the vocals growl the battle commands; next the guitars come in relentlessly spraying sonic projectiles into the battlefield and whatever unlucky bastard is still left standing gets knocked on their face by the heavy guns of the drum kit. It’s a kill or be killed world out there and Venomous Pinks take no prisoners. This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on December 29th, 2014 Interview by J Castro Shock Treatment: Who’s currently in the band and what do you all do in Venomous Pinks? The Venomous Pinks are: Drea Doll – Vocals/Guitar, Jukie – Drums, Gaby Kao...

The Estranged have managed to hitch the cold, brooding atmospherics that are associated with bands like Wire or Joy Division to the hard driving vehicle of punk rock. This marriage is, as most may think to the contrary, not an easy task to accomplish. The qualities that exist in punk and post-punk take a certain kindred spirit or a particular frame of mind in a person to fully appreciate what each of these genres has. So the binding of these two sounds doesn’t produce the most palpable form of music for most. It’s not power pop, or bubblegum, The Estranged play a type of music with a seriously dark and unforgiving side to it. I think many people don’t like to be reminded that these aspects are part of the very essence of what makes one human and it exists in everybody, in some more dormant than others. Once you come to this realization and let this band’s music sink into your soul, you’re gonna wonder where they’ve been your whole life. This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammun...

Man Hands is a tightly coiled powerhouse of a band with apparitions of Chrome and The Fall swirling around them. The band released their self-titled debut LP in the winter of 2012, which was a powder keg of frenzied lo-fi anxiety. In the middle of the sweltering summer of 2013, Man Hands hit the dehydrated youths of Arizona with their second long player titled Misadventures. This time the band came out sounding darker, chaotic and agitated; emotions many Phoenicians can relate to in the sweltering 120° weather. The band has been touring, playing SXSW and have become a fixture in the local music scene in the Phoenix/Tempe area, steadily gaining a loyal following. Soon it won’t just be the good people of the Grand Canyon State, but the entire country, then the world will pledge their allegiance to Man Hands! This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on December 12th, 2014 Interview by J Castro Shock Treatment: So, who’s all in the band what does everyone do in it? JACKIE: M...