One of the things that initially drew me to punk rock music was earnestness. I guess you can say it's the main ingredient that continues to bring me back to that particular cookie jar over and over. Do you have something to say? And more importantly do I believe in you enough for me to buy what you're selling? I can't recall the exact moment I first heard Home Front or even the first song, but I can tell you how it made me feel. I know this because it's the same way listening to this, the band's second LP. It makes me sit up straight, pay attention, clench my fists, and decide whole heartedly that the struggle is worth carrying on. From this, you can conclude that I indeed opened up my old Boba Fett wallet and bought what Home Front was selling me.  I have been eagerly awaiting this release since the very first announcements were made. After listening to Watch It Die  a few times, swishing it around my head and really taking it in, I decided that it did not disapp...

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...