29 November 2023
Hardcore punk is one of the music genres that I respect very much in terms of content and attitude, but I have never been able to fully adapt to. However, sometimes people come along and say, look, this is not what you think, listen to this. Lewd Acts is no exception to this.
Lewd Acts is a hardcore punk band from San Diego. The band has released several demos and EPs after being founded in 2005. In 2009, they signed an agreement with Deatwish Inc., one of the companies that are the stronghold of hardcore punk bands. I listened to it the year it was released and was happy to discover this gem. When I decided to write the album, which I have listened occasionally since then, I made a search on internet to see to see the band’s latest situation. From what I’ve read, I have learned that they had decided to disband in 2010, and in 2012 they announced that they had an intention to work on new material. But I lost contact after again.
Lewd Acts have an aggressive attitude. Although they generally act within the routines of the genre, there is a state of madness in this album that is reminiscent of Kvelertak, who melts various genres in the same pot.
Taking into consideration the album name and cover together, it is possible to perceive the atmosphere of black humor in the album. As it’s usual in this genre, the album has a short duration of around 28 minutes. The 11 tracks are lyrical continuations of each other. The album has a concept. It’s briefly about the story of a man who left his hometown and started a new life with his brother. The album opens with Know Where To Go and closes with Nowhere To Go, meaning that it starts with a positive expectation and ends negatively. It is a hopeless, bittersweet story. However, they definitely do not adopt a tearful attitude while doing this. There is music that gets really harsh at times, maintains its joyful feeling, and will blow the crowd away at live performances. Even though there are short and calm passages in the music, it generally has a very energetic atmosphere.
They have created an album rich with musicality and soul. The drummer, who is especially responsible for the rhythm, did a very good job. Vocalist Tyler enlightens the band’s path like a night light. Maybe he is one of the characters of the concept, taking into account that the member sings the songs with a lot of feeling, as if he was tearing himself apart.
We can talk about a very complete musical structure throughout the album. In that respect, it’s hard to name a song that stands out. However, I can still recommend ‘Nightcrawlers’ or ‘Penmanship Sailed’ to my friends who want to taste it at first hand.
In conclusion, the work that would perhaps deserve a full score for a hardcore punk fan deserves a very high score even for a metal fan like me. It’s an entertaining album that will make you vent your anger, relax, close your eyes and find yourself stagediving.
8,5/10