MUGGER

These are chaotic times. Everyone is busy. Everyone is pissed off. No one has the time to get their shit together. This is punk rock time, and MUGGER are the perfect band to meet the moment. "Luck Forever" lasts for barely 25 minutes, which means that everybody should be able to find time to at least get some of it into their ears. It is also an album that defies the usual expectations around punk and hardcore, with a sound that owes as much to mid-'70s first wave punk, THE STOOGES in their prime, and primitive, old-school hardcore as it does to anything more contemporary. Perhaps most importantly, "Luck Forever" is visceral, noisy and purposefully ragged around the edges.

In the best possible way, vocalist Anna Troxell is a screeching banshee who slashes and stabs her way out of MUGGER's cacophonous bluster with the wild charisma of Wendy O Williams wielding a chainsaw. Meanwhile, her comrades are audibly hell-bent on ignoring the rulebook. From the opening savagery of "Crank It Up" onwards, this short, sharp record pulls from noise rock, dirty grind and even the madcap extremism of Japanese hardcore, while also displaying a focus and ferocity that glues these songs together into one punishing, sub-half-hour demonstration of filthy prowess. It's ridiculously exciting, particularly at skull-shattering volume, and subtly original too.

There are countless moments here that will make otherwise sane people want to drive their cars into the nearest brick wall. Despite lasting for just over 60 seconds, the title track is a magnificent, memorable squall of murderous rage. Lightly infused with the dirtiest rock 'n' roll imaginable, the likes of "Bury You" and "101" have a BLACK FLAG-like, unhinged swagger to them. In contrast, "Get A Clue" is simply a very fine punk rock song, albeit one that refuses to outstay its welcome, and comes and goes in the blink of a bruised, blackened eye. Elsewhere, "Know It All" is unsavory sludge, straight from the garage; "All Time Tough Guy" paints a withering picture of squinting meatheads everywhere, with Anna Troxell sounding more incensed than seems strictly healthy; and "Dickhead Logic" is an ugly, feedback-haunted tirade, delivered at a threatening mid-pace, with sudden bursts of formless viciousness punctuating its forward stomp. Best of all, "Find Out" pairs the Austin quartet with NEGATIVE APPROACH legend John Brannon, which ensures that maximum hardcore punk intensity is achieved (with a side order of unassailable pedigree thrown in for free).

Worried that MUGGER will break your nose and steal your wallet? You should be. "Luck Forever" is the kind of spontaneous assault that leaves permanent scars and lasting trauma. It's also one of the finest punk records in recent memory. Buckle up.