A hardcore punk rager of a debut album from this Midlands crew!
Metalcore-style riffing and chunky breakdowns certainly have their place in hardcore, but ultimately the genre’s origins lie in punk, and kudos to Grail Guard for planting their flag firmly in punk territory – ripping through ten tracks in just over twenty minutes. The band are based in and around the Midlands, and originally formed in 2022; this is their debut album.
Much of ‘Still No Future’ is informed by frontman Riaz’s British-Indian heritage; in particular, the racism and xenophobia that he and his family have experienced over the years. “Invited into this country/To do jobs you wouldn’t do” he roars on the early ‘Our Streets’, backed by an abrasive guitar attack reminiscent of the Dead Kennedys. It’s fierce, confrontational stuff with a message that needs to be heard, and sets the tone for much of what comes after.
On the likes of ‘Cruel Britannia’, ‘Still Fucked Up’ (complete with great gang vocals!) and previous single ‘Anxieties’ they don’t waste a word – or a note. No wonder Riaz complains about being unable to sleep on ‘Insomnia’ – it’s rare that we hear a band (and especially their vocalist) sound quite as fired up and brimming with righteous rage as Grail Guard do here. Even when they slow things down a tad for the closing ‘Rats’, they still utterly slay.
At times, we’re reminded of Gallows’ sophomore album ‘Grey Britain’; not only because of the musical vitriol within, but also in terms of how unflinchingly they address the current state of this country. ‘Still No Future’ is hardcore that hasn’t just been written and recorded, but also lived – and that’s what makes it so essential. Keep an eye and ear on this lot – we certainly will.
‘Still No Future’ is released on 6th March via TNS Records – pre-order it HERE.
- People Just Like You
- Our Streets
- Insomnia
- Cruel Britannia
- Still Fucked Up
- Anxieties
- Safe Space
- Alan
- The Rotten
- Rats
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I spend my days teaching English to foreign students, and my evenings attending as many gigs as possible. Raised mainly on a diet of 90s third-wave punk, my tastes have grown to include just about anything from trad ska to thrash metal. The Ramones are my musical gods.
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