A raw, unfiltered debut from this French hardcore crew!
Play this debut album from French hardcore quartet Marvin Heemeyer to an unsuspecting passer-by, and they’d probably complain something along the lines of “it’s just a load of shouting over guitar noise”. Ah, but what they probably don’t understand is that the best hardcore is served up raw and abrasive, and that’s exactly what Marvin Heemeyer do here. So you can’t always make out every word that comes out of vocalist Joule. Who cares, when his impassioned yelling suits the music this well?
The band fall on the punk side of hardcore, and rip through twelve songs in just 24 minutes. Sure, there’s the odd mosh-worthy twist here and there, but Marvin Heemeyer clearly understand the concept of ‘less is more’ – and for that reason they mostly keep things stripped-back and direct. A slow-building intro track gives way to ‘Old Stuff’, and my goodness, when the band really put the pedal to the metal, it’s the hardcore equivalent of being on a super-fast rollercoaster. Unsurprisingly they do this regularly on ‘A New Low’, to devastating effect; witness the likes of ‘Stand Still’ and ‘Gross’, and prepare to feel ALIVE.
‘Betharram’ is a particular highlight; with full-tilt punk rock rage giving way to chunky mid-paced riffing, and then they go in for the kill on the following ‘Layers’. “Nowhere To Be Found’, meanwhile, has some great call-and-response style vocals, and a suitably beefy breakdown towards the end. Our personal favourite, though, has to be ‘Stone’, with its gloriously sinister, rumbling bass intro and insistent guitar riffing – clearly these folks are just as effective when they ease up in terms of speed.
It’s all so beautifully bleak, and sounds like music born of desperation, as if the band needed to make this record as an outlet for whatever is weighing heavily on their minds. That’s what makes it so compelling, and ironically enough, with a debut of this calibre, a bright future surely awaits Marvin Heemeyer. Check them out – shouting over guitar noise rarely sounded so good.
‘A New Low’ is released on 2nd October – check it out HERE.
Main Photo Credit: HUGO ORENGA
- Intro
- Old Stuff
- You’re So Right
- Banged Up
- Betharram
- Layers
- Stone
- Stand Still
- Nowhere To Be Found
- Gross
- No One
- Pointless
Follow Marvin Heemeyer on Their Socials:
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Album Review: Harker release brand new ‘All That Remains’ LP on Disconnect Disconnect Records
Brighton-based band Harker are playing various gigs around the UK this autumn, and to accompany this jaunt, Disconnect Disconnect Records have released their new album,
The Interrupters are BACK with a new single and 2027 tour dates!
Los Angeles outfit The Interrupters return after four years with a video for their triumphant new single ‘Warrior Spirit’! The new wave-inspired track is rooted
Machete Law, London Devonshire Arms, 10th Oct 2026
Tonight, I find myself back at The Dev, but fear not; though it may be a favourite haunt for London’s goths and metalheads, I’m not
Yur Mum celebrate 10 years of Fuzz with Healthy Junkies & Wonk Unit at The Underworld 27/9/26
A decade ago, Yur Mum realised the world needed more riffs with a Brazilian backbeat. Throwing a great party to celebrate 10 years of the
Album review: ‘The Halloween Album’ by The Goldstars
In need of some spooky tunes? The Goldstars serve up a tasty Halloween treat with their first release in 20 years! ‘The Halloween Album’ has
Meryl Streek, London 100 Club, 8th Oct 2026
Tonight is a cause for celebration on two counts. It’s not just that self-described ‘one-man punk band’ Meryl Streek is on the eve of releasing
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.
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
