Cold Brats • Gel

2022

This is an EP split by Cold Brats from Romania and Gel from the garden state. New Jersey hardcore has found a stable pillar in Gel. Coldbrats are extremely reminiscent of Germs and hold their own on the release. These Bucharest punks are extremely tongue-in-cheek with their content and seem to just disregard lyrical depth entirely in leu of songs with titles like ‘I Love Scooby Doo’, and ‘Mac and Cheese’. As far as Gel, they’re a cut above. If The Breeders and Discharge had a tea party, this is what you would get. A blend of raw, unmitigated, gnash and a tear off the riot grrrl playbook coupled with a groove that can’t be stopped. This is what I like about good art. It doesn’t mean to be quality art. Even when it’s ugly and defiled, it still creates from a source that is masterfully astute and harmonic. What I like about this band is that they play in the pocket and Sami Kaiser is ferocious. They’re able to implement alternative influences while also remaining authentically enraged. It’s wonderful to see women in hardcore making as quality of a product as Gel.

10/10