Clowns
Endless
(Fat Wreck Chords)
4.5/5
Good hardcore punk rock shocks a person into existence. Melbourne-based Clowns’ latest album Endless effectively achieves this through its thematic approach—the underlying concept being immortality—and by drawing on the genre’s many influences.
After a brief intro featuring a primal scream, the band dives into opening track “Formaldehyde,” a declaration of thematic intention over a skate-punk-style shout-chorus. The tracks that follow provide similar catharsis, notably “Bisexual Awakening,” exploring the power of self-actualization, or “Z3r0s&0n3s,” which touches on the album’s theme through a fictional notion of uploading one’s consciousness digitally.
Lyrically the album is varied, and while exhibiting death-metal-style growling on tracks like “Death Wish,” it remains audible and accessible. The instrumentation strikes a balance between the simplicity of punk and the more involved metal-esque guitar and keyboard work.
Endless is an epic representation of immortality in its many forms.