BRUISE - a young band bringing a new wave of post-punk

Image: 'Country's A State' Album Art

My personal favourite type of local, young band always involves itself in punk music - it’s essentially airing out any teenage anger and gives us the chance to actually spread a message with music. Kent-based postpunk band BRUISE do exactly this, with a few added extras of hardcore and noise.

Let’s start with the most recent single, ‘Country’s A State’. It’s anything you could ask for from a young band: heavy elements of ricocheting guitar riffs, a raw punk vocal, and last but not least… lyrics depicting the shambles the nation has devolved into. The song begins with a steady drum beat - the type of thing you can build up a mosh to (which is probably a common aspect of a BRUISE gig), but the song isn’t just made to enjoy in a venue. There are some more complex and hardcore instrumentals, like the guitar at the end that sounds as though it’s being played into an echo chamber. So yeah, from that you can tell that this band doesn’t just create your standard three-chord track. You can stream it here, on the band’s Spotify if you want to experience it yourself.

Another song that piqued my interest was Drown. Although it’s currently a demo, it contains a nostalgic, alternative rock tone that’s difficult to create with its intricate and cascading melody. This, paired with short percussive elements and contrasted with brutal vocals just melts together to make something oddly calming. The feeling’s reminiscent of listening to King Krule’s music, but sounds more like that of Tash Sultana. I can’t wait for the completed version to come out ;)

BRUISE is an amazing emerging band with a perfect blend of multiple genres. Find their music on Spotify and Soundcloud, and follow them on Instagram: @bruise band.