Review / 200 Words Or Less
Acid Fast
Rabid Moon

Protagonist (2014) Nathan G. O'Brien

Acid Fast – Rabid Moon cover artwork
Acid Fast – Rabid Moon — Protagonist, 2014

Acid Fast play really angst-y yet bouncy punk rock that is rooted as deeply in the Midwest sound as it is the Pacific Northwest. But here’s the thing: they’re not from Olympia or Minneapolis or Portland or Chicago; they’re from Oakland. But goddamn, if they don’t sound like a band that came up playing damp basements alongside The SoviettesRVIVR, Mean Jeans, or The Brokedowns. At times it’s a bit imitative but that’s easily forgivable since it’s also incredibly charming thanks to the melodic male-female vocal tradeoff, and really rockin’ because of the fuzzy bass, driving drums, and spirited guitar.

It’s the awesomely-named Hannah Conda’s presence on Rabid Moon that really keeps the album from treading too far into derivative wearisomeness. Although it works quite well when she is adding backups to Frank Mann’s best Blake Schwarzenbach-like lead vocals, the standout songs are the ones where she takes center stage. Songs like “Old Idea”, “Rupert”, and “Tease” are heart string-y numbers whose lo-fi melodies conjure memories of any number of female-fronted ‘90s alt-rock darlings as much as they do the modern masters like Gateway District.

Rabid Moon strikes me as the kind of release that will either fly largely under the radar, adored only by the underground, or will end up catching the ear of some big shot taste-making webzine and blowing the F up. (You’re welcome.) It’s a damn fine record, and although stylistically very different, is right up there with Iron Hand’s Injected Fear and Brain F≠’s Empty Set as one of best punk full-lengths of the year so far.

Acid Fast – Rabid Moon cover artwork
Acid Fast – Rabid Moon — Protagonist, 2014

Related news

Hear "Tangle" from Acid Fast

Posted in MP3s on December 17, 2013

Recently-posted album reviews

Ekko Astral

pink balloons
Topshelf (2024)

Their music is for people “who are struggling, who are at their absolute lowest". That’s a quote from vocalist and guitar player Jael Holzman talking to The Washington Post. Am I struggling? Am I at my absolute lowest? No. Have I had a bit of a rough patch? Sure (it’s not that bad- don’t worry about it mom). Work sucks, … Read more

Build Us Airplanes

All Things Expire
Sell The Heart Records (2024)

Build Us Airplanes covers a lot of ground on this 9 song LP, All Things Expire. It’s melodic punk for the most part, but with distinct elements of emo, post-hardcore and what I’ll call post-screamo, meaning there are somewhat jarring vocal shifts, but minus the blunt aggression. The overall vibe of this record is angry and somewhat somber, while still … Read more

Lustmord

Much Unseen Is Also Here
PELAGIC RECORDS (2024)

Lustmord, the reluctant pioneer of the dark ambient scene has returned with another expansive work of existential dread in Much Unseen Is Also Here. His arsenal of industrial components, field recordings, and sampling are engineered to evoke a true sense of cosmic horror. While many extreme music acts embrace the terrifying aspects of the Lovecraftian literary corpus, few can transmit … Read more