The Arrivals have been a band for 30 years -- though they’ve made us wait 16 years for the follow-up to 2010’s Volatile Molotov. While a ton of time has passed and the band has moved, literally in some cases, and raised children in others, their sound is still the same: thoughtful and timeless DIY punk, rooted in foundational rock ‘n’ roll. We sat down for a group phone call with half the band last month to learn more about the making of their brand new album, Payload. Scene Point Blank: It's been 16 years since Volatile Molotov. You kind of paused, roughly a decade ago. What happened between then and now? Dave Merriman: I got a I got offered like a jobby-job, doing graphic design and I wasn't able to tour as much. It stomped on our momentum. And soon after, Isaac moved to California. Isaac Thotz: Paddy had [a child] right around then as well. It was a lot of things happening all at once. Dave Merriman: And then Isaac started Treasure Fleet and that picked up some steam. That was a few of those years. Scene Point Blank: You did some Christmas shows in Chicago and stuff like that, right? Did you consider yourself inactive or on hiatus or just, like, life getting in the way? Isaac Thotz: We definitely didn't talk about taking a hiatus. It just kind of happened that way. Dave Merriman: There was always a show here and there. We did the show … Read more
Almost three decades after their original run, The Gits remain a vital part of Seattle’s punk rock history. Their raw … Read more
I first discovered the New York Dolls in the mid-to-late 1980s, just as I was beginning to stretch the boundaries … Read more
Punk’s never been about polish. It’s about passion, sweat, and the grind it takes to keep going when most people … Read more
Tear It On Down is the third record from Sweat and it picks up where the last two left off. It's aggressive hardcore punk, but with a playful groove or swagger that really makes it feel uplifting, even when the content is not. Case in point: "Surveillance State," which rolls kind of like a call-and-response song, except that lead vocalist … Read more
Growing up is rarely cinematic in real time but when you look back, it can feel mythic. On Year Of Summers, New Jersey’s Latchkey Kids frame heartbreak, identity, and grief through something closer to epic storytelling than simple emo confession. It’s a record that understands the drama of youth without romanticizing it. Frontman Hanny Ramadan positions the album as a … Read more
Recipe: Mental Gymnast Self-Titled Creator: Mental Gymnast Cookbook: Say-10 Recipes Copyright: 2/27/26 Ingredients: 1 Very Ripe Adam Gecking on Vocals 1 Stick Unsalted Erica Clayton on Bass 2 Slices Scotty Sandwich (1 Slice Guitar, 1 Slice Drums) 1 Dash Chris Ruckus on Synths Directions: *Preheat the recording studio to 65 degrees. Add all of the ingredients together in “One Big … Read more
There’s always a risk when a band forms out of legacy. Especially one tied to something as influential as Die Kreuzen. Lean too hard on the past and it becomes nostalgia. Push too far away and you lose the thread entirely. On Outlier, The Crosses manage to thread that needle, delivering a debut EP that feels less like a revival … Read more
There’s a fine line between being a quirky emo band with scene references and something that actually sticks. On Keyframe, Columbus trio Palette Knife don’t just flirt with that line … Read more
There is a specific kind of sultry, salty sweat that only happens in a room with low ceilings and a tube amp screaming a warm hum for forgiveness. You can … Read more
It's been a short lifetime since the last Arrivals record, Volatile Molotov, but in many ways the new Payload picks up exactly where the last one left off. It straddles … Read more
Gary Young wasn’t just a drummer; he was a beautiful, unpredictable glitch poking a hole in the sky where other lovable misfits could enter and leave this universe they’d grace … Read more
Mrs. Magician is back! For those unfamiliar, Mrs. Magician is a garage punk band based in San Diego, CA. They formed in 2010 and between then and 2016, they managed … Read more
Sometimes I like to come into a record as a blank slate. Amy Beth And Thee Creeps sent me a short email with their latest EP, Shitheel. It's a 4-song … Read more
We're pleased to bring you a full stream of Blistering, a new full-length album from Cut-Rate Druggist of Oakland, CA. Out on April 7, this is your spot to hear it early and often, courtesy of the band, DCxPC Records, and Scene Point Blank. Rules are made to be broken, … Read more
Fresh off Coachella and the late night circuit, one-time Talking Heads frontman David Byrne has announced new North American dates, to be followed by a trip to Asia. Byrne resumed … Read more
Oathbreaker's 2016 album Rheia -- reviewed at SPB a decade ago -- will be reissued as a Rheia (Redux) by Deathwish Inc on Ma9 29, with a full remaster and … Read more
Franklin, sometimes written as !franklin during their 1992-2000 run, will have their 1995 album Go Kid Go reissued in deluxe form by Solid Brass. The new 2xLP collection included all … Read more
Modest Mouse returns with another single and news of a new LP. The band is going to release An Eraser and a Maze on June 5 on vocalist Isaac Brock's … Read more
The Action, billed as "Canada's first punk band," has announced a ''The 50th anniversary Tour!" in 2026 tour, featuring original vocalist Ted Axe joined by a new lineup of musicians, … Read more
Slow Shiv from Nashville, TN, just shared the single "Ridiculous Beast" from their upcoming EP, II, out next month. The band features a lineup of Jordan Smith, Dan Diaz, and … Read more
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