Banda Des Femer – Herència Enverinada

I love getting records sung in languages other than English, and Herència Enverinada comes delivered in Menorcan Catalan, the language spoken on the Mediterranean island of Menorca. That alone already gives it character. The band’s name roughly translates to something like “band of pile of shit,” which somehow made me think of that old anarcho-punk classic If They Treat You Like Shit – Act Like Manure by Alternative.

Anyway, on this record, Banda Des Femer tear through seven tracks that sound as direct and primitive as it gets. There is a strong d-beat backbone drawing from the British and Scandinavian tradition, but it is crossed with some mid-tempo stomps and even a few melodic, almost sing-along moments. At times the band slips into a kind of frantic thrashing that reminds me of Active Minds, like a 33 RPM record accidentally spinning at 45. At other points, the crude vocal delivery brings to mind ’80s Catalan and Spanish punk at its best. You can feel that rawness in your guts, yet the mix and mastering are surprisingly good for a record this unpretentious in spirit.

Lyrically, Banda Des Femer take aim at the usual targets: nationalism, militarism, colonial violence, and social hypocrisy. “Cowboy Mort” paints a picture of zombie empires feeding on human flesh. The title track “Herència Enverinada” directly confronts Zionism and what they call Israel’s industry of death, openly declaring “Palestina sobreviurà! Palestina serà lliure!” (Palestine will survive! Palestine will be free!). Other songs, like “Totes Ses Banderes Estan Fetes A Xina” (All the Flags Are Made in China), mock nationalism by pointing out the absurdity behind national pride, while others attack social media fakery and the existential emptiness of modern life. The closer “King Korb” (King Crow) ends things with eerie crow caws.

If you listen to this online, the cover might look a bit plain and boring. In reality, this is a single-sided picture disc vinyl, with a sick graphic pressed onto the unplayable side. It is much cooler than first expected. Musically and lyrically, Herència Enverinada delivers exactly what I want from a genuinely DIY punk record. It is openly confrontational: anti-state, anti-war, anti-nationalist, and anti-hypocrisy. You can hear the legacy of Discharge, Shitlickers, Anti-Cimex, MG-15, HHH, Eskorbuto, and more, but none of it feels like it is just for aesthetics. Sung in a local tongue and fueled by global rage, this is punk that knows where it stands.