Disaffect – Sanctus Propaganda Sessions Vol.3

Sanctus Propaganda Sessions Vol.3 is, as the name would suggest, the third in a series from the label. They get a band into Dobra 12 studio in Poland for a day to record a live session for an album. This one was actually recorded the day after they had recorded the Blood Red Seas EP in the same studio. I guess it saved set up time!

The Sanctus Propaganda series has a purpose “to remind us that any form of protest against authority is a vital part towards change.” Punk music as an act of protest. For people who say punk shouldn’t be political, Sanctus Propaganda provide a neat counter argument. Every release in the series is a benefit for an organisation or cause chosen by the band concerned. In this case it is 161 Crew, which is a Polish antifascist and antiauthoritarian project set up to proselytise and spread antifascist culture.

Disaffect thunder their way through 13 songs taken from various EPs. This covers songs from from the ’90s up to a couple from the recent Blood Red Seas EP we reviewed already. The socio-political subject matter of this collection ranges from human rights concerns such as fighting fascism, religion and colonialism through to animal and earth liberation.

The whirlwind wall of sound that a live session can sometimes produce is perfect for a band like Disaffect. The drums hammer like a road drill. The meandering bass and duelling guitars combine into a wall of twang and motorbike engine roar. Brutal. Meanwhile Joe and Lynne take it in turns to shout and growl at the top of their throaty voices. Even the melodic intros to “Can’t See The Woods” and “The End” soon ramp up the speed and ferocity. This is my kind of punk noise—raw and belligerent, political and unapologetic, and pressed on a nice translucent blue.