Krimewatch – Self-Titled
The long-awaited KRIMEWATCH LP is finally here
New York City’s KRIMEWATCH are part of the new wave of excellent young bands taking the punk scene by storm. If this is somehow your first encounter with the band and their notorious logo, I recommend you pay close attention to this one.
Finding an outstanding DIY punk rock band in a sea of d-beat, crust and metal is like looking for a needle in a haystack. That’s why NYC’s Krimewatch have been getting some well-deserved attention over the past few years, and I’m really excited that they’ve finally managed to release a proper, if only twelve-minute, album. The LP contains all the hits from their two previous releases. Here are instant favorites “Machismo” and “New York Nightmare” from their promo flexi on Boss Tuneage, while “小便 たれ.” and “Coward” were all rage and fury on their highly acclaimed demo. In addition to the new kick given to these four songs, there are also five brand new bangers that follow the same path; short, catchy and distorted punk rock with screamed female vocals and driving beats that have a knack for Japanese punk and the pinnacles of New York hardcore sound.
Singer Rhylli knows how to deliver shouty vocals while spitting lyrics in both her native Japanese and English in a way that sounds interesting and eventually gets stuck in your head. Emma’s active bass lines build up a relentless punk rock rhythm, while the breakdowns and guitar riffs would not be the same without the influence of heyday NYHC classics such as Krakdown (also an influence on Krimewatch’s name), Leeway, Warzone or Agnostic Front. The cover artwork is also a standout—the ubiquitous dark silhouette of Krimewatch (a subversion of the Neighborhood Watch symbol) watches over a graffiti-like drawing of upstate New York.
The Japanese lyrics and influences, far from contradicting the overall theme, add to the overall picture of NYC as a multicultural melting pot that has produced generations of angry youth of all creeds and colors, for whom subcultures and music scenes remain their strongest means of expression to this day. At the same time, the great community vibe is threatened by personal conflicts and glaring social issues like poverty, sexism, racism, police violence, and gentrification. So here comes the shady Krimewatch figure on patrol, more like a street justice hero, to protect your friends and neighbors from the violent gangs of macho assholes, cops and businessmen. Get your copy from Lockin’ Out Records!
