Traición – ST / EP

Monterrey, Mexico’s vegan anarchist punks Traición caught my attention last summer with their demo tape Cadena Perpetua. Though lacking in production quality, their debut pulled off a passionate, political hardcore sound, blending the classic youth crew spirit with d-beat urgency and punk rock hooks. The lyrics, all in Spanish, tackled systemic oppression while making space for liberation and resistance.

However, Traición’s new self-titled EP, released in May 2025, took me by surprise. It feels like a clear continuation of what they started, but with more intent. The production is a bit punchier, and while the sound has shifted slightly toward the melodic side, the urgency remains intact. There are three songs total, one of which is a cover, and the whole thing has the feel of a promo tape for something larger.

Traición’s politics are front and center, yet they never feel preachy or detached. Opener “1312” is not the typical anti-police anthem. Instead, it’s a call to reject carceral thinking altogether. The line “kill the cop inside you” challenges us to unlearn the culture of punishment and control. It’s about building support networks, not cages. This message, coupled with the song’s melodic structure, immediately brought to mind Spanish melodic punk bands from the 2010s, namely Decisión, Duelo, and Accidente, and I didn’t have to wait long to see that connection confirmed.

The next song, “Querer la Libertad” (To Want Freedom), is originally from Madrid’s band Duelo’s March 2012 demo. It fits seamlessly with the band’s own material. The lyrics are compassionate and firm, drawing a line between humility and conviction. Though is a cover, the line “we are not the only ones who want freedom” feels like the emotional core of the whole EP. The message is one of shared struggle, recognizing the need to step down from pedestals, to stop treating other beings (human or non-human animal) as objects, and to live a life without domination.

The final track, “¿Hasta cuándo?” (How Long?), snaps things back into motion. It’s a declaration that waiting around is no longer an option. Whether everything explodes on its own or we help it along, things need to change. The track starts in a thrashing protest punk mode, then picks up into a proper youth crew-style breakdown. It’s got all the frustration, urgency, and resolve packed into a tight, two-minute burst.

As with most hardcore punk that I like, Traición belong to a scene committed to transformative justice, punk as praxis, and the messy, non-linear work of building a different world. And this EP, even at just three songs, feels like part of that bigger work. If an album is coming, I’m fully on board.