‘Communidades destruidas, Em nome do progresso, Invadídas…Empurrados pela ganãncia, Obrigados a sair com intolerãncia’ (Genocídio Por Gentrificação) / ‘Communities destroyed, In the name of progress, Invaded… Pushed by greed, Forced to leave with intolerance’ (Genocide By Gentrification)

Hailing from Macedonia, Sistema Obsoleto (Obsolete System) make their debut with a seething 7-inch, Esmagado Pela Engrenagem Capitalista (Crushed By The Capitalist Gear).  The EP title sets the scene perfectly as does the band’s logo which draws on the band’s founding inspirations – the lightning fast hardcore of Totalitär and the anarcho-punk political convictions of Crass.  This is a vision that the band realise musically in compelling fashion.

Blistering fast, d-beat fuelled hardcore? Check.  Chunky bass lines and manically frenzied drums underpin the ferocious guitars and squalling, blues-tinged solos.  The first four tracks are remorselessly fast, before matters are brought to a crushing climax by the sludge mired closer, Ideias Venenosas (Poisonous Ideas).

Politically charged convictions?  Check.  The rabid Portuguese vocals weave together a compelling deconstruction of our late-stage capitalist malaise.  They tackle themes of economic exploitation on the title track, urban displacement on Genocídio Por Gentrificação, and surveillance capitalism on Alucinação Consensual (Consensual Hallucination), before O Oprimido Vira O Opressor (The Oppressed Becomes The Oppressor) explores the cycles of violence propagated throughout history.