‘When does it end?  When can the justice begin?  Burn it down, Tear the page, Cuz I can’t fit in this cage, Fight till my life’s depraved, Death on my feet than on my knees’ (Ballad Of A Fool)

Hailing from Baltimore, and featuring members of Truth Cult, BIB, and Angel Dust, No Idols came together through a shared desire to immerse themselves in the base essentials of their shared 1980s’ USHC inspirations.  And this they have done in some style on this, their self-titled debut 7-inch.

It rampages along with the unbridled intensity you would anticipate, yet No Idols are also not averse to locking into a heavy groove and letting it breathe, nor to firing off catchy leads with abandon.  Meanwhile, the energetically snarled vocals acutely dissect the social polarisation and state sanctioned violence enveloping the US.  My personal highlights are the southern-tinged stomp of Into The Spiral and the combative escalation of the more expansive Ballad Of A Fool.