Noxeema: S/T 7"

NOXEEMA are old friends that know how to form a band. Originally started as a cross-continental summer band in 2014, they have morphed into a very casual local band in Portland, Oregon. This is the music you hear from under the floorboards at the local punk house. This is the kind of punk that exists because people are friends.

Our take: Debut 7” from this Portland band. The sound is fast punk rock bordering on hardcore with an undistorted guitar and a dynamic, charismatic vocalist. While people who were into hardcore in the 00s would compare them to Regulations or Social Circkle, the personality-drenched vocals and proto-hardcore sound remind me the most of the Bags. Despite being in this stylistic pocket, it doesn’t sound like Noxeema is trying to be anyone but themselves, so they aren’t afraid to experiment with simple melodic vocal parts like on “Time to Go” or push into Amde Petersen’s Arme-type hardcore territory on “Victim Story.” With a great recording and eight songs packed onto a 45rpm 7”, you’ll enjoy this if you’re a fan of the bands mentioned above.