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It’s not too often that punk bands from the US are able to capture the drama and urgency of European HC punk. There’s always been a certain bleakness that bands across the pond are able to tap into and channel through their music. Which brings us to the new split 7” from New York’s PYREX, who absolutely capture that feeling, and their Dutch counterparts, TRAUMATIZER. The two bands met at Izero Fest in 2025, stayed in touch, and the result is this record, and a forthcoming European tour together this November.
Pyrex are a unique band in their ability to capture the sound of anxiety and discomfort on record. Singer Joe Hardwick delivers his vocals like a claustrophobic person trapped in a coffin, pure GET ME OUTTA HERE energy. The Brooklyn power trio have spent the past several years relentlessly playing and touring outside of NYC, cultivating a loyal fanbase along the way.
Their sound falls somewhere between RUDIMENTARY PENI and TOŽIBABE, but run through a modern hardcore punk filter that gives it more speed and drive. Their side of this split perfectly captures the tightness and power of their live performance. A pummelling rhythm section sets them apart from a lot of the moodier punk bands operating in similar territory.
If you liked PYREX’s last output, you’ll surely enjoy the new material. At this point, they’ve found their sound and honed it to a fine point.
TRAUMATIZER are no-frills and straight to the point. They play raging d-beat with metallic leads that remind me a bit of Richmond’s PUBLIC ACID. It’s catchy and rockin’ like later CIMEX or POISON IDEA , but what really stands out are the vocals. They come blaring over the mix like a low-flying plane that makes you want to duck for cover. I can’t tell if this is a lazy comparison, but the shouted delivery immediately screams Health Hazard, which is a huge compliment coming from me.
Both bands approach this kind of dark, raw hardcore from different angles, but they make perfect sense together on a split. Pyrex sound more dialed-in than ever, and TRAUMATIZER have definitely put themselves on my radar. Watch the fuck out for TRAUMATIZER.
-Mike Hillerson