Turnstiles

To claim that punk is dead has become a well-worn cliché. Happily, though, whenever the genre goes through a rough period, someone always arrives to breathe new life into it. Turnstiles are a case in point; a young Irish quintet who - it soon becomes clear - are not out to waste words (or notes) and are really f**king angry.

Opening track 'Something To Die For' can't fail to grab your attention, with its almost machine-gun-esque drum intro segueing into a melodic verse that is nonetheless shot through with a sense of urgency. Killing Joke are a strong reference point here; vocalist Callum Mitchell's vehement, semi-spoken delivery would surely get a nod of approval from Jaz Coleman and co, as would the chiming guitars and post-punk rhythms of 'Just Bleed' and 'In A State'.

However, it is probably third track 'Omniscient Delusion' that makes the most impact; a fine three-minute statement of the kind of discontent that has long fuelled this genre. "I'm a piece of a puzzle that will never be solved/I'm a pawn in a system that will never be solved" declares Mitchell. He may not have the answers, but his band certainly has a way of confronting the questions head-on.

Ultimately, Turnstiles sound like they made this EP not just as a way to pass these COVID-addled times, but because they'd explode with frustration if they didn't. That what makes it so compelling, and certainly bodes well for what must be incendiary live shows.