The news that Good Charlotte are making a comeback should be enough to make any fan of real punk rock want to go on a deranged killing spree.
But before you start sharpening your Samurai sword, please note that the hardcore punk underground is in an impeccable state of health right now, and Kohti Tuhoa are among its brightest, gnarliest hopes.
Finland have produced plenty of excellent crustpunk and d-beat bands over the years, but this lot are neither lazily generic nor remotely concerned with appeasing middle-aged Broken Bones fans. Whether due to vocalist Helena’s eccentric screeching or the subtly warped riffs that underpin her efforts, Rutiinin Orja oozes individuality in a way that very few comparable records do. Relentlessly exhilarating, brief assaults like Voittojen Maksimointi and Raha Ratkaisee are shots of snotty adrenaline, ragged around the edges but delivered with power and precision. At times it’s like some crazed hybrid of Extreme Noise Terror and Melt-Banana, at others, it’s like Trap Them played at 78rpm. Whatever it is, it’ll help you forget that pop punk is still a thing.
