EP REVIEW: SCUM – BEX

BEX started her career in her student bedroom as the 2020 lockdowns started to bite. She was already a fan of PARAMORE, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and many others, so she decided to pick up the bass guitar and hone her craft. She discovered that everything sounded better if the notes were played lower down. This innovation – as well as her creativity in making her own stage outfits – is one of the many reasons that she has acquired a rapidly-growing fanbase. This past summer saw her play at 2000 Trees and Y Not? festivals, and now with her debut EP SCUM, BEX is ready to become the new face of punk music.

Chained Into My Brain starts with a distorted bass riff before BEX‘s vocals come in. Her unique vocal style instantly hooks you in. It’s spoken in the verses and shouted in the chorus. The song never loses its momentum, even though it has a short runtime, and there is even some vocal distortion that is briefly used. Don’t Date The Devil is a grungy song that is fun and makes the most of the bass. It does sound sonically similar to the previous song, which isn’t a bad thing because it provides consistency, but it is overshadowed by Filfy, which is an explosion of riot girl punk with everything dialled up to 11 and makes for a real highlight.

Misogynistic D—s is a poignant song about the truth of being a woman in the world. However, it is also an inspiring one, as there is a rallying call to power before SPYD4 K1NG and Trust No One close the record. The former is told from a perspective of a spider, which provides some unique lyrics and works really well. It just shows how talented BEX is at songwriting. The latter is a grungy rock song with some distorted vocals. Not only is this a callback to the opening song, bringing the EP full circle, but it also shows that she is not afraid to expand the sound of punk. Despite only being six tracks, the EP has a brilliant pacing. Although the first two songs are sonically similar, the rest of the EP broadens the sound, as each track has its own unique tone.

Overall, SCUM shows why BEX is one of the most exciting up-and-coming musicians. Her unique take on punk by expanding its sound with experimentation is innovative, and this EP shows how skilled she is as a song and lyric writer, with SPYD4 K1ING being arguably the best example. The new wave of punk is here, and BEX is proudly leading the way.

Rating: 9/10

SCUM is set for release on October 27th via Scruff Of The Neck Records.

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