ALBUM REVIEW: Melanin Punk – Oxymorrons

There are three distinct parts to good punk rock. They might show up in unequal measure, but the formula requires the three ingredients to truly work: heart, rage and story. The old guard often rode one or two of those hard but never lacked the others. See BLACK FLAG and THE GERMS, who channelled incandescent rage into their storytelling and backed up every word of it. Or there are the newer acts, who shifted the balance around to craft their own unique recipe. NO USE FOR A NAME, as an example, used powerful, emotive storytelling where the rage could bubble over at any minute.

Then you have the splits that come as close to a third of the take each as possible – enter NYC rap-punk act OXYMORRONS on that front. Melanin Punk, their first full-length following EP Mohawks And Durags, takes the insanely varied formula laid out by that record and riles up the beast even further, turning up the hard hits and dishing out equal doses of beats, punches and soul.

The whole album runs as a chronological story and the band waste no time in kicking off that story in style. Enemy crashes drill, metal and punk together to create a snarling tone-setter that snaps you to attention and brings the journey of our main character to life, before tracks like Look Alive (Netic) continue the narrative in full sonic style.

There’s absolutely no shortage of rage to whet the punk appetite, either. The whole album burns white-hot with fully intended anger at times with zero phoning-in. Head For The Hills’ slow intro lures the listener into the lair of a brooding behemoth before it snatches them up and paints the walls with a tale of untethered rebellious aggression; the smash-and-grab breakdown from KID BOOKIE is a treat, too. The title track is a row of middle fingers to the powers that weigh heaviest on the marginalised and truth-tellers alike, that throws a barrage of punches for a suitably punk runtime.

But for every hot moment, there’s something to even out the impressive see-saw act going on. Last Call is an infectious yet sombre affair, dripping with emo-style choruses and a subdued hip-hop bounce that is matched perfectly by the breathy tones of TROI IRONS. Meanwhile, closer Moon Chasers is a fitting end to the running story throughout, pairing a particularly bright tone with optimistic lyricism that couldn’t be a more fitting look to the future for both our protagonist and whoever is tuning in. It really is a masterfully balanced affair throughout.

Explosive, engaging and emotional, Melanin Punk is a powerhouse three-way split of everything that makes a great punk album. Even at its most varied, the styles click together like old friends and the supporting cast elevate the entire production to soaring, swaggering heights. This is one hell of an effort that ticks as many boxes as you can come up with and, with any luck, is going to put OXYMORRONS on a few more radars going forward.

Rating: 9/10

Melanin Punk is out now via Mascot Records.

Like OXYMORRONS on Facebook.