Much like during the 1970’s, where stifling conservative powers ruled the nation, today’s youth, in a similar situation, are seeking alternative ways to express themselves, just as punk music’s legends did before them.
There is, however, a clear difference which has caused DIY music culture to explode in recent years: the internet. With self-promotion through social media now common practice and with music streaming and download platforms easily accessible to artists, the possibilities for musical newcomers to reach wide audiences are relatively endless.
Enter Ikari Warriors, the Sheffield DIY punk-rockers peddling the same self-sufficient ideology from which the punk genre was originally conceived.
Having been deathly silent since 2017’s two-track EP, Ikari, the band are back with their first full 10-track recording titled Sundowner. Recorded entirely from home within a DIY-built vocal booth, the production quality is successfully accomplished with the composition not identifiably amateur.
As a full album Ikari Warriors play with sound inventively and have avoided samey-territory but, if you’re looking for a lyrically hard-hitting, modern punk-rock record; this isn’t it.
The album is slightly let down by the generic lyrics within each track – as in today’s conflicted world, let’s face it, there are plenty of specifics to pull from. Of all 10 tracks ‘Dry Bones’ is the lyrical standout with its commentary on social behaviours – “Your misguided bitter ego isn’t gonna get you far” – a nod to the entitlement seen in modern society perhaps?
Overall, it is a successful independent album which will surely be a crowdpleaser in a live capacity. Wider success shouldn’t be difficult to achieve if they continue to approach life with the same initiative as their peers of punk past: ‘If you want a job doing right, do it yourself’.
3/5 Ben Bertram
Ikari Warriors, Sundowner, available for streaming and download via Bandcamp from February 8th.
