Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Dart - Speed Days (LP) (2025 Agipunk Records)


Dart from Finland have chosen to mix speed metal and hardcore punk and have churned out quite the record. It comes off sounding like an amped-up-on-meth version of Motorhead with frantically performed vocals and nonstop speed. One wild thing that they do from time to time is mix in some Hammond organ to add some melody, like in the song "Sick Game," and it's a wonderful addition that adds a whole new layer to their punked-up metal music. Often they have one guitar playing a melody overtop the main riff, in a very punk style, and it also reminds me of the early days of Finnish death metal. The bassist is particularly impressive on this album, laying down a constant low-end barrage for the rest of the music to rest upon. If you are at all a fan of early speed metal, punk like Discharge or Anti-Nowhere League, or just solid thrash, this is probably something you should seek out and hear. I know it's on my "to-buy" list.