Amyl and the Sniffers “Comfort to Me” 2021. Limited edition colored vinyl, ATO Records. Released just a couple of days ago (September 10th), Australia’s Amyl and the Sniffers second LP is my most anticipated release of the year and it definitely does not disappoint. They are, hands-down, the BEST new punk group around. We were supposed to see them in May of 2020 (cancelled), then again in October (cancelled). Thankfully we got to see them back in July of 2019 in a super-small local club and it was pure awesome insanity.

Comfort to Me is hard, fast, balls-to-the-wall fury, full of snarl and speed-metal shredding. I can feel the sweat and swirl of the pit even as I sit alone at my computer. My top tracks are “Freaks to the Front” (I’m already anticipating the call-to-arms at the next Amyl show we go to), the angriest song about road tripping ever: “Hertz,” “Capital” (some serious Motorhead vibes on this one), the 200mph “Don’t Need a Cunt (Like You to Love Me)” and “Laughing.”

I’m not sure if all of the vinyl editions include it, but our gatefold limited edition release includes a 16-page “CTM Zine” full of notes, band photos, and an…interesting self-portrait by singer Amy Taylor. There’s even a couple of  recipes, like one for Rock n Roll/Bachelor “Spag Bol” (spaghetti for one…Eat until ya munt ya dirty dog).