Artist: Drinking Squad
Album: Destination Unknown
Label: DIY (distributed by Contra Records)
Released: June 5, 2019
As much as we hate to admit punk is trendy in any sense of the word, the punk/oi scene definitely has its moments where it follows sound trends.
Of course, we love what is being put out, and we love the people releasing it, but deep down we are always waiting for the next band to break out. That band that is fresh and just a little different from anything else being released. When you find that one band you can’t help but say “Wow!!! This is it! This is awesome!” and you share it with your friends.
Well, here we are, my friends – let me tell you about Drinking Squad. Hailing from Freiburg, Germany their debut album Destination Unknown is fucking fire from start to finish. Lyrically it is not a bunch of frivolous cookie-cutter material. You can tell that they are writing from a meaningful place. Each track is well-written and fills you with a feeling that resonates deep inside of you. They are relatable to nearly all of us in the scene.
Musically, it’s a brazen in-your-face sound. There is not a single complacent track lacking that oi! sound we love. Destination Unknown is an album that you can put on and listen to from start to finish without skipping over a single track. It is nothing short of outstanding.
Track List:
1. False Reality
2. Hangover Song
3. Destination Unknown
4. All Out Attack
5. Take the Blame
6. Regression
7. For You
8. Self-Doubt
9. Pessimistic Moments
10. Change or Accept
11. Life Takes Turns
The opening of False Reality is a dialogue clip from the TV series Mr Robot, which is absolutely fitting as the intro to the song. It is a fantastic opener for this release giving you a ton of hope for the remainder of the album - and they definitely do not fail to rise to the occasion. The tracks are somewhat drum-heavy but it plays well to the style and sound that they're definitely going to be known for. The album overall has a very melodic street punk sound, somewhat reminiscent of Tacoma's Noi!se, without leaving you feeling like Drinking Squad is just another punk band.
Destination Unknown is one of those albums that whisk you away to another place. Even sitting on my couch, listening to this album brings a feeling of being at a bar or a club listening to them live. It's fantastic. If you haven't heard this band yet, you can check them out on social media.
You can listen to "False Reality" via Contra Records here as well as order their 12" LP from the same link.
You can also find the band on Facebook: Drinking Squad FB
as well as on the group's Bandcamp page by clicking here.
Rating: 4/5