Total Sham - Total Sham LP

Delivering an explosive boot to the head, Kansas City punks Total Sham kick out the jams with their latest slab of no-frills hardcore aptly titled “LP”. After releasing their debut EP in 2021, Total Sham have continuously dropped new releases that conjure the scrappy vibe of 80’s US hardcore and the dogged spirit of contemporary Midwest DIY punk, falling somewhere on the spectrum between bands like United Mutations and Q. However, their sound is as unique as a crime scene fingerprint with their well-developed sense of songwriting and their uniquely weaponized raw power. Now these freaks have teamed up with Under The Gun Records to release their greatest contribution to the world of punk yet with “LP”- a joyful vision of hellish rock n roll.

On this crusade of musical thuggery, the band harnesses their radiating energy into 12 punchy and memorable hardcore songs that will light you up like a goddamn Marlboro cigarette.  Tracks like “Kool-Aid '' and “In My Head” are equally heavy and infectious- a perfect soundtrack for leather droogs mindlessly ricocheting off each other in the circle pit like burning shrapnel. The rest of the record follows suit, each song bringing its own inimitable twisted riffs and stompy drums. The vocals are especially dialed- feral hardcore madness. This all culminated in the release of, undoubtedly, one of the best hardcore offerings of the year. “LP” is an uncaged, euphoric, energizing, and radical trip into punk mania.

-Sims Hardin