Chewing Gum For The Ears, by The Flex

Chewing Gum For The Ears

by The Flex

supported by

John Isaacson First head about this on the 185 Miles South podcast. Damn this is a ripper! Pure Infest worship but updated for the modern era with longer songs and more stamina. Favorite track: Beechwood Terrace.

Comrade Rybin NOWHERE TO GO Favorite track: Flex IV.

Eric Harsh Perfect hitting people music

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Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Back in print and this time on turquoise vinyl, limited to 460 copies.

Includes unlimited streaming of Chewing Gum For The Ears via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.	Warboy 01:52	buy track
2.	Inferno 01:41	buy track
3.	Beechwood Terrace 01:20	buy track
4.	Lost Cause 01:24	buy track
5.	Voight-Kampff 01:38	buy track
6.	Soma Holiday 02:12	buy track
7.	Flex IV 01:51	buy track
8.	Last Ones Left 01:15	buy track
9.	Stranger 01:21	buy track
10.	Chewing Gum For The Ears 02:46	buy track

about

Ten years is a lifetime in Hardcore Punk. A band’s ability to traverse such a lengthy stay is a testament to their dedication to this thing of ours, which in and of itself is commendable. Remaining sonically relevant, and engaging ever younger audiences, is another beast altogether, and a far more difficult feat to achieve. Somehow, The Flex have managed both. Not only are they the defining band of the New Wave of British Hardcore movement of the 2010’s, not to mention the last band from this original wave still left (“Last Ones Left” indeed) but they continue to trudge on with unrelenting power, orchestrating live madness wherever they roll through.

Chewing Gum For The Ears is the most perfect illustration of the bands raw power to date. From the opening chords of “Warboy”, it is clear that The Flex formula remains unchanged: the vitriol of Boston 82, the lumber and swagger of mid to late 80’s NYHC, the monotone thud of UK82 and the blistering urgency of 90’s Japanese d-beat. A perfectly seamless blend of their influences, the highlights on this LP are too prevalent to list, with CGFTE earning the rare accolade of a no-skips-certified-banger. “Inferno” might hold the greatest up-tempo mosh part since Antidote’s “Foreign Job Lot”, sans the crummy political baggage. Beechwood Terrace starts off sounding like Oi! on steroids before degenerating into an Impact Unit style frenzy, and the title track “Chewing Gum for the Ears” (aka “The Herd” of 2022), begins with an Outburst style intro and develops into an anthem that ensures this LP finishes in the most appropriate of fashions. However, it is the growth on display which is most astounding; a track like “Stranger” sees the band sounding like a British Death Side, while the drum-and-bass call and response, during the song’s closing mosh part, reveals a level of musicality few bands can match. These nuances add a level of intensity and urgency which propels Chewing Gum For The Ears above their previous output, making this their most concise and crucial release to date.

Sonically, James Atkinson of Voorhees and Gentlemen’s Pistols fame, has captured the band’s sound perfectly; all trebly buzzsaw guitars, guttural vocals, and a perfectly tight rhythm section, whilst Tin Savage’s ever excellent art ensures a level of visual consistency that few bands are able to maintain. I finish on these two points for an important reason, The Flex have understood the assignment; produce an LP that looks and sounds like everyone’s favourite UKHC band, whilst pushing themselves to the limits of their impressive technical range and sophisticated palate. LS4 still kicking in your door.
(Nick Sarnella)

credits

released April 22, 2022

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Static Shock Records London, UK

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Sounds Of Subterrania (EU)

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