Deadkill, No, Never! (1/21, Good to Die, goodtodierecords.com)

Formed from members of several notable local acts (Absolute Monarchs, Himsa, Whiskey Tango), Deadkill began with the simple notion of starting a two-guitar punk band. On its self-titled debut, released in May 2012, the band smashed its punk rock over Seattle’s collective skull. Sure, the four-song 7-inch didn’t break any new ground, but it didn’t need to. If anything negative can be said, it’s that the release didn’t accurately capture the explosive chaos of Deadkill shows—the unnerving feeling that shit could go haywire at any moment, and you are right in the thick of it. On the quintet’s first proper full-length, the energy is captured to perfection thanks to the always-stellar production of Matt Bayles (Russian Circles, Isis, Botch). Recorded at Bayles’ Red Room Recording, the band tears through 14 tracks with ease. A classic American punk-rock influence is undeniable—specifically, earlier, pre-Rollins Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, among others. It’s not just the fast tempos and monster riffs that embody that sound, but a particular style of vocal phrasing that is distinctly deserving of a Black Flag comparison, overtly exorcising the demons in vocalist Bryan Krieger’s head. Hardly a throwback record, No, Never! ’s guitar tones are more modern and metallic, adding a slight thrash element that might divide purists. Overall, the album’s mood doesn’t change; it’s full of no-frills, up-tempo rage-punk, a buzzsaw of a record that really only changes directions on the album’s slightly slower-paced, fist-pumping closing track “The Desert” (at three and a half minutes, one of the lengthier tracks here). Shorter songs work in Deadkill’s favor, allowing them just enough time to get stuck in your head. Sit back, relax, and close your eyes. You can practically taste 
the cheap canned beer and smell the bodily fluids. (Tues., Jan. 21, Easy Street Records) 
JAMES BALLINGER