Back in April we reviewed, “BLAIR!”, Industry Standard’s debut single, we bloody loved that one, so there was a lot of excitement here at Mayhem Towers when their latest hit the world. It is wonderfully titled “C.J.O.S. (Circle Jerk Of Sadness)” and is rather different, but just as explosive, as “BLAIR!”. This new track is a post apocalyptic plea hopefully telling us to sit up and fucking do something about our world. Maybe more people will listen and actually try to do something to save our planet. But the first United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP1 was in 1995, later this year COP25 will be held in Belém, Brazil. So 30 years and 25 conferences and still the earth is dying while the rich and powerful do absolutely fuck all! OK, I am told that killing the rich might be a little extreme but let’s at least tax the bastards.
While billionaires, filthy rich tech bros, oligarchs, dictators and would-be dictators continue their own obscene circle jerk while counting their money and rockets the rest of us are left to rot so that this vile group of people can wank themselves into oblivion while covering each other in their, probably gold flecked, salty discharge like some kind of bukkake Armageddon. Perhaps that is why Trump is so orange.
Anyway as for the song it is a controlled chaos driven punk attack. According to lead vocalist Gaby, the song is “a panic attack disguised as a joke” which deals head-on with themes like climate collapse, existential burnout, and dissociation, and “watching it all happen with a milkshake in hand”. The anxiety here is off the scale but there is also a brilliantly crafted injection of very dark humour. When was the last time a Greek mythological figure got mentioned in a punk song? Has it ever happened? Cerberus gets a part in this lyric. He is the monstrous, multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld, preventing the dead from leaving and barring the entrance to the living. Lines like “A masterpiece of human emissions” and “even the ants are tired” might be short but they use the language supremely well in a way that oozes frustration.
If anyone chose to merge line dancing with punk, this song would be a perfect fit. Imagine replacing the classic punk Pogo dance with a violently punky Morris dance, without the bells, obviously. Incidentally I fucking hate Morris Dancing, but a screaming, raucous, high octane version in the mosh pit is something that many of us would love. That kind of celebration of all that is good about the world might just help to avert our minds, albeit briefly, from the shitty state of the world. Bottom line though this is a stonkingly good song that deserves massive exposure.
Industry Standard are the previously mentioned lead singer Gaby (Gabriella Gonzalez) and three punk powerhouse musical henchmen: Phillip Stakem whose riffs are like small megaton explosions, Oliver Jackson’s bass playing split an atom and Tim Sketchley plays his drums so hard the echo bounces off the moon. I reckon if you love Scene Queen, Delilah Bon, tiLLie and Casseyette you will worship Industry Standard.
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