SUBTRASH GET LOUD, WEIRD AND VICIOUS ON ‘SECRET SERVICE FIELD RECORDINGS’
There’s something beautifully wrong with Subtrash, and their new EP, Secret Service Field Recordings, wastes no time proving it. Across five tracks, Doc Parent, Pat Vaz, James Healey, and Nic Mal tear through punk, metal, and hardcore with enough personality to keep things from ever feeling predictable. It’s loud, raw, occasionally weird, and exactly the kind of record that deserves to be played way louder than your neighbors would appreciate. So we figured there was only one way to dig into this thing properly. Track by track. Let’s get into it.
Subtrash kick off their Secret Service Field Recordings EP with an absolute ripper titled “Sonic Boom.” Loaded with crunchy guitars, thunderous drums, and commanding vocals, the track sounds like Iron Maiden colliding with the melod’s melodic aggression, a wild combination that works ridiculously well. That’s thanks to Doc Parent, Pat Vaz, James Healey, and Nic Mal, whose chemistry keeps the riffs sharp, the rhythm section crushing, and the whole thing bursting with personality. If this is how the EP starts, Subtrash came ready to make some noise.
“Capital Bondage” comes roaring in as the second track and immediately raises the stakes. Faster, meaner, and more vicious than its predecessor, the song smashes old-school punk attitude into modern hardcore's brute force. At barely over a minute, there’s no wasted motion. It hits hard, moves fast, and sounds tailor-made for bodies flying across a packed room. If one track on this EP demands to be blasted at an irresponsible volume, it's this one.
The third track, “MAGA Youth,” is easily the EP's most politically charged song. Right out of the gate, the lyrics take direct aim at radical Trump supporters with an unapologetic F-bomb, immediately setting the tone for what follows. At its core, the track tackles conformity, frustration with government, and the current political climate through the confrontational lens punk has embraced for decades. Musically, that rebellious spirit comes through loud and clear, making “MAGA Youth” another track that practically begs to be cranked to eleven.
“Wanna Be Your Dog” rips in as the fourth track on the EP, slowly building tension before that familiar riff kicks in and suddenly it clicks. Yep, Subtrash are taking on The Stooges’ iconic “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” But this isn’t some safe, paint-by-numbers cover. Subtrash drag the classic through the dirt, making it heavier, more jagged, and downright ferocious. Their version feels like it bleeds more than the original, attacking every riff with an almost unhinged intensity. It doesn’t beg for your attention. It commands it, grabs hold, and never lets the F go.
“D.R.O.N.E. Killer” closes out the EP and feels like Subtrash saving one last punch for the end. Pat Vaz on bass, James Healey on guitar, and Nic Mal behind the kit keep things loud and nasty while Doc Parent goes completely off the rails up front. Parent pulls from method acting, and you can hear that personality creep into the music as he jumps between funny, strange, and a little unsettling. It’s messy in all the right ways and ends the EP exactly where Subtrash seems most comfortable: making a ton of noise and having a blast doing it.
Secret Service Field Recordings is five tracks of Subtrash doing what they do best: making a ton of noise and having a damn good time. The EP jumps between punk, metal, hardcore, politics, and pure weirdness without ever losing its identity. Nothing feels overly polished or calculated, and that’s exactly the point. This thing has dirt under its fingernails and probably a few loose screws rolling around upstairs. It’s fast, heavy, weird, and over before you know it. Our advice? Crank it up and let Subtrash do the rest.