The Dominian Circus

Roaring out of Indonesia with punk sparks flying, Dominion Circus harvest the history of traditional singalong, toe-tapping punk bands like The Boys, Undertones, and Ramones, plus bands that rose up in the 1990s on labels like Lookout Records too. Adding their youthful, tuneful vigor to the mix, they carve potent pop-slanted tunes without losing any of their guitar gusto and churning power.



On tunes like Parasite, they talk about pretenders and powerful cheaters, as well as the trite proverbs endlessly recycled for lame reasons. These things make up the “noise” in our lives, the soundtrack of those talking behind our backs, which we have to fight against every day as we try to succeed in a mean-spirited world that smells like urine.



Then, 123Go! is a sad-hearted tune about dismal Saturday nights, being bored and lonely, poor and with empty pockets, burning the last inches of a cigarette and waiting to record tunes that give some meaning and hope to this bleak existence. And speaking of money, Fast Machine details how financial systems are confusing, desperate, and unfair, including Rupiah/cash disappearing overnight, people getting crushed by debt burdens, and the insanity of living in such desperate times, which adds to stress levels and angry feelings.



So, while they may not incorporate the crazed speed and roughness of hardcore into their music, they don’t neglect hard topics that matter in this world. With big choruses, easygoing delivery, and a roaring directness, they combine punk’s brash sense of alienation with its tuneful songcraft, making high-pressure music that is not sweet and soft but smart and forceful.