RIZTS - RIZTS (2024) Hi-Res

An amalgamation of punk, dub, psychedelic rock and math rock, RIZTS is a three piece gothic-grunge project that involves submerging dark melodies within sonic chaos. Birthed from the murky waters of the Falmouth punk scene in 2019, RIZTS have been causing pandemonium in the deep depths of Cornwall and are ready to emerge and take on the rest of the UK.

On their self-titled new album, Falmouth band RIZTS explore everything from hardcore and sludge to punk and dub on one of the year’s most surprisingly playful releases.

On an album like this, it is easy to jump to conclusions. From the (gorgeous) moody black and white album cover to the chugging bass and guitar breakdowns of so many hardcore releases, RIZTS‘ self-titled new album has it all.

However, every time any of these sounds runs the risk of becoming monotonous, RIZTS masterfully pull the rug out from underneath you, diving into a new genre or slamming a new riff directly into your face.

From the opener ‘My Eyes,‘ RIZTS make their sinister tone abundantly clear. The guitar and bass tones are sludgy and weighty and Mattock’s vocals are drawn out and sleazy. On this track, and most of the others, the drums are essential, playfully jittering about underneath the crippling weight of the rest of the sound. As the noise inevitably explodes, it is incredibly satisfying.

‘Feeding The Rich’ begins more reserved, with rolling drums building a delicious tension. Yet, just as you are getting stuck into the insanely heavy riffs, the mood completely shifts into an almost surf rock section, with walking bass lines and relentless drums. It is so refreshing for a band in this scene to be having so much fun with their sound.

It is these moments of playfulness which shine through on the record. On ‘Beneath The Bodies,’ RIZTS push this to the extreme, with the band exploring dub, breakbeats and post rock influences before unleashing into the most monstrous moment of the album in the increasingly crushing closing moments. Every time you think they must be done, the riff re-enters, somehow even thicker, slower and more evil.

There are moments of real beauty to be found too. On the much needed breather ‘Still’, the band patiently and sincerely revolve around the repeated line “Everytime I close my eyes, I watch my friends die”. It is a bleak, but genuinely moving moment on an otherwise breakneck project.

Don’t worry though, there’s a lot more fun to come. On ’24,’ the bass takes centre stage, with a line equally fun and sinister. Jittery guitars join the brilliant bassline while drums characteristically bounce off every wall.

As you reach the end of RIZTS‘ self-titled album, it’s hard to remember everything you’ve just been through. From the breakneck hardcore of ‘Air Hunger’ to the catchy riffs and punk vocals of ‘Parasite’ to the devastating slow-burn-to-brutal-full-body-attack journey of ‘The Monetisation Of Death,’ the album is wildly ambitious. Who knew being repeatedly battered in the face could be so much fun.