The Subhumans

Vancouver punk legends Subhumans resurfaced briefly in the mid-'90s to support their Pissed Off...with Good Reason! collection, but it wasn't until 2006 that the politically charged group decided to write a sequel to its now classic 1981 debut. The newly re-formed quartet, which features new drummer Jon Card (SNFU/D.O.A.) alongside original members Mike Graham, Brian "Wimpy" Goble, and Gerry "Useless" Hannah, is still pissed off at the world on New Dark Age Parade. More overtly political than their previous release -- bass player Hannah spent his post-band years underground, eventually getting himself convicted for bombing a weapons-system plant in Ontario as part of the Vancouver Five -- NDAP is surprisingly visceral. Goble's throaty rasp may echo Mescalaros-era Joe Strummer, but the band itself is firmly rooted in the late-'70s British punk sound that inspired it in the first place. Whether they're attacking religious zealots ("I Got Religion"), the Iraq War ("Clash of the Intransigents"), or just having a good time ("Blood, Sweat and Beers"), these Subhumans aren't just cashing in on faded glory, they're writing a whole new chapter. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide