Hardcore punk meets psychedelic sound effects

L.A. punk band OFF! formed in 2009. Though a result of the late ‘00s, Off!’s instrumental sound stirs memories of classic California punk bands like Dead Kennedys or Black Flag, especially because lead vocalist Keith Morris fronted the latter group. Off! also features Dimitri Coats on guitar, Justin Brown on drums and Autry Fulbright II as bassist. On Sept. 30, the musicians released Free LSD, a 20-track album spitting with radical themes, experimental sound effects and raw punk melodies.

The album rumbles in with whining static like an old television, accompanied by the rattling of instruments warming up. Measured hi-hats signal the approaching melody, and from there OFF! plunges into the intense and rich first verse of “Slice up the Pie.” Morris yells about war and “privatized economy” before chanting “slice up the pie” in each chorus. Electric guitar chords trail off to conclude the track, mingled with a high-pitched buzzing that transitions to the next tune. The cohesive shift from “Slice up the Pie” to the album’s second song “Time Will Come” suggests that OFF! constructed Free LSD tracks for listeners to experience in order.

“Kill to Be Heard” exhibits a similar hardcore chanting style to the chorus of “Slice up the Pie.” Morris shouts “kill to be heard” in succession while surrounded by Coats’ and Brown’s masterful execution of electric guitar and drums, respectively. Fulbright’s bass compliments the deeper percussive beats, overall creating a thickly layered composition suitable both for the stage and a garage jam session. 

The opening of “Ignored” is almost cinematic, with climbing guitar riffs and sputtering percussion. The song’s rebellious spirit unfolds as soon as Morris opens his mouth: “ignored, fight the powers that be,” followed by references to Washington D.C. and The Pentagon in the first verse. Later, he distinguishes the difference between citizens’ priorities and those of politicians, with lyrics such as “what’s good for them isn’t good for you and me.” Because lyrics are absent in the chorus, the song’s political themes lie in the verses.

The album’s second to last track is “Free LSD,” an epic journey of tempo switches, reverberated vocals, lyrics about German aircrafts and critiques of the Russian government. The song progresses from screeching guitar to an underlying kettle-like whistle, before a series of slower, headbanging chordal and percussive hits. Steady beats are soon joined by Morris shouting “free LSD,” syllabically spread out to match tempo. His vocals then ring with computerized echoes for a psychedelic effect. Staying true to their use of sound effects as word painting, a man’s scream is heard in the background after lyrics “threw that guy right out the window, or did they make him jump?” for emotional emphasis on themes of corruption. After a final chorus, the outro’s lyrics end with gurgling vocalization, as the last vocals of the album.

Each of OFF!’s Free LSD tracks vibrate like a volcano on the verge of eruption. Their lyrical repetitions, accompanied by pulsating electric guitar and rapid percussion create a collection of unified, hardcore punk anthems. The Free LSD concept is tied together by experimental pieces “F,” “L,” “S” and “D,” racing instrumental tracks that spotlight the LP’s signature electronic sound effects. These sounds set Free LSD apart from other hardcore punk albums, resembling the whir of machinery, erratic robots and perhaps a theremin. OFF! exquisitely mixes old-school punk with digitized techniques for a powerful sound in Free LSD.