Mekenzy - Demo (2025)
By Flork
Maybe it’s just me, but I can see a connection between the Western Slovak city of Trnava and hardcore metal and punk. From the city‘s industrial edges, the relatively unkown hardcore trio Mekenzy have dropped a debut that punches first and doesn’t ask questions later. Their album Demo, which was released just last month on April 14, 2025, is a chaotic burst of hardcore and powerviolence fury. Across ten tracks—most of which clock in under a minute—they channel raw frustration, bleak humour, and the grind of daily existence into a fast-burning and emotionally volatile experience. The aptly titled Demo is exactly what this is—a peek at life on planet Earth in 2025.
The opening track Už neviem čo robiť (I Don‘t Know What to Do Anymore) sets the tone immediately with its suffocating heaviness and breakneck pace. It‘s followed by No Future, perhaps a reference to the Sex Pistols that re-imagines punk nihilism through the lens of modern European despair. I mention this because after all, the situation in Slovakia is quite critical with a society divided politically with one side trying to remain in the west, while the other succumbs to the pull of the east. But let‘s not make this review a political one since it’s the music itself on this album that takes center stage.
As I listen on, the songs begin to grow on me. Adorácia úspechu (Worship of Success) and Vemondo Army come crashing in with barely enough time to catch your breath. They are pure, visceral explosions of noise. On Hľadám ten dôvod (I’m Looking for the Reason), the band momentarily flirts with structure before detonating again in the razor-sharp 9:45, which is a weird, yet highly explosive 30-second break of carnal rage and catharsis.
And despite the sonic brutality, there’s a surprising element of personality on Demo. Tracks like Selfcare and Keď si frajer, zahraj Slayer (If You’re Such a Badass, Then Play us Some Slayer) suggest a wink behind the scowl, while Občas mám výčitky z toho, jak mi je dobre (Sometimes I Feel Guilty for Feeling So Good) blends emotional conflict with impending doom and annihilation. This is one of the strongest cuts because it encapsulates in its own way the paradox of inner peace clashing with outer rage. The closing track Levoča sxe + hehá outro is kinda like that too, yet it plays more like a messy, self-aware signoff without any instruments apparent, just a weird blend of inside joke and scene homage.
And the Flork’s prognosis? Demo doesn’t waste time with either polish or pretense. It’s a snapshot of a young band channeling anxiety, sarcasm, and genuine anger through a style that thrives on collapse. Totally appropriate for this day and age. Mekenzy aren’t trying to reinvent powerviolence, they’re just setting it on fire and letting it burn. In just under ten minutes, they succeed in leaving a mark that feels like a punch to the chest and a smirk in the mirror. Don‘t forget to check them out at Garáže in Bratislava on the 16th of May.
No comments:
Post a Comment