The Raws - Duvara Dur Diyen Demir Yumruk

I'm pretty sure I've never reviewed a band from Turkey before. And if I have, it certainly wasn't one that sang in its native tongue. There's a first time for everything, isn't there? Out now on Slovenly Recordings imprint Mondo Mongo, Duvara Dur Diyen Demir Yumruk is the new EP from Istanbul punk veterans The Raws. D.D.D.D.Y. roughly translates to "smash walls with an iron fist". Now that's a sentiment that's awesome in any language! Both the EP title and the band name are spot-on: this is some raw-as-fuck punk rock capable of smashing any wall you aim to build. Those of you who know Turkish will get even more out of these songs than I do. But from the opening strains of "Yedi Kuru Dal", I found myself totally digging The Raws' mean, scuzzy groove. I have "Hala Açız" pegged as "the hit". And by "hit", I mean it will hit you upside the head! If you like your punk music dirty and aggressive, you just might find yourself shouting along without really knowing what they're saying. "İntikam Peşinde" is another highlight - as perfect of a minute of blistering chaos as you could ever hope to hear. To finish, "Tepelerin Arkasında" is a high energy punk basher you can almost dance to. I say "almost" because I imagine the kind of dancing this song might inspire would not be for the faint of heart! Regardless of your familiarity with the Turkish language, this is an essential purchase if you crave some raw and ripping garage punk. Is there any language more universal than the language of music? D.D.D.D.Y. indeed!



-L.R.

https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/the-raws-duvara-dur-diyen-demir-yumruk-ep 
https://www.facebook.com/mondomongorecords/ 
https://www.facebook.com/theraws666/ 
https://theraws.bandcamp.com/