Amidst a global pandemic, PUNISH, a three-piece hardcore punk band from unceded Gadigal land (Sydney's Inner West), emerged with an uncompromising sound and sharp political edge. Their songs address themes of decolonisation, anarchism, sovereignty, mental health, trauma, grief, and addiction. Influenced by bands such as The Bronx, The Suicide Machines and Bad Brains, PUNISH's distinctive sound blends melodic screams with heavy guitar riffs, gritty bass, and hard-hitting drums.
During lockdowns, PUNISH channelled their energy into creating their debut, self-titled album, released in 2022. The album featured then-bass player Tim Lancken and drummer Yoshi Hausler, who are also members of the stoner punk band Astrodeath. PUNISH played Canberra's infamous metal/punk festival Sunburn festival that same year and have shared stages with acts such as Nunchukka Superfly, Chinese Burns Unit, The Neptune Power Federation, Peter and the Test Tube Babies and GBH.
PUNISH dropped two singles accompanied by music videos that captured the band’s defiant spirit. “Cut-Teeth”, directed by Jarrod O’Brien, combines a comical disdain for police with raw footage from a punk rock house show. The second single, “Grief”, directed by Nathan Lee, is a humorous, slapstick journey through Sydney’s backstreets, with singer/guitarist Tome narrowly escaping the reaper.
In 2023, after the departure of Tim and Yoshi, Tome embarked on a search through Sydney's dive bars to find new members. He recruited bass master - Jonno Read and drumming prodigy Jagger Alexander-Erber, completing the new line-up.
With eight new tracks ready to go, PUNISH returned to The Pet Food Factory to record their second studio album, The Measure, with renowned engineer/producer, Jason Whalley (Frenzal Rhomb). Their first single, “Dogma Leash” was released in July (2024), with an accompanying music video and is available on all streaming services. Their second single, “You Got This” captures the Sydney punk scene with a music video set at a DIY skatepark show (organised by Tome with the help of a generator and a few punks). PUNISH is always gearing up for live shows, with tour dates being announced regularly.
Stay tuned, Punishers!
