FAKE NAMES

Fake Names’ third full-length Punk Ruins is true to its title. Embracing the Punk ethos of the bands impressive pedigree, its members—guitarists Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Bad Religion) and Michael Hampton (S.O.A., Embrace, The Faith), vocalist Dennis Lyxzén (Refused, INVSN), bassist Johnny Temple (Girls Against Boys, Soulside) and new drummer Mario Rubalcaba (Rocket From The Crypt, Off!)— renounce conventions and defy expectations with their new release. Punk Ruins effortlessly merges D.C. post-hardcore roots with modern power-pop vision to create a collection of songs that are as catchy as they are cathartic.

Recorded at legendary Electrical Audio studios in Chicago with producer Matthew Barnhardt (Superchunk, Bob Mould), Punk Ruins is the synergistic outcome of these prolific artists rehearsing and recording over a short stint residency. “We managed to knock out twelve songs in five days; miraculously all of them made the album,” Baker explains, adding that Lyxzén tracked his vocals in a single day. “We had traded tapes and had a good sense of what we all wanted to achieve going in, but we hadn’t played a note of music together as a band until the meter was running!”

Given each of their active touring and work schedules, Baker says the band was excited to take this risk because of Electrical Audio’s combined studio and residential facility. “We’ve all made lots of records, and we know that making a special one has more to do with the chemistry in the room than the amount of homework you do. It’s all about the hang! Getting to live together for a week and play whenever we wanted was such a pleasure. I’m sure that’s a big part of why the record sounds like it does.”

Punk Ruins is an album that transcends genres and will likely surprise fans of its members’ individual and collective output. From the guitar-driven power of the opener “Until It’s Normal" to the hypnotic groove of “Diamond Buzz” and the undeniable D.C. hardcore sound of the title track, the album is the ultimate amalgam of fury and fun. “‘Punk Ruins’ was the last song we wrote for the album and it initially sounded like 1981 DC, but then Dennis started singing and it became a whole different thing.” Baker explains. “There are no guardrails or any perceived direction here - this is just what comes out,” he continues, citing everyone from The Cure to Chicago as influences on Punk Ruins. “This album is a collective expression,” he adds, stressing that the musicianship of the other players helped elevate his and Hampton’s initial ideas into something far beyond what they anticipated.

“What I really love about Fake Names is that it's much more akin to what Brian and Michael grew up listening to than what they grew up playing.” says singer Dennis Lyxzén. “A lot of these songs give me an opportunity to sing in a way that nowadays I usually don't sing,” he explains. “It's always cool to be able to experiment with your voice, melodic sensibility and language.” Punk Ruins title track sees Lyxzén belting out his vocals in a way that elevates the song’s already razor-sharp hooks, while capturing the jangly spirit of “If You Could See Me Today” with the same sense of mastery.

This spirit of experimentation is mirrored in the artwork for Punk Ruins created by New Zealand-based artist Callum Rooney at the suggestion of Rubalcaba, and perfectly captures the aesthetic of Fake Names. “It's very 1980 Liverpool College of Art” Baker says, adding that the artist insisted the two-tone LP art be printed on raw cardboard.

“This is our third album, but it feels like our first” says Lyxzén. “It’s a whole new blueprint.” With this album, Fake Names have further evolved their sound, creating something that evokes their past without trying to recreate it. Whether you’re a fan of Minor Threat or the Marked Men (or both), prepare to get lost in the dazzling wreckage of Punk Ruins.