01. It's Fucking Dark
02. Satanic Scum Punks
03. Let The Bastards Burn
04. Hail Satan Kurwa
05. F.O.A.D
06. Blood On Steel
07. Drink For Hell
08. Fuck The Bastards
09. Maniac Street Creatures
10. You Fucking Rat
11. B.I.F.F.O

Don't let the bastards grind you down.

Emerging out of nowhere in a cacophony of noise and hilarity straight onto my radar back in 2022 were Manchester's own blackened crust punks Wolfbastard, a band whose refusal to take themselves seriously as they straddled the lines between black metal, crust punk and grindcore made for a compelling unholy union of noise and entertainment. Back with their next slab of riffs and rebellion, Satanic Scum Punks adjusts the formula to keep things fresh while the underlying appeal remains oh so vibrant.

So what is a satanic scum punk exactly? Beats me, but if Wolfbastard are an authority on this, it seems to be thumbing your nose at the pretentiousness of black metal while playing fast and aggressive music with your feet firmly six feet underground. Don't like it? Well, I'm sure the band would direct you to "F.O.A.D" (no prizes for guessing what this acronym stands for).

Leaning ever further into their black metal side, Satanic Scum Punks sonically feels like a fresh start for the band, even though it has been a present feature in their sound for years. While the band might be hailing Satan, they retain their punk ethos and commitment not to take themselves too seriously. "Drink For Hell" epitomises this approach perfectly, and produces a track that metalheads who find black metal pretentious can listen to and laugh.

The choice of direction in the production department makes Satanic Scum Punks an interesting listen, with the inherent chaos of Wolfbastard's punk leanings being traded in for a tighter and more concise sound. Where before, tracks like "Maniac Street Creatures" would have thundered along in sonic anarchy, here it is in a fury of discordant delight, with Derek Carley's guitar tone embracing black metal dissonance as it fires off notes in chainsaw style.

This all, however, coalesces and contributes to the biggest shortcomings of Satanic Scum Punks. While the decision to up the black metal influence to make it the predominant sound is not an inherently bad idea, it is in the execution. Thumbing your nose at black metal is all well and good, but doing so while repeating the same flaws ends up with the joke bouncing back on you. The generic chainsaw riffs and barrelling drums of "Hail Satan Kurwa" diminishes the overall impact of the song.

While 2026 is not going to be a modern 1977 with Satanic Scum Punks filling the streets, it will give fans of Wolfbastard and people who want something not taking itself seriously something enduring to listen to.

Performance:	7
Songwriting:	6
Originality:	5
Production:	7