Hamsterrad (Single 2023)

VLUN

Punkrock

The logo a stylized skull. The letters of the band’s name build a mohawk haircut. Like this, the image reminds immediately of Punk icons The Exploited. But not only the visual part of this formation from Salzburg makes think of raw and classic Street music. The sound is quite close as well.

‚Loud, analogue and handcrafted‘ is the credo of VLUN. The four letters stand for „Viel Lärm um nix“ – „much ado/noise about nothing“. Live, they could be seen at Bricks or Rockhouse already, and soon they’ll appear at ((szene)) and at Rabenhof Theater in Vienna. From acts like So Much More and many others, they were chosen to join the finals of the fm4 Protestsongcontest with „E1ne von Dr3i“, a song about femicides and violence against women. 

Simultaneously, they put out the first precursor entitled „Hamsterrad“ (rat race) of their upcoming EP. The cover is a square spiral looking like a line running around a rubber room. And that is what they talk about in their lyrics: the daily grind, getting up like Saez sang in „Pilule“ and following the expectations imposed by society. With the smartphone zombies, they name a modern phenomenon, and soccer, streaming and porn serve as rays of hope.

As already mentioned, the sound is super rough like we love it from likes of Black Flag and OFF!. The riff enters heavy and slowly, like crawling across the pavement. Combined with the classic refrain and the German language, Die Ärzte come to one’s mind as well. Even a short solo turns up and thoughts about local colleagues like Glue Crew and Rebell Bagatell.

Criticism of society and to enjoy playing music are the main goals of VLUN. In that way, they are similar to NOFX. As the LA veterans are about to quit, the biggest difference is, that VLUN are just starting, ready to leave their footprints on the scene.