Last year the Norwegian punk group FIGHTS made us very happy with their debut songs and their single, “Asbestos High,” even made it to one of our annual lists. Today, the quartet presents us with a musical gift in the form of a double single, “Cyanide Car + Death by Fish.” Being really pleased with their first songs, we had to see how the band is going to treat us in these quarantine times.
“Cyanide Car” starts with a growling bassline, leading us to a little story about car theft. In this case, the car was a van containing cyanide. After Sivert’s recognizable scream kicks in, we know we are in it for FIGHTS. They have maintained the rawness and energy from their earlier material and I find myself smiling every time I hear the first lines of the chorus. It’s a good sign when a band can make a song work with a little bit of humor. Overall, I found myself playing this song on a repeat quite a few times.
You can find a story about a murderous sea creature flying fish in “Death by Fish,” which surprisingly starts with flamenco vibes. Followed by loud guitar riffing to help you shake off the confusion, FIGHTS is giving you the warning to look out for your life. For a song that’s barely over 2 minutes long, the band has managed to incorporate quite many elements in the song – the pre-chorus includes a clapping effect and the last chorus ends in a message notification just to make way for an ending which could be from a death metal song.
To summarize, FIGHTS kicks ass. Go give the songs a listen.
Lineup
Sivert Moe – Vocals
Sigve Kvitvik – Bass, backing vocals
Markus Uttisrud – Guitar, backing vocals
Eirik Langva Lie – Drums, backing vocals
