Plague Vendor – “Bloodsweat” [Album Review]

I had a chance to catch Plague Vendor a few years back on a Warped Tour stop and instantly became a fan. They play a brand of punk-influenced rock that is raw, infectious and absolutely fun. Vocalist Brandon Blaine has an incredible stage presence; imagine for a moment he is the illegitimate love child of a threesome consisting of Mick Jagger, David Johansen and Iggy Pop.

The band’s new Epitaph Records release, Bloodsweat, carries the torch of the in-your-face stripped-down punk rock movement that was all the rage back in the day and has been simmering in the underground for years now. All of the record’s eleven tracks have a sense of immediacy and urgency which serves to propel the listener along through the chaos. The honest, raw tracks really do represent the group’s live performance and, as far as I can tell, this record was purposely done in a DIY manner which expertly pays tribute to the masters of the genre while adding a more current Plague Vendor twist.

If you are a fan of the early punk scene or any of the previously mentioned artists, I recommend adding these guys to your rock radar. They are proudly carrying the Punk Rock flag into 2016 and have tremendous potential. Can’t wait to see how far they will go.

Track Listing:

01. Anchor to Ankles
02. Jezebel
03. Ox Blood
04. Credentials
05. ISUA
06. Chopper
07. No Bounty
08. Saturday Night Shakes
09. Fire to Emotion
10. Giving In Going Out
11. Got It Bad

Run Time: 34:20
Release Date: March 25, 2016

Check out the album Bloodsweat