Hardcore
Tozcos – Infernal
Tozcos is a punk powerhouse from Santa Ana, California that has been tearing up the Latinx punk scene in the States for over a decade with their all-Spanish bangers. With a discography that includes a rawly recorded demo (2013), a similarly stripped-down EP (2015), and their hard-hitting debut album Sueños Deceptivos (2018), their sophomore full-length, […]
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Artist: Tozcos
Title: Infernal
Release: LP / Digital
Year: 2023
Label: Toxic State, Quality Control HQ
Tozcos is a punk powerhouse from Santa Ana, California that has been tearing up the Latinx punk scene in the States for over a decade with their all-Spanish bangers. With a discography that includes a rawly recorded demo (2013), a similarly stripped-down EP (2015), and their hard-hitting debut album Sueños Deceptivos (2018), their sophomore full-length, Infernal, dropped in late 2023 and caught everyone off guard.
More surprisingly, Toxic State Records, a label known for its allegiance to the New York punk habitat, took a leap with Tozcos—a rare thing for the label to release a band from California. While Toxic State has always toyed with a number of Latinx bands—most recently putting out great releases by the likes of Abism, Salvaje Punk, and Ataque Subliminal—bringing Tozcos onto their roster was a bit of an unexpected move.
Musically, Infernal is a huge step forward for Tozcos, delivering a more dynamic and electrifying experience than their debut. Their sound is still deeply rooted in the tradition of California Latinx punk, with nods to pioneers like Alice Bag, The Zeros, The Stains, and The Plugz. Influences from Agent Orange, Adolescents, and TSOL are evident in their occasional surf guitar riffs and compelling hooks, while their rhythm section brings to mind the classic UK82 style.
Despite the band’s Californian heritage, Tozcos also draw inspiration from an even wider range of international bands—especially in the harsher, more raucous vocals—ranging from Spanish punk like Eskorbuto and Toreros After Olé to other European bands like B.G.K., Negazione, Svart Framtid, and all those worldwide bands you hear on classic 80’s compilations like Welcome To 1984. Of course, all this name-dropping is just to show that behind Tozco’s simple yet effective formula lies a deep understanding of punk’s origins and cultural significance, while the band enthusiastically does its own unique thing.
As descendants of Mexican immigrants in the United States, the lyrical content of Infernal is even more important and culturally relevant than the music, as it boldly explores themes of self-perception and the experience of being an immigrant. It’s punk with a purpose, tearing through themes of identity, existence, and resistance.
From the get-go with “El Vacio,” Infernal grabs you by the neck and pulls you into the void with razor-sharp riffs and a relentless pace, questioning the very fabric of our fears and insecurities. Tracks like “Ven A Ver” and “Nadie Dice Nada” spit in the face of indifference, serving as a wake-up call to the injustices festering beneath our collective gaze. A raw meditation on mortality, “¿Quién Te Va Enterrar?” refuses to succumb to the forces that seek to bury people’s stories and struggles.
“Desilusión Total” and “Regeneración” cut deep, exploring the disillusionment and hunger for renewal amidst a maze of systemic barriers, while “Presos” and “Ojos Muertos” paint a bleak picture of soul-crushing confinement and a world numb to suffering. And let’s not forget that the lead single “Presos” was also paired with a killer video that channels the spirit of the ’80s Latinx punk underground in a gloriously lo-fi homage, which mimics an obscure shot from an ’80s TV clip recorded on a glitchy VHS tape.
Bangers like “Sigio Infernal,” “Nunca Pasarán,” and “Viboras” are a fierce rally against time, oppression, and deceit, embodying the perpetual fight for survival that defines the experience of the dispossessed. “Abolición,” the concluding track, powerfully condemns systemic violence and calls for the abolition of oppressive structures like the police, highlighting the infernal conditions endured by communities under systemic mistreatment and injustice.
True to its name and aesthetics, Infernal not only electrifies as a relentless punk record but also serves as an important social critique on the struggles and adversities faced by marginalized and immigrant communities in a time of increasing social disparity and conservative politics. Certainly one of the punk highlights of the year. Europeans can get the record from Quality Control HQ in the UK.
Source: diyconspiracy.net
