Blackmarket Syndicate - And the Peasants Rejoiced

This review was originally published on DyingScene.

Do you miss the sounds of punk rock from the early 90’s? Looking for a new fix but to no avail? Well look no further than Blackmarket Syndicate, a punk rock band straight out of Houston, TX, and their newest album, And the Peasants Rejoiced. Oh, but you say that you’re broke? No problem! Just follow these five easy steps and you’ll be rocking out to your own homemade Blackmarket Syndicate - And the Peasants Rejoiced in no time.

Step 1: Find your copy of the Hectic EP by Operation Ivy. You can also use either Energy or the discography LP, but I think that Hectic provides the best results. You’ll want to cut out all the ska stuff, so no upstrokes or anything. This will mostly be used for the harsh snarls of Jesse Michaels. Once you’ve finished that, place on the side for now.  

Step 2: While you’ve already got a decent haul of Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman playing together from the Hectic EP, you’re going to also want to throw in the first Rancid album (the 1993 self titled with the gun cover) for a bit of a more refined sound. Place alongside the Hectic EP when done.

Step 3: Take one of your favorite punk albums with a heavy lyrical emphasis on the working class, preferably from the Hellcat or SideOneDummy rosters. In all likeliness, this album will be a Street Punk or Oi album, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be just as long as the songs are about working side-by-side with your brothers (literally or figuratively) in a blue-collar environment. I personally recommend something by Street Dogs, but whatever floats your boat. (FYI: Selecting something by Dropkick Murphys means extra work as you’ll have to cut out all the bagpipes).

Step 4: Throw it all together in a shaker and work it.

Step 5: To finish things up, take some shavings made of the first album by Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards album and place it on top.

Presto, you’re done! Now you have your very own copy of the new Blackmarket Syndicate album to be enjoyed whenever you want. Can be served chilled or room temperature. Best served in a skate park.

Homemade album art not included.

Some other things to note:

- For a healthier option, you can substitute the first Rancid album with a copy of the US pressing of the Clash’s first album- although listen to that bass on Greed and Hate or Avalanche and tell me you don’t hear Matt Freeman’s influence. I don’t think it’s possible.

- Conversely, for a treat that’s extra sweet, you can grind up One Man Army’s Victoria and add it to the mix before Step 4. 

-Remember: shaken, not stirred. (This is important!)

- In all seriousness though, I really enjoyed this album: it’s something that’s new, but also manages to kick in a sense of nostalgia.