“Common Rituals” EP Review

In case you missed it, one hell of a post-punk EP came out at the end of October. It’s called “Common Rituals” by the four-piece Chicago outfit Cruel, released under the Fire Talk’s imprint Angel Tapes. The four tracks are body thrashing punk songs whose recordings sound just as electrifying as they do when played live, undoubtedly due to the talents of Jack Henry (recording/mixing) and Greg Obis (mastering).

Comprised of Michael Schrieber (vocals/lyrics/guitar), Jen Ashley (bass), Jack Kelsey (guitar), and Brent Favata (drums), Cruel is a fast and heavy ensemble of talented musicians who manage to perform loose and wild music without ever becoming sloppy. Evoking classic groups like Stiff Little Fingers and modern groups like Goggs, they expand on their influences by creating punk tracks that get stuck in your head.

I came across Cruel while at Sleeping Village for Modern Nun’s Rock N’ Roll Rodeo. Without knowing who they were, I became instantly absorbed in their performance. Their EP opener, “Gutter,” got everyone particularly frenzied, pulling concert-goers closer and closer to the action onstage. Just as exciting live as it is at home, “Gutter” is Cruel’s exemplary track on “Common Rituals” showing how they manage to ride the line between between rough-and-tumble garage punk and super tight rock n’ roll. The fuzzed out verses are countered by the harmonizing choruses, mashed together into a wonderful hodgepodge of fast and tight drumming and proper guitar shredding.

Moving on from the first track, the EP introduces us to three more addictive songs, each with their own distinct melodies drenched in head banging instrumentation. As a debut project, “Common Rituals” shows nothing but promise for Cruel. They’re intense. They’re fast. They’re fun. The winter will be long and snowy, so if Cruel ever appears on any venue’s “upcoming shows” list, be sure to get a ticket to break up that cold monotony with some chest thumping post-punk.