Beowülf

2¢ (Restless)
by Joe Hacking

“My music is best left unclassified,” says Beowülf frontman Dale Henderson. “It’s been categorized anywhere from metal to alternative, punk to pop… go figure!”

Beowülf, like Suicidal Tendencies, was one of the premier skatepunk bands of Venice Beach back in the days of yore. While Suicidal has seemingly evaporated into thin air, Beowülf has returned with 2¢, their new release on Restless Records. Keeping with Henderson’s quote, their sound eludes easy classification, yet listening to 2¢ makes you realize that they’re still punk enough to kick some ass in today’s scene. With Henderson’s genuine punk wail dominating their hard-driving sound, Beowülf makes Swiss cheese of the quasi-punk competition. And yet they’re not really punk. You can hear a definite similarity to Suicidal, but it sounds almost like surfer music on amphetamines. The title track resembles a Ramones song in its simplicity, yet doesn’t sound like them at all. They defy classification and just about everything else that true punks defy: Society, conformity, ignorance, weakness of heart and mind.

“The strong will prey on the unstable/Cause life ain’t for a spineless heart,” howls Henderson on “Life Ain’t, Life’s Only.” All of Bëowülf’s lyrics resemble the musings of angry beatniks, tottering between poetic and just plain pissed. With Dinesh Chadhuri’s frantic drumming, Dug Mug’s foundation-quaking bass, and Buckit’s guitar wall behind Henderson’s angst channeling, 2¢ creates a grim beast of common sense that drags you to the bottom of your own personal soul pond, forcing you to fight your way back to the surface.