Briefbombe – Deutsche Pest (Review)

When I first read the description of Germany’s sole REAL Post-Punk band, I have to admit that I was slightly confused when having jumped into this release. We’re talking about Hamburg-based Punk outfit Briefbombe (mail bomb) and their latest output Deutsche Pest. The band first surfaced with the release of their first single “FED UP WITH FED EX” in 2022 until their debut release followed in the very same year. In 2024, their sophomore release AUSGELIEFERT followed only to eventually arrive at their latest output. And obviously, when getting a little further into the language and the concept of this band, the description of Post (German: mail) Punk gets a little easier to understand. Yeah, I know, I’m slow and shit. The entire foundation of this band works on the background of a postal framework. And hell – this works so damn great!

Firs things first – what does Briefbombe sound like? What you get right from the first track “PRAKTIKUM BEI DER DEUTSCHEN POST” all the way through these 10 tracks that run at an entire length of 8:38 min. is the finest mixture of Hardcore Punk and Powerviolence that you could imagine. I jumped into this release right after having found praise for Haexler’s Talkshow and there couldn’t have been any better fit. If you are here for the violence, feel free to remain until all of those 10 tracks are vigorously thrusted right into your face with a sound that transports pure energy. While running through these tracks for the first time, it is probably the wrath that these vocals convey that catches the listener. From front to back, we only need a few seconds to find out that vocalist Kris can be considered pretty fucking mad about shit. As soon as you adjust your ears towards the instrumentation on this EP, though, the finesse of the sound that surrounds this sonical delivery (pun intended) serves with way more than just pure wrath. 

While the overall impression repeatedly points at a sound that moves within the spheres of Powerviolence, especially the guitars seem to be interested in outbreaks that occasionally remind of Surf Rock that is brilliantly implemented in the overall tone that comes across. Oscillation back and forth between harsh Punk, PV and Surf elements generates a tone that is incredibly individual.

What was impressively convincing, though, was the fact that I did not consider this whole mail framework to work out so damn well. While you might suggest that the background of working in a postal office might be a limited factor for artistic expression, you might be able to find out yourself that Briefbombe proved differently. Although there is, first of all, enough room for frontal criticism addressing the working conditions for and exploitation of mail carriers (“WEIHNACHTSZEIT ÜBERSTUNDEN FUCK YOU”), there is immediate embedding of this issue in the larger scale of societal consumerism. This then adds up when the overall inference inherently links these issues to the functions of capitalism by means of privatization (“KRITISCHES LIED ÜBER PRIVATISIERUNG”) and outsourcing of duties (“SUBUNTERNEHMER HOMESICK BLUES”). Current discussions about the usage of A.I. are also not spared on “INTELLIGENTE DELIVERY DROHNEN NEIN DANKE” where the discourse about artificial intelligence and mail delivery showcases yet another brilliant way of linking broader issues with the mail framework. 

Although the subjects addressed are perfectly entangled in the spheres of the framework of mail, I also highly favor the sharp articulation that is chosen when discussing these issues – e.g. calling decision makers of privatization not-so-well-groomed (“schlecht frisiert”) while simply stating that they’d favor punching the face of the large amount of mail recipients on the other hand (“THURN UND TAXIS”). It is pure joy to pay close attention to the lyrics on this release because of the back and forth between meticulously approaching serious issues while packing things up in frontal language.

Having been released via Spastic Fantastic Records and Rilrec, this release found a neat and fitting home. If you enjoy Deutsche Pest, I highly recommend walking backwards listening into previous releases by Briefbombe before you remain in loading position while waiting for the next output to be released in the future.