From the sleek and articulate post-punk of bands like Deeper and Stuck, the art rock vacuum from the voids of FACs, to young rock firebrands Horsegirl and Lifeguard, there is a lot to love about what has been coming out of Chicago’s current indie scene these days. Cruel just might be turning up the heat in it a few notches on their debut extended play, Common Rituals.

Of the aforementioned, the four-piece of vocalist and guitarist Michael Schrieber, bassist Jen Ashley, guitarist Jack Kelsey, and drummer Brent Favata run (fast, at that) alongside the busy-and-bombastic of the latter two, though their revivalism of indie rock for the better is one doused in kerosene, lit ablaze, and stays burning across the four tracks here. Schrieber’s forefront presence is inescapable throughout, constantly shouting into your face from a blown-out mic with laments against the grinding daily malaise.

He and his ‘mates burn through every point of pent up frustration — now in a combustible state — with the reckless abandon of Aughts garage rock and the frenzy force of ’90s post-hardcore. They only get to “Tuesday”, but it feels like they’ve gone through a hell of a week in short order.

Highlights: “Gutter”, “Demeanor”, and “Tuesday”

Cruel’s Common Rituals is available now on Angel Tapes.

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