Iceage, a punk band from Copenhagen, Denmark, released theirdebut album, “New Brigade” June 21, though in Denmark the albumdropped back in January. Recorded in a raw, gritty style, thealbum’s 12 tracks sound as if they were recorded in one take,giving their sound an energy and vibrancy unheard in the punk scenesince its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s. With wailing guitar notesending in crushing distortion and dissonant chords, throbbing bassriffs and pounding, almost thrash-style drums, the short, oftentwo-to-three-minute songs assault the listener’s brain.

This is to say nothing of lead singer and guitarist Elias BenderRonnenfelt, whose haunting vocals are reminiscent of The Clash’sJoe Strummer. He alternately sings off-key and screams cryptic,often macabre short stanzas in English, devoid of completesentences. A verse from “Rotting Heights” strikes hard and morbidwith lyrics including “In this act/My blood is blessed/My purpleskin/Peeled in light/Endlessly surrounding limps/I fall theserotting heights.”

Critically acclaimed by many news and music periodicals, thisfirst effort by the band has received tremendous approval andsupport. The average age of the band members is 17, so fans andcritics alike eagerly anticipate what is to come for these youngpunks.