Okay, Planet Damn isn’t exactly a new band—they had an earlier incarnation called Hex Vision, and released three songs recorded live at Mississippi Studios early last year. But they’ve since found a new bassist, changed their name, and refined the raw power present on those early Hex Vision tracks. This week, they’re finally debuting a tape of demos via Cosmonaut Music, and spoiler alert: It’s pretty damn good.
According to a press release, Janie Black (guitar/vocals), Amelia Ley (drums), and Fay Funk (bass) have been friends for a decade, and all grew up “on the outskirts of Portland.” They cite bands like Devo, the Ramones, Hüsker Dü, and Hot Snakes as major influences, but Planet Damn’s sound most resembles that of Portland lo-fi punk forbears Wipers and Dead Moon.