Gallows

With their live shows already legendary in their native England, Gallows are at the forefront of the U.K.'s punk revival—and with good reason. Their newest release, Orchestra of Wolves, is about as volatile and menacing as it gets. You could sit all day and compare them to the Who's Who of late-'70s punk and hardcore, but it still wouldn't do them justice. They sound like most of those bands, to be sure, but not even self-mutilator Iggy Pop could conjure the focused, intense nihilism captured on the album. (Granted, nobody rolls around on broken glass—but only because that would be too showy.) If you're going to win fans these days, confronting societal ills like date rape and violence with an unblinking eye is more the way to do it. The most unsettling aspect of Orchestra of Wolves is its refusal to offer a point of catharsis. Gallows wear their unease and disgust like a badge of honor. With This Is Hell and Cancer Bats. All ages.
Sat., Feb. 2, 5 p.m., 2008