In a world beset by plenty of reasons to despair, hope is an act of rebellion. When the bastards try to get you down, optimism can be as violent as a brick through a shop window.

That wide-eyed defiance is on full display on “CTRL.ALT.DEFEAT,” the latest single from British hardcore outfit Floods In Japan, and it’s every bit as violent and hopeful as you could hope for.

The song offers up a full-speed-ahead punk energy, thick guitars and straight ahead drums racing at a breakneck speed. The instruments offer a grab bag of punk, hardcore, and metal that takes cues from icons like The Clash and Melvins as well as new wave flagbearers like pre-Glow On Turnstile, all wrapped up in breakneck tempos, bristling distortion, and a healthy dose of pop sensibilities.

And over this intense firefight, vocalist/guitarist El Tyler delivers anti-fascist, pro-queer, posi-core lyrics with a sneer, calling out Far Right extremism in one verse and expressing their love for all people the next. But even in their most biting indictments, they still offer an invitation to their ideological opponent to lay down arms and embrace love together.

It’s a blistering track that’s as catchy as it is aggressive. And as the first thing they’ve written since their 2020 demo, the bar is set high for their upcoming EP Bruiser.

Follow Floods in Japan on Facebook, Instagram, and Bandcamp.