I have a hipster side, so I apologize in advance for reviewing some obscure band that few people have probably ever heard of. I promise I don’t think I’m better than you because of it.

Metz is the name of both the band and its debut album, and it is some of the finest punk rock I’ve heard in years. With my constantly maturing taste of more complex and artful music, I almost forgot how much I love the angry slapin-the-face of punk rock. There’s something about the fuzz of the guitars and the off-pitch screams of the band members that still appeals to that frustrated, angry youth inside of me – something Metz has captured perfectly in this firecracker of an album. This is how punk rock was always meant to be: simple, fast and filthy.

I was surprised to hear such intensity from a Canadian trio. I always picture those guys as pretty laid back when they’re not out playing hockey, eh? But Metz has got the energy portion of basement rock down to a science. These songs are like an electric shock. As soon as it hits your ears you can feel it course through your veins with undeniable force. Their drummer pounds on his instrument with heavy velocity, and the guitars are so dirty it’s a wonder the band can convey any sense of rhythm. In fact, the entire group gives you this feeling that they’re going to completely fall apart at any second, but somehow manage to keep themselves together long enough to finish a song. It adds a nice dose of adrenaline to everything. After all, punk rock has never been about subtlety or an attention to detail, it’s pure emotion and attitude.

That attitude comes from being young, angry and having a will to cause destruction to anything that appears too civilized. Metz actually gets this, one of the only bands since the ‘90s that does. They understand the importance of stripping the music down to its bare bones, which makes it surprisingly catchy even amongst all of the noise. And even though it ends up being fun to listen to, it’s not supposed to be pretty, melodic or even thoughtful. Punk rock’s only purpose is to liberate our pent-up aggressions waiting just beneath the surface. It’s the opposite of relaxation music. Metz doesn’t want you to relax, they want you to cut loose.

However, just because these guys have got the spirit of punk rock doesn’t mean they’ve got the genre waxed down to a clean shine. The album is only half an hour long for one, due to most of the songs being two minutes in length at best. They could certainly stand to explore the possibilities of individual songs a bit more and expand on those age-old formulas passed down by bands like The Misfits, the Sex Pistols and Rancid. They’re great formulas, but this is part of why punk rock is so dead: it hasn’t changed at all.

I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before the members of this band grow up, put on ties and become contributing members of society, but until that happens, I’m going to enjoy every second of these guys’ explosive debut.

Every generation deserves its battle cry of teenage rebellion, and Metz could be the perfect posterboys for ours.