The third release from the Munich-based hardcore bootboy band Choke Combat.
After their demo on No Fuss Tapes and a debut LP on Try And Stop Me Records, they now return with a four-track EP, once again released under the TASM label.

Choke Combat are now a four-piece, and stylistically they walk the line between early hardcore and punk. Don’t expect flashy guitar solos or elaborate arrangements—their focus is on a raw, dense, and aggressive sound. They don’t rely on breakneck speed to achieve this intensity; instead, it’s the coarse, powerful vocals that push the entire EP into a harder, more aggro direction.

All four tracks are consistent in quality and form a solid, convincing record.

The opening track, Stray Dogs, sets the tone for the entire EP—furious, angry, frustrated. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but you can clearly feel the discontent with the current state of society, as well as a strong desire not to give in, despite increasing restrictions on freedom.

The second track, Better Life, continues in a similar vein—frustration, suppressed aggression, and a drive to escape poverty at any cost.

The third track, Prediction Pain, will please anyone who rooted for James “Clubber” Lang over the Italian Stallion in Rocky III. The film came out in 1982, and truthfully, Choke Combat’s sound would fit that era perfectly.

The EP closes with Not My Home Anymore—a sharp critique of modern football. What was once working-class entertainment has become an overpriced, soulless circus. But the song goes beyond football—it’s a statement about losing your sense of home in a world that’s changing for the worse.

The EP’s cover artwork fits perfectly with the band’s bootboy image and complements the football theme of the final track. Aggression and rawness are front and center here—and while the songs aren’t particularly fast, the overall impact of the record is powerful and convincing, just like its atmosphere.

Top track: Stray Dogs