French punk band Violence Banalisée released their new EP 2026 on October 12, featuring five tracks written over the past year. The band also announced that the project is currently on hold. I hope it won’t be for long, because I’ve only just discovered them and, judging by this release, they’ve still got plenty to say.
The lyrics deal with themes that are deeply rooted in punk, but alongside the usual middle finger to the system, criticism of capitalism, police repression, the far right and social inequality, Violence Banalisée also turn their attention inward. Les mains qui tremblent tackles alcoholism and how the original desire for freedom and rebellion can gradually turn into an addiction that takes control of your life. Une vie sans sel, meanwhile, paints a picture of someone spending their life meeting society’s expectations, only to eventually realise that something important has slipped away somewhere between work and everyday routine.
The closing track, Ville morte, offers a bleak look at a town scarred by industrial decline, social inequality and indifference towards those left on the margins of society.
Five tracks, no grand illusions and a hefty dose of frustration with the world we live in. I hope the break won’t last too long and that Violence Banalisée will be back on stage soon. They’re raw, loud and varied, and I’m really digging this.
