METZ – Dirty Shirt/Leave Me Out (Sub Pop)

'Dirty Shirt' when performed live will leave you just that, a dirty shirt – covered in a mixture of your nose blood and the sweat from that guy over there in the Glassjaw shirt – it's the soundtrack to a truly violent moshpit. Draped in post-hardcore melodics and the vicious stabs of off-key axe squeals, it blurs the lines between metal and punk. The only reason this manages to avoid the former is due to the fact it doesn't take itself too seriously. This is raucous, tinnitus-inducing grunge-punk for a time when slacker is king. It's effortless.

There's a twang of surf in the other track 'Leave Me Out' – imagine a collaboration with Brian Wilson and Anthrax. There's shreds of melody, thundering bass quakes and a screeching guitar solo/wedge of angst which recalls Sonic Youth. Following suit from 'Dirty Shirt', it's a rampaging behemoth of furious sound headed straight for the section of dancefloor in front of the stage where you go to punch each other.

METZ have a lot going for them: an unbridled aggression reminiscent of the early 90s, the backing of many-a-blog (including Pitchfork) and a boisterous charm. It's a potent mixture, and their live show is undoubtedly hellish – maybe not for the faint of heart, but those with a penchant for elbows and lost shoes should report front and centre for rollcall. Their debut was superb. This follow-up single is a bombardment of awesome. Stardom beckons.