Australian rock outfit ReeToxA unleash their most ferocious track yet with “Alcohol,” the opening salvo from their debut LP “Pines Salad.” Released across all platforms, this punk rock/grunge banger is a real heart starter, setting the tone for what’s to come.
The band wastes no time grabbing your attention. Musically, it starts with a fake-out. A huge-sounding guitar feeds back aggressively, and then the entire band falls into a punk-style groove. The music represents the chaos of alcohol by shifting the dynamics constantly, and conveys the power and uncontrollable nature of alcohol. It’s the heaviest track I’ve heard from ReeToxA, and it absolutely requires it to serve the story.
According to the press kit, the inspiration came from a night that started with liquid courage and ended in regret. The narrative follows a man frustrated at only being able to talk to girls after a few beers, who wakes up in the outer suburbs with no money and no phone after a one-night stand. It’s messy, it’s real, and McKee doesn’t try to dress it up as anything other than what it was: a rough night with consequences.
What makes “Alcohol” stand out is its ability to balance brutality with accessibility. This is the heaviest track on the album; you can still dance to it. James Ryan’s guitar is relentless here, while Kit Riley and Peter Marin pound away at a groove that refuses to let up. McKee’s vocals match the energy, raw and urgent, exactly what the song demands.
“Alcohol” is a fun track that fuses punk with modern-day grit, showcasing ReeToxA‘s versatility beyond the ballads and slow burners we’ve heard from them before. As an album opener, it announces that “Pines Salad” isn’t going to play it safe, and ReeToxA is ready to show every side of their sound.
