York’s Segrëgates released “No Rhyme or Reason” on August 3rd, recorded at DC Studios in Barnsley with producer Jack, cut without a click track to keep the take feeling live rather than gridded to a metronome. The band calls their own sound Motorpunk rock’n’roll, and the reference points they name, Motorhead, Inepsy and Sleaford Mods, line up with what’s on the record: a rhythm section built for speed and bite rather than polish for its own sake.
That comes through clearly on the track itself, which lands closer to thrash metal, with a noticeably tighter, more modern production job than a lot of bands working in that lane bother to use. It’s the kind of cut that should slot straight into any playlist built for fans of the genre without needing much of an introduction. Lyrically, the band aims squarely at what they see as a watered-down punk and post-punk scene, bands they feel have sold a safe, market-tested version of rebellion rather than the real thing. Whether or not you agree with the target, the lyrics carry an unmistakable bite that matches the music.
This release also marks a lineup shift. Dicko, who was the band’s original guitarist many years back, has returned to the fold on bass, taking that role over from vocalist Smell, who’s freed up to focus solely on singing this time out. Guitar duties have also changed hands, with a new player picking up where Dr Horn left off. Off the back of the release, the band has also landed a long-awaited slot at Rebellion Festival, playing the Sunday date after being passed over for a booking there for years. For a band with this much churn behind the scenes, “No Rhyme or Reason” sounds remarkably locked in.
