Resistance

It's incredible that this young four-piece from small-town Manitoba haven't received more attention on the national scale; their debut, Plague the Nation is the best thing to happen to punk rock in years. Resistance's driving force is definitely singer/bassist Nicole Skalesky, who brings so much aggression, anger and passion to the group's tightly woven tales of youthful alienation that she puts her male counterparts in the hardcore genre to shame. Comparisons to the Distillers' Brody Dalle are unavoidable, but on songs like "Follow and Remain," which combines brute force with stick-in-your head harmonies, Resistance proves they are no mere copycats. While the Distillers have always had an ear for pop hooks and an eye on the charts, Plague The Nation's songs are completely uncompromising. It's as if they know how good they are, and they don't need to prove it by pandering to the pop punk crowd. Plague The Nation is a fast, heavy dose of what punk rock is supposed to sound like. This band is so addictive, it's dangerous.