The SLUG BOYS have always thrived on the edge. Born out of the cold streets of Oslo, this Scandi-Brit post-punk band is no stranger to the raw, visceral energy that defines the genre. But with their latest release, “Glasnost,” they’re taking that energy and directing it with laser-like precision at a target that’s become impossible to ignore: the Russian regime and its ongoing aggression in Ukraine.
Named after the concept of openness and transparency that was supposed to herald the end of Soviet oppression, the track asks a simple but devastating question: what does glasnost mean now, all these years after the fall of the Iron Curtain? The answer, as the SLUG BOYS see it, is a bitter pill to swallow.
The band’s frontman cites a litany of influences that fed into the creation of this song, from Daniel Roher’s documentary “Navalny” to countless audiobooks and podcasts chronicling the Soviet Union’s dark history.
This is the product of deep dives into the chilling reality of what it means to stand against a government that silences dissent with brutal efficiency.
The lyrics paint a stark picture of the fate that often befalls those who dare to speak out in Russia—a fate that’s all too familiar to figures like Alexei Navalny. The SLUG BOYS wrote “Glasnost” before Navalny’s latest brush with death, making the track all the more poignant. It’s a dark, brooding reflection on how the Russian state handles its enemies, with the band’s characteristic blend of biting irony and searing truth.
As the song nears its conclusion, the SLUG BOYS shift gears, recounting a night in Oslo when the Russian punk band PORNOFILMY took the stage. The energy was electric, but there was an undercurrent of fear—a fear that the Russian expats in the audience, and the band itself, might never see home again without facing severe repercussions.
The outro of “Glasnost” serves as an homage to that night, to the brave souls who continue to protest despite the risks, and to a friend of the band—a Russian living in Norway, vocal in his dissent, who knows all too well the price of defiance.
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“Glasnost” is a scathing commentary on how much has been undone in recent years. The SLUG BOYS don’t pull punches; they strike hard, channeling their anger and frustration into a track that’s both a lament and a rallying cry.
They even joke that if you play it backwards, you might hear SCORPIONS’ “Wind of Change”—but in reality, the song is anything but a nostalgic trip. It’s a blunt, unflinching look at the lies and self-deception that continue to plague Russia.
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This is SLUG BOYS at their most raw and unfiltered, holding up a mirror to a world that desperately needs to wake up.
With more singles on the way leading up to their debut album next year, the band is gearing up to make some serious noise. “Glasnost” is the first shot fired.
