3 months after the announcement of their signing with the almighty Fat Wreck label and 2 months after the premiere of a new song, Milwaukee punk rockers from DIRECT HIT! are back with a full stream of their new record ‘Wasted Mind’! Grab it via this location, but first listen below!
In a time where mediocre pop punk bands are a dime a dozen, Direct Hit! still manages to be at the forefront of what can be done with the genre. All of their full-lengths are very distinguishable from one another and they have managed to keep that notion consistent with Wasted Mind. Direct Hit!’s ability to branch out, yet still remain true to their angry pop punk sound and their wild and “out there” lyrics are what make them so unique. It is what makesWasted Mind such a great album. / PunkNews.org
As much work and thought as the band put into Wasted Mind, Direct Hit! isn’t feeling the pressure to sell enough copies and make enough of a mark to stay on the Fat Wreck Chords roster. The goals are simple: keep touring internationally, meet new and interesting people, and enjoy the moment. Maybe countless earlier disappointments have tempered the band’s expectations, but in that dingy room on Appleton Avenue, Direct Hit! seems at ease and eager to share songs that were born behind that heavy metal door with the world beyond. / Milwaukee Record
In fact, that’s why Direct Hit! are such a breath of fresh air in the punk scene. Not because the music is original (it isn’t), or because they play it really well (they don’t), but because they remember what punk is: all attitude, all the time, fuck the rest. As such, this is the best punk album of the year so far. / AntiHero Magazine
Direct Hit!’s (technically) 4th full length album is a winner. They somehow managed to juggle the difficult tasks of following up a near perfect previous release while experimenting with their formula and sound while still staying true to what we expect from them. Not an easy thing to do while being judged by these assholes in the scene who are quick to throw around smug phrases like “sell-out” or “I liked their earlier stuff better.” For The Love Of Punk
To say Direct Hit! carry the themes of drug experimentation on Wasted Mind to the level of excess would be an understatement, but that’s precisely the point. Whether it’s the opening of ‘Forced to Sleep’ which makes swallowing down amphetamines sound as harmless as candy, or the depiction of partygoers foaming at the mouth after ingesting questionable pills in ‘Paid in Brains’, the album is as whacky and adventurous as the often referenced Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas. In regards to Wasted Mind, vocalist Nick Woods stated I hadn’t really experimented with drugs until some time in the last couple years. Having approached that horizon later than most who ever do, it’s easy for me to see how so many people have realized such amazing ideas with the use of mind-altering chemicals and plants. But it’s also easy to see why a lot of those people descend into madness and ruin. This sentiment translates throughout the album, as the band’s depictions of substance abuse range from playful to cautionary, and sometimes both. It’s clear Direct Hit! are an ambitious bunch, and their second concept album in a row does not disappoint. From start to finish, the album is an absolute blast of energy, and everything fans of Brainless God could have ever hoped for. That’s three for three. . SputnikMusic
It all comes together to make ‘Wasted Mind’ a truly remarkable achievement. Where the idea of punk in 2016 is something so watered down it’s pop-rock with a cooler name, Direct Hit may have galvanised a genre in a way that keeps its roots on show but manages to inject in some fresh life. And if any of that sounds even the tiniest bit appealing, consider ‘Wasted Mind’ essential listening. / AlreadyHeard
