Review | Good Teal - Good Teal
When was the last time you experienced a debut performance that felt like a bona fide artistic expression? Whether it be a filmmaker’s first movie being a hit, an art piece that people identify with, or a band’s first musical showing that demanded your attention, it feels rare. There’s nothing wrong with an artist honing their craft over time, but there’s a unique experience when you discover something that immediately feels well-rounded, real, and lays down the groundwork for what can follow. Good Teal’s self-titled EP gave me that feeling. Brimming with confidence, breaking convention, and above all, a steadfast identity not only with themselves, but the landscape of the hardcore scene they represent.
I won’t waste time in the same way this EP won’t waste yours: Within twenty-three minutes and eight tracks, Good Teal put out a stunning tour de force which opens with “Parasites!”. Cataclysmic drums slam down without hesitation to send the track off running. The energy is alive, breathing, and sinister like the title leads on. The domineering guitars present the main hook of the track, an inescapably catchy riff that all appears before the thirty second mark. I could analyze the second-by-second nature of this EP, and while I won’t bore you, my point is how assertive and self-assured this release is. Not many bands can pull off a self-titled as their first release, but Good Teal prove that this was the only way this was meant to be heard.
I’ve been hung up on “Parasites!” since it dropped, a feeding frenzy of my own that I have been using to bide my time until Good Teal dropped. Released a few days ago on August 15, I’ve been satiated. What impressed me about “Parasites!” was how chameleonesque the track can be, shifting around for punkier moments, memorable choruses with a mix of clean and harsh vocals, and a constant momentum that flows through your veins as you finish the track. I was taken over when hearing it, and the rest of the EP delivers in similar fashion.
Good Teal has been a few years in the making, with “Freefall!” released as a single in 2023, then “Lookout” in 2024. “Freefall!” is a great first showing of the band, a punk-themed track that would have thrived in the Tony Hawk’s video game franchise. “Lookout”, along with “Excusing the Hurt” are the more true hardcore tracks on the record. Even then, they’re simultaneously polished yet gritty, and the added guitar solos meld the chaotic and dynamic tracks together. The track listing is just as important for the EP too, as shorter songs break apart some of the longer ones and songs end where the next begins. Even the instrumental track is an ethereal break from the norm, and I love how Shane Stanton’s drumming can compliment or lead these tracks effortlessly. “Newark Vs. Brimstone” cleanses the pallet, yet still has an intoxicating beat centered around a ride groove and guitars that float above and beyond.
If anyone out there isn’t into heavier music, I recommend at least checking out “Bittersweet”, an alt-metal meets pop-punk hit that almost anyone can find themselves in. The lyrics “My mind is tainted / I hate the world / Don’t wanna be acquainted with anyone” is felt more than heard, but Reg Mason’s vocals soar on this track. The well-earned third chorus is the emotional peak of the track, leaning into the anger and disdain the song presents. While the EP’s lyrical themes cover serious topics around abuse, one-sided relationships, religion, and more, the songs are a framework to release these emotions, not hold them inside. There is a great article on The Witzard that explores this more, but one thing that stuck out is how community focused the band is, and how these songs are meant to experienced live to let these feelings out.
“Good Teal”, by Good Teal, from Good Teal, is as fun to write as it is to hear. In all seriousness, I’ve not heard many bands make a statement as bold as this outro track does. Covering all of the above and more, the ending unravels itself, mixing together different brushstrokes the band has painted throughout their eight tracks, collapsing in on itself and spiralling back out. The blood-curdling vocals from Mason proclaim the band, their place in the world (New Fucking Jersey, baby), and what may come next from the group. After the pummeling disorder of their crescendoing end, the track reintegrates into an all-timer breakdown to finish the EP.
Good Teal is why I’m here, writing words on art. To cover bands as great as this, to let my passion bleed onto the “page” for all to discover new things that move me as much as this did. This band can’t fit inside a box that conventional genres aim to, but my descriptions of the tracks are an anchor for what to expect, and what isn’t expected from a band like Good Teal. I’ve made my case for this band’s debut, and expect more and more people in the scene to fall in love with this formidable first showing from the group. Please listen, like, or support the band through their pages below.
Break.
Good Teal
Release Date: August 15, 2025
Genres: Hardcore, Post-Hardcore, Punk, Garage Rock, More
Rating: 10/10
Written by Evan Lurie
