One of the most promising bands of the first half of the 2020s was Chubby and the Gang, a motley crew of West Londoners led by Charlie Manning Walker, who also plays guitar with excellent street punks the Chisel. Taking on the metonym Chubby Charles, he melded hardcore, oi, folk-punk, and power-pop on the Gang's three albums, including the ferocious 2020 debut Speed Kills. Gems like "Coming Up Tough" sounded like little else even though they had entire histories of subgenres packed into powerful little punches.

But the Gang eventually winnowed down to just Walker for their final album, last year's And Then There Was..., before shutting down entirely. Meg Mills now plays in Turnstile.

It didn't take long for Walker to bounce back though, and out today via Static Shock Records is a self-titled EP by his new outfit, EZ8, which blazes through four songs in eight minutes as rough and melodic as his Chubby and the Gang material, but more streamlined with dirtier production. According to their Bandcamp, a new seven-inch will follow, and EZ8 plays their first show on Saturday at New River Studios in London.

Rock out to EZ8 below: