Post-punk band Agender has released their third album “Berserk” – a fierce, uncompromising collection that serves as both a love letter to their city and a scathing critique of contemporary society. This concise yet powerful 10-track album represents the band at their most confident and confrontational.
Co-produced by frontwoman Romy Hoffman and David Scott Stone (LCD Soundsystem), “Berserk” fuses post-punk, disco-punk, and what the band describes as “schizo-synth-punk” into a cohesive yet deliberately jarring experience. The album tackles themes ranging from love addiction and feminist rage to existential dread and consumerism, creating a visceral reflection of a world seemingly spiraling toward instability.
“Everyone’s trying to improve, to ‘do the work,’ but the conundrum is: there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism,” explains Hoffman. “This album is a snapshot of that dilemma, wrapped in something catchy enough to make you want to dance—or scream—a solution.”
Agender began in 2011 as a solo punk project for Australian-born musician Romy Hoffman. What started as a solitary endeavor quickly evolved into a quartet consisting of Hoffman alongside bassist Cristy Michel, drummer Christy Greenwood, and synth player Sara Rivas, though Hoffman remains the primary songwriter.
Hoffman’s background is notably diverse – a former teen guitarist in Ben Lee’s Noise Addict, a rapper under the name Macromantics, and a DJ in L.A.’s queer underground scene. This eclectic experience informs Agender’s sound, which defies easy categorization while drawing inspiration from legends like The Ramones and Devo.
What makes “Berserk” particularly compelling is its prophetic quality. The album captures a sense of impending chaos that resonates deeply in today’s climate. This prescience gives the music an urgency that transcends typical punk revivalism.
Alongside the album, Agender released a striking black-and-white music video for “Action Reaction,” shot at Hermosa Beach. Directed by Hoffman and Rivas, the video serves as a visual metaphor for emotional drowning, with the Pacific Ocean representing the anxiety of modern existence. The stark aesthetic complements the album’s themes, creating a multimedia experience that enhances the music’s impact.
Agender’s work continues the tradition of punk as both artistic expression and social critique, updated for the digital age. The band’s exploration of themes like consumerism, identity, and existential anxiety speaks directly to contemporary concerns, particularly among younger audiences grappling with an uncertain future.
Agender offers a model for how artists can respond to challenging times, challenging listeners while providing the catharsis that comes from confronting difficult truths through art.