If there’s one thing that the socials of Newcastle Alt-Punk outfit One Million Motors suggest, it’s that they’re a constantly restless bunch.  Full of political commentary, and heart-on-sleeve opinions, it’s fair to say that the Motor gang don’t only rage against the machine through their music and on-stage performances; they do so in their off-stage lives.

Following up their 2021 Ramones-meets-Offspring-meets-Dropkick Murphy’s intense ‘Poisoned Lungs / You’re Not Viable’ release, 2022 sees One Million carry on further along the angry trajectory with the release of their ‘Untitled’ EP, a heavy, aggressive, symphony which forces their rage right to the foreground of their music.  And, given the intensity of their EP, their conversations, and even their press releases (“questioning of the current day government as well as the mundane nature of the 9-5 working life”), it seems like One Million are still finding plenty of ammunition to fuel the rage that fuel’s their creativity.

The direct, almost Misfts-like, straight-to-the-point punk mentality of EP highlight ‘They’re getting away with this’ not only brings out huge punk power chords and sneered vocals, but it brings out interesting asides when you ask the band who, exactly, are getting away with what?? “That was written around October time, well before party gate was in the press, but it’s almost serendipity when I think about the song now and what’s coming out about the government’s behaviour” (John – vocals and rhythm guitar) “I totally believe that our government are getting away with it.  We never really planned to become political, or for our music to have that political edge, but we lost somebody due to Covid and when you think of all of the anger that comes from trying to do the right thing and then you hear about what members of the government are up to, it just all comes out.  And they are getting away with it.  But they shouldn’t be”.

Full of edgy, political, punk ‘They’re Getting Away With This’ is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the strong focus of the Untitled EP; other highlights such as ‘ACW’ and ‘Knows What’s Best’, contribute to a collection of songs that come with a strong thesis as well as heavy guitars and pounding rhythms. 

“We think this is our best work to date” (John – bassist and backing vocals) “and whilst we’re influenced by the classic punk bands, and more recently by the likes of Bob Villain and Idles, we try to have a harsh edge whilst trying to also look for some of the reasons to be optimistic and I think that’s also in our music.”

An EP release gig at Little Buildings is also particularly motivational to the band at present “we’ll play the new EP live” (James) “whilst also picking up some of the older stuff and choosing which bits we can update to make them faster and angrier. We’re so excited to play live but we want it to have a good vibe and be a welcoming evening; we’re here to make friends”.

With plans already afoot for anther EP or a mini album in 2022 (“It would be good to do something and keep the momentum of this EP going into the year” (John)) it seems like the Million’s are on a roll.  And it also seems they have plenty more to rage against.