Armed with pummeling gothy grooves, acidic wit and earworm hooks, Ekko Astral brings the mascara moshpit mayhem you crave. The five-piece band was founded by journalist and songwriter Jael Holzman to have fun singing Jell-O sweet melodies about modern living over thrashy licks and relentless drums. Equal parts inspired by classic punk rock acts like The Stooges and today’s art pop, their 2022 debut QUARTZ has been called a “propulsive mix of garage rock shagginess [with] the harrowing vocals and chilly guitar tones of your favorite punk bands.”