Kill the Locals Volume Four: A Wild Ride Through Indie Rock, Punk, and Acoustic Vibes
If you’re into raw, unfiltered music that doesn’t try too hard to impress but somehow nails it anyway, Kill the Locals Volume Four is worth a spin. Released in 2016 by a bunch of US-based artists under the self-released label "Not On Label," this album is like a chaotic house party where everyone’s invited—indie rockers, punk fans, acoustic lovers—all crammed into one wild night.
The album throws a ton at you with its mixtape vibe, packing tracks like “Zombie Apocalypse,” “Breaking The Law” (yep, a Judas Priest cover), and even an Adele remix with “Someone Like You.” But two songs really stuck with me: “Barren Wasteland” and “Chasing The Sun (Acoustic).”
“Barren Wasteland” hits hard right outta the gate. It’s got this gritty, almost post-apocalyptic feel—like if Mad Max decided to start a band. The guitar riffs are crunchy, the vocals sound like they’ve been dragged through gravel, and there’s just enough chaos to keep things interesting without losing control. I kept coming back to it because it feels like a punch to the gut in all the best ways. You know those songs that make you wanna drive fast on empty roads? This is one of ‘em.
Then there’s “Chasing The Sun (Acoustic),” which flips the script entirely. Stripped-down and kinda haunting, it’s the kind of track that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. There’s something about the way the melody lingers—it’s simple, sure, but damn effective. It made me think about long road trips and staring out car windows as the sun dips below the horizon. Not bad for a random acoustic jam buried deep in the tracklist.
What makes Kill the Locals Volume Four stand out isn’t perfection—it’s personality. These aren’t polished studio productions; these are real people making real music, warts and all. Some tracks hit harder than others, and yeah, a few might feel like filler, but isn’t that kinda the point? It’s messy, unpredictable, and human—and honestly, that’s refreshing.
By the time you get to the end of the album, you’re left wondering who exactly “Kill the Locals” even is. Is it a collective? A movement? Or just some dudes messing around in their garage? Either way, they pulled off something cool here—a record that feels more like a scrapbook than a carefully curated playlist.
Oh, and fun fact: listening to this album makes you realize how weirdly satisfying it is to hear someone scream “Hallelujah” after Leonard Cohen. Who knew?
So yeah, give it a shot. Just don’t blame me if you find yourself humming “Barren Wasteland” while stuck in traffic or randomly shouting “Zombie Apocalypse!” during awkward silences.
