Melbourne punk lords, CIVIC return with exploratory new album, 'Chrome Dipped'
Photo credit Marcus Coblyn
Melbourne’s punk lords, CIVIC have returned with their brilliant, exploratory new album, ‘Chrome Dipped’, which is out now via ATO Records.
Known for their raw, adrenaline-fuelled sound, CIVIC pushes beyond the boundaries of their ’70s Australian punk roots on the LP, marking a bold shift into new sonic territory while retaining their sharp intensity.
Guitarist Lewis Hodgson sums it up best: “We’ve always stuck to the rules, doing Australian punk rock properly. But after touring the world, we realised—you can really do whatever the fuck you want.”
On Chrome Dipped, CIVIC take everything we know about Australian punk rock and flip it on its head. Untethered and relentless — hard and cold like concrete and glass — Chrome Dipped is drenched in thick fuzz bass, guitars that veer between razor-sharp blasts and twisted noodling, and drums that hit like a post-red wine hangover. Over it all, Jim McCullough searches for answers in the torrent of beats and distortion.
Here’s the trick, though: as intense as the riffing, rhythms, and McCullough’s delivery are, strip it all back and you’re left with something raw and vulnerable — an album reaching for meaning beyond the existential plain.
The album explores themes of loss and grief following the death of frontman Jim McCullough’s mother, as well as broader existential reflection. Ultimately, Chrome Dipped is about casting off old shells—both musically and emotionally—and finding meaning in the messiness of evolution.
Renowned for their live show, CIVIC are currently stateside playing fan favourites and new songs off Chrome Dipped across North America. They kicked off the run at Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival last weekend and have upcoming shows in among other markets, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City and Toronto. Next they head to The UK and Europe, before returning home to Australia for their Chrome Dipped tour in September.
‘Chrome Dipped’ is out now on all streaming platforms.
CIVIC - Chrome Dipped
Australian Tour
with special guests, Coldwave
Thu 4 Sept - Gold Coast, Mo’s Desert Clubhouse
Fri 5 Sept- Brisbane, The Brightside
Sat 6 Sept– Sydney, Oxford Art Factory
Fri 12 Sept- Adelaide, Ed Castle
Sat 13 Sept- Melbourne, The Croxton
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