Seattle’s underground punk scene has another uncompromising, original voice with the arrival of The Makhnos, whose self-titled debut EP is now available.
Built on the traditions of working-class street punk and politically conscious rock, The Makhnos present themselves with a clear mission. The band openly declares they are anti-fascist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist, pro-worker, pro-liberty, pro-queer, and pro-human, placing those ideals at the center of both their music and identity.
The EP was recorded at Titan Recording Studios in the Seattle area and engineered by Scot Michael, capturing the band’s direct, no-frills approach while preserving the energy of a live performance.
The Makhnos lineup features Michael Love on vocals, Matt McCarthy on guitar, Jerry Beuger on bass, and Lucas Martinez on drums. Every song on the release was written and performed entirely by the band, reinforcing its fully independent and collaborative nature.
Drawing influence from The Makhnovists {which was a popular peasant movement based in the southern Ukrainian province of Katerynoslav [modern-day Zaporizhia oblast] during the years of Revolution and Civil War (1917-1921)}, pour in the long tradition of politically engaged punk and you get a cocktail of a band in which songs focus less on escapism and more on issues affecting everyday people. Their message emphasizes solidarity, equality, and resistance to authoritarianism while remaining rooted in the blue-collar spirit that has defined street punk for decades.
Released independently through Bandcamp, The Makhnos serves as an introduction to one of Seattle’s newest punk outfits. Rather than chasing trends, the quartet embraces a straightforward DIY ethic, pairing socially conscious songwriting with aggressive, melodic punk rooted firmly in community and conviction.
With a debut EP now available and a clear identity already established, The Makhnos enter Seattle’s punk landscape carrying forward the genre’s longstanding tradition of outspoken music created for—and by—the people.
