Vegan Meat Raffle x Rankd

Anarcho post post meta punk garage ska surf nonsense

Vegan Meat Raffle are flatcap-bearing punk advocates who jump head first into current affairs with an unfiltered, raw and fearless attitude – and with lead vocalist + guitarist Harry Murray contributing to the live ecosystem in the form ‘Cost of Living‘, this band are resurfacing and parading straight back into business. They’re shifting beyond their familiar ska-kissed beats in their recently released debut single ‘Sell by Date’ and catalysing active change in their local community, while sparking necessary conversation. With Glastonwick on the horizon, Harry, Kyle, James, Jamie and Jake are back and raring to go and have revealed a debut anthem to mark the occasion in flying colours.

Opening with a simple descending four note bassline, ‘Sell By Date’ promptly erupts into a frenzy of bellowing saxophone, guitar noise and tightly-bound drum grooves carefully strung along a catchy yet striking lyric:

‘Frustration, stagnation, in the heart of this bleeding nation. Frustration, what a state – this is England, this is England mate!’

Sliding back-and-fourth between fury fuelled choruses and mingling drum and bass breaks, the track instils a sense of unease – ending on a breakdown bearing the lyric ‘keep spiralling, keep spiralling‘ to solidify themes of political distrust, anti-nationalism and the impacts of a false sense of ‘progress’ felt at a time of crippling difficulty, masked by patriotism and denial. VMR have captured the intensity of their frustration and have set a conspicuous foundation for a strong summertime – kicking off with ‘Glastowick 2025’ as a follow up to a series of revival shows for the record books, including ‘Easton Punk Festival‘ last week, and ‘Punx For Palestine‘ back in February. Combined with a Brighton feature alongside VMR favourites ‘Slobheads‘ back in April (who also featured on Harry’s second COL fundraiser on May 6th 2023), the outfit are making no mistake – they’re back, and they’re not coming quietly.

With rumours surrounding the release of an EP later this year, VMR’s involvement in Bristol and Brighton’s music scenes will broaden and expand – undoubtably taking the UK by storm in the coming months.

Catch them performing ‘In dungeons, at hippy festivals, at non-conformist radical tea parties, hipster tap rooms, dive bars, fundraising events for Quorn aid and gastro pubs’ to a lovingly welcomed mixed bag of audiences from ‘Harry’s parents to anxious Mohawk leathered folk’.

Pub songs for an Exestential Crisis.