Six cities, one band, and thirteen tracks of sharp-toothed chaos. The Balboas return with ‘Bite! Blood! Repeat!’, a feral LP that rips through punk-rock, rockabilly, and garage rock with sweat-soaked intent. It is a snarling, surf-laced barrage that feels reckless on impact but tightly coiled underneath.
“When you see piranhas in action you think chaos, but piranhas are extremely organized and efficient, allowing them to strip a carcass to the bone and distribute food in seconds. It’s a dynamic The Balboas are familiar with,” explains co-founder Richard Griffith. “When you first drop the needle on a Balboas record, all you hear is chaos. But, the Balboas are far from random when it comes to making a record, they are methodical as f*ck.” That tension between frenzy and discipline fuels the entire record.
The album features a stacked list of collaborators including Mike Watt, Paul Roessler, Eddie Spaghetti, and Kitten Kuroi. The Balboas also team up with The 5.6.7.8.s for a track inspired by Kill Bill’s Go Go Yubari, aligning with the release of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair. Jimmy Dale brings his own jolt of energy, noting, “We managed bring quite the curveball of raw energy that the music scene really is lacking. Of course, I’d lay it down on the skins, guitar, whatever for them. I feel right at home.”
Among the standout tracks is “Florida Man,” a grimy, distorted dive into the myth and madness of the Sunshine State. “Florida Man is a greasy, distorted, journey through the stereotype of the crazy lifestyle of the sunshine state,” says Griffith. The track features Dusty Watson on his first washboard recording and finds the band leaning fully into their most depraved impulses.
For more than 25 years, The Balboas have built their reputation the hard way, sharing stages with everyone from Agent Orange and the Dictators to Southern Culture on the Skids and Dick Dale. ‘Bite! Blood! Repeat!’ pushes that legacy forward with grit, swagger, and a reverb soaked sneer that refuses to sit still.