Today, Los Angeles-based post-punk band Agender share their biting, explosive third album, Berserk, out everywhere now. Alongside the album release, the group attempts to stay afloat in the black-and-white, stirring official music video for “ActionReaction.” Fierce and sharp, Berserk is a raw, unflinching commentary on an age dominated by hyper-information, capitalism, and self-improvement culture. Celebrate the album live in Los Angeles on March 28 at the official record release show at Zebulon with Muscle Beach and Allison Wolfe (DJ set), open to the public.
The long-awaited third album from the group is more than just a record—it’s a seismic eruption of punk that spits, snarls, and scratches at the raw nerve of contemporary existence. Over ten tracks produced by David Scott Stone (LCD Soundsystem) and lead singer, guitarist and primary writer Romy Hoffman, Berserk delivers the kind of eclectic, electric energy that traverses through the plains of pop-punk, post-punk, disco-punk, and schizo-synth-punk, and bites hard and fast, all while pushing the listener to confront the gnawing absurdity of living in the world today.
At its core, Berserk is a frenetic response to the shifting tides of life—an album that is unapologetically queer and embodies the chaos of an era where nothing feels stable, where the self is both the center of its own universe and being sucked into the disorienting orbit of a hyper-connected, hyper-consumptive culture. Hoffman says, “Everyone’s trying to improve, to ‘do the work,’ but the conundrum is: there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism. This album is a snapshot of that dilemma, wrapped in something catchy enough to make you want to dance–or scream–a solution.” Written before Trump’s second term and the fires that ravaged Los Angeles, the album remains relevant and timely, acting as a love letter to the city that built the band.
Also out today, “Action Reaction” offers a raw, introspective dive into the dichotomies of the human experience. Describing the track, Hoffman explains, “A slower, more spacious departure from previous singles, the track juxtaposes monotone verses with a sweeter, more melodic chorus—mirroring the push and pull of emotion and reason, of love and repulsion, hush and harsh, letting go versus holding on.”
Watch “Action Reaction” (Official Music Video)
The moody, striking black-and-white visual shot on a cold winter morning at Hermosa Beach, captures this emotional abyss through the metaphor of the ocean—vast, uncontrollable, and deeply tied to the sensation of drowning in one’s own emotions. Directed by Hoffman and synth player Sara Rivas, who also edited the video, Hoffman shares, “The video embraces a DIY ethos, made with no budget but plenty of heart. The video’s stark simplicity mirrors the song’s rawness, offering an intimate reflection of the struggle to escape a psychological trap, to rescue something—perhaps even oneself—from the depths of what feels like an abandonment abyss.”
Agender formed in 2011 as a solo punk project for lead singer and primary writer Romy Hoffman. Just two years later, it morphed into a trio, and by 2014, the band became known for their thrashing punk shows. The group’s first album Fixationsarrived that same year, and eight years later, the introspective, tongue-in-cheek second LP, No Nostalgia was released. Buzzbands LA called 2022’s celebratory disco-punk anthem “Top Bottom Top,” “deliciously throbbing.” The band expanded on the track with an EP of remixes with the help of friends and queer icons–Le Tigre‘s JD Samson as well as Harvey Sutherland. Made up of Hoffman, Cristy Michel (bass), ChristyGreenwood (drums) and Sara Rivas (synth), the quartet carves out a space that is uniquely their own–filled with fierce pride, a delicate balance of satire and earnest observations of life, and a piercing sound that energetically empowers and uplifts voices that are often stifled.
Fiery and fully charged, Berserk, out nowsees Agender tackle themes like love addiction, abandonment wounds, consumerism and aging, as the ever-present tension between self-empowerment and capitalist exploitation permeate the tracks. The self-assured, impassioned project masterfully combines punk’s spirited, guttural energy with heart-wrenching moments of reflection. On March 28, join Agender live in Los Angeles at the official record release show at Zebulon with Muscle Beach and Allison Wolfe (DJ set). Connect with Agender on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more.
Watch “Things Things Things” (Official Music Video) | ListenWatch “Jeans” (Official Music Video) | Listen |
