G.L.O.S.S. — Trans Day of Revenge

What's the best punk EP of all time?

For me, it's Nervous Breakdown by Black Flag. Sure, it predates my existence by seven years and I've listened to thousands of punk EPs since I first heard it, but I've yet to find something so short (four songs in about five minutes) that makes as much of an impact. It being more or less the first hardcore punk EP and the template for all those after it also helps.

Trans Day of Revenge by G.L.O.S.S. is a close second.

Released in June 2016, it's nearly just as short – five songs in seven minutes — and it hits significantly harder than Greg Ginn et. al. Yet what's particularly amazing is how the EP (and the band) confronts the treatment of transgender people by society — including those on the left — and has had enough of everyone's shit, to put it mildly.

The title itself is a play on the Trans Day of Remembrance, a national day of remembering those murdered for simply being trans. It's a call to arms to fight back, never be passive, and never rely on the supposedly trans-friendly organizations and allies who end up excluding transgender people in the long run.

The band broke up shortly after the EP's release partly due to an elevated presence in the punk/music world, saying "the punk we care about isn’t supposed to be about getting big or becoming famous, it’s supposed to be about challenging ourselves and each other to be better people." I never got to see them live, and a close friend never lets me forget that. Nonetheless, this EP is a great document of a short-lived yet revolutionary group that, in my opinion, goes unrivaled to this day.

Trans Day of Revenge by G.L.O.S.S is out now . Please consider supporting the artist directly by purchasing their album.