Pharoin (pronounced like Heroin with an F) is a quartet from the hardscrabble Lake Michigan community of Muskegon, MI. They play their DIY punk rock in the snotty style of classic bands like Dead Boys or Sex Pistols. There’s probably a fair amount of 90’s punk influence in there too. Think maybe Blanks 77 or The Vindictives. New Ways to Annoy is the band’s second EP and third release overall. It was recorded by Mustard Plug bassist Rick Johnson at his Cold War Studios, which has become the go to place for punk in West Michigan.

New Ways to Annoy is a sonic upgrade from Pharoin’s earlier material. The sound is crisp and there are a lot of creative production choices. The songwriting is sharp and on point too. Opener “Panoramic Oppression” has a chaotic and claustrophobic vibe. “Vile Boys” is new punk anthem that pays respect to punk anthems of the past. The first pair of songs is an unflinching one-two punch. “Brain Unbound” throws in just a hint of ska, but is mostly aggressive. “Comfort Kills” is a straight up punk rager about the so-called good life, and incorporates a sample from “American Movie”. Krystal from the recently disbanded The Bloody Lips lends her vocals to closer and almost title track “New Way to Annoy”.

Pharoin plays punk the right way. New Ways to Annoy is fast and abrasive. The five songs fly by in just under 13 minutes. The choruses are catchy and you will want to sing (or shout) along. The lead vocals have that good, antagonistic quality. The guitar has some cool lead flourishes to compliment the rapid-fire riffs. If you’re the kind of person who often finds yourself complaining that punk bands don’t sound punk enough any more, you should definitely check out Pharoin and New Ways to Annoy.