Since 2009 the fuzzing rock power of Purling Hiss has taken many different forms, all emanating from of Mike Polizze’s instinctive approach to playing guitar, writing songs and hooking a feeling from disparate memories, sensations and desired effects. At times carefree and apparently footloose in the world, other times intensely focused and wrathful, Purling Hiss are the orphaned kids of last c entury’s rock and roll generations, lost in a society that has forgotten its way but determined to find their feet again.

‘High Bias’ moves with rageful, dazed humour and soulfulness against the darkening times in which we find ourselves. With no way out, Purling Hiss hit today head on, employing pounding psych rock and punk effects, slipping signature Hissian backup “oo-oo-ooh”s and Polizze’s blistering guitar pile-ups in a full bodied, head ripping brew.

Mike puts together a Purling Hiss album as a whole thing, with songs striking defiant and wistful tones in turn, mixing in odes to impermanence, spite filled rebellion and bemused recollections along the way. ‘High Bias’ kicks off at 11, blowing with first take energy into a mood of ominous portent. The guys that came on for ‘Weirdon’ have grown into a full fledged Purling Hiss, with Ben and Dan feeding off each other, providing fresh rhythm ground for the songs to romp over. This creates seamless motion between disparate styles, from streamlined futurist radiowave to blitzing punk, sweet indie pop song craft and barely-contained group riffage.

Side one closes with ‘Teddy’s Servo Motors’, a Milk Carton Kids / Teddy Ruxpin-haunted fever dream. This was the volcanic headwater of ‘High Bias’, a post-tour jam after the end of the ‘Weirdon’ cycle that pointed the way to a new combination of pop and trash fully loaded with favourite reference points and forgotten ephemera from former eras.

Throughout the album, Purling Hiss modulate styles and inspirations, drawing influence from different eras of rock, treasuring bubblegummy moments (like the incredibly sweet ‘Follow You Around’ and the cheeky ‘Get Your Way’) and mix-and-matching nostalgia for punk, dance pop, no wave and krautrock, all of it melted down into a pleasingly primitive jet of tunage to spray into today.

Album closer ‘Everybody In The USA’ brings Purling Hiss full circle to the repetitive stomp and antisocial fear and loathing found in early recordings, while recalling a misread 80s protest number whose anthemic chorus was used for propaganda despite everything said in the verses.

‘High Bias’ is a brave and bold blast of popular music that lays it on the line to keep the rebellion alive in the streets of our mind. This is rock we will need in our ears as we venture into the darkness and the next unexplored stretch of the wasteland.