Witch Hunt

In an era when genuine political dissent has been considered treason — or, at the very least, seditious — it's entirely appropriate that a punk band would form under the moniker Witch Hunt. Hailing from Philadelphia, this foursome plays the kind of raw, socially conscious punk that usually gets the word "crust" tacked on. Although the act clearly draws inspiration from anarcho-punk bands of the '80s like Crass, Rudimentary Peni and Subhumans, its music is catchy almost to the point of being poppy, and its songs sound like an oddly viable hardcore hybrid as filtered through X. Featuring edgily melodic vocals and anthemic songwriting, Witch Hunt is a welcome reminder that punk's not dead.