Cel Rayzer

Description

L'absurdity and punk rock are inseparable, like celery and tonic. In other words, they are two tastes that are acquired and work even better together, as they reject conformists and address true outsiders. This spirit has driven Cel Ray, a band from Chicago, since its beginnings. Emerging with their first EP, Cellular Raymond, in 2023, this Chicago quartet composed of singer Maddie Daviss, guitarist Josh Rodin, bassist Kevin Goggin, and drummer Alex Watson has carved its path in an absurd and edgy post-punk, halfway between The Minneapolis Uranium Club and The B-52s. Piss Park followed the same year, and apart from the single "Raw God" in 2025, the band has played numerous shows in Midwest clubs, performing in alternative venues, dive bars, and even, once, opening for Jack White. After years of waiting, Cel Ray has finally joined the prestigious noise label Exploding In Sound to release Cel Rayzer, an album that, as its name subtly indicates, is more incisive and biting than anything Cel Ray has produced so far. The strength of Cel Rayzer lies precisely in its unclassifiability. Yes, it's garage punk; yes, it's egg-punk; yes, it's post-punk, but it does not confine itself to any of these genres. This is what makes Cel Rayzer so captivating: just when you think you have the band figured out, it transforms into something else with such ease that you wonder how it did it.