Los Angeles-based post-punk band Agender is back with their explosive third album, Berserk, which is out now. Alongside the release, they’ve dropped the official music video for "Action Reaction," a black-and-white visual that captures the struggle to stay afloat in a chaotic world. Fierce and unapologetic, Berserk takes a raw, unfiltered look at an era dominated by hyper-information, capitalism, and the endless pursuit of self-improvement.
This long-awaited third album isn’t just another release—it’s a full-throttle punk eruption that bites, scratches, and snarls at modern existence. Produced by David Scott Stone (LCD Soundsystem) alongside lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter Romy Hoffman, Berserk delivers a high-voltage mix of pop-punk, post-punk, disco-punk, and schizo-synth-punk. Across ten tracks, the album confronts the absurdity of contemporary life, urging listeners to dive headfirst into its chaotic energy.
At its heart, Berserk is a reaction to the turbulence of today’s world. The album is deeply rooted in queer identity and reflects the instability of an age where nothing feels certain—where individuals are caught between self-obsession and the overwhelming pull of a hyper-connected, consumer-driven society. Hoffman explains, "Everyone’s striving for self-improvement, trying to 'do the work,' but the paradox remains: ethical consumption doesn’t exist under capitalism. This album captures that contradiction, wrapping it in something you can dance—or scream—to.” Written before Trump’s second term and the devastating LA wildfires, the album remains as relevant as ever, serving as both a critique and a love letter to the city that shaped Agender.
The album’s latest single, "Action Reaction," offers a deeply introspective take on the complexities of human emotion. Hoffman describes it as “a slower, more spacious track compared to our previous singles, with monotone verses contrasting a sweeter, melodic chorus—mirroring the tension between emotion and logic, love and detachment, calm and chaos, letting go and holding on.”
The song’s visual counterpart, shot on a freezing winter morning at Hermosa Beach, uses the vast, uncontrollable ocean as a metaphor for drowning in one’s own emotions. Directed and edited by Hoffman and synth player Sara Rivas, the DIY video was created on a shoestring budget but with an abundance of heart. Hoffman explains, “The stark simplicity of the video reflects the song’s rawness, illustrating the struggle to break free from a psychological trap—to save something, maybe even yourself, from being lost in an emotional abyss.”
Agender started in 2011 as Romy Hoffman’s solo punk project before evolving into a trio two years later. By 2014, they had established themselves as a force in the punk scene, releasing their debut album Fixations. Their second LP, No Nostalgia, arrived eight years later, packed with sharp social commentary and a tongue-in-cheek attitude. In 2022, their disco-punk single "Top Bottom Top" was described by Buzzbands LA as “deliciously throbbing.” The band later expanded on the track with a remix EP featuring queer icons like Le Tigre ’s JD Samson and Harvey Sutherland. Today, the lineup includes Hoffman, Cristy Michel (bass), Christy Greenwood (drums), and Sara Rivas (synth), a powerhouse quartet that blends raw energy with sharp-witted observations on life, all while championing voices that often go unheard.
Bold, urgent, and electrifying, Berserk takes on themes of love addiction, abandonment, consumerism, and aging, wrestling with the constant push-and-pull between self-empowerment and capitalist exploitation. Packed with punk’s fiery intensity and moments of deep reflection, this album is a battle cry for anyone navigating the chaos of modern life.
Fans can experience the album live on March 28 at Zebulon in Los Angeles, where Agender will be joined by Muscle Beach and DJ Allison Wolfe for a special record release show open to the public.
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