Cel Rayzer is the debut full-length album from Chicago band Cel Ray. Formed in 2021 and releasing their debut EP Cellular Raymond in 2023, Cel Rayzer marks my first dive into the band’s wonderfully chaotic world. A quick listen back to that EP shows just how much they’ve evolved in a few short years – they’ve become faster, wonkier and even more gloriously unhinged. If you’re a fan of seventies punk pioneers like X-Ray Spex and The Slits, combined with the off-kilter chaos of modern egg punk, then this album will be right up your street. Cel Ray somehow bridge those generations to create a joyful mess that your ears will thank you for. And if you need any more convincing, Jack White was impressed enough to personally choose them as a support act.
From opener ‘Gotta Get Away’, Cel Ray make their intentions crystal clear. This is an album that barely pauses to catch its breath. Song after song hurtles past at breakneck speed, driven by frantic basslines, jerky rhythms and wonderfully scrappy guitars. It’s exhausting, but in the best possible way – the sort of record that makes you want to leap around the room or throw yourself headfirst into the nearest mosh pit. Despite sounding like it could fall apart at any second, the band somehow keep complete control of the chaos.
That relentless energy continues throughout. ‘Hot Gossip’ barely gives you chance to recover before launching into another blast of angular punk, while ‘Toxic’ sounds like X-Ray Spex played at double speed. One of the album’s most memorable moments is ‘Price of Gas’, a frantic, theatrical track that perfectly captures Cel Ray’s wonderfully unhinged approach, turning an everyday frustration into something completely manic.
Just when you think you’ve got the band figured out, they throw in a slight change of pace. ‘Snake’s Maw’ dials things back just enough to let the songs breathe, proving Cel Ray don’t need to rely solely on high speed to make an impact. Elsewhere, ‘Trash’ reminded me of contemporary egg punk bands like Snooper and Irked, while ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ keeps the momentum charging forward with one of the album’s most addictive basslines.
My personal favourite is the closing track ‘Treat Economy’. It still carries all the frantic energy that runs through the album, but by this point it feels like the perfect final release of adrenaline. It’s a fitting end to a record that never loses its sense of momentum or unpredictability.
What makes Cel Rayzer such an enjoyable listen is that, despite its frantic pace, it never becomes repetitive. Every song brings a slightly different twist, whether that’s a huge bassline, an unexpected change of tempo or another burst of gloriously off-kilter punk chaos. It’s loud, scrappy, exhilarating and impossible to ignore. If this is your first introduction to Cel Ray like it was mine, it’s one hell of a first impression.
Cel Rayzer is out now and you can get in on Bandcamp
Cel Ray Socials: Instagram
Review by Hayley Foster da Silva
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