Contrary to popular belief, punk isn’t dead.

For as long as it has existed, punk rock has permeated out of every bored youth to pick up a Ramones record, and the boys of Cerebral Ballzy are no different.

If you thought that Keith Morris’ OFF! was the most engaging hardcore act of 2011, you’re dead wrong. Turn those albums off right now and throw them away, because Morris’ laughable attempt to “stay punk” at his age isn’t as cute or novel when fresh talent starts making itself known.

Much like Be Your Own Pet and Gallows, Brooklyn’s Cerebral Ballzy have managed to start a hardcore punk band that both rips off its obvious influences while simultaneously making things sound fresh and exciting, a hard feat for any punk group.

So how does one describe a band like this these days? It used to be easy, before it had all been done. Now, punk rockers are forced to sound like walking, name-dropping superiority complexes.

This means that Cerebral Ballzy, to the avid fan of angsty music, sounds like an homage to the best of Poison Idea, Suicidal Tendencies and early Black Flag. In layman’s terms, however, they play fast and sing about inconsequential nonsense.

Like any good album in this vein, sexual frustration, drugs and boredom are the main themes, and the repetitive lyrics and guitar work drive this home quite nicely. What else more can be said, really? You’ve got young kids in tight pants that know what they’re doing writing great music and getting wasted on Cartoon Network’s dime.

Yes, you read that right. Adult Swim, Cartoon Network’s late-night, mature programming block, is responsible for putting out Cerebral Ballzy’s self-titled album. Really, that’s the icing on the cake: the record label in question is neither hip and pretentious nor corporate and corrupt. It’s an eclectic effort to put out the music loved by the people calling the shots. Cerebral Ballzy, in many ways, has everything going for them.

Do yourself a favor and pick up Cerebral Ballzy’s debut. If you like hardcore and punk, then it’s required listening. If you don’t, then maybe this album will get you to check out the other bands that made it possible.