photos by Katharina Fruehwirth
Vienna, Austria’s bitter hardcore punk trio DESOLAT will issue their acerbic third LP, People As Idiots & Idiots As Leaders, on October 9th through an anarchic DIY multi-label international coalition, with Reptilian Records and Exotic Fever Records handling the US release.
Nine years after the breakup of the stoner/sludge band Cyruss, the successor trio DESOLAT was formed, consisting of three longtime members of the Viennese scene and (former) members of Phal:Angst, Cyruss, Dim Prospects, La Ligne Maginot, Gfrast, Face The Owl, Radikalkur, E.M.S., and others. DESOLAT’s second album, Get Sick And Let Me Watch You Die, was released in 2024 on the legendary U.S. noise rock/punk label Reptilian Records, and marked a milestone for the band in terms of international attention.
The nine songs on DESOLAT’s People As Idiots & Idiots As Leaders largely follow a thematic concept rooted in our times. In a world where wannabe and actual autocrats, far-right extremists and populists, macho loudmouths, and religious fanatics are elected to lead nations, democracy appears increasingly fragile. When the trajectory of social and political development seems to be heading primarily downward, democracy becomes a precious commodity even for anarchists – one that we must hope will at least be maintained at its current level. The conflict between revolutionaries and reformists within the left-wing scene suddenly seems ridiculous. When one is surrounded by figures like Putin, Orbán, Erdoğan, Trump, Bolsonaro, Milei, Meloni, Kaczyński, and the like – and when parties such as the FPÖ and AfD (both far-right/populist) are enjoying enormous success in one’s own and the neighboring country – it becomes disheartening to hold out hope for the future. The media landscape is shifting towards sickening and emotionally radicalizing social media dynamics controlled by ridiculously rich oligarchs who openly express anti-democratic fantasies of omnipotence and would love to play the role of world leaders.
DESOLAT plays a mix of noise rock, sludge, and hardcore, but at heart they’re anarcho-punks, who can’t let those things go unaddressed. The album’s chronology follows an initial assessment (“Idiots As Leaders,” “Pig Race To The Apocalypse”), followed by depression (“This Sadness Makes Me Rage,” “No Depression When Dead,” “Good People Keep Their Mouths Shut While The Assholes Believe The World Belongs To Them”), and ultimately culminates in cynicism and resignation (“Cyberdyne Employment Application,” “Humans Are Such Easy Prey”). It doesn’t sound very uplifting, yet anger at the state of the world and one’s own condition is omnipresent in the energy of the music and lyrics. Stylistically, emocore elements have crept into the sound for the first time, revisiting the members’ past projects.
Additionally, People As Idiots & Idiots As Leaders features guest appearances by vocalist/musician Jarboe (ex-Swans), saxophonist Michael Masen (Mozo Mozo), and RBK from post-punk band Rolltreppe. As with its predecessor, the album was recorded and mixed at Cosmix Studio in Vienna by Rainer Spänle and mastered by Swedish death metal legend Dan Swanö at Unisound (Edge Of Sanity, Katatonia, Bloodbath). DESOLAT will appeal to fans of Unsane, Helmet, Cherubs, Couch Slut, Jesus Lizard, Entombed, Still Life, Four Hundred Years, Anomie, Neurosis, Lvmen, Bongzilla, No Means No, Lard, Tragedy, and Minor Threat.
People As Idiots & Idiots As Leaders will be released digitally and on marbled oxblood vinyl and disseminated to the masses as a DIY collaborative release by nine labels and three distributors from seven countries, including, Reptilian Records and Exotic Fever Records in the US, Bloodshed666 Records and Grazil Records in Austria, Araki Records in France, minoRobscuR in Germany, Geenger Records in Croatia, Rat Run Records in the UK, and Geertruida in the Netherlands, and distributed by Dischord Direct, Stickfigure, Sounds Of Subterrania.
DESOLAT’s People As Idiots & Idiots As Leaders will be released October 9th. Watch a brief teaser for the LP HERE and find preorders for all regions HERE.
Several preview tracks from the album and more will be issued over the coming weeks.
People As Idiots & Idiots As Leaders Track Listing:
1. Idiots As Leaders
2. Pig Race To The Apocalypse
3. This Sadness Makes Me Rage (feat. Jarboe)
4. No Depression When Dead (feat. Michael Masen)
5. Wannabe V.I.P. (feat. RBK)
6. Good People Keep Their Mouths Shut While The Assholes Believe The World Belongs To Them
7. The Art Of Shit
8. Cyberdyne Employment Application
9. Humans Are Such Easy Prey
A hometown album release party has been booked for October 16th, with more live plans in the works.
DESOLAT Live:
10/16/2026 Venster99 – Vienna, AU *album release show
DESOLAT:
Alfred Satani – vocals, guitar
Klaus – bass
Mentl – drums, sampling
https://med-user.net/~desolat
https://desolatvienna.bandcamp.com
http://www.reptilianrecords.com
https://reptilianrecords.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/ReptilianRecords
https://www.instagram.com/reptilianrecords
https://www.youtube.com/@reptilianrecords1248