The Gristle go on tour with Handsome Dick Manitoba and release new single SCUM - sharing a tale from to the underworld.

Swedish bluesy garage-punk duo The Gristle are back with their dirtiest, grooviest, most unapologetically unhinged track to date: SCUM. A fuzz-driven, stomp-heavy rock ’n’ roll assault with a sticky, fuzz-groove breakdown that the band calls: “Perfectly dirty. Perfectly untight. Perfectly tight.”

Lyrically, SCUM is a twisted little morality play. A tale of vengeance in the underworld. “It’s about locking someone you don’t like in a fictional prison—your prison,” the band explains. “We meet people every day. Some try to step on you. SCUM gives you a place to throw them: Cannonbell Hell. A prison only you control. And it’s not a nice place.”

A menacing, lurching rhythm anchors the track, layered with scorching guitar tones and a sneering vocal delivery that feels one part sermon, two parts threat. The Penguin makes an unexpected cameo. It's punk. It’s blues. It's weirdly philosophical. It's The Gristle.

Fresh off the release of SCUM, The Gristle are heading out on a Nordic tour with none other than Handsome Dick Manitoba, legendary frontman of NYC punk icons The Dictators. This marks a rare return to European stages for Manitoba—and The Gristle will be riding shotgun.

Musically, The Gristle continue to burn through genre lines with their gritty blend of garage rock, punk, and delta blues. Think Muddy Waters with a fuzz pedal, filtered through the engine block of a ‘70s muscle car. It's raw, it's real, and it's not pulling any punches.

Following the critical buzz of their summer single JENNINGS—a tribute to Clint Eastwood’s cinematic beginnings—SCUM marks the second release in their partnership with cult Swedish label Icons Creating Evil Art. With a full-length album on the way and a thunderous live show already winning over fans across Scandinavia, The Gristle aren't just playing loud—they're playing for keeps.

SCUM is out now on all platforms via Icons Creating Evil Art

T O U R

Toured with Truckfighters, Dregen and Spiders in 2024.

next up a Nordic tour supporting Handsome Dick Manitoba (Dictators) and some German dates planned later this fall

• 25/7 – Odal Rock Festival – Austvatn (NO)
• 26/7 – Backstage Rockbar – Trollhättan (SE)
• 27/7 – 34an – Katrineholm (SE)
• 29/7 – Centralteatern – Gävle (SE)
• 30/7 – Geronimos – Stockholm (SE)
• 31/7 – Flat Cap – Helsingborg (SE)
• 1/8 – Platens Bar – Linköping (SE)
• 2/8 – Biff Grill & Bar – Eskilstuna (SE)