Album Review: Nietzsche EP [7-inch]

Release: Nietzsche EP [7-inch]
Band: Canadian Rifle/Tightwire
Label: Red Scare Industries
Year: 2026
Score: 7/10

Red Scare Store

review by Ricky Frankel

Canadian Rifle and Tightwire, two solidly established bands of the pop punk scene have come together to drop a new split EP titled, ‘Nietzsche.’ It’s important to keep in mind that Tightwire last released their full-length, ‘Head Full Of Snakes’ back in 2023 and Canadian Rifle leased released the ‘I’m Just Like You’ EP in 2021. So it’s pretty cool to see both bands release something new together after a few years.

Canadian Rifle start this EP with their take on the heavier side of melodic punk rock. “Pink Cloud” just blasts out on all cylinders between the sonic dissonance from the lead guitar licks and bends, and the raspy gang yelling. Not to mention the sudden drum fills that seemingly come out of nowhere. The tune objectively rocks. And while the title for the next track seems like it would be a little more softer and relenting, but don’t be fooled “Your Heart Was Right” features even more “In-your-face” aggression from the band’s vocals and just utter slamming, not just from the drums, but even the guitars and bass. Canadian Rifle just unleash a waterfall of anger here. For the third and final song of this side of the Nietzsche EP the band included “Fly On The Wall,” which is very clearly the most melodic of the bunch. It still has the band’s forceful vocals, but between the short guitar interludes and rolling bassline it is more intricate than the other two tracks.

Tightwire’s side of this 7-inch leans much more on the anthemic side of their style. “I Need You Tonight” is highly melodic on the vocal side, but the distorted guitars and drums really pack a punch – almost like they are trying to be contrasted with emotionally vulnerable lyrics like, “ ‘Cause the one that I love/They don’t love me anymore.” “Coffin Clown” is a much darker-sounding tune for Tightwire. You get that vibe immediately with the thunderous, distorted bass intro and self-loathing lyrics. The band incorporates some very impressive three-part harmonies through the repetitive choruses, and finish the track off suddenly with some very high-pitched screaming and slamming drums. To top off their side of this EP, Tightwire include a slowed-down, acoustic version (they call it the “Nietzsche Version”) of “Six Feet Deep” (the title track of their 2018 Red Scare Industries debut) that includes some organ-like keyboards and soft drumming.

The ‘Nietzsche EP’ is a very cool release because it can work for pop punk fans in two ways. If you’re a fan of one of both bands, this acts as a release that will hold you over for whatever the bands have coming up next respectively. It also acts a good way to get introduced to both bands. And if you decide to get the vinyl version, just know that Red Scare did a very nice job with this piece. You don’t see many gatefolds for a 7-inch these days.

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