For the past few years, the Toronto punk rock scene was dominated by bands such as PUP, The Dirty Nil, and Pkew Pkew Pkew. However, it’s about time The OBGMs get the recognition they deserve. Comprised of Colanthony Humphrey on drums, Joseph Brosnan on bass, and vocalist/guitarist Densil McFarlane, the band has gained critical acclaim not just for their first two albums, but also for being a black-fronted punk band. As McFarlane puts it, the rock music industry tends to mostly promote bands made up of Suburban white kids. And so they’re hoping to not only inspire future generations with their music, but also show that punk rock can be made and enjoyed by everyone. As mentioned earlier, their music has received critical claim with their most recent album, The Ends being shortlisted for the 2021 Polaris Music Prize, which is a music award annually given to the best full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label. If you’re looking for something rebellious and upbeat to get you through the winter blues, The OBGMs are just the band for you!