When I saw people talking about getting this album from The Southern Surf Stomp this past weekend, I was wondering how long it would be until I could get a copy. Not long it turns out!

Like their name itself, Los Seitans have a sound that's almost evil but ends up just having fun. They've got a trashy sound and a lot of horror themes, but keep finding their way back into something less dreary.

On their third release I think Los Ultraman finally found their groove. Their last two releases showed moments of interesting ideas that never quite found their way into something that worked for me. The opening track "Non DNA Man" immediately shows off where they've gone: a pastiche of familiar surf riffs with wild saxophone riffs slowly getting wilder and more effect-driven, eventually spiraling into some Sun Ra spaciness before kicking right back into gear.

I'm sure a lot of y'all have seen that viral video of a guy playing metal songs without distortion only to reveal surf songs underneath. I'm sure somebody thought what many have yelled "Play some Slayer". And here we are: Reign in Blood, done as a surf record, with a crudely drawn, crudely conceived band name "Surfyer". I love it.

First off, it's a good band name. A pretty normal sounding surf band name until you say it aloud and realize the pun.

Oh boy, this is a conundrum. Maybe you've heard of The Men in Gray Suits... but maybe you're thinking of Men in Grey Suits. Hashtag SurfRockProblems.

In a peculiar move, Las Olas double down on their bleak, dreary guitar work and add a helping of bongos. This LP, their second, expands their range of instruments and explores different rhythms, but the overall tone is a step towards horror surf -- maybe more Hitchcock than Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I found "Tormenta" and "El Fantasma" to be highlights, though "Plutons" wandering through Brazillian rhythms, jazzy moments and a touch of theremin make for an oddball number.

Free download on bandcamp.

Insect Surfers have been around since 1979 and somehow still manage to sound progressive while true to their sound. Datura Moon has that signature out-in-the-open guitar sound and a tendency for what seems like a semi-straightforward surf riff to drift away into a psychedelic whirlwind.

If you're thinking "wasn't there a Los Javelin record on Green Cookie just last year" you're right, but also WAY wrong. "Surfabilly & Roll" was first released in 2005, then rereleased last year still sounding great. That makes this their first LP in 12 years! And it doesn't disappoint.

The second release from Viernes de Hongos brings in 6 songs full of mood and mystery. Their 2014 release was a bit more menacing, with a lot more fuzz, but this one has a bit more variety. "Agente Naranja" and "Numeros Rojos" are the boldest, but don't sleep on the creepy "Beso del Payaso". They've also got a cool cover of Rocket Man in "Popurusso".