Displeasure is a three-piece electro-punk band from Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington. It began as a side project of the hardcore anarcho-punk band Unsanitary Napkin featuring Hannah Salmon on vocals, Rupert Pirie-Hunter on guitar, and Ben Knight on drums and samples, with the trio transitioning seamlessly between the two forms.
Displeasure takes the rage and political focus of Unsanitary Napkin’s hardcore punk and adds demented rave beats, electronic effects and sampled media clips. Reviewers have compared the sound to 1980s UK anarcho-punk blended with the industrial noise of Ministry, Revolting Cocks and 1990’s gabba.
Displeasure debuted live in 2022 releasing their first EP, Vortex of Shit on a North Island tour with Auckland’s No Brainers. The Vortex of Shit refers to the whirlpool of scaremongering in Aotearoa politics, including anti-vaxxers, transphobes, evangelical despots and alt-right trolls exacerbated by social media algorithms that stoke online rage for the profit of tech companies.
In 2024 Limbless Music re-released Vortex of Shit on 12″ vinyl. The nine tracks were re-recorded, with the b-side electro remixes by Mutation, DJ Myndhole, Strange Stains and others. In early 2025 Japan rock vocalist Deathro toured New Zealand with Displeasure in support and Unsanitary Napkin as his live backing band. That favour was returned later in the year when Displeasure toured Japan and Taiwan with Deathro joining part of the tour.
The band’s second release, Annihilation/Billionaire Death Drive, came out in late 2025. Its 15 songs plus intermissions take on billionaire influence over politics, “environmental fascism” and the failure to hold aggressors accountable in Palestine and elsewhere with 13th Floor calling it “a mighty piece of taonga” for Aotearoa electro-punk fans.
| Origin | Wellington |
| Genre | anarcho-synth-punk |
| Years Active | 2022 – |
| Associated Acts | Unsanitary Napkin Varda, FOG |
| Current Members | Hannah Salmon (vocals) Ben Knight (drums/ samples) Rupert Pirie-Hunter (guitar) |
Releases
| Title | Date | Label | Type | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vortex Of Shit | 2022, Dec 8 | album | tape/ DL | |
| Vortex Of Shit II | 2024, May 14 | Limbless Music | album | 12″/ DL |
| ANNIHILATION/BILLIONAIRE DEATH DRIVE | 2025, Nov 30 | Limbless Music | album | 12″/ DL |
Timeline
2022, August 27, Whanganui
2022, October 21-22, Punkfest
2022, December 8, Vortex Of Shit
2022, December 8, 605 Morningside
2022, December 9, Hamtown Smakdown
2022, December 10, The Bank, Patea
Displeasure, No Brainers
2023
2023, February 25, Porridge Watson
2023, November 18, Neil Roberts Day
2024
May 14, Displeasure: Vortex Of Shit II
2024, May 16-25, Australia
2024, May 22, Last Chance
2024, September 13-14, Dankfest
2025
2025, February 27 – March 9, Deathro tour
2025, September 12-28, Japan/ Taiwan tour
2025, September 12, Socrates, Kyoto
2025, September 13, Nagoya
2025, September 15, Nakano Moonstep, Tokyo
2025, September 19, Namba Bears, Osaka
2025, September 20, Guernica, Kanazawa
2025, September 21, Vortex, Yokkaichi
2025, September 23, Koiwa Bushbash, Tokyo
2025, September 27, My Guitar Friend, Taichung
2025, September 28, Continue Music, Taipei
2025, October 25, Underworld Tavern
