Gather round children, I want to tell you a story of days gone by, a time when life was simple, full of wonder and possibilities – the 1990's.

Back then Will Smith was fresh, every woman bobbled with the Rachel haircut, fluro clothing made us all colour-blind, and Bob Saget, well, he was being Bob Saget.

Threat.Meet.Protocol are, from left: keyboardist Luke Turner, bassist/vocalist Austin Cunningham, and drummer Steve Braunias. Photo: TMP

It was also the last proper decade for album release parties at record stores; divine cathedrals of sound sadly being killed off by the likes of iTunes and its ilk.

But for Tauranga three-piece Threat.Meet.Protocol a shop like Tracs Records on Devonport Rd is the perfect place to launch their newest EP ‘Pretentious' today.

TMP are drummer Stefan Braunias, keyboardist Luke Turner, plus bassist and screamer Austin Cunningham.

'It's meant to be like a CD release parties in the 90's which we don't do anymore because there's no music stores. Luckily Tracs is still around,” says Austin.

Ironically, ‘Pretentious' is being released online through Savant Garde Records on December 1, with physical copies also available at Tracs.

Recorded last year at Mount Maunganui studio Media in Motion, it was produced and mixed by local engineer Evan Pope.

The six-track EP took three hours to record – two hours to setup the equipment, followed by one hour recording.

But because it was recorded so quickly it took Evan an entire year to get a good sound, says Austin.

'He's a machine, a really good producer. Media in Motion is also a wicked studio, Jeff's [Kildare] got a really nice setup.

'We love the results, everyone's really happy and, I think, the EP is quite reflective of where we are at.”

When put on the spot to define the band's sound he says: 'the gumboots you used to wear six years ago and now filled with cobwebs.”

Which kind of makes sense when he lists Mudhoney, The Replacements, Nirvana, Flipper and The Beatles as big influences on them.

Starting out in 2010 as a 'wall of noise” two-piece consisting of Stefan and Austin, Luke threw his fuzzy afro into the mix two years later.

With the keyboardist's inclusion Austin says they could 'write proper songs, add dynamics and fluctuate between the different sounds”.

While they've always taken song writing seriously the live shows were be a bit hit and miss, he says.

'As a two-piece we were a bit of a joke band, I'd be rolling on my back bashing my bass with a jandal while Stefan was too inebriated to play.

'I don't think anyone thought our songs were a joke, we just have a tendency to go off the rails when we play live.”

This Sunday make sure you head down to Tracs Records as it will be the only Tauranga release for Threat.Meet.Protocol's EP ‘Pretentious'.

The next time you'll get to see them play is when they open for the King Brothers and The DHDFD's at Karma Gentleman's Club on December 13.

Austin also believes no-one will show up this Sunday, so why not prove him wrong?

For more information visit Threat.Meet.Protocol's Facebook page by clicking here.

Check out their song ‘Diobesities' released early this year below: