Archive for Punk Rock

Warrior Soul – Out On Bail

Posted in Review with tags , , , , , , , on 17th April 2022 by Pieni

Warrior Soul
“Out On Bail”
Hard Rock
Released: 4th March 2022
Via Cargo Records

warrior-soul-out-on-bail

As factual as the expression “Out On Bail” may sound, given that it was the title chosen by Warrior Soul for their latest album, it must be seen as some kind of defying statement. When listening to the opening track, “We’re Alive”, one can clearly hear the “we’re back in the game” message of someone who has just done time. The cliché motto of every insurgent in “One More For The Road”. The scorn towards white-collar offenders in “Hip Hip Hurray”. A whole rebel speech/attitude, and so I guess the raw, almost punk approach fits. The same with Kory Clarke’s voice, which is way hoarser than I remember. No, scratch that – it IS hoarser than it used to be, nothing to do with my memory; time’s just gone by and wasn’t at all kind to his singing skills. And after two or three songs, you can’t help but reconsider that “broken” is more accurate than “hoarse”. Especially when the songs themselves are played in a somewhat sloppy manner. Yes, I know I’ve mentioned a punk-ish approach and so a reckless performance could be part of the picture. But something feels off. “Cancelled Culture”, however, has a pretty catchy rhythm – that bass intro bringing a smile to my face – but then Clarke tries to sing along such catchiness and he just can’t keep up, and what could’ve been the one song I’d actually enjoy, turns out to be another disappointment. So I choose “End Of The World” as the best track here, as it shows a more elaborate and melodic guitar work, with an edgy vibe to it, where Clarke spoils it a little but doesn’t ruin it completely…

4.5/10

Renata “Pieni” Lino

Leave a comment »

Breaking Today – It Dies Today

Posted in Review with tags , , , , on 28th August 2020 by Pieni

Breaking Today
“It Dies Today” (EP)
Punk rock
Self-released on 13th July 2020

breakingtoday

He may be the bass player in a metalcore band, but Luís Silva is a punk rocker. And he plays guitar. And he sings! And so Breaking Today was born.

The single for the title-track was released three years ago already – the original idea was for the EP to follow suit but, well, life happened… – and it’s indeed its most “single material”. All four songs have their own way of rocking your senses and lingering in your ear, but “It Dies Today” has that upbeat catchiness that sticks right away; you listen to it once, and by the second time you do, you’re already singing along the chorus. At least that’s what happened with me.

But first comes “Dropout”, faster, feistier, and therefore the right choice for opening track. And because punks have feelings too (please see a joke here and not an offense), the ballad “Save Me” delivers the right mellow touch. The strongest bass line – I won’t say the backbone but certainly one of the essences of punk rock – comes last, in the founding layers “Heavy Lies The Crown” was built on.

I won’t say Breaking Today is recommended for fans of this or that band, because a) it would look like I’m making comparisons and that’s just not fair, and b) every time someone tells me “oh if you like this you’ll definitely like that”, they fail miserably. So I’ll just say “It Dies Today” covers all the juicy feats of good ol’ punk rock and everyone who’s into that should at least give it a try – even if this turns out to be an “only child”. Not sure about this last part, mind me. All it’s been said is they don’t have any plans of playing live, and that frontman Luis’ dream has been fulfilled. Personally, I would like pretty much to listen to a follow-up, but if it doesn’t happen, this one’s worth it.

 7,5/10

Renata “Pieni” Lino

Leave a comment »

The Lotts announce debut EP

Posted in News with tags , , , on 26th June 2020 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Warrington based garage punks The Lotts announced their debut EP earlier today. Produced and mixed by Thighpaulsandra at Monmouth’s Rockfield Studios, the five track EP, titled We Are The Lotts, will be released on 24th July and is also available on 12” vinyl via Liverpool based label Whispering Pines. The tracklisting for the upcoming release is as follows:

1. We Are The Lotts
2. I Don’t
3. Dumb
4. Preacher Man
5. Mouth

Leave a comment »

Bullets and Octane – Riot, Riot Rock N Roll

Posted in Review, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , on 4th April 2020 by Mickelrath

Bullets and Octane

Riot, Riot Rock N Roll

Hard Rock, Sleaze Rock

Released 24th April 2020

via Bad MoFo Records / Cargo Records UK

It’s always cool when you get a chance to review a band you’ve been listening to casually for years. It’s a weird feeling because all I want to do is enjoy the record. Yet, I’ll have to put my reviewer cap on for this one, as much as I just want to listen to it and have fun. Bullets and Octane are one of those bands I got into as a teenager and that I gravitated to instantly. I have also seen them in concert and I have to say they are one of the wildest and fun bands out there today. So how is the new album Riot, Riot Rock N Roll?  It’s pretty darn good. It’s a lot of the same from this band. Fast-paced and aggressive tone but it has that fun party rock n roll tone that will keep you coming back for more.

The whole album has that really powerhouse feeling to it. With every instrument sounding larger than life. It feels like you’re in their jam session room and they’re coming up with the songs off the top of their heads. IT has that wild and rowdy feeling to it. The intense tone coupled with the tight musicianship is infectious and, like their other albums, extremely re-playable. As soon as you’re done with this record, you’ll put it on again and again. Or you’ll take my advice and look up their previous records and play it all. The production is good, I mean it’s not the finest production in the world, yet it suits this style of music. Everything is turned up and each piece of each song is presented in a way to get you headbanging.

There’s a good variety of rock n roll tunes here. From fast and furious punk-rock-like to the more groovy riff-based tracks. All coated in a sleaze rock style that gives the music a dirty and gritty edge. The riffs are fun, the grooves are slick, the guitar solos are over-the-top and the choruses are infectious and easy to sing along to. Perfect for a concert, lots of moments left open for crowds to sing along and other moments to allow mosh pits to develop. You can tell that Bullets and Octane know their audience as nothing really new is here. It has the same feeling as their last couple of records but who needs to reinvent the wheel still turns so well.

They’re back and it feels so good to be getting some new music from the veteran rockers. It feels like they’ve hit their stride as a band and they know how to make this style of music. They have just made it look so easy when they keep making music this consistent and this fun. This is a solid reminder of why I have been a fan of their music for so long. The grit, the intensity and the engaging fun of their music should be enough to keep any fan of rock music coming back for more.

10/10

Mick Birchall

Leave a comment »

The SoapGirls – Elephant in the Room

Posted in Review with tags , , , , on 22nd September 2019 by Mickelrath

The SoapGirls

Elephant in the Room

Punk Rock, Grunge

Released: 12 July 2019

Self Released

If you’re not acquainted with The SoapGirls, then you’re in luck because neither am I. This is my first real taste of what they are about.  The Debray sisters, Noemie and Camille, have been around for a little while now, bringing their own brand of punk rock to the masses. From what I hear and what I’ve seen, they are an interesting and divisive band that deliver hard rocking tunes. Since their first album back in 2015, they have been pretty consistent release-wise and have garnered a decent fan-base. I say they’re divisive because, when I see conversations about them online, it almost always ends up in squabbling between the quality of their music. From what I can tell, the people that like them, really like them and visa versa.  So, where do I stand? Well since this is my first real exposure to them let’s take a listen and see what the crack is with these punk rock gals.

Pretty much from the get-go Elephant in the Room is a pretty entertaining listen. Not too aggressive or edgy and nothing overly produced. It falls somewhere in the middle of that. The production is clear enough and the music is well written. The melodies just flow so well and the harmonies are well integrated. This is nothing particularly fancy about the instrumentation, it’s all quite serviceable. The guitars are nicely toned with that typical hard rock tone and the drums are tightly locked into a decent rhythm on pretty much all of the tracks. The vocal performances are nice too. Again nothing overtly edgy or aggressive. In fact, they carry a tune really well. There are quite a few songs that really get stuck in your head as the choruses are quite catchy and leave a little bit of an ear-worm. 

However, my biggest problem with the album is the length. Whilst there is nothing bad per se on the album, there really isn’t enough of an incentive to keep listening to 19 songs straight. It’s not like this is a prog-rock opera with massive changes to the tunes. It’s just well played and well-performed punk rock. Yet, a punk rock album should get in and get out as quick as possible and this just drags on for a long time. Even though there is nothing explicitly wrong with the quality of any of the songs, there is just too much here for one sitting. 

This was fine. Though not something I feel I need to return to any time soon. The SoapGirls just aren’t necessarily my thing. I would have preferred it if their music was more intricate, unpredictable or if there was more an over-the-top personality to their character as a band. However, as is, this is just okay. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but not enough to keep me invested in their music or justify the sheer length of this album.

6/10

Mick Birchall

Leave a comment »

Bullets and Octane – Waking Up Dead

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on 3rd June 2018 by izaforestspirit

Bullets and Octane
Waking Up Dead
Released 25th May 2018
Hard Rock/Punk-rock
Released via Bad MoFo Records/Cargo Records

No automatic alt text available.
‘Waking Up Dead’ is the latest album from the American hard rock band Bullets and Octane. These guys have been around since 2003 and they have had several successful tours all over the world supporting bands such as Avenged Sevenfold, Korn and Deftones.

This is my first encounter with their music. I have to admit that I chose to review this album because of the amusing cover art and the band’s name. They are allegedly a hard rock act but the cover screams punk rock to me. So, let’s see what we have here…

From the opening track Bad Mother Fucker and lyrics such as “I live life for the rock n’ roll…”, it’s pretty evident that these guys don’t take themselves too seriously. Perhaps I wasn’t far off with the punk rock tag because there is definitely a certain angry, angsty punk feel to the music. It’s catchy, energetic and fun to listen to. The vocals also have that punk rock edge and the same can be said about the lyrical themes. Some of the tracks, particularly the ones at the start of the album reminded me of mid-career works by The Offspring.

Others such as Fuck You Song and more mellow-sounding ‘Hostage’ have more of a hard rock feel. There is a greater emphasis on the guitars while the vocals take more melodic tone; the lead vocals that is, there’s still some shouting in the background. Murder Me Baby is another good hard rock tune, simple but very catchy thanks to the guitar work.

Overall, ‘Waking Up Dead’ is fun to listen to even for someone like me, who has had very little exposure to punk rock since high school. Genre-wise it’s probably sandwiched somewhat between punk rock and hard rock. There’s no deep philosophy to be discovered in the lyrics but the music sure is entertaining.

4/5

Iza Raittila

Leave a comment »

The Treatment: big in France

Posted in News, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , on 4th April 2014 by Pieni

photo TheTreatment_zpsacaa6d13.jpg

Following the release of their second album “Running With The Dogs”, British rockers The Treatment have been making quite a fuss in France: several “Album Of The Month” reviews, a live appearance on L’Enorme TV and also on the French number 1 music TV show Taratata. The performance at the latter consisted of “I Bleed Rock + Roll” and their cover of AC/DC‘s “Hightway To Hell” and it can be seen on the following link: http://live.mytaratata.com/emission/taratata-n488

Given all this, it comes as no surprise that The Treatment have now confirmed a headline show in Paris, at the famous Bus Palladium. The show will take place on the 28th of June and a French tour, also headlining, is planned for later this fall. The band had played in France before, supporting Alice Cooper in 2011, but this is their first time as headliners. Singer Matt Jones says: “To visit another country and be part of an established show like ‘Taratata’ was something really special for us. And now we’re going back for headline dates – it just goes to prove the power of rock music. When we struck the first chord to ‘Highway To Hell’, everyone in the studio knew what was coming!”.

They are also booked for some European summer festivals such as Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park (Germany), Rock The Ring (Switzerland) and Graspop (Belgium), and Download back in their homecountry.

A new single/video will be released later this month, along with three previously unreleased acoustic tracks, so make sure to stay tuned.

www.facebook.com/TheTreatmentOfficial
www.twitter.com/TheTreatmentUK

Leave a comment »

Zebrahead release new video and announce a couple of shows at The Barfly

Posted in News with tags , , , , , on 14th September 2013 by Pieni

photo zebrahead_zps4defbfdd.png

Punk rockers Zebrahead, who have released their tenth studio album “Call Your Friends” last month, have a new video for the rap/rock/punk track “I’m Just Here For The Free Beer”:

On November 2nd, the Californian band will pay a visit to London and play two shows at Camden Barfly: an 18+ evening show (that’s already sold out) and a matinee show for 14+ (under 16-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult).

Zebrahead online:
http://www.zebrahead.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Zebrahead

Rude Records online:
http://www.ruderecorz.com/

Leave a comment »

Sister annoucned additional UK shows, plus appearance at Hard Rock Hell VII

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , , , , , on 12th July 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Swedish sleaze punks Sister have announced two additional shows at the end of their European tour with Wednesday 13 in November. The Swedish outfit will play an intimate London headline show at Upstairs at The Garage on 30th November. Tickets are available from this location.

After the amount of success the band had in March, Sister are more than eager to return. The band stated:

In November it’s time for the UK again. The tour last March with our new friends in Wednesday 13 was a truly great time and the crowds really made a big impact on us. It was two memorable weeks for sure so it’s awesome that we got the opportunity to return once again this year!

See ya in November! /SISTER

Sister will also make an appearance at Hard Rock Hell VII which takes place at Hafan Y Mor in Pwllheli between 28th November and 1st December. They’ll join Black Star Riders, Airbourne, Nazarath, Michael Monroe and a host of others. More info and tickets here at this location.

Sister online:

http://www.sisteronline.net
http://www.facebook.com/sisterband
http://www.youtube.com/sisterofficial
http://www.twitter.com/sister_official

Related articles

 

Leave a comment »

Death Wolf reveal album artwork and track listing for

Posted in News with tags , , , , , on 5th December 2012 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Death Wolf, formerly known as Devils Whorehouse, the horror death rock project spearheaded by Marduk guitarist Morgan Håkansson, are set to release their new album II: Black Armoured Death globally in February 2013. The band have unveiled the artwork for their new album which beautifully captures the spirit of the band: pale, horrid and stripped down black punk.

II: Black Armoured Death will include 13 tracks with a huge variety in sound. Besides the Danzig-influenced material in the vein of the songs of Death Wolf’s self-titled debut album you also get some thrash-induced wrecking balls like the in-your-face cover song with its super-catchy chorus, Sudden Bloodletter or World Serpent. II: Black Armoured Death offers a huge and wide musical spectrum in its entirety and will surely be worth a listen for every fan of dark sinister punk rock with that certain metal edge.

II: Black Armoured Death tracklisting:
‘Noche De Brujas’
‘World Serpent’
‘Lord Of Putrefaction’
‘Darkness Of Hel’
‘Sudden Bloodletter’
‘Malice Striker’
‘Night Stalker’
‘Luciferian Blood Covenant’
‘Black Armoured Death’
‘Death Wolf March’
‘Little Black Angel’
‘Snake Mountain’
‘Rothenburg’

Also, on December 17th a limited edition 7" vinyl, entitled Bloodscent, including two brand new tracks will be released. It will be limited to only 500 hand-numbered copies worldwide.

Bloodscent tracklisting:
Side A:
Snake Mountain
Side B:
Sudden Bloodletter

More info on Death Wolf can be found at this location.

Leave a comment »

Band of the Month: Low Culture [04/2012]

Posted in Band Of The Month with tags , , , , on 1st April 2012 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Breaking away from tradition for a second time of metal acts winning the Band of the Month, Low Culture have been crowned this month’s Band of the Month. They beat the likes of Alice In Thunderland and Wolfcrusher in the poll and came out on top. According to their Facebook, the band are a mixture of blues and punk rock, which certainly does ring true with their music. There’s a hint of good ol’ fashioned, take no prisoners rock n roll mixed into their songs as well. Either way, Low Culture have a truly unique sound and are certainly a band to check out.

Low Culture are:

Peaches Jones – Guitar & Vocals,
Doc Ashton – Drums,
Morley Adams – Lead Guitar
Ryan – Bass

You can check out the band’s music by clicking here.

Don’t forget that Low Culture are supporting Severed Heaven at The Lamp in Hull on 29th April. Tickets can be purchased here.

Related articles

1 Comment »

Six Stories Unknown [Band Review]

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , on 2nd August 2011 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Band: Six Stories Unknown
Country: Sweden
Genre: Pop-Punk
Site: http://www.facebook.com/SixStoriesUnknown

Sweden, musically, is known for bands such as Abba and Arch Enemy, though the country is fast becoming home to an ever growing pop-punk scene with bands such as Almost Today and IKE. Apart of this growing scene are Six Stories Unknown, a five-piece pop-punk outfit from Eskilstuna, Sweden. Though the members are young, they have shared the stage with the likes of Tantrum To Blind and Aim For The Sunrise.

“She Said Happily Ever After” begins with a semi-violent riff, which sounds more like a rock-styled riff than a pop-punk medley. The vocals have a strong element of pop-punk. Like some of the guitar sections, the drums are more akin to rock. The guitars bring out some powerful melodic licks in parts of the song as well. “Still Carry On” has a very strong pop-punk sound all the way through it, but not quite as generic sounding as a lot of pop-punk bands. The guitar riffs are well composed and brilliantly played, as are the drums and the bass. The vocals are powerful as well.

”Fly” sounds to be more alternative rock meets punk in terms of its musical composition. The vocals are strongly pop-punk sounding however which does get a little tiring after a while for the casual listener to pop-punk or for someone new to the pop-punk genre, though there are a few short harsh vocal sections which are more akin to hardcore. The breakdown is an unexpected part of the song but it gives it a fresher and crisper sound. “We’ll Take Over The World” has a strange introduction as it’s composed of synths followed by a very soft, melodic guitar riff. The song is more hardcore dominated at the end. The only major issue with the song is that it’s too short.

Six Stories Unknown are certainly an interesting and exciting band to listen to, though their sound is typically pop-punk the hardcore and alt. rock elements are a great addition to their music, helping keep everything fresh. Six Stories Unknown are a band that pop-punk fans should be keeping an ear out for as they could soon become a domineering force in the international pop-punk scene.

Nico Davidson

Related articles

Leave a comment »

Almost Today [Band Review]

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , on 1st August 2011 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Band: Almost Today
Country: Sweden
Genre: Pop-punk/Rock
Site: http://www.facebook.com/Almosttoday

Sweden, the country who gave birth to one of the first black metal bands, Bathory, who then went onto create “Viking Metal” has always been known for Vikings, death metal and pop music, however, it seems that Sweden is now becoming the home for pop-punk as well as can be seen by rise of “Almost Today”.

”My Best Is What You Get” has a very Paramore-sound to it in terms of the intro guitar riff. The vocals are how pop-punk vocals usually are. The drums seem generic in their playing, though fans of pop-punk music would have no problem with this. The guitar parts play some melodic and catchy hooks. The chorus is plain, somewhat of a let-down considering that most of the song is pretty decent. “The Door Is Locked” has a more rock-orientated approach to its sound, which would be considered an improvement for those who dislike pop-punk. The vocals are strong and the guitar parts are still pulling off some catchy and energetic hooks and riffs. The drum work seems more intelligent as well – An improvement compared to “My Best Is What You Get”.

”There’s No Love In A Lapdance” is another rock-orientated song in its beginning though it does soon adopt the pop-punk sound with the introduction of the vocals. The vocals have a slight Blink 182 sound to them – Just not as irritatingly whiney. The guitar sections aren’t too impressive, though they’re not exactly boring or dull either. The bass & drum part of the song is probably the most interesting aspect of the track. The sound of drums soon followed by a masterfully played guitar riff introduces the song known as “Scene Chicks”. The song sounds like a typical pop-punk song about girls – Though if this is a good thing or a bad thing remains yet to be seen. The riffs get pretty hypnotic in sections, though the drums don’t seem to fit in with the guitar riffs. The bass riffs are pretty good however. “The Life We Knew” takes a laid back approach, bringing a slightly solemn mood. The vocals are strong – For pop-punk. The guitars are nicely played and the drums work better with them during in this song – Always a plus. Though the song isn’t as energetic as the other songs, it seems to have more life in it. The surprising use of a guitar solo is mind-blowing – Even if it is ruined slightly by vocals being sung over it towards the end.

Almost Today are a talented bunch of lads and do show promise. They could even go as far a putting Swedish pop-punk on the map. These are a must-hear band for fans of Paramore, All Time Low and We Die Tonight. Almost Today’s mixture of pop-punk and rock is certainly a refreshing change from the usual generic sounding pop-punk found on the bigger music scenes.

Nico Davidson

Related articles

2 Comments »

Sister – Hated [2011]

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , on 13th June 2011 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Band: Sister
Album: Hated
Release year: 2011
Genre: Punk Rock

Sweden is known, musically, for two things: Pop and death metal. However, there is a strong punk rock scene growing in the depths of Sweden and “Sister” are one of the pioneers, with their recent release “Hated”.

The short-lived “Radioactive Misery” is the first track of the album, composed of a distorted guitar section and various sound effects. “Body Blow” comes next, beginning with a violent riff. The vocals are strong and bloodthirsty, adding that hint of raw energy to the track. The drum work is acute and the riffs are sheer brilliance. The third track “Bullshit & Backstabbing”, begins in a similar to the previous track with a rough and raw riff, though the intro riff is more heavier and aggressive – The way punk rock should be. The vocals keep the track interesting, whilst the riffs are most impressive.

The title track, ”Hated”, blasts its way next with a ferocious intro. The track seems lighter compared to the previous tracks, which is a little bit disappointing, though the drums are well-played and in time. The guitar solo, however, makes up for the lightness of the track. “Motherfuckers (Like You)” begins with a merciless riff, which increases in tempo and aggression with the introduction of the drums. The vocals sound like a rough form of pop-punk vocals, which takes away the rough energy of the track slightly. Next is “Werewolves On Blackstreet”, beginning with an in-your-face, take no prisoners styled riff. The vocals have improved since the previous track and the drums seem more acute. This is certainly one of the best tracks on the album.

”Spit On Me” has a brilliant slow-paced riff to start with which transforms into something more technical and fast paced. The vocals have more of a hardcore sound to them which gives the track extra edge. “The Unlucky Minority” seems to have more an old-skool punk feel, especially in terms of the vocals and drums. The guitar sections aren’t as aggressive as they could be. The last three tracks, “Would You Love A Creature”, “Too Bad For You” and “Drag Me To The Grave” are brilliant tracks, showing the full abilities and skills of the band, though “Would You Love A Creature” would have to be the best of the last three tracks due to its emotional atmosphere and use of acoustic guitar and piano.

”Hated” is one of the best albums to be released in the punk rock scene since the glory days of bands like UK Subs and Anti-Nowhere League. The vast majority of the album contains the raw, aggressive, middle finger in the air kind of energy one expects to find in punk music. Great things are clearly on the horizon for “Sister”.

4/5

Nico Davidson

Leave a comment »