Prelude To A Come Up: Atomic Winter

This is my first contribution to Colins Punk Rock World, so I will introduce myself: I’m from Brazil, I’m 34 years old and I’ve been working with the punk rock scene down here since my early 20’s. Today I devote my free time to the webzine called We Live in Hell (www.weliveinhell.com). Prelude To a Come Up will be a section here at Colins Punk Rock World where I will introduce a Brazilian or South American band to its audience. I hope you enjoy and eventually discover your new favorite band here.

Band: Atomic Winter

Where: Goiânia/Brazil

Genre: Skatepunk / Melodic Hardcore

About: The band formed around 2007 with members of bands (some extinct, others still active) from Goiânia's hardcore scene. The scenario, that in the past had been a solid terrain for the genre, turned into something with no creativity and hostile, discouraging most of those once willing to be part of it. With that in mind, Atomic Winter decided to put together effort and quality to the sum of new ideas and experiences with the good old hardcore.

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/atomicwinter

Bandcamp:http://atomicwinter.bandcamp.com

Prelude To a Come Up:They are by far one of the most talented bands in Brazil, and most probably the best skatepunk band nowadays in our country. They just released a new song called “Concrete Squall” and it is amazing. If you go to their bandcamp page you can download this song, as well as their last full length Snowmeltand their first EP Flesh And Blood, everything for free. Their new record is set to be released later this year. Stay tuned!

Bens Top Tens - UK Punk Singers

Here is Ben from The 4130s top ten favourite UK punk singers.

Top ten favourite singers, this as a singer myself was the hardest one to do yet.

1. Rob Pod (VanillaPod) – It's no secret my love for Vanilla Pod; I first heard them when my brother had a part on an old BMX vid and the song used was 52 Card Pick Up. I went straight out and got the cd and it still remains in my most played today. I've since had the pleasure of sharing stages with Rob and the boys and live he's even better. A rare band for me where I don’t dislike any of their songs I love Robs voice and its pretty much the soundtrack to some of my best times in life.

 2. Duncan Redmonds (Snuff/Guns 'n' Wankers/ToyDolls) - A man that plays drums that good should never be able to sing that good but Duncan can. Still the only dude I get slightly star struck around, I love pretty much everything he's ever done. Guns 'n' Wankers is probably the best band I've ever heard to be honest; Skin Deep is fucking amazing. Snuff are huge, we know that but Duncan remains down to earth. Notable for my fave UK punk song of all time - Not Listening by Snuff.

 

3. Dan Allen (Ducking Punches) - When I think of what I look for in a favourite singer something that is pretty high up there is how good the story teller is and what journey they take you on throughout a song. I was recently shown a song (Six Years) Dan did about his friend that sadly passed away and it was really moving and straight from the heart. I have penned songs about my late father that I've never shown anyone but for Dan to pen that song, record it and also play it live I think shows amazing resolve not to crumble under emotion.

4. Alex Wonk (Wonk Unit) - One of the best front-men on the circuit. I think most would agree, not only does he pen great stories and poems his performance live is just that - A PERFORMANCE! He has a knack of writing stuff that just has a way of connecting with a crowd and the masses of Wonkers out there. They will be huge, I think everyone feels that underground rumble that something big will happen for them soon but there's two things about Alex I guarantee, his music won't change and neither will he.

5. Simon Wells (Southport/Snuff) - I should have put Simon in my top ten guitarists but I was saving him for this. I was introduced to Southport a few years back. I don’t know how I missed them they quickly became a fave of mine. Simon has one of the best proper pop punk voices I've ever heard and I'm really glad he's beginning to take the solo stuff to the stage. I'm definitely going to catch him live or put him on really soon.

6. Simon Sandall (Goober Patrol) - My younger years were spent trying to get my voice to sound like Goober Patrol. It’d be a thing at band practice in my parents shed like "it sounds ok but make it more Goober-ish." Of course I never came close but that’s the thing about a unique voice. Simon Cowell maybe wouldn’t put Simon Sandall into the fucking judges houses round on pop factor but to me I grew up on Goobers Records. I started a band because of bands like that and I tried to sound like singers like Simon To have him he say he likes my band is a complete honour as he influenced me to even start one.

7. Dan Gotham (Spoilers) - It's great to now see Dan fronting a band and Spoilers doing so well. He is one of those singers that I'd never expect that voice to come out of him, his range is incredible. He came in to do some backing singing for the 4130s record with us and pretty much schooled me on harmonies, showed me how to sing and made our record loads better. I've learnt a lot from Dan in the time that I've known him and consider him a great friend. He is always invited to make other 4130s records better for us ha!

 

8. Kingly Hangdog (don’t know his name lol) (Müg) - One of the lesser known bands on my list but I love a curveball. This dudes voice shreds! One of my favourite singers to pop on while I'm chilling at home, actually listening now while I do this. He is a really good front-man too, it almost seems effortless. He probably doesn’t even need a microphone live with how powerful his pipes are. Müg are a great bunch of lads that I hope and know they will do some rad things in the years to come.

9 Rikki Flag (Red Flag 77) - Hometown hero of mine and one of the best front-men I've ever had the pleasure to watch play to a full room. Full of energy and all round good egg I spent the first ten years of knowing Rikki thinking he didn’t much like me but I've gotten to know him a lot better now and consider him a mate to add towards the tons of respect I already had for him. A lot of people consider the 4130’s song “thank fuck it's not 1977 anymore” a diss to 77 bands when actually its very tongue in cheek. It's in-fact a dip of the cap if you will to bands like Red Flag 77 who choose most of us young Ipswich bands as support and tour support, giving us our first chances to play packed pubs.

10. Ben Hannah (Acid Drop) - I love 90’s skate punk. If you follow my top ten's you’ll know that and this band fit into my tiny closed mind absolutely perfectly. The end of days records is one of my fave UK records ever made and never leaves the car. I can't wait to play a few shows with these guys this year and spend some more time getting to know Ben.

Album Review: Shreds by Forever Unclean

 

Ever since I booked my ticket for Book Yer Ane Fest in Dundee this November I have been excitedly waiting for announcements on who is playing. One of the first bands announced were a and from Denmark named Forever Unclean. I'd never heard of the band before so checked out their Bandcamp page. I fell in love. They are amazing. Here's a review of their EP Shreds!

The three piece from Copenhagen start the EP with a bang. After a little piece of guitar feedback the opening song Excuse blasts into life with vocals sound similar to Joe McMahon of Smoke Or Fire (one of my favourite vocalists). Straight away this feels like get right down to the stage and get your fists in the air punk rock, the kind that I love. Musically of course it played at 100mph, giving off so much passion and energy. It's hard not to care about this stuff. The next song Rain starts off with some great gang vocals before some fast paced skate punk is played. The chorus is so catchy and I imagine that this song works so well live. The third song Spoons is a song about spending too much time by yourself and getting lost in your own thoughts. This song is played at a slower pace than the opening two songs, showing some versatility in Forever Unclean's song writing. There is a great breakdown in the middle of the song with some whoa-oh's and some away from the microphone shouting style vocals. This is a great little technique and it all builds up into one big finale. Dead falls more into the pop punk category of punk rock styles. It's the shortest song on the EP but packs a good punch. This is the song on the album perfect for the summer compilations. Dead is about preferring to be on your own and being able to live your own life without worrying about others. Track number five is Animals, which hits you hard and fast from the very beginning. Animals is one of the more political songs on Shred, bringing up Animal Rights. This is clearly an issue very close to the bands heart and the passion in the vocals in unmatched throughout the rest of the EP. Shred is completed by a song named Hangry. By this point you know exactly what you're going to get from the sound of the song, but that is by no means a negative thing. I can happily listen to bands play with this much passion all day. Everyone plays their parts in the band perfectly.

There is not a single bad song on this EP. I'm throwing this out there right now, I don't think I'll discover a new band I love more than Forever Unclean this year. This is perfect punk rock for me, it's energetic, it's passionate, it has good messages and most importantly it makes me feel something. Bravo!

Buy Shreds here: https://foreverunclean.bandcamp.com/ 

Like Forever Unclean here: https://www.facebook.com/foreveruncleanband

Album Review: Tried To Confess/Drowned by Lenin Death March

 

Lenin Death Mask are a four piece rock band from Aberdeen. After taking a brief hiatus in January they are now touring again and will soon be releasing a brand new 7" record. Back in January they released a double a-side single, I checked it out.

The first song on the double a-side is called Tried To Confess. From the start I think what an interesting sound this band have and it makes me want to listen more. The music has an indie/emo kind of feeling to it, raw jangly guitar tones with a thumping drum beat. There's also a great rawness in the vocals with the singer seemingly getting more and more agitated as the song goes on. There is quite a long musical outro to the song where the band get to really show off their skills before leading into the other song on the release. Named Drowned this song is much more up-tempo than the first. Personally I'd preferred this song, I like that it has more of a pop feeling to it amongst the angsty vocals and emo guitars. I'm a sucker for a good hook. 

This release is a great showcase for what Lenin Death Mask are all about. They have a unique and interesting sound that you don't often hear and it's always good to listen to bands trying something a bit different. Their new 7" will be highly anticipated here at Colins Punk Rock World.

Download this for free here: https://lenindeathmask.bandcamp.com/album/tried-to-confess-drowned 

Like Lenin Death Mask here: https://www.facebook.com/LENINDEATHMASK