Album Review: Gurnal Gadafi by Gurnal Gadafi (by Emma Prew)

Hardcore isn’t exactly my go-to genre of music but every now and then I do like to delve into the heavier side of punk rock. I especially enjoy it if the person shouting in my ears isn’t your average angry white man – it’s just so much more refreshing. And so that’s why when checking out all of the bands playing at this year’s Manchester Punk Festival, Gurnal Gadafi grabbed my attention – that and their amusing name, of course. Gurnal Gadafi are a four piece based in Manchester, featuring Willy Binghi on drums, Devon Cryer on guitar, Charlie Cross on bass and Cookie Love on vocals, who blend spoken word and poetry with brutal hardcore punk.

At the time of me doing my MPF research (six members of the CPRW team will be each sharing ten picks for the festival next month), the band had only recorded and released one song – the venomous, short and fast Matador. It’s great – go and listen to it here. I soon found out that the band would be releasing their debut EP at the end of February, which I hear has been five years in the making. For me, this meant waiting almost no time at all, but I imagine for Northern folks who have seen Gurnal Gadafi live, this may feel like a long time coming. However, I don’t think anyone will be disappointed with what the band have put together here.

The EP is eight tracks in under 15 minutes although, surprisingly, Matador isn’t one of them. After opening with spoken word piece titled Gary and introducing the EP as being ‘poetic extracts from a time and context long lost in your speakers’, Gurnal Gadafi waste no time in amping up the volume for a ferocious, face-melting series of hardcore bangers about the ills of modern life. Second track, Alexa, is a big hit with me as well as the two parter of Come Down With Me 1 and Come Down With Me 2. The first of the two is a raw, emotional and hard-hitting spoken word piece about, you guessed it, a come down after a wild night (or a series of wild nights). The second is actually the exact same lyrics but set to the heavy music I’ve come to expect from Gurnal Gadafi. Each version hits differently but both are powerful in their own way, showing how expressive and well crafted Cookie Love’s lyrics are. And that goes for tracks about drug use such as Pingers – even though I can’t relate to them, I’m obviously not the target audience – and lady parts, Fire In My Hole, too!

Stream and download Gurnal Gadafi on Bandcamp – if you buy/download it, you’ll be rewarded with a bonus track, as well.

Like Gurnal Gadafi on Facebook and follow them on Instagram, then go and see them when they play MPF. I’ll be standing at the back, trying to avoid getting crushed in the inevitable mosh pit.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Glow On by Turnstile (by Richard Mair)

Invention in hardcore can go one of two ways. Taking landmark albums such as Converge’s ‘Jane Doe’ and Refused’s ‘Shape Of Punk To Come’, they can either double down on the ferocity, becoming almost too intense and visceral whilst bludgeoning the audience to submission through cavalcades of frenetic noise like the former or alternatively incorporate elements from disparate scenes and sounds to extend the palette of hardcore – such as jazz, dance and pop like the latter. Both approaches are needed and whilst the Converge approach is unlikely to bring a new audience, instead helping retain advocates and more than likely fostering a more rabid and passionate fan base for the scene, the second is certainly needed to help re-profile what hardcore can be.

Currently acting as the new nexus for hardcore Baltimore, Maryland’s leading lights Turnstile return with an album that pushes the boundary in much the same way as ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come’ did in 1999. Perhaps more linear than Refused’s masterpiece, ‘Glow On’ is arguably the next brilliant crossover album the scene has been yearning for over the best part of a quarter of a decade. This is pop hardcore; not like the unique (and bonkers) pop hardcore noise of The Armed but perhaps more akin to The Movielife’s ‘This Time Next Year’. Sure, it’s a softer more polished album than their previous full lengths; yet its DNA is unashamedly in the rhythmic hook-laden hardcore they’ve become synonymous with. Despite the gloss and sheen, this is a hardcore album. Will it polarise opinion? Undoubtedly. Will it take Turnstile to a much larger audience? Inevitably. And this is certainly a good thing when you look at the excellent and diverse acts coming out of Baltimore at the moment from the politically charged, self-aware metalcore tinged Sharptooth to the east coast youth core revivalists of End It; you would hope they would elevate their scene to new heights. In essence, Turnstile are sure to be ushering in a new golden age of hardcore.

‘Glow On’ is not a perfect album. Before we get carried away it does have its flaws. The obvious one being that some of the songs need more. The biggest culprit of this is album closer ‘Lonely Dezires’. As an album it builds to what should be an epic closer, and yet at 2:42 it feels too short; especially as it feels it would naturally round out with a big chorus instead of the more electronic tinged melody that seems to put a stop to proceedings a little premature. It’s also likely that the desire to push boundaries comes at the expense of creating a coherent flow and rhythm (something predecessor ‘Time And Space’ balanced perfectly); consequently at times it can feel disjointed. The flow in the middle of the album for example feels a little off with ‘Alien Love Call’ (an excellent song in its own right) sitting uncomfortably next to the more traditional hardcore songs of ‘Wild Wrld’ and ‘Fly Again’.

These are little niggles and probably missteps that stand out given how great the album actually is. Opening track ‘Mystery’ sets the tone for the album and it’s very clearly a Turnstile song of old, although subtly introducing some of the electronic flourishes that permeate through the whole album. It’s a juggernaut of a hook-ridden song with a pre-chorus that helps elevate the chorus proper to one of epic proportions. The song is likely to be described as ‘limbs’ when heard in a live setting.

Following ‘Mystery’ is ‘Blackout’, which is just a masterclass in beats and grooves; especially through the verses. Yet its chorus is simple, effective, rammed with melody and in every sense reminiscent of songs that Turnstile were producing on their early EPs; complete with a very typical hardcore beat down. It’s absolutely a song that hardcore purists will love. Rounding out the opening section is ‘Don’t Play’, a song that has tinges of early Smash-era Offspring (think ‘LAPD’ / ‘Tehran’ / ‘Come Out And Play’); complete with a very skate-punk intro. Underpinning much of the song is a really neat melody that highlights the creative approach the band have taken with ‘Glow On’. All opening three songs are standouts and yet it’s the 4th song that really demonstrates their growth and progression…

‘Underwater Boi’ has all the hallmarks and tropes of a hardcore song (chugging riffs but slowed right down, beat downs although delivered by a voice as opposed to an instrument). It’s the perfect deconstruction of a hardcore song into something brand new. It’s so different to anything they’ve done before and yet works perfectly in the context of the album. It’s a genuinely fun song. The same thing can be said of the 80s vibe that runs through ‘New Heart Design’, with its Duran Duran style verses. This creativity extends to the inclusion of the aforementioned ‘Alien Love Call’ which features Blood Orange / Dev Hynes as a guest and again demonstrates how versatile hardcore can be in the right hands.

‘Holiday’ and ‘Humanoid / Shake It Up’ both have a feel of ‘Time And Space’ about them. ‘Holiday’ in particular is all about the groove, where as ‘Humanoid’ has a distinctly Ramones-inspired hardcore-ness about it, especially the vocal delivery. This is where the album really works; despite all its forward leaning pretensions its these nods to the past when aligned with the new that give the album its sparkle. This extends to the most traditionally hardcore, lyric based song: ‘Turnstile Love Connection’ with its ‘Thank you for letting me be myself’ self-actualisation chant; which comes across as a love letter to the scene for recognising their success in developing their sound and allowing them to be true to themselves.

‘Lonely Dezires’ closes the album; and whilst it’s a great song in its own right it feels lacking as a closer given what has come before; and rather than ending with a bang, which would be more fitting, it means the album feels like it fades away (unless you see this as subverting expectation in a way that only Turnstile can). It’s a small gripe, as a stand-alone song it’s brilliant, but in the wider context it falls a little flat. I’m sure many will disagree!

The real stand out performance on the album has to be the rhythm / percussion section of Franz Lyons and Daniel Fang – genuinely, they have laid a marker down for others. The changes in tempo and rhythm they orchestrate are outstanding; ‘Dance Off’ and ‘Wild Wrld’ in particular showcase their talents. One nerdy statement to make is that it needs to be heard in the best format possible. Listening to Glow On through a Dolby Atmos set up it takes on a whole new depths and layers as beats and voices cascade from all directions. Mike Elizondo’s work on the production (and synths) is truly outstanding and needs to be recognised.

Returning to the fun element, hardcore is often a genre that is – by its nature – very serious and yet this album has an innate care-free feel about it. It’s genuinely fun with a broad everyman vibe. It’s a hardcore album for people who like to dance and sing to the music as opposed to get angry and throw their fists in the air as proclamation of the truths of the hardcore band in front of them. This appeal is crucial and whilst I’m much more of a fan of the political tinged, angry vitriolic hardcore, this is a perfect gateway for people to discover bands such as Bane, Battery, Have Heart, American Nightmare, Converge or Rotting Out, that may at one time felt intimidating. Coupled with this, hardcore is in a really healthy place at the moment; The Armed have released a genuine masterpiece this year and acts such as Power Alone, Initiate and Sharptooth are providing a much needed feminist lens to a once male dominated scene. Finally, One Step Closer have dropped an incredible album that is likely to benefit off of the back of the interest in ‘Glow On’; and in doing so taking them to a much wider audience than they could have expected with their debut full length. After the recent emo revival, it really feels like the next wave of hardcore is ready for its time in the sun.

I’ve seen a lot of love for this album already and rightly so. It is an incredible piece of work that stands to elevate Turnstile to almost unheard levels for a hardcore band, such is its crossover appeal. It is flawed; yet that makes it all the more real and natural. Does it eclipse ‘Time And Space’… I’m not so sure; however what it does do is firmly cement Turnstile as one of the most forward thinking, accessible and essential bands currently laying beatdowns down.

Stream and download Glow On from your chosen music provider and like Turnstile on Facebook here.

This review was written by Richard Mair.

Album Review: Empty Plinths by Grand Collapse (by Lara Roberts)

This third instalment from Grand Collapse takes its name from the emotive scenes witnessed with the tearing down of the Colston statue in Bristol. Empty Plinths leaves you with hardly any time to catch a breath between songs – this itself reflecting many of the themes explored in the album, including race and class divide, as well as animal and human rights. There is a hint of the melodic guitar from previous albums, though with a more thrashy, metal sound to it, which can clearly be heard on Without Let or Hindrance and Empty Plinths.

With the opening song, Waves, we are taken on an emotional journey of the suffering of the refugee. The sadness and struggle with every twist and turn of a journey to an “elusive haven”, only to be sneered at by “megalomaniacs and jingoists” upon arrival. Waves reads as a short story, with no happy ending.

More intense images are summoned with the horror of Amygdala. A brutal, first-person description of the suffering caused by the impact of a nuclear bomb. “Feel the burning from the fallout, faces melting in the street, out of breath from the chase”. Glenn’s galloping drums serve as a backdrop to the harrowing images generated, with Jon’s thrashy guitar licks creating the impression of a collapsing street. The brutal imagery brought with these lyrics is as intense as the music, forcing us to not only listen, but to also dwell in the pain, sadness and confusion.

The pace of Claret Thirst reflects the subject of the song – an animal running for their life, grass, flowers, trees a blur as they try in vain to escape the advancing gunman on their tail. But this song is also about anger. Anger at those who kill these creatures for fun, anger that these killers use terms like “preservation” and “safety of breeds” to placate the public when questioned about their reasoning behind their actions. They are being called out as the bloodthirsty savages they are. Spare me the bullshit. It’s impossible to not feel the emotion and frustration in the delivery of the song.

Empty Plinths is as unapologetic as it is angry, aggressive and honest, with a fitting tribute to Icons Of Filth as a hidden bonus at the end of the record. Most of this album was written during 2020, with many of the social tensions experienced during that year being projected through the writing. You can feel the anger, you can hear it. And with such honest and descriptive lyrics, you can almost see it.

A brilliant third album from a much loved band who show no interest in slowing down.

Stream and download Empty Plinths on Bandcamp here.

Like Grand Collapse on Facebook here.

This review was written by Lara Roberts.

Album Review: Between The Richness by Fiddlehead (by Richard Mair)

Hardcore is going through something of a creative renaissance. Drug Church stand out as the leading lights with a sound that has equal parts in common with 90s alt-rock bands such as the Pixies as they do with Minor Threat or Gorilla Biscuits; or take the bonkers noise inspired shenanigans that The Armed released with Ultrapop, an album that is equal parts Converge styled metalcore fused with ridiculous pop songs of noise merchants Fang Island. A further point to consider in this evolution is the role influential icons play in expanding the sound. For example Patrick Kindlon of Self Defense Family fame using Drug Church as an experimental release of ideas or the re-emergence of Brian McTernan as a focal point in Be Well also demonstrates the potential for scene legends to reinvent and reinvigorate a scene that at times can be static. Against this is the sphere in which Fiddlehead operate. A band that emerged into the world on the back of a much loved and respected icon, yet at the same time so very different to what had come before. Comprised of members of Have Heart and Basement, the lineage is truly astounding and yet it’s the personal introspection into the deepest emotions of frontman Patrick Flynn that is central to what makes Fiddlehead unique.

Now I must admit their debut album was in every sense a slow burner. It didn’t grab me initially. That’s not to say it wasn’t good; it just took me the best part of a year to click. Since then it’s been on rotation constantly and a follow up easily on the most wanted list… thankfully it doesn’t disappoint. In fact it ups the ante and some. Between The Richness is a triumph in every sense; it’s doubled down on everything that made Springtime and Blind so revered. It’s creative, emotional and, above all else, full of heart and soul that further explores Patrick Flynn’s personal family history and story.

Continuing the overriding theme of loss that drove Springtime and Blind, the opening track (“Grief Motif”) is introduced via a spoken word poem (that also concludes the album – bringing it neatly full circle) of E. E. Cummings. Its theme of loved ones staying with you in your heart shows that, whilst the grief and despair from the first album has somewhat moved on to a more hopeful realisation of happy memories, the principle remains the same. This is an album that delves into the deepest recesses of the human psyche. Exploring the depths of Patrick’s emotions and, in particular, this time around his hopes and fears for his own family. Throughout the album this feeling of anxiousness and being responsible for new life permeates all its facets. Images like watching loved ones sleep (“Joyboy”), living with academic pressure (“Down University”), or drifting apart and reconnecting with people – especially lovers – (“Million Times”) are central to the album. It digs the depths of human emotions and experiences to put into words what so many fail to articulate and does so beautifully. Every song is a genuine sing-along anthem; yet at the same time it remains very ‘adult’ in its approach to angst. Iron Chic this is not, yet I’d argue it’s equally as cathartic and explosive.

The spoken word intro gives way to an almost chant like refrain that echoes to the words “fall apart” through its brief runtime. Despite its upbeat nature (and likely fan favourite appeal in much the same way the chant of “Through our bleeding we are one” is synonymous with AFI) its second track “The Years” which really kicks things off, creating a one-two opening combo akin to Spanish love Songs Nuevo into Sequels, Remakes & Adaptations.

“Million Times” is a more sedate song by and large, although the chorus is an explosion of emotion and the song’s final third is a joyous fist pumping release. It’s a genuine pop song hidden in a post hardcore aesthetic. It gives way to the most punk rock song on the album. “Eternal You” is a gruff punk anthem; played at breakneck speed and with a angsty, angry vocal delivery that makes it stand out on the album where everything is much more nuanced. It concludes with another spoken word section which continues to tell the underpinning story behind the whole collection. In a similar vein, “Down University” is a straight forward “rocking” song, which reminds me of No Division-era Hot Water Music complete with cheerleader vocals, whilst “Get My Mind Right” shares its DNA with the more hardcore roots of the band. The up tempo songs really stand out as being of the highest quality, crafted with precision and guile that keeps things fresh. Nothing feels repeated or forced. Between The Richness is a real storyteller’s journey of an album and, whilst it can certainly be enjoyed by dipping into the odd song, it’s best savoured from front to back where the ebbs and flows; peaks and troughs come to life.

Where Fiddlehead excel is in subverting expectations. The personnel are known to be excellent at creating bludgeoning noise but “Loverman” and “Joyboy” are soft, gentle emo-tinged songs that are as delicate as they are powerful. Both are high points on the album, punctuating the more pronounced aggressive songs with real moments of beauty.

The culmination of this angst is “Heart To Heart”; a truly monstrous, massive, epic song. Led by a deep throbbing bass line, it’s the release the album has building towards. On one hand there is an acknowledgement of letting go of the past but perhaps more importantly it feels like the conversation Patrick never had with his own father; that he is telling his own children he will be “in the springtime afternoon” or “be the sunlight” that surrounds them when he is no longer here. “Heart To Heart” is a masterpiece of writing anthemic stadium songs in a hardcore style. Much like Be Well’s “Confessional” of last year, it rounds off an essential piece of modern hardcore with one of the single greatest songs of the last few years. The parallel with that particular song is uncanny, both serving as acknowledgements to the writer’s own children on the aspirations and concerns they harbour for those they hold most dear. Both round their albums off in a real sombre but hopeful and beautiful way.

What took me so long to ‘get’ with their debut wasn’t that it was inaccessible but that the album made you work to appreciate its hooks. This time round I’d argue Fiddlehead have truly nailed their sound. It’s very unique; certainly it’s melodic, and has a real crowd pleasing hardcore sound but it’s also very much an ‘adult’ sound. It doesn’t treat the listener as a child or as someone with a short attention span. At times, it borders on the fringes of art in much the same space that The Armed operate. This approach to thinking man’s hardcore is great to see in a scene that can appear to the outside world as needlessly aggressive. I’d hope that Fiddlehead prove to be a gateway for many more to find out about bands such as Have Heart et al; whilst influencing a new generation of hardcore kids to be equally as creative and inventive with the tropes and constraints associated with the scene.

Stream and download Between The Richness on Bandcamp here.

Like Fiddlehead on Facebook here.

This review was written by Richard Mair.

Album Review: You Didn't Doubt by Chartreux (by Chris Bishton)

You Didn't Doubt This is the debut from Leipzig's German punks Chartreux. Released on the always brilliant Gunner Records earlier this year, it's only seven songs long which, for me, makes it too stretched to be an EP, but a little short to be classed as a full album. Not that this is in anyway a problem and, as the saying goes, all killer, no filler. Mini album anyone? Further, given the band only played their first show in February last year just before everything stopped, it's obviously been a tricky time to record and release anything so I'm willing to go with the band's assertion this is their first full length record. And it's a great first full length too – DIY skate punk meets hardcore, but with a bit of gruff Gainesville influenced sing-a-long anthemic punk in the mix as well.

The opening track is Role Play. A raucous and blisteringly quick start, with lyrics that are gruff and shouted in English. The guitar playing reminds me of 90s/00s Pulley, although the vocals are definitely grittier. It slows a little towards the end, but at less than two minutes, it still flashes by.

The blink and you'll miss it MO continues with Harriet. Having listened to the (mini) album a few times now, I actually think this is probably my favourite track. It's also under two minutes, but the vocals are a little more jaunty and lend themselves to a sweaty room, gang sing-along.

The lengthy (just over two minutes, haha) Nods And Handshakes is the third track. By now as a listener, I know what to expect and it's obviously nothing particularly different or out of place, but it's still solid, shouty punk with a great swagger to it.

The rest of the album follows suit. Liberation Day is perhaps the most "hardcore" of the remaining songs. Screeched, sweary vocals remind me of a track that you might hear on a Pears album. It's fast, then slow, angry and passionate.

The album concludes with Repeat Rewind. At three minutes it's epic in duration compared to some of the other songs, which is mainly down to a 20 second intro. However, the pace and passion isn't compromised and there's no cutesy, whimsical finish to this record. As the title suggests, it simply leaves me wanting to put the whole thing on again right back at the start.

German punk is in a great place at the moment. Peers and contemporaries include Arterials, Hell & Back, Captain Asshole, Sidewalk Surfers, Primetime Failure (I could go on, but you get the idea) and I fully expect Chartreux to become a regular fixture on the Booze Cruise line-up. If I ever get to Hamburg, they'll be another of my "must see" German bands.

Stream and download You Didn't Doubt on Bandcamp here.

Like Chartreux on Facebook here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.

Album Review: Prophylactic Shock by Slap Happy

Denver, Colorado’s Slap Happy are a three piece band who formed in 2018. After releasing a demo and single, the band finally released their first full length in February. Titled Prophylactic Shock, it features nine songs of melodic pop punk squeezed into twenty-eight minutes. Colorado seems to be one of those states that consistently births great melodic punk bands, this made me very keen to check out Slap Happy.

Prophylactic Shock begins with the song Freak Out. Starting out with some bass before a drum roll and buzzing guitar come in, the track builds towards the vocals. When they come in you’re ready to sing along with the band. The opening line of “sometimes I get paranoid and freak out” is as cathartic as it gets. The two verses lead really well into the simple, effective sing-along choruses. Between the two choruses there’s a nice break down that will give a crowd a short rest before finishing with a final big sing-along. Next is Same Old. Same Old was one of the standout tracks for me when I first listened to Prophylactic Shock. The song continues the theme of mental health, in particular questioning why things aren’t changing and you still don’t feel right. The almost four and a half minute run time of the song gives the band room to play around with the tempo of the song. They take a moment to really slow things down towards the song’s end before building up to one last chorus, which is completed with some superb harmonies. From the longest song on the album, we move on to the shortest. Kingsley Manor picks up the pace slightly for a song about moving on from your old punk house before it becomes too much for you mentally. The higher tempo gives the album a great boost of energy which I really enjoyed. This is another stand out song from the album – it’s short, sweet and got me pumped up.

The Sun starts with a rumbling bass line accompanied by some vocals before the full band comes in and the lines are repeated. There’s a sharpness to the way the vocals are delivered which really grabs the attention. This is more of an angry song about global warming and needing to act now despite governments seemingly not wanting to admit that the world is in a lot of trouble. Much like how it’s important that bands tackle mental health in their music, I think it’s also important for bands to use their platform to speak out about causes like this more and more. The fifth song, Slacker, sees the beginning of a sequence of songs that get a bit heavier. There’s a sludgier sound to the band which is quite the contrast to what we’ve heard so far. Slacker is about feeling like you’re going nowhere in your life and struggling to find motivation to do anything productive. Something we’ve all related to at some point I’m sure. Dejected is a slower, grunge-like song. The bass line gives the song a really solid spine throughout and allows the guitar to do some interesting things with the reverb. Dejected is about feeling disappointed with where your life is heading and not getting any luck. This lack of luck leaves you struggling mentally as well as causing frustration and anger. The tone of the song really helps set the mood for the overall theme.

The seventh song, Dissent, continues the heavier sound but has more of a 80s hardcore feeling to it. The guitars throughout the song really wail and bring the energy up. The vocals turn into a snarling growl that are quite difficult to make out at times. Something Slap Happy seem to enjoy doing in their songs is slow breakdowns that build towards the song’s finale. We get another one on Dissent and it may be the best one of the album, it’s my favourite anyway. The penultimate song is titled Cement Foot. Slap Happy switch to more of an indie punk sound, showing such versatility to their music. The guitars jangle in the introduction with the vocals giving the track a choppy melody that really hooks you in. A highlight is the chorus where Slap Happy treats the listener to some Beach Boy style harmonies that add a sweet extra layer to the song. Cement Foot is one of the more uplifting and positive songs on the album. It’s about struggling mentally but standing up and saying you won’t be defeated. The ninth and final song on Prophylactic Shock is These Times. These Times bookends the album nicely by reverting back to the melodic pop punk that began Prophylactic Shock. It’s about something a lot of us in our thirties worry about, our friends moving on and wondering what the next step in your life is. I really like the positivity that comes out of the song, particularly the chorus, which feels like the singer is taking a giant leap into the unknown and looking forward to it.

Slap Happy showcase a lot of variety on this album and have managed to put together a collection of songs that should cater for fans of many different punk sounds. The band touch on a lot of subject that are important to me and many other folk in the punk scene and that’s always pleasing to hear. Well done Slap Happy on a very promising debut album.

Stream and download Prophylactic Shock on Bandcamp here.

Like Slap Happy on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Bliss by Incisions (by Richard Mair)

Hardcore… it’s like the marmite of the punk scene (even more so than ska I feel, Colin – sorry); for the simple reason that whilst many will have encountered countless bands plugging away it can be very hard to be truly unique and stand out in such a niche and at times rigid scene. Consequently, when it’s done right it’s simply the best genre of music ever. Manchester’s Incisions clearly have this same attitude. Bliss, their second LP, is equal parts visceral, melodically angular and driven by an exceptional rhythm section that’s equal parts tight, structured and disciplined yet also able to seamlessly shift to a frenetic almost chaotic explosion when needed.

The first thing to say is Incisions play the kind of abrasive hardcore that you either love or hate. Personally it’s heyday era Indecision Records stuff that I adore (Life’s Halt / Carry On / Vorhees), with smatterings of the more straight up Black Flag racket you’d associate with the best of the Bridge 9 bands (Breathe In / early American Nightmare / Sworn In). Assuming you are familiar with these bands whose output was largely limited to a handful of releases a piece (with the notable exceptions of Vorhees and American Nightmare), you’ll be right at home!

Bliss kicks off with intense bass driven banger ‘You’re Not The Same’; a vitriolic 1:30 bombastic rant, that’s punctuated by a jaunty, angular guitar riff. It really sets the tone and over the next 20 minutes Incisions blast through a rabid, politically informed and socially aware collection that really helps them stand out against the backdrop of what can be a very poorly delivered pastiche of hardcore clichés.

‘Fuck The World’ clocks in at barely a minute and very much reminds me of Durham’s finest Vorhees, such is the intensity of the vocal delivery and the riffage on show, especially before the middle third of the song. It’s sharp, fast and punchy, giving way to perhaps one of the more structured and melodic songs on the album ‘Fighting Myself’. Complete with whoa-whoas and an excellent beat down at the end, it’s clearly destined for fan favourite status and dare I say is almost melodic-hardcore or skate punk in its delivery.

This opening trio showcase exactly what you expect to hear across the album, and they grab you instantly. The tropes and ideas presented in these songs appear across the rest of the album; although they become much more pronounced with ‘Repeat Prescription’ having some stand out moments via a well-constructed beat down, while ‘The Fluke’ makes use of a second lead vocal to add some depth to the choruses.

Where this particular subgenre of hardcore can lose its focus comes in its almost one dimensional approach to albums; they can appear very singular in terms of pace and length of songs. Again Incisions missed this memo and introduce some neat left turns on the album; demonstrating how creative the genre can be. ‘Back Of The Line’ is a borderline pop punk anthem and reminds me of UK legends Goober Patrol. The almost spoken word verses of ‘The Sweeney’ also introduce a new dynamic that helps keep the album fresh at the point where you might start to think things are too one dimensional. It’s these moments alongside the almost Billy Bragg or Frank Turner acoustic influenced ‘Better’ that really help hammer home the energy of the other songs whilst creating moments of reflection and consideration.

The album remains high quality throughout but probably the best songs are saved for the latter stages. ‘Broken Home’ is a hardcore masterclass, pitched beautifully alongside the aforementioned ‘Better’, and closing track ‘Insecure’ which brings the album to a close.

Overall Bliss is a cracking album, it’s perfectly balanced and structured. It’s angry, politically motivated and at times borderline disturbing such as references to the increased authority of the police who can no longer be identified in communities to the role mass media plays in the subjugation of minority groups. It’s this level of insight and vitriol that hardcore should have by its very nature and Incisions clearly live and breathe these values.

Finally I’ve compared Incisions to some of the best hardcore bands of the late 90s early 00s and that’s not in any way to make them sound like a nostalgia act, far from it. My personal view is the albums produced over that period of time remain some of my of all-time favourites and it’s certainly what I’d regard as a golden era of hardcore. Bliss taps into this era beautifully and helps push the envelope that little bit more in terms of where the genre can go next.

Pre-order Bliss on the TNSRecords webstore here.

Like Incisions on Facebook here.

This review was written by Richard Mair.

Album Review: TNSRecords Volume 4: Cheap Cans, Broken Vans and Basement Bar Bands

The much loved and respected Manchester based DIY record label TNSRecords is just about to put out their 100th release. This is an incredible achievement and, before we delve deeper into the release, I just want to congratulate Andy and Bev for this huge accomplishment. Well done guys, it’s amazing!

When I discovered that TNS were closing in on their 100th release, I speculated to myself as to what it would be. I assumed that it would be a compilation but figured it would be a kind of TNS best of, featuring Andy and Bev’s favourite songs that the label has put out over the first 99 releases. Or perhaps it would be the current active bands on their roster covering songs from classic releases – that would be cool. Instead they decided to release a compilation featuring 33 bands that are a combination of the newer bands that TNS has released music by, as well as up and coming bands that they like and want to give some exposure too. TNS has always been about being progressive and looking forward and this is a fine example of that.

I probably should’ve mentioned by this point that the compilation is titled TNSRecords Volume 4: Cheap Cans, Broken Vans and Basement Bar Bands and it’s being released on vinyl and CD on the 19th of February. Buy it here.

Now on with the actual review. We don’t normally do compilation reviews for the simple reason that there are lots of bands – and to try and go into detail about each song will break me and also probably bore you. So, for this review, I’m going to try and give a running commentary on my thoughts of the compilation as I listen through it. I’m going to set myself a rule of only listening to each song three times to stop myself getting too detailed.

First up is Incisions and their song New Day. The Manchester based hardcore act have been carving out a big audience for themselves amongst the UK DIY scene over the past few years and their upcoming new album, Bliss, looks set to continue their momentum.

Jodie Faster play short and fast punk rock songs. The band have been together since 2016 and have already found a massive fan base for themselves. Don’t Take It Bad opens with a hyperactive guitar riff and the vocals add much ferocity to the track.

Midlands based four piece Brassick provide their song They Say. The track welcomes you in with a great melody before lead singer Nicola McCarthy’s powerful vocals take you through a hard hitting and political song that will unite a crowd.

Faintest Idea are long time friends of TNS and really HAD to be on this compilation. Stomp ’Em Down is the first single from their long awaited next album. If this single is anything to go by then it’s going to be fantastic. Mixing street punk with ska to incredible effect, Faintest Idea continue to be one of the best bands in the UK.

Fun fact: Nosebleed were the penultimate band I saw live before gigs stopped. They’ve gained a reputation for being one of the best live bands in the UK and are also pretty damn good on record too. Playing an amped up version of garage punk, the Leeds based three-piece are one of the most exciting bands in the UK at the moment and their song I Got You shows you exactly why. Fast paced, catchy and will have you getting your finest dancing shoes on.

Another of the UK’s most exciting new bands are Aerial Salad. Despite their young age, Aerial Salad seem like they’ve been around forever now and it’s been absolutely wonderful seeing them progress with each release. 2020’s Dirt Mall saw them take another giant leap forward with their grungey take on pop punk. Mainstream attention deservedly awaits Jamie, Mike and Matt.

In Evil Hour are a melodic punk rock band from Darlington, UK. The track 2050 is my favourite I’ve heard from the four piece. It begins slowly and builds and builds. The further you go into the song, the angrier it gets and it does a great job taking you along for the ride. Alice’s vocals are superb throughout, one of the best voices in UK punk rock.

DIY punk legends The Restarts provide the song Freedom From. Delivering a slice of thrashy hardcore punk rock from London. The song is unrelenting throughout and goes by like a tornado. Fast guitars, thumbing drums and snarling vocals.

Hastings’ punk act Haest are another new band quickly making a name for themselves. There seems to be an affinity between Hastings and TNS so it wasn’t surprising to find Haest on this album. The Turtle In The Handbag is a hard rocking punk song that has a bit of a throwback feel to it.

Another long time friend of TNS are Warrinton’s folk punks Roughneck Riot. The band took a short break in 2019 and were due to make their triumphant return in 2020. Unfortunately all of the tragedy of 2020 happened and they were unable to get back for any live shows but it seems they were able to get into the studio at some point to record some songs. The track, A New Day Is Dawning, is an uplifting song about better times being on the horizon.

Knife Club are a TNSRecords supergroup. There was a lot of mystery surrounding the band before they eventually revealed their members last year. Sadly they haven’t been able to play any shows yet but they did put out a phenomenal album in the form of We Are Knife Club last year. Fronted by Andy Davies (TNS/ROTPM) and Zoë Barrow (Casual Nausea), You Can Only Try Your Best is a new and unreleased song that is really empowering. This is perhaps my favourite thing from the band so far.

A lot of people have been talking about Bobby Funk in the past year and their song I’m A Cat has been proclaimed by many as the best song of 2020. Hailing from Falmouth in Cornwall, Bobby Funk play fast and straightforward punk rock that’s a lot of fun.

Harijan were one of the first bands that TNS released music by and, at the end of 2020, they finally released their debut album. Paranoid is one of my favourite tracks on the album. It’s an upbeat song that showcases lead singer Mike’s distinctive voice brilliantly. This is another song that you’ll need to get your dancing shoes ready for.

Youth Avoiders bring back the angry hardcore with their song Steel Concrete. A very apt name for such a hard song. There are no wasted moments in the song as the French band storm through the song. Steel Concrete actually comes from an album named Relentless which is the perfect way to describe this song.

Pi$$er are another super group who feature current and ex members of bands such as The Domestics, Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man, Doom, Beat The Red Light and many more. Playing d-beat hardcore with a saxophone, they are one of the more unique bands to have emerged in recent years and certainly one to look out for.

Bristol’s Martyrials offer up a synthesized take on the punk rock genre. This is clearly a band not afraid to venture outside of the box and they’ve managed to create something quite wonderful. Sonically Parachute will have you dancing away, there’s a great energy that gives the song an urgent feel and vocally there is plenty of bite.

Dundee gruff punks Uniforms have been a big favourite of mine for years now and I was very pleased to see them featured on the compilation. Searchlights comes from the EP Reasons To Breathe which was co-released by TNS and Make-That-A-Take Records in 2018. It’s an absolutely banging song from one of the UK’s best bands.

I can remember seeing Wales’ Grand Collapse at MPF 2 in 2016 and they seem to have had a relationship with TNS ever since. The four piece play blisteringly fast hardcore that will get a mosh pit moving like a hurricane or make a room full of people aggressively bang their heads in unison. Calvin’s vocals really make you pay attention to the song and the band show considerable skill with their instruments with some really technical riffs and drum lines.

Casual Nausea are a five piece from Ipswich. Casual Nausea are one of the UK’s most interesting sounding bands. Mixing street punk with hardcore, they feature great dual vocals that work incredibly well together. The song Empty Rewards is a real ear worm of a song that really stands out amongst all of the other great songs on this album. It’s really infectious.

Sandwiching Casual Nausea in a Welsh hardcore sandwich are Pizzatramp. Pizzatramp showcase the trashier side of hardcore, playing three chord punk rock as fast as they possibly can. I Got Work In The Morning tells a tale of not being able to live the life you really want to because you have your rubbish day job the next day. Something we can all relate to!

Everyone’s favourite folk punk band Stöj Snak are up next. The Danish band have a long running history with TNS dating back to lead singer Niels’ old hardcore band, Mighty Midgets. If you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t discovered Stöj Snak yet, they play passionate and angry folk punk and can inspire alongside really tugging on your heartstrings. A firm CPRW favourite.

Manchester’s The Sewer Cats are a duo who play fuzzy, distorted punk rock. On the song Rich Cheaters, I really enjoyed how the song manages to jump between an almost poppy garage punk sound to some really angry, visceral hardcore. This is a political song that’s very fitting for the current age.

The Domestics are from Suffolk and featured is the song Don’t Tell Me What Love Is. This is a rapid-fire hardcore track that never stops for breath. The vocals on the verse are so fast it’s quite hard to make them out but I’m guessing that the song is about not conforming to what THEY tell you love is, it can be whatever you want it to be. Have a listen to the song and see what you think is going on.

Former Bootscraper member Tim Loud throws a fantastic sonic curveball into the record. The long time associate of TNS provides a country tinged rock track that showcases their brilliant ability to tell a story through a song. This is the first physical release of Anyone Else But Me as it’s only been released digitally in the past.

Skinny Milk are a duo from Brighton. Playing fuzzy punk with a shoegaze element to their sound, Skinny Milk are a new band to me and already sound like one that could make a big splash on the DIY scene as well as a more mainstream one.

Daves are a band I’ve been excited about since Sarah from Shout Louder suggested them for Do It Together Fest in January 2020. Unfortunately they were busy playing another show that weekend so we were unable to book them and I am yet to see them live. I love their fast, gruff sound. This is the type of punk that gets me singing along with my fist firmly punching the air.

If you’ve been following TNS over the last few years you’ll be very aware of Follow Your Dreams. I always feel like hardcore is one of the hardest genres under the punk umbrella to make sound original but Follow Your Dreams found a way. Using a wide array of pedals to make some fantastic guitar tones, you never know where a Follow Your Dreams song is going to take you and Kaz is a superb frontperson for the band. When you can, check them out live.

Like their fellow folk punk comrades Roughneck Riot, Matilda’s Scoundrels recently took some time off but now they are back. The Hastings bands are another with a long standing relationship with TNS and their popularity has grown massively over the past few years. They are now one of the must-see touring acts on the circuit.

Falmouth’s Rash Decision are a long running band in the DIY scene, known for their fast and thrashy hardcore punk rock songs. Their track The Martockian has a nice long intro that really builds the song up before launching into an unrelenting minute or so that is full of everything you would expect – energy, aggression, urgency, passion and ferocity.

German hard rockers Christmas are a band TNS have been championing for a while. The song Push Fast is from the TNS released album Hot Nights In Saint Vandal. It’s a heavy slab of melodic punk with vile fuelled vocals and loads of whoa-oh harmonies that really pull you into the song.

Throwing Stuff’s no-nonsense approach to punk rock has long entertained me. It was quite a surprise when they released A.C.I.Y.H.A.B. out of the blue digitally last year. Its appearance here is its first physical release and I can’t think of a better place for it to be. The song is about changing your attitude towards what you’re taught about the police and realising what they can really be like. Sadly, not all police people are good eggs.

The penultimate track comes from who I think is the newest band on the compilation but they do have a long history with TNS. Redeemon are a band birthed from the ashes of Beat The Red Light who were one of the first bands on TNS’ roster. On the track Anaphylactic, Redeemon take the skacore and metal that BTRL were so loved for an add even more influences that shouldn’t work as well as they do.

The final song is from Speed Dinosaurs. Stegasaurid is the perfect song to finish the compilation with. It’s a softer, ukulele lead song about the dinosaur Stegasaurid. It’s fun and silly and really fits the TNS sense of humour that’s been apparent over the years.

Cheap Cans, Broken Vans and Basement Bar Bands is a fantastic showcase of the amazing talent doing fantastic things in punk rock at the moment. It’s a varied collection of tracks that has something for everyone. The different and diverse styles of punk rock will allow listeners to check out new styles that wouldn’t be their usual go to – I’m a big fan. The compilation is a fitting 100th release for such an important and influential album from the UK’s DIY scene.

Like TNSRecords on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Top Tens: Incisions’ Top Ten Punk Rock Influences

Manchester-based hardcore band Incisions are set to release their long awaited second album on 2nd April. The album, titled Bliss, is being released on TNSRecords and you can pre-order it, and read more about it, on their website now.

And, while you wait for the album to be released, you can check out the band’s top ten influences below:

JORDAN

Poison Idea
I love everything about Poison Idea. I try and bring them up at some point with every person I meet. ‘Feel The Darkness’ is the place to start if you’ve not heard them before but the further you dig the more riffs you will fall in love with, the music is always so fast and heavy. A great balance of political fury and raw emotion spewed out by one of the best hardcore vocalists of all time. Not that hardcore vocalists are highly regarded in my experience.

John Reis (Rocket From The Crypt, Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu)
John Reis is the man behind so many amazing bands and, in my opinion, is deserving of one of punk’s many subgenres all by himself. Frontman and guitarist for Rocket From The Crypt, punk rock and roll with brass but NOT ska and one of the best live bands you could ever watch. He’s also behind pioneering post-hardcore/emo band Drive Like Jehu. I finally caught Hot Snakes on tour last year, another incredible band, and the way Speedo plays a guitar is just insane. I always adore his guitar tone whichever band he is playing in but watching him as lead guitarist for Hot Snakes just took my head off. I also strongly recommend The Sultans and Night Marchers, two more bands he fronts. Absolute legend.

MARTIN

Steve Albini
Noise rock is my go to for guitar playing style. I grew up more immersed in the heavier side of the spectrum rather than punk. As I got older I realised how silly/contrived metal and its scene can be so immersed myself in noisy, dangerous sounding bands that didn't have or need that daft metal aesthetic. I could name SO MANY bands of this genre that have influenced not only my music tastes but my style as a guitarist but they all seem to have one common factor – Big Ste. Whether it's him and his guitar playing and shouting in Shellac and Big Black or his absolute joke of a list of seminal albums he's recorded with artists such as The Jesus Lizard, Slint, Pixies, Fugazi, Tad, Nirvana, Neurosis, Melt Banana, Godspeed You…, Metz… His left-wing political views, his opinions, artistic integrity and musical independence; it's safe to say that he is probably my most influential personality in music.

ALDI Galahad Premium Lager
£2.05 for four 440ml cans. Not too strong (anything stronger than this and I'll have my trousers in a carrier bag in about an hour), genuinely tastes better than other 4% lagers (I have done a taste test). After 4 cans of anything it all tastes the same anyway (except Carling, in which case I’d rather drink Tet’s urine). A throwback to my late 90s youth, when a tenner could get you piss your pants drunk and you'd still have change for 10 Lambert and a chip barm. Quantity AND Quality.

ARCHIE

Dillinger Four
Anyone that’s had more than three drinks with me has probably heard me blabber on about how much I love this band. For me, they’re the perfect punk band. They write smart songs that tread a thin line between high brow and low culture. Poppy and melodic enough to sing along to but with enough underlined hardcore sensibility to pack a punch. I’ve always admired the way they approach politics in their lyrics, avoiding cliché slogans or preachy moral antics (not that there’s anything necessarily wrong with that kinda stuff). I feel like there’s a simplicity to D4’s music that has been imitated endlessly but, in my opinion, never truly matched.

2000AD
I’ve probably been into comics since I learnt to read (possibly longer). Like most kids of my generation, I got into it through American superhero stuff, then some time in my early teens I discovered 2000AD and all of a sudden men in tight spandex seemed to lose its appeal. For anyone that doesn’t know, 2000AD is a weekly British sci-fi anthology, born out of the late 1970s punk rock era. Unlike many of the glossy, well kempt titles of its time, this comic dealt with troublesome anarchic anti-heroes and disguised political satire through larger than life science fiction settings. With its ultra violent imagery, dark humour and overtly anti-establishment tone, 2000AD blew my thirteen year old mind away and I’ve been reading it every week since.

TET (ANDY)

Brandon Barnes (Rise Against)
My first influence would be Brandon Barnes from Rise Against. A lot of my early music influences I heard from my brother, who I owe a lot of thanks to, and it was Brandon's playing where I first was exposed to blastbeats and the driving power the groove gives (my brother and I used to call it the Rise Against Groove, as it is used a lot throughout their music). Rise Against's albums up to and including Endgame were basically on a constant repeat on whichever Walkman phone I had at the given time, and will always stick with me with how they influenced my pre/early teens into my early 20s. Brandon’s playing isn't just fast playing, but playing what the song calls for, and that’s what separates a great drummer from a fantastic one.

Barnsley
My other influence that I want to highlight is my hometown – Barnsley. Now, I get a lot of stick for being a Barnsley lad, and the town has seen its ups and downs, but it's these same ups and downs (mostly downs) that has spurred my disdain for the Tories and what their actions did to our town. A town decimated by one action and has limped through ever since, but despite this, Barnsley has some of the nicest, caring, considerate people that I have ever met. Barnsley is not without its issues, and I have heard that colloquialisms have changed since I moved from Barnsley, but the town that I grew up in will always be a part of me, and not only influences my anti-Tory political positions, but also my accent.

BAND PICKS

WIGS
Always funny. We have an impressive amount of wigs and they regularly come out at gigs.

Toast of London
We use a lot of Toast of London references to insult and entertain each other and other people we meet who often have no idea what we’re on about.

Like Incisions on Facebook here.

Album Review: Who Killed The Easter Bunny? by Muppethead

Muppethead are a new band from Cleveland, Ohio, who recently appeared on our Band Of The Week feature. They are fast paced pop punk band who refer to their sound as Ohio Dumbcore. Clearly, Muppethead are a band that don’t take themselves too seriously and like to have fun. With how hard 2020 has been for far too many reasons to list here, when I stumbled upon their new EP Who Killed The Easter Bunny? I knew this would be a must listen. I love silly punk rock music. 

The first track on Who Killed The Easter Bunny? is Hot-N-Ready ($5 Pizza). There’s a good chance that this will be your first time listening to Muppethead and it really lays down a good marker of what you can expect from the band – super fast and catchy pop punk. It’s about being drunk and getting cheap and rubbish pizza. Despite it not being a serious or moving song, there will be plenty of people who will relate to it. The second song has a real feel of The Ramones about it. Titled Now I Wanna Be Alone, it begins with a 1-2-3-4 and then we proceed to some super nasally vocals. The track features some great basslines that give the song a more melodic feel and show that, even though Muppethead aren’t the most serious of bands, they can play their instruments. The song is about being so sick of people that you want to run away to outer space or even go as far as killing them. We’ve all been there at some point, I’m sure. Up next is Hey Man, Nice Set! This is a thirty second hardcore song which I assume is a bit tongue-in-cheek and not just really mean. It’s about when you see a band, telling them you thought they played a nice set and then turning it around and saying they actually sucked.

The fourth track is John’s Got Hemorrhoids. On this song we are treated to a more traditional sounding pop punk song. The drums are played at a rapid pace, ensuring the song is packed with energy. I’m impressed with how well the band’s lead singer manages to keep pace with the song as he barely pauses for breath throughout the song’s duration. Obviously, the song is about somebody named John who has managed to get haemorrhoids and the struggles that comes with that. The penultimate song is A Square In A Circle Pit. The song starts with quite a long audio clip featuring a lady who does not like a band because of their lyrical content before it launches into another hardcore track about going to a show but not liking the music. I enjoyed the clever change of the well known phrase square peg in a round hole to a square in a circle pit. Cracking word play. The final song is the EP’s title track Who Killed The Easter Bunny? This song was used as promo for the EP and it’s obvious to see why. It’s the most conventional sounding song and it’s incredibly catchy. It’s jam packed with this infectious energy that will leave you humming the song to yourself long after you finish listening to it.

This is an EP not to be taken seriously. It is an EP to have a great time listening to and have a great big smile and laugh to. There seems to have been a lot of arguments this year about whether or not politics should be involved in punk or even music in general. It 100% should be involved but you also really need bands like Muppethead who are just out to have some fun, enjoy themselves and hopefully make you enjoy yourself as well.

Stream and download Who Killed The Easter Bunny? on Bandcamp here.

Like Muppethead on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: We Are All We've Got by Milpool

Milpool are a punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the beginning of April the band released a brand new five track EP on Lemon Tree Records titled We Are All We’ve Got. I stumbled across it one evening whilst looking for new bands on Bandcamp and quickly became a fan of the band.

The EP begins with It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This. This opening track really sets the scene of what to expect from Milpool – melodic, shout-along punk rock with big choruses and lots of hooks. It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This starts out with a guitar riff that not only starts the EP with a lot of energy but builds wonderfully to the vocals. Vocally, Milpool fit somewhere between pop punk and hardcore and it works really well with the tone they’re trying to set. The track is about looking back on old times and wondering how you ended up where you are now. Sitcommunist is a more political song that takes aim at the super rich who don’t help the people that really need it. The line that really stuck out when I listened to the song was “all we’ve got is us and that’s all we need.” Sadly there’s a massive divide in the classes in the entire world and this needs to change. The song is played at a slower tempo than the opener and feels much more passionate and angry. Given the song’s subject, rightly so.

The Perils Of Self Betterment is a more personal song. On the track, the band’s lead singer talks about remembering an old friend and working on bettering yourself in their honour. I really enjoyed the positivity that comes from the track, particularly the chorus of “This world isn't prepared, for what we have in store, we aren't just a family, but so much more.” The penultimate track is titled Bummer Vacation. As you might guess from the song’s title, it’s a pretty sad song about feeling like you don’t belong somewhere. That’s something that I’m sure most of us have felt at some stage or another. The song’s highlight is undoubtedly the fantastic ending with the repetitive chorus and the harmony giving the track a brilliant extra dimension. Last up is Good Game, Let’s Go Eat. Finishing the EP on a positive and inspiring note, this track is about learning from your experiences and becoming a better person because of it. Bringing the tempo back up, Milpool shout out their message in a way that just can’t be ignored. The use of two vocalists is great, adding extra energy to the track and, in the final moments, the repetitive lines of “So I said to myself, be a better man than yesterday” will be ringing in your ears long after the song finishes. A great way to finish the EP.

What I really liked about Milpool was how fresh they feel. I don’t listen to much on the heavier side of punk rock but I really got into We Are All We’ve Got. The energy is infectious and there’s a great deal to either relate to or to inspire you. That’s great song writing.

Stream and download We Are All We've Got on Bandcamp here.

Like Milpool on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Hello MY NAME IS by ALLDEEPENDS

Ever since catching one of ALLDEEPENDS’ first sets at Book Yer Ane Fest in Dundee at the end of 2019 I’ve been excitedly awaiting them to release something. The three piece, who met at Conroy’s Basement in Dundee attending Make-That-A-Take shows, blew me away with their unique style of punk rock incorporating folk, punk and hardcore and I came away from BYAF telling everyone about this fantastic band I had discovered. Throughout the early part of 2020 the band began to release videos in support of their upcoming debut EP named Hello MY NAME IS on Make-That-A-Take Records. I couldn’t wait to review it. So much so that I let it jump to the front of my review list.

The EP fittingly begins with the first song that ALLDEEPENDS ever released – SOPHT (An Homage To Aesop’s Tuff). The track opens with a simple guitar riff that actually fills you with energy before the vocals come in. I was very pleased that the 7” arrived with a lyrics sheet as the band’s lead vocalist sings extremely quickly and the song is very wordy. I loved this though as it adds something so different a lot of modern punk rock music. I was so impressed with how he managed to keep this tempo up throughout the song – I can barely keep up when I’m reading the lyrics. The song is about how stupid it is to put on a front that you’re always some kind of tough guy and pushing down your more emotional needs. What an introduction to ALLDEEPENDS! The second song is titled Is That Your Walking Distance Or Mine? This track is about struggling to live two different lives – the first as your true punk rock self and the second as the “normal” working type. There’s a marching-like melody to the track that makes you feel like it’s taking you somewhere which is, I guess, the point given the title of the song.

Side B of the 7” begins with the song I Paid For My College Education, I’m Going To Fucking Use It. After an amusing introduction with a sample of somebody saying they’re never going to pay back their student loan, the song jumps into a rowdy punk rock banger. The track is about using your university education and not being ashamed by that. I hope that you worked that out from the title though. Throughout the song, the band’s singer uses many scientific terms that I really don’t understand – even after googling them. I am super impressed with how he manages to use them all in a song and still make it sound like punk rock sing-along. Last up is You Can Never Have Too Many Black T-Shirts. This was the other track that the band released in the build up to the EP’s release. It felt very fitting during these times of no gigs due to COVID-19 and lockdown. It’s about the scene, the friendships you make and the feeling of going to watch live bands. The lyric “when I see you again, I’ll sing the words right back at your face” were particularly apt. Gigs mean so much to us all and hearing a song like this really helps to remember the good times we used to have and will have again.

I expected big things from Hello MY NAME IS and ALLDEEPENDS blew all of those expectations out of the water. For a first release, the band have set the bar extremely high but I can only see them getting better and better. I’m really hoping that, when we’re allowed to do fun things again, the band can find their way down to London so I can see them again. ALLDEEPENDS are the best new band of 2020.

Pre-order Hello MY NAME IS on Bandcamp here.

Like Make That A Take Records on Facebook here.

(ALLDEEPENDS do not have Facebook… yet.)

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Pears by Pears (by Chris Bishton)

So, I can't launch straight into this review without a bit of context. It's a Sunday afternoon, I'm sat in my garden drinking a beer and eating, sunburnt on the first really sunny day of the year, listening to the new Pears album. On the face of it, life is pretty sweet.

Yet, we all know it's not. It's pretty awful and absolutely surreal. Lockdowns, self-isolation, social distancing. Tours have been canceled. Venues have closed. Thousands have lost their jobs. And, of course, people are dying. It's indescribable but, if you took all that crap away, I'd be pretty happy right now.

Anyway… onto Pears. I'll be honest, it's been a while since I listened to any new hardcore. Age has mellowed me. That's why I was surprised when I found myself scrambling to order a colour vinyl variant of the new Pears record when that stupidly small window of opportunity opened online a few months ago. They're now pretty established on Fat Wreck and if you want those colour vinyls from that label you usually have to react fast.

Surprised, because when Go To Prison and then Green Star came out a few years ago neither grabbed me. Obviously, not because they weren't any good – they are both great records – but like I say, my taste has mellowed and I tend to go for a more melodic listen these days.

But then frontman Zach Quinn released his acoustic album, which I have so much time for, and the band did the split with Direct Hit! which I loved. Still with that hardcore flavour but with a song like Arduous Angel they suddenly seemed to have become a bit more melodic. And then, what sealed it for me, was early this year they released Comfortably Dumb as the precursor to the new album. Again, it's what I still think of as hardcore but with a really harmonic and tuneful chorus – their sound has changed – and sometimes it continues to change not just from track to track on the album, but even within the same song. I really like it.

The album starts with Killing Me – feedback and heavy guitar, but it's not overly frantic and it's very easy to make out the vocals. Then halfway through it slows and takes a different direction before returning to the tuneful vocals. It's a really great opening track.

Zero Wheels is more in the, what I would consider, traditional Pears style. Hard and fast and only about a minute and a half long. The old Pears are still very much on this record.

These two tracks layout out the feel for the rest of the record – different in style and often switching direction within the song itself. Comfortably Dumb, the song that ultimately persuaded me to buy this record, does just this. Hardcore, melodic, hooky and singalong all found in the same track.

Dial Up, Rich To Rags and Nervous all follow that trait – twists and turns but with that hardcore sound at the core of the songs.

The track that next really stands out to me is Naptime, which starts as if it's going to be a full blown, pop-punk song. It is really hooky, with singalong vocals. But then it turns, becoming a hardcore, albeit catchy track, that builds before fading into few seconds of acoustic guitar to finish.

The penultimate song Traveling Time is perhaps the one track that is unlike any other Pears song that I'm aware of. It's a poppy ballad for starters, full of fuzzy guitars and easily distinguishable vocals. I love it.

To finish though, the band return to that familiar hardcore sound with the tuneful vocals on Cynical Serene. Again, it jumps about a bit, in that halfway through the vocal becomes very serene itself, and then the track stops abruptly about 30 seconds from the end as a few chords on a guitar is strummed in order to finish the album in a truly beautiful way.

A couple of years ago, I never thought I'd enjoy a Pears record as much as I've enjoyed this one. I think the band themselves would probably concede their sound has changed a little, but it's still gutsy and raw, and I'd still say hardcore fans will like it. With 14 songs crammed into just over 30 minutes, you can't escape this is still blistering Pears.

The band had planned to tour extensively on the back of this record. I hope that still happens, as I'll now be making sure I catch them at a rescheduled show.

And by the way, I'm sure you're not wondering, but I did manage to score the colour vinyl but had to import it from Australia!

Stream and download Pears on Bandcamp here.

Like Pears on Facebook here.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.

Gig Review: MPF Presents Bands In A Brewery at Signature Brew, London (by Dan#2)

When I saw the line-up for "MPF Presents: Bands In A Brewery" had two of my current favourite UK bands in Just Say Nay and Drones, it was a no brainer. I had to go to this warm-up event for the fest! When I got there, I quickly learnt that some of the MPF crew had been at the Signature Brewery for the whole day, brewing the exclusive MPF 2020 signature beer. Furthermore, they had tied it in with International Women's Day, by inviting some of the women playing at MPF, along with the female members of the MPF crew, to be the ones to brew this year's signature beer for the festival. This in itself is very cool, but the afternoon's booze-up also kicked off the show with a nice, friendly, warm vibe, despite being in a freezing cold warehouse!

I walked into the main room in the warehouse and was instantly impressed by the massive brewing equipment, which made for an awesome backdrop to the night. As I entered, Chloe Glover was just beginning her set of lovely acoustic songs in a folky punk style. It was really cool to hear Chloe's powerful voice filling the room and bouncing off the walls, making the most of the echo. I found myself closing my eyes and soaking in the complex sound above the noise of people chatting (as pretentious as that sounds). Chloe's songs struck a real emotional chord with me, and I found myself smiling at her lyrics about being a disappointment to your parents – sounds as though we're in the same boat. She has an EP called "Dark Matter" coming out on 20th March which I'm now really looking forward to picking up!

I was stoked to see Follow Your Dreams once again deliver on their brand of ferocious hardcore. The room's aforementioned echo had a really interesting effect during this set, adding to the intensity of the drums in the hard-hitting sections, but also adding to the moments of respite as the echo of the guitars faded. They played some great new songs from their upcoming album which was really cool, but the definite highlight was them treating a little girl (vocalist Kaz’s niece) on her birthday – first, they had her announce them after their first song, then treated her to some crowdsurfing later on in the set. It was magical to see some wholesome hardcore with Follow Your Dreams living up to their name by helping a little girl follow hers!

The next act was Katie MF, and this was actually my second time seeing her perform this week. Despite the band’s drummer, Tobias, playing the entire set one-armed due to an injured shoulder, the whole set still sounded great: Katie's vocals filled the room beautifully, giving the songs a nice extra kick. One of Katie's new songs, "Clusterfuck", really stuck out from the rest. After the set, I caught up with Colin and we discussed Katie's knack for writing great political songs you can get behind – not to mention her kick-ass-Against-Me-rock-and-roll vibes.

I was really worried about how Just Say Nay would sound, being a ska band in such a big room with their staggering 8 members. It really worked for them, though – the room's acoustics really drew out the brass and flute. I love watching these guys perform every time: their chemistry on stage, their songs and the energy they give out is just the best – they're always a pleasure to watch. My personal highlight of their set was getting to hear the new single "You Embarrassed Me in Front of Jamie Lenman" live, it was a lovely addition to the set against some of the old songs like "Pass Me A Cloud".

Drones don't play that frequently, but every time I see them perform I find myself wishing I get to see them more often. Their political, blood-pumping anthems make them one hell-raiser of a headline band. Their new material sent shivers down my spine, and I was super happy to finally get to hear "Graves" (my favourite Drones song!) along with "Shells Fall, Pins Pulled" which sounded absolutely fantastic with Lois singing it. Midway through the set, Lois was handed two crates of beer from Signature Brew to give out to the crowd. The beer was quickly placed into the crowd and was immediately circle-pitted, then danced around like an idol! Drones also sparked a very drunken human pyramid which ended up collapsing in on itself in a cascade of laughs! They closed with "Inferno" which was the perfect end to a great night.

Seeing so many friends from the UK scene in the same place reminded me of last year's MPF’s vibe and got me excited for the fest in April. A lovely, boozy warm up show!

This gig review was written by Dan Kilvert. Photos by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Anomie by Haest (by Richard Mair)

Despite its impressive place in British history, the town of Hastings in East Sussex is not one you’d typically associate with ones to watch on the UK hardcore scene. Much like the sleepy town though, doom laced hardcore crew Haest have over recent years quietly gone about their business in creating a buzz (okay sustained low end rumble) and, on the back of two EPs, have finally unleashed their debut LP – Anomie.

So, first off, merging doom with punk / hardcore is an unusual mix; sure some bands manage to incorporate influences from diverse scenes back into their sound. Take Planes Mistaken For Stars for example, who manage to meld stoner sounds into their post hardcore noise. Yet it’s clear that done well it’s a mix that works. Another such example being Sheffield’s Hidden Mothers, who have incorporated black metal influences into a post hardcore sound; consequently expanding what is usually rigid sounds into new genre defying niches is likely to be a positive trend that continues... however, I digress!

One thing Haest have in abundance is rhythm, showcased perfectly with opening track “Unstable Picnic”; the near 1-minute repetitive riff kicks the album off perfectly. Perhaps slightly slow for a hardcore bruiser of a song, it’s brilliance rests with the ongoing beat and melody; it’s stripped out all superfluous music and is in effect just one long beat down.

Second track though “I Thought I'd Walked In Shit But It Was A Child's Mitten ” is probably more symptomatic of traditional hardcore and reminds a lot of fellow CPRW faves Eat Dirt, or early metallic tinged hardcore (Snapcase being the obvious example), or even the Earth AD era Misfits. Also the closing stages of the song make an early play for beat down of the year.

Lyrically the album takes its cues from the band’s various influences; taking in social commentary – “You Can't Come In My Kayak” with its references to wastelands conjures left behind communities. Given that Hastings is a coastal town, much like my native Scarborough, coastal regeneration and declining standards in our once proud seaside resorts is something I can completely relate to!

Clocking in at 14 songs in 30 minutes, you certainly get a lot of bang for your buck. “Doom & Gloom & Dio Room” grinds through in little over a minute, and is possibly the song that will appeal to fist in the air punks more than any other with its shout out loud ending. While the slightly longer (1:30) “The Turtle Is In The Handbag” has a great nostalgic old-school punk rock meets Drug Church vibe – it’s certainly one of the album’s high points.

Showing they have a penchant for mixing things up, the quick changes in speed and beat keep things interesting throughout; “Are You Telling Me Ipswich Has No Fun Points?” goes from possibly the fastest riff on the album to possibly the slowest in the blink of an eye.

Talking of riffs, “The Only Good Wham Is A Wham Bar” is insane and, again, demonstrates how accomplished Haest are as musicians; probably sounding more early Cancer Bats (Lucifer’s Rocking Chair), it’s a great sound and absolutely worth checking out if the hardcore / doom mix sounds a little niche!

The most inventive riff on the album (and genuine ear worm) kicks off “The Sat-Nav Keeps Saying Cock Ring Road”) and its anti-corporation message is a proper singalong (and smile inducing) moment. While the following song “I Opened A Beer With A Bible” puts the drums front and centre with an introduction that really hits home and a rhythm that drives through the whole song.

The album concludes with “I Thought I'd Come Up With Something But I Think I May Have Just Written Mongaloid By Devo” which really ties the album together nicely. Again it has a ton of groove, but drives towards a more frantic ending than evidenced on the album with its cries of “we fucked it all” ringing loud.

Anomie is by no means an easy listen and that’s not a bad thing in this case. It’s certainly not accessible in the conventional sense, but really rewards frequent spins. Its novelty as such a hybrid of what are already quite niche genres is also something that needs to be recognised; as a group of musicians to pull off some of the technical elements of the album is really impressive. Punk, and in particular hardcore, is often derivative to a certain extent having to rely on specific tropes and signatures; Haest clearly don’t care for this tradition and consequently I think have kicked 2020 off with what must rank as one of the most unique and compelling releases of the year!

Stream and download Anomie here.

Like Haest on Facebook here.

This review was written by Richard Mair.