Album Review: Lose Your Delusion by A Wilhelm Scream (by Omar Ramlugon)

There’s always been something very special about A Wilhelm Scream’s records. The sheer amount of explosive riffing, shred-tastic solos and sharp, pointedly emotional but often surprisingly funny lyrics they manage to pack into each album is something quite inspiring. Arguably, this reached its high point on 2013’s Partycrasher, which incorporated even more technical metal soloing and musicianship, as well as some of their most nakedly confessional lyrics. But it’s been a long nine years since then, during which time they lost lead guitar player Mike Supina and found his replacement in the form of Senses Fail’s Jason Milbank.

With the band members now past forty, it could be understandable if Lose Your Delusion was a more sombre, reflective, slower record, especially given just how long it's taken to come together. But I’m happy to say that this isn’t what’s happened at all. The New Bedford quintet have come back out of the gate swinging with just as much fury and melody as ever before, finding a satisfying middle ground between Ruiner’s slightly poppier approach and Partycrasher’s near-metal bombast, with ‘The Enigma’ and ‘GIMMETHESHAKES’ exemplifying this splitting of the difference between those two periods of the band’s lifespan, with a ripping bass guitar solo on the latter. Lyrically, there seems to be a slightly more socio-political bite, with lines like ‘[...] And at the risk of getting sued: "Hey, ain't that America!"/ You can get shot or lick the boot. You choose’ catching you by surprise, or ‘Apocalypse Porn’s pretty unabashed screed against the United States’ continual failing of its people.

Elsewhere, ‘Yo Canada’ reminds of Strung Out’s skate punk melodic charge, while ‘Figure Eights In My Head’ is almost into ballad territory, a paean to old beloved friends. It seems like guitarist and vocalist Trevor Reilly has been given even more time to shine than before across Lose Your Delusion, his sweeter, more nasal delivery a fine counterpart to lead singer Nuno Pereira’s gut-level roar, while new string-slinger Milbank fits nicely into the group, taking a more understated approach compared to Supina’s fret pyrotechnics but still capable of some dazzlingly fast runs that will make your heart race.

‘Be One To No One’ is the album’s beating heart, a frank and candid commentary on wrestling with depression and stress set to furiously energetic melodic punk, but it also touches on the life affirming quality of your loved ones helping you through those difficult times, with lines like ‘But I don't feel like a waste / I'm no longer a drain [...] You couldn't matter more to me / And that ain't no lie’ as bracing as they are uplifting.

Lose Your Delusion is a welcome return from one the most talented and most sincere bands in punk rock. While not everything works as well as Partycrasher, the fact that the band are still willing to upend their apple cart this far into their career speaks volumes as to their artistry, as demonstrated by ‘Downtown Start II’ where Pereira drops his hardcore snarl for the verses, revealing a rich and smooth baritone singing voice almost reminiscent of Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, and in the process adding yet another layer to one of the best songs on the album.

It’s a really good album, and if you’re already a Wilhelm fan then you will have undoubtedly already bought/streamed this by now. But for anyone with a nose for fast, melodic punk with finger-burning guitar solos and lyrics that range from snarky and biting to nakedly confessional, this is for you.

Stream and download Lose Your Delusion on Bandcamp.

Like A Wilhelm Scream on Facebook.

This review was written by Omar Ramlugon.

Album Review: Sidesplitter by Sidesplitter (by Emma Prew)

Sidesplitter are a new – very new if you discount the past two years of the pandemic – Melbourne, Australia, based band formed of members of The Eradicator, Foxtrot, Dawn Of The Jackal and The Suicide Tuesdays. The Suicide Tuesdays were one of my absolutely favourite Bandcamp discoveries of the past few years and I was gutted when they decided to call it a day. However, I’m really glad that vocalist and guitarist Joe Guiton has continued to make music, first with Boom! Civil War and now with Sidesplitter.

Joe got in touch with us about reviewing the band’s debut EP and despite describing it as being different to his previous musical outputs – ‘shorter, much louder and screamier’ – I was very keen to check it out. I figured that if it wasn’t quite my cup of tea then someone else at CPRW would be up for reviewing it but… obviously, I loved it so it’s all mine! Although I can’t wait for everyone else to hear this, when it is released to the world on the 1st of April (no joke).

The first of the three tracks is the relentless 49 second long 2020. ‘Screamy’ was certainly a good descriptor, at least for the first half of this short track, but it’s also wonderfully melodic and cathartic. The track is about the dire state of the world at the moment – and, indeed, in 2020 – and how people can be so needlessly selfish just to get their own way or prove their own point. The track may be short but Sidesplitter certainly manage to pack a lot into it, including some brilliant call and response vocals. I can only dream of how good this must sound live. You can watch the slightly longer than 49 second video of 2020 here.

2020 is followed by Heartbeat Of The Underground, a longer (just over two minutes) but no less ferocious hardcore punk track. It’s a what some might think of as a true punk rock song, with lyrics about protesting the system and those who tell us how we should live our lives. It’s angry but it’s also passionate and optimistic about wanting a better world. The chorus in particular is just begging for a crowd to add unofficial gang vocals – ‘An open letter to the ones, Who preach their hate, We lit the fire we tear it down, We liberate, No more spreading lies, To build divide, We don’t need alibis, We'll live our lives the way we want, We choose our fate’.

Just The Way We Are closes out the EP in style. My initial thoughts after listening to the EP for the first time is that this track is the most similar to Joe’s previous bands in that it is a little less ‘hardcore’ but is no less melodic and fist-in-the-air inducing. The track also features Joe’s brilliant storytelling songwriting style which I absolutely love. From the opening lyrics of ‘We watched the sunrise over the city’ through to the second verse ‘The day gets longer, and the drinks get stronger’ and the song’s closing words ‘It’s just the way we are’, this song is an honest and personal one that will be relatable for many. Just The Way We Are is about friendship and confronting the demons that come with adult life with people who care about you by your side. A brilliant way to finish the EP and probably my favourite song I’ve heard so far this year.

As I said earlier, the EP will be released on 1st April – you can preorder it (and listen to 2020) on Bandcamp now. There is also an EP launch show planned for 8th April at The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar, Melbourne, with Udder Ubductees, Von Stache and The Shadow League.

In the meantime, like Sidesplitter on Facebook and check out the band members’ previous work.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Isolation by After The Fall (by Brett Coomer)

I was a little concerned that after waiting for what felt like a long time before the release of Dedication in 2020, one of my favourite albums of that year, After The Fall would make us wait another 5 years before releasing their seventh album. As it turns out, I needn’t have worried because it’s early 2022 and the Albany, New York, four-piece have thankfully given us a brand new album entitled Isolation. With 10 new tracks squeezed into 17 minutes, the songs are played at a mostly blistering pace, but without sacrificing any melody, lyricism or technical proficiency.

‘Ghosts’ kicks things off at high speed, showcasing the duelling vocals of Mike and Jasmine very nicely. Fast, short and sweet, this is the After The Fall everyone has grown to love and provides a great start to the album. Jasmine’s vocals pair perfectly with Mike’s and are prominent throughout the album. It makes for a really great dynamic and has become one of my favourite vocal combinations in punk.

‘Adios Amigo’ follows and is a surprisingly mid-tempo song with a catchy melody and some nice lead guitar flourishes. I may be missing some nuance behind the song but I feel like the lyrics are directed at a certain music label (and owner) the band was previously involved with who messed around with an album release. After the brief reprieve, the speed is turned up again with ‘Degradation’. The pace is perfect for the anger directed at the pro-white, blue-lives-matter, alt-right section of the population. The song also features some of the best dual vocal harmonies heard since Jasmine joined the band.

‘Firewood’ is a song that would fit right in on any of the band’s previous releases. It’s fast, it’s melodic, but it’s also a melancholic love song with lyrics that describe what it feels like to meet and be with the person who makes everything feel right and the willingness to sacrifice in order to keep that feeling.

‘Gas Money’ is the first song on the album fronted by Jasmine. It’s angry, fast and seems to be a clear message to the music industry, which continues to pay smaller independent bands terribly.

Next up is another more mid-tempo song that just passes the 2 minute mark. ‘Break A Leg’ proves that After The Fall doesn’t have to play everything fast to sound great. The song serves as a reminder to people motivated by wealth and success that stepping over people to achieve that could leave them with an empty life without love.

‘Failed You’ is like the sad ending to the story started with ‘Firewood’, a poignant song reflecting on the acceptance of a failed relationship and the point in time at which the realisation occurred. It’s another great example of how well the vocals of Jasmine and Mike compliment each other.

The two songs that follow have a combined length of 1:30, which is short even by punk rock standards. The first is the title track ‘Isolation’, which perfectly expresses the feelings most of us have experienced over the last 2 years while being mostly stuck at home. The second is ‘Smashed State’, which has some hints of 90s pop-punk and a melody most bands would kill to match with songs twice as long.

‘Mileage’, the album closer, is only the third song to crack 2 minutes and it takes advantage of the extra time available with 3 verses, providing both Mike and Jasmine an opportunity to sing a verse each as well as a guest appearance by Jon Snodgrass. The chorus is catchy and really hits home with the message that “things will never be the same again”.

If you were a fan of previous After The Fall releases, the 17-minute length of Isolation won’t surprise you. The quality of the songwriting and the Blasting Room production won’t shock you either. What might surprise you is how the band manages to stay so consistent without rehashing old ideas or sounding stale. The songs are like quick, sharp punk-rock jabs delivering endorphins and adrenaline. Even the slower or longer songs never feel out of place or insincere. And when the album is over, all you’ll want to do is find the play button to start it over again.

Stream and download Isolation on Bandcamp here.

Like After The Fall on Facebook here.

This review was written by Brett Coomer.

Album Review: Mob Neutrality by The Brass

The Brass are a five piece melodic hardcore band from Portland, Oregon. Consisting of Matt Forbes on lead vocals, Ryan Brodie and Brander Mercer on guitars, Adam Martin on bass and Neil Bryan on drums, the band released their latest EP Mob Neutrality in August. After some very positive recommendations from friends I decided to check it out.

Mob Neutrality opens with Audience. Starting out with a rolling drumbeat, the song wastes little time in getting to the real meat of the song. Forbes’ vocals are the thing that struck me first, they have a raspy and powerful quality that give the band some urgency to their sound. The guitars and drums give the track its energy and the two combined create a magnificent sound. Audience is about looking back at your past and thinking about how the things you did then affect what happens in the present. Great Dying has a longer introduction which does a great job of building towards the vocals. When the vocals do begin there’s a feeling of anger in Forbes’ voice that really made my ears prick. I wanted to know where this would go. I really enjoyed the switch to a more melodic chorus, allowing the track to really get into your head. It also allowed the heavier sounding verses to have more of an impact. The track looks at how generations have not looked after the world and how it will affect people in the future. The third track, Post Election Day, was released as a single before Mob Neutrality’s release. Listening to the song it’s clear to see why. The opening hey! hey! hey!s welcome you into the song and immediately make you feel involved. The song sets itself up to be shouted along to by a passionate crowd in a sweaty bar or basement. Post Election Day is about being angry and upset after the election and the disbelief that people wouldn’t have voted for the winner. I would assume that this song is a direct response to the fact that Trump got elected and how hard it is to fathom that this happened.

The fourth song, No Avail, starts with a nice little bass line from Martin that leads us nicely to a mid tempo song about keeping trying to push forward despite all of the trials and tribulations that life throws at you. This song really allows the guitars to stand out and there’s some serious shredding going on. Think A Wilhelm Scream or, in the UK, Darko and you’ll get what I mean. The song is packed with hooks that really draw you in and will have you wanting to listen over and over again. Don’t Hit Send is the first track on the EP that plays around with its tempo. This really helps keep the listener listening intently to Mob Neutrality. I really like the subject that The Brass address on this song. It’s about thinking through the messages you send online and how easy it is to write something in the heat of the moment and then regret it afterwards. Since the creation of the Internet and social media it’s become too easy to be offensive and be able to hide behind your keyboard and it creates a horrible world for everyone. The penultimate track is named The Sibling’s Song. Perhaps unsurprisingly this is a deeply personal song about protecting a loved one. It certainly feels like the most emotional song and, at times, you can hear some hurt in Forbes’ vocals. I enjoyed the use of gang vocals and harmonies during the song, these added an extra level of emotion to the song. It’s something I wish the band had done more throughout the EP. The final song is Citizen You. As with all good releases, the band save one of the most powerful songs for last – ensuring that Mob Neutrality ends with a bang. After a slow build that lets you know things are about to go off, it feels as if the song goes at full throttle for the majority of its duration. It leaves you breathless but in the best possible way. It’s another track that really allows for some big crowd participation and I’m always here for that. Superb way to finish the EP.

Melodic hardcore isn’t always my go to sound when picking things to review but I’m glad I was pushed towards Mob Neutrality. The undoubted highlight for me was Matt Forbes’ vocals, they really give the band their own unique sound. If you like bands that shred and gruff vocals with interesting song content then The Brass are a band you should be listening to.

Stream and download Mob Neutrality on Bandcamp here.

Like The Brass on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.