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: 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.

Exclusive Stream: Harijan by Harijan

Today we're proud to bring you an exclusive stream of the debut album from Manchester ska punk legends Harijan which is being released by TNSRecords on the 18th of December. TNS have this to say about the album:

"If any band epitomises the early years of TNS it is perhaps Harijan. In the mid-2000s Harijan became an iconic band in the growing Manchester scene with their distinctive mix of skacore, reggae, punk and Mike's distinctive vocal delivery. The band regularly tore up gigs for Manchester promoters such as TNS, Bomb Ibiza and Pumpkin, proving to be a band with huge crossover appeal for a variety of audiences.

Whilst they may be a new name to many, their influence on the UK ska punk scene is huge. Harijan deserve to be heard once again and are a band which ska music deserves. On this, their first full length album, Harijan create a brooding and contemplative music, music which harmonises perfectly with these bleak times. Their music is a logical evolution of the sound of early 1980’s Coventry, infused with the acerbic bite of 30 or so intervening years of underground punk rock. It is ska music which completely bypasses sun-drenched goofy Californian takes on the ska sound and provides an honest representation of contemporary urban Britain from the perspective of these much-loved scene veterans."

You can buy Harijan from the TNS webstore here: https://www.tnsrecords.co.uk/shop/harijan-s-t/

Thanks to TNS for asking us to do this stream. It's a cracking album and we were touched to be asked.

Album Review: Life, Death And Everything In Between by Stöj Snak (by Emma Prew)

Back in 2016, when I was still new to review writing, Colin sent me an album he’d received from TNS Records that he thought I would enjoy because it was ‘folky’ – folk punk being my thing. That album was the debut full-length from Danish four-piece Stöj Snak titled ScreamerSongwriter – I’d never heard of the band before, nor front person Niels Højgaard Sørensen’s previous melodic hardcore band Mighty Midgets at the time, but I did enjoy the album. I’m reluctant to re-read my 2016 review (or link it here – although you can quite easily find it, if you wished to) for fear of it not being up to scratch with my current review writing nor truly reflecting just how much I have come to love ScreamerSongwriter – so much so that I would consider it to be in my top albums of all time. That initial review also wouldn’t have captured how Stöj Snak have grown to be one of my most favourite artists – not to mention live performers.

Since ScreamSongwriter, Stöj Snak have released two EPs – 1000 Daisies in 2018 and a split with Speed Dinosaurs titled The Mass Extinction Split last year – and several video game soundtracks (I highly recommend checking out the game Figment, it’s very good). All of the above have been excellent but, of course, what I’ve been eagerly awaiting above all else is Stöj Snak’s second full-length album. The wait was finally over towards the end of September when Life, Death And Everything In Between appeared in the CPRW inbox and I did a happy dance before preparing myself to listen to what I’d already proclaimed to be my most-anticipated album of 2020. 

For Life, Death And Everything In Between, Niels is joined by Rasmus Glassau Clausen, Jeppe Nørgaard, Jesper Olsen – who each play quite a range of instruments – as well as a number of other guest musicians and vocalists.

The album is out on the 23rd of October on 5FeetUnder Records, TNS Records and Make That A Take Records. Please read on to find out just why you should listen to it as soon as you can! In short: It. Did. Not. Disappoint. (My review, however, is far from short so apologies in advance.)

Life, Death And Everything In Between begins slowly and calmly with Reasons To Smile. The track is almost entirely acapella with just some gentle organ playing starting over half way through the short song. It’s a beautifully distinct opening track that really grabs the listener’s attention and allows us to focus on every word that Niels is singing. Reasons To Smile is a personal song written for Niels’ child and is about acknowledging that the world is a pretty horrible place – ‘I know this world is not a place I would want to be born into’ – but hoping that they can live the happiest life possible despite this and ‘find reasons to smile’. It’s a perfect introduction to the album that leads us nicely into track number two – Trees. I knew I was going to really like this song, just from its title, before I had even heard it for the first time – hitting play, it did not let me down. Starting out with a drum roll and some fast paced strums of guitar, it’s clear from the outset that this is going to be a more raucous Stöj Snak tune. When the vocals come in, Niels’ voice has got that wonderful slightly raw quality that we know and love from previous Stöj Snak releases, without being too far down the screamy end of the scale. Trees is a wonderfully catchy song both in its lyrical content and melodies – I particularly love Jeppe’s subtle double bass part that sits comfortably behind the swift guitar strumming. Rather than literally being about trees, the song describes us humans as being like trees without roots to hold us down, trying to do the right thing and vote for the change we want to see in the world and our lives but being ‘blown apart when a storm comes around’. The (Not So) Great Depression fades in with the question ‘How do we escape, How do we escape, How do we escape, This not so great depression?’ before the whole band comes in full force, quickly matching and then surpassing the tempo of the previous track. As you might be able to tell from the title of the track, The (Not So) Great Depression is about how many of us find ourselves suffering with some form of depression in modern life and the track questions why this might be. The lines that struck me the most – although, of course, Niels is a master lyricist so it’s all gold – are ‘Is it the way you're disconnected from nature and apathy replaced your will to fight, Or how bright screens and gadgets steal your attention and all your spare time just passes by?’ The song has some wonderful transitions from fast paced verses with loud vocals to slower more muted sections before ending with full on screaming.

The tone changes completely for the fourth song on Life, Death And Everything In Between. Bliss Point was released in hand drawn and animated lyric video format in mid-September and, if you haven’t already seen it, then I highly recommend you go and watch it now. The video itself is captivating and is a wonderful accompaniment to a truly beautiful song. Opening with a steady finger picked guitar riff and subtle synth part before some distinct harmonica playing and the rest of the band come in, Bliss Point is one of the more mellow sounding songs on the album but that is definitely not a bad thing. It’s also one of the longer songs on the album, clocking in at 6 minutes, but it never feels too long. The song builds and builds throughout its duration with the real highlight coming well over half way through the song as Niels declares ‘I don’t want to leave, Let’s live while we’re still breathing, I don’t want to leave, And dream before we fall asleep’. I can’t express how much I want to sing along to that at a Stöj Snak live show one day. Hopefully I can. Next up is Wants/Needs which opens with a surprise trumpet part (a guest appearance from Sara Harrington) and instantly reminds me of long-standing folk punks Days N Daze. When the vocals and the rest of the band come in however, I soon forget any comparisons as this is classic lively Stöj Snak. I also want to refer to the song as joyful although I know that that’s not necessarily reflected in all of the lyrical content. Wants/Needs is about feeling like you want certain, often material, things even if those things aren’t what really matters in life. I just can’t help but smile and sing along to ‘Sometimes what you want are not the things you need, Sometimes what you want are not the things you need, While you fall, I’m hanging here right above you, Pressing on, I'm hanging here right above you, Hoping someone’s there to catch you.’ Sensible Utility wastes no time in getting going and soon confronts the listener with a thought-provoking and, I’m sure, very relatable subject matter. Niels sings of seeing a child suffering in poverty on a charity advertisement on the TV before uncomfortably turning it off as well as feeling uneasy when passing a homeless man on the street. The chorus asks ‘We’ve got to fucking help them, don’t we? What kind of humans are we if we don't? We got to fucking help them, don’t we?’ before coming to the conclusion ‘But we can't save the whole world on our own’. It’s true but I think – and I think what Stöj Snak are trying to say is – that you can always try to be a better, kinder person and make a positive impact on the world, however small that impact may be.

Kicking off immediately with a melodic bass line, rhythmic guitar strums and percussion, This Condition tackles similar themes to The (Not So) Great Depression although this time it feels more personal. Niels sings of having feelings of melancholy despite being ‘better off than most’ and having been brought up with ‘food, education and toys’ but feeling like because, at least on the outside, your life appears to be great, you cannot complain or feel sad. I know some listeners will take great comfort in these lyrics and will also enjoy the cathartic singalong that takes place towards the end of the track – ‘Maybe these songs will never really matter, But it matters that we try, First step to change is seeing a pattern, That we can break if we rise, The future belongs to those holding on, When you sing along, I'm holding on, Na na na (etc.), Let’s sing along!’ The eighth song of Life, Death And Everything In Between, Drink From The Well, is one that I was already well acquainted with due to its inclusion on 2019’s Mass Extinction Split. It’s an upbeat, bouncy and super catchy tune that certainly doesn’t sound out of place on the record so I have no complaints about its inclusion. The song is one that’s more obviously about the consequences of climate change than perhaps anything else on the album but the idea that it will not have the an impact on us necessarily but our children and future generations instead is a theme that runs throughout the album. ‘We've poisoned the waters and ruined the crops so what do we say our kids turn to us, And ask us to justify all this mess – they will reap what we saw.’ The review pack for this album helpfully includes not just lyrics but also which instruments appear on which song, and who plays them, so I’ve learnt that the sort of twanging instrument throughout Drink From The Well is a jaw harp – and I love it. With its soft piano lead opening, it’s clear that Songs About Beliefs is going to be a slower track that gradually builds up throughout its duration. Like Bliss Point earlier on, this is one of the longer songs on the album. It’s also so incredibly emotional and moving, so much so that the first time I listened to it I almost teared up – probably the fact that I was driving at the time was all that was stopping me. It’s just that heartfelt and passionate. I must have listened to Life, Death And Everything In Between over twenty times before actually sitting down to review it and this song still hits home just as hard as the first time I heard it. It takes us on an incredible journey from simply feeling like everything in the world is shit to really trying to get better and do better. The whole song is a hugely cathartic experience but the crowning moment is towards its conclusion, after an impassioned harmonica performance – ‘Rise and sing, all of my fallen friends, If just for tonight, live our beliefs, Rise and sing, all of my fallen friends, Let’s be the change we want to see. Yeah, let us sing for the whole world to hear, expose our hearts, our hopes and ideas, And for once be true to ourselves and make things matter, If it mattered once to dream like this, we can make it matter now.’

As the album begins to draw to a close there’s yet another change in musical style for a minute long bluesy number titled Smoke. With a slightly more electronic feel than much of the Stöj Snak back catalogue (‘programming’ and ‘feedback’ are listed in the credits for this song), it actually wouldn’t feel out of place on one of Niels’ video games soundtracks. There’s a very dark feel to the song as Niels sings of smoke rising above the trees. Whether that smoke is the result of industry or a burning forest hardly matters as it is the same negative impact to our planet either way – ‘Ignite the world with hatred, kill till there’s nothing left to kill’. The penultimate song of the album is Fire which could easily be considered the second part of Smoke, at least in terms of its themes. However, unlike Smoke, this is the classic Stöj Snak energetic and punchy sound that we’re already familiar with. It’s also a fine combination of melodic, catchy lyrics – ‘Fight fire with water if you really want to put it out’ – and screaming vocal moments. The song is about how humans are so stuck in our ways, fighting wars and causing destruction, that there’s not even a valid reason for it anymore. As you can probably imagine, it’s a pretty angry sounding song, best displayed in the bridge – ‘They prosper from division so they want you to hate them, But fuck all the weapons and fuck all this hatred, If your beliefs are worth killing for then set an example and start with yourself, Stop killing people and go to hell.’ Life, Death And Everything In Between has been quite the journey so far but it’s not over until we take in its epic nearly 11 minute long album closing title track. Starting with clear vocals and stripped back instrumentation of only guitars, even from the beginning of this song it feels like the ultimate culmination of everything that’s come before it and its initial simplicity seems to echo the album’s opening track. I can’t even begin to quote and analyse the lyrics of most of this song – the lyric sheet I have goes over two pages – but it really does feel like Niels covers life, death… and everything in between. Like the other slower tracks on the album, this closing track has a great sense of building throughout, complete with a harmonica solo around the 6 minute point – I honestly love a harmonica solo more than a guitar solo. It’s the last two minutes of the song that really pull on your heartstrings as Niels passionately sings ‘I hope you'll dance till you drop, Sing back at the madness, Let the tune lift you up, Carry you on so you keep on smiling, I hope you'll dance till you drop, Punch holes through the sadness, Give all you’ve got, When shadows fall, burn like a fire, Burn like a fire. I hope you'll dance till you drop, Bring light to the darkness, But when the sun comes back up, Take a brief break to hear the silence.’ Honestly, it’s superb. What an incredible way to finish an album.

I went into this review of Life, Death And Everything In Between with high hopes but Stöj Snak have completely blown all of my expectations out of the water. It may have been four years since they released their last album but you can really tell that every single detail has been considered here. From start to finish, this album is a masterpiece and I’ll be raving about it for week, months and years to come.

You can stream Bliss Point and Fire and pre-order Life, Death And Everything In Between (plus other goodies) on Bandcamp here.

Like Stöj Snak on Facebook here.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: We Are Knife Club by Knife Club

Throughout the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, the big question on the lips of everyone in the UK DIY punk community has been Who Are Knife Club? The band have been booked for plenty of gigs and a couple of big festivals including Rebellion and Manchester Punk Festival but few people knew who they were and what they sounded like. This was a great way to drum up intrigue and promotion in the build up to their first shows and first album. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, those gigs and festival appearances got postponed but our friends at Shout Louder did announce who Knife Club are – Zoë Barrow (Casual Nausea/Mousebrass) on vocals, Eliott Verity (Nosebleed) and Dan Flanagan (Haest/Matilda’s Scoundrels) on guitar, Dani Rascal (Faintest Idea) on bass, Big Hands (Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man) on drums and Andy Davies (Revenge of The Psychotronic Man) on vocals. That's a DIY punk supergroup right there. It was also announced that the band would be releasing their debut album, We Are Knife Club, on TNSRecords as well as 5 Feet Under Records (Denmark). This was going to be one of the most anticipated albums of 2020 but would it live up to the hype?

As you might expect from a band which features two members of ROTPM, We Are Knife Club is twelve songs long and goes by in just twenty-one minutes. Starting out with Making A Big Deal Of It, this track really sets the tone for the entire album. Andy and Zoë trading vocals back and forth between one another as the rest of the band play in a thrashy style. I'm not generally a big thrash fan but on this song, and throughout the album, I found the urgency infectious. Up next Schnitt mit dem Küchenmesser which translates to Cut With The Kitchen Knife. When translated into English it turns out that Cut With The Kitchen Knife can be a very catchy lyric, no matter and what speed it's sung at. This is one that'll be in your head for days whether you like it or not. Remember The Gold Dollar Sign Hoodie was the lead single from We Are Knife Club and was the world's first chance to hear the band. The song is about how people try to take advantage of the good nature of the DIY scene and attempt to get guest list for £5 shows. Obviously the band don't like this attitude and lament people who try it. The song was a great choice as a lead single as it really showcases the DIY ethics of the band and shows they won't be taking any prisoners.

Artex sees Knife Club venture into the territory of mental health. This is one of the most intense songs on the album but somehow retains a lot of melody as well as having another super catchy chorus. The Tibby Tan Tiger was a surprising song. It's much poppier than anything else on the album and comes as a welcome break from the intensity. I never ever expected to find a song like this from this group of musicians and I'm really impressed by the versatility displayed. The track is about calling people out for their bad behaviour and making sure they know there's no place for their particular beliefs around here. The sixth song is titled Working Class Tories. Here's one of the more political songs on the album and is a reaction to the sad way that working class people voted for a political party that doesn't care about them in the most recent UK elections. The lyric that really stands out throughout is "the downside of all of this, is that you dismissed, the chance to make your lives better." I couldn't agree more and share the band’s frustration with the population of the UK.

The second half of the album is kicked off with The 1%. The initial thing I noticed when listening to the track for the first time was the ominous sound the bass makes at the beginning of the track. This really made me feel like Knife Club were about to get really serious. This is by far the angriest song on the album as Andy and Zoë scream about how furious it makes them that the people with all the money don't contribute as much as they could do and how selfish they are. Definitely a topic that should make anyone really angry. The eighth song is titled I Mean, I'd Probably Take An Adidas Endorsement. This is a song that is about DIY punk ethics and encourages the listener to get involved in the movement. The more people involved in the scene then the stronger it is. Killing Two Birds With Two Stones is up next. This is a song about struggling with indecision and feeling pressured by people to make the right choice. There's more than likely no way to please everyone and that can really tip people over the edge. I'm not sure I've ever heard a song that tackles this subject before and it feels like a refreshing topic for Knife Club to look at.

Do You Want A Knife With That Salad? is about feeling worn down by the world and trying to eventually put yourself back together after being at your lowest. This is a straight forward punk rock song and is similar in sound to the UK scene from the 70/80s. It's quite a throwback but has a subject matter that is really relatable to the modern day. The penultimate song is 27% Of Statistics. The track is relentless as Zoë and Andy barely pause throughout, singing about simply not wanting to be a statistic. It's another song that quickly finds a home in your mind and you'll be singing along to the chorus immediately whilst also feeling like you want to be in an crazy mosh pit. TNSClub7 completes We Are Knife Club. This gives the album a nice rowdy finish with a big gang vocal section throughout the majority of the song. I love the feeling of inclusion that the song gives out. The track is about always having the best intentions even when things go horribly wrong. The titled suggests they are talking in particular about TNSRecords (whom all the band members had a relationship with before Knife Club) but I feel like the message can be taken to everyday life. Such a positive way to end the album.

With the collection of people and talent involved in this album, it's no surprise that it's really good. Even if the harder and thrashier side of punk rock isn't really your pint of Pepsi, I would still suggest you listen to We Are Knife Club. Hopefully we'll be able to see them live as soon as is safe, as I feel like these songs will be even better live.

Stream and download We Are Knife Club on Bandcamp here.

Like Knife Club on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

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.