Gig Review: Dave Hause and The Mermaid at The Garage 16/3/17 (by Emma Prew)

Bury Me In Philly, the third album from Dave Hause, is on track to be in my top ten albums of 2017 (I know, I know, it’s only March). And I’m glad I loved the album so much as we bought tickets to see Mr Hause at some point last year – it seems a long time ago now. Given that I hadn’t seen the man play for something like 5 years and never at his own headline show either (I saw him on The Revival Tour and as a support act twice), I was really quite excited. It would also be my first time seeing him – and his first time in the UK – with a full band. Added excitement.

There was a slight adjustment to the advertised bill for the tour as a member of one of the bands, Dead Heavens, was involved in a freak accident with a folding chair (apparently it sliced the tip of his finger off – ouch!). This meant that they, understandably, weren’t able to continue the UK leg of the European tour. Thankfully different musicians around the country were able to step in which is exactly what Sam Russo did on Thursday.

But first up was a different man-with-guitar, Robyn G Shiels from Northern Ireland. Neither myself or Colin had heard of him before so we didn’t really know what to expect, aside from assuming he probably played some form of folk music. We soon found out that Robyn plays sad-sounding folk-come-alt country songs that have a sound more akin to Nashville than Northern Ireland. I was very impressed by the melodic finger-picked guitar parts and he certainly kept me captivated.

Everyone’s favourite foot-stamping acoustic guitar wielding man from Suffolk, Sam Russo, was next up. Except he wouldn’t be stomping his feet as he mentioned early on in his set that he had a broken foot. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen Mr Russo play live – it’s definitely been several times a year for the past few years though – but I never get bored of watching him play. The man has such great charisma on stage and has an amazing storytelling ability both within his songs and his general on stage talk in between songs. Having seen him play so many times, a Sam Russo show does seem a little bit like a greatest hits set with songs like Small Town Shoes, Runaways, Dry Shampoo and Holding On all making an appearance – as well as Sometimes, obviously – but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. It was a little odd not seeing Sam bounding about the stage and stomping his feet but the music was excellent.

I don’t think The Garage was officially sold out but it was certainly starting to get pretty packed by the time Sam Russo finished his set and we all waiting eagerly for the return of Dave Hause – and the debut of The Mermaid. Looking around us, Colin was trying to work out how many of the crowd members would actually know The Loved Ones, Dave’s old band prior to his solo work. I figured a fair amount would but I also know that he must have gained a lot of fans from his tours over here as part of The Revival Tour (one of the greatest musical experiences I’ve ever seen) and as main support for The Gaslight Anthem some years ago.

With The Mermaid on board, the setting up and tuning of various instruments took a tad longer than it would have done had it been a solo Dave Hause show but I was definitely excited to hear the full band sound… and it was certainly worth the wait. In true rock ’n’ roll style, The Mermaid took to the stage before Dave and the crowd exploded when he stepped foot on the stage. He has obviously been greatly missed by UK fans. From the outset Dave was the perfect frontman – I’ve always enjoyed his solo performances but I truly think that Dave was born to play with a full band. Opening with The Flinch from Bury Me In Philly, Dave and the band were on top form. I enjoyed hearing the new songs live – With You and Bury Me In Philly in particular – but I also enjoyed hearing older tracks from first album, Resolutions, and second album, Devour, with the full band sound such as Autism Vaccine Blues, Father’s Son and Resolutions. At one point Dave even slipped in a bit of Hot Water Music’s Trusty Chords into the set – a nod towards the mighty Chuck Ragan. I knew I’d enjoy this show but I wasn’t prepared for just how much – I loved it, the rest of the crowd loved it and Dave and The Mermaid were clearly loving it too.

The band could have easily finished with We Could Be Kings but a headline show at The Garage does typically call for an encore, so an encore we got. Before the gig, Colin asked if I thought Dave would play a Loved Ones song. I thought probably not but you never know with these sorts of shows. If ever there was a time in the set for a cover of his old band’s song then it was the start of the encore with just himself and his guitar. Introducing the song Jane, Dave said that he was never going to play the song again – at least not in this acoustic form (ie. he might play it with The Loved Ones again one day!). It was wonderful. As was the next song, a Revival Tour style rendition of Prague (Revive Me) featuring multi-instrumentalist Kayleigh on the mandolin. C’Mon Kid was then the set closer – it had to be really – and the crowd indulged in one last massive singalong.

I’d been waiting a long while to see Dave Hause live again and it was 100% worth the wait. The addition of The Mermaid was an excellent choice and the songs, both new and old, really benefitted from the full band sound – plus it allowed Dave to fully embrace being a frontman.

Probably my favourite gig of the year so far. Bravo Dave Hause and The Mermaid.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Column: Slam Dunk Festival 2017

One weekend that is always a highlight of the year for many alternative music fans in the UK is the second May bank holiday weekend, the traditional weekend of Slam Dunk Festival. This year will be my fifth time (in a row) visiting the South version of the festival, at The University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield, and it's a day I always look forward to.

In the months leading up to the festival, the organisers slowly release details of the massive list of artists playing the festival and every year it's a who's who of the best in rock, punk, metal, ska and alternative music - whether it's old favourites, current superstars or hot up and comers, I've always felt there's something for everyone attending. This is probably a little naughty of me but I absolutely love reading people's comments about each line up announcement on Facebook. Despite each and every year producing an incredible line up, you still get so many people moaning because their favourite band hasn't been announced and start to slag off the festival. It's ridiculous, petty, childish but bloody hilarious. In my four previous years I've always felt that the line up has been one of the best of any UK festival that year. The thing I personally love about Slam Dunk announcements is the sense of nostalgia with so many bands I loved growing up always playing the festival. In previous years legendary (to me anyway) bands such as King Prawn, Streetlight Manifesto, [Spunge], Capdown, Jesse James, Fandangle, Millencolin, Lightyear, Big D & The Kids Table and Catch 22 have all played. In case you hadn't guessed, I love the ska element of Slam Dunk Festival. This year the organisers have really taken things up a notch. If you were a fan of ska and pop punk in the 90s and early 2000s then you absolutely love this line up. Let's check it out.

This year the punk/ska stage will be known as The Fireball Stage and headlining this year will be Bowling For Soup. A band I've never seen but were an integral part of my discovery of punk rock music. Surprisingly it will be the Texans' first time playing Slam Dunk Festival. I expect a massive crowd to gather to see the band for which is now a rare UK performance. This fun filled, sing-a-long pop punk will have everyone who goes to see them smiling and humming songs to themselves as they leave the festival… for the long wait to get out of the car park.

One band that has played Slam Dunk many times over the years is Orange County rap/pop punk legends Zebrahead. This will be the fourth year in a row Zebrahead have played Slam Dunk, which I think pretty much makes them the Slam Dunk house band. There's one big reason that the band come back every year, they absolutely slay it live. Pulling in some of the biggest crowds and creating some of the craziest mosh pits at the festival, last year I think I actually paid more attention to the crowd than I did to all the antics that were happening on the stage. Zebrahead are the ultimate party band for the Slam Dunk Party.

When you think of 90s ska punk two bands that instantly come to mind are Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish. This year Slam Dunk have managed to book both bands! Less Than Jake are one of my all time favourite bands and one of the bands I've seen the most. Every time I come away on a massive high because they are one of the greatest live bands I've ever seen. It amazes me that they are still so enthusiastic after all these years as a band. With a discography spanning over twenty years, there's bound to be some old classics mixed in with some newer tracks from this year's Sound The Alarm EP.

Everything I've just written about Less Than Jake I can easily repeat for Reel Big Fish, except the part about the new EP named Sound The Alarm. Reel Big Fish didn't release that, Less Than Jake did. I'm hoping for Reel Big Fish to debut some new material at the festival as it's been five years since the band released its last full length album, Candy Coated Fury.

Completing a trio of 90s ska bands are The Mad Caddies. The Californian band have been going since 1995 and have established themselves as one of the top live acts around. Combining punk, ska, reggae, polka, jazz, swing and many more styles the Caddies are a band like no other. If you've never seen The Mad Caddies live before you will be in for an absolute treat. Lead by lead singer Chuck Robertson, the band will have you dancing from the opening note to the last trumpet blast and it will be a set not to forget.

Goldfinger bring some more of the 90s pop punk sound to the Fireball stage. Making a surprising return to the festival after just one year away, I can't wait to see Goldfinger again. Last time the set was massively delayed due to some technical issues but this didn't stop Goldfinger putting on an incredible performance. Hearing tracks such as Superman, 99 Red Balloons, Spokesman, Counting The Days and Mabel will be a Slam Dunk highlight for sure!

One band I really didn't expect Slam Dunk to announce was Fenix TX! Fenix TX! Despite breaking up in 2002 the band have often done reunion shows and I believe that this could be the band's first trip to the UK in a long time. It seems to be Slam Dunk tradition that they announce a band I never expected to get the chance to see and I really can't wait to be singing songs such as Pheobe Cate, All My Fault and Threesome with the band.

The Fireball Stage will be compered by another Slam Dunk Legend - MC Lars. MC Lars has been a Slam Dunk regular for years so it feels right to see him back for the 12th year of the festival. He's another act who always brings the party with his own brand of laptop rap. A whole host of people playing the festival have had guest roles on his songs so expect to see some surprises on stage with Lars.

Of course The Fireball Stage isn't the only stage at Slam Dunk Festival and there are a handful of other bands I'm also really hoping to see. The first being Against Me!. Arguably the biggest punk band on planet Earth right now. Always putting on a fantastic live show, it's loud, ferocious and packed with massive sing-a-longs from the band's loyal and hardcore group of fans. Against Me! are one of the most important bands in the world right now - you will be entertained, you will be moved and you will learn some important life lessons from the band.

Long Island, New York, melodic hardcore/pop punk band The Movielife make a rare appearance at Slam Dunk Festival this year. Like Fenix TX, the band were part of the legendary Drive Thru Records roster in the late 90s/early 2000s that spawned so many of my favourite bands of the era. The Movielife got back together for some shows in 2011 and have been playing shows and festivals here and there ever since. They've also been working on some new music which I'm hoping to hear included in their set at Slam Dunk.

Finally we have Sorority Noise. In a time where pop punk is becoming absolutely massive again Sorority Noise are a band that have really stood out to me. Combining pop punk, indie and emo the band have created an honest and captivating sound that really grabs your attention. With a new album out today named You're Not As _______ As You Think, I expect the Sorority Noise to be one of the breakthrough artists at this year's Slam Dunk Festival.

Top Tens: Colin's Top Ten Bands To See At Manchester Punk Festival 2017

This year's Manchester Punk Festival is fast approaching and it's safe to say that Emma and I are quite excited to attend for another year. Over the past few months the organisers, the fine people from TNSrecords, Moving North and Anarchistic Undertones, have been putting together a fine roster of bands for the festival to make it bigger than ever. The calibre of bands that they've managed to book this year is ridiculous, especially considering this is only the third year of the festival. Over the next two weeks Emma and I will pick ten of the bands that we are most looking forward to seeing. Here's my top ten.

Strike Anywhere

I was so pleased when Strike Anywhere were announced for MPF. I was hoping to see them at The Fest last year but sadly missed out due to clashes. I'll make sure that's not the case at this festival. It's the legendary Richmond, Virginia bands first trip to the UK in seven years and you know it will be well worth the wait.

Brutal Youth

Canadian hardcore band Brutal Youth had a massive year in 2016 following the release of their new album Sanguine and look set to continue the wave of momentum that they are riding into 2017 with a tour of Europe. Being one of the most talked about bands of the moment, it's pretty clear that Brutal Youth will be one of the not to be missed bands at MPF.

Clowns

I think I'm right in saying that Clowns are the first Australian band to play at Manchester Punk Festival. I've been listening to a lot of punk from Australia recently and Clowns are one of the bands that really stood out. Their fast paced, aggressive hardcore really catches your attention and I'm sure that the energy that explodes out of the recordings will translate brilliantly to the stage.

The Filaments

Essex's finest The Filaments are returning to Manchester Punk Festival for the first time since headlining the first festival in 2015. I believe that it will be my first time seeing them since that festival as well, so it will be well overdue. The ska punks have been going for years now and have earned a reputation for being one of the most ferocious live bands around, whilst keeping a lot of their Essex charm.

Sweet Empire

Dutch punks Sweet Empire make a welcome return to the UK. The four friends started Sweet Empire in 2008 and have since gone on to create some of the most unique sounding tunes in the world of skate punk. There is also a big socially aware side to Sweet Empire with topics of abortion, religion, the environment and politics all raised in the band's music.

Belvedere

Last year these legendary Canadian punks released what was considered by many to be an album of the year contender. A pretty good achievement from a band that had actually split up in 2005 and only decided to start writing music together again in 2014. Revenge Of The Fifth is already considered a classic by their fans and this chance to see the band reunited, and seemingly at the top of their game, is not one to be missed.

Jakal

Jakal are a ska, punk, reggae, dub band from London who I've been aware of for years but have never gotten around to seeing - this will finally change at MPF! Something that really helps set Jakal apart from many of the other fantastic ska bands in the country is the dual vocals of Plug and Tali. If you like bands such as King Prawn, Operation Ivy or Sublime you're going to love Jakal.

ONSIND

ONSIND are a long time favourite of mine and any chance to see them live is not an opportunity to miss. The duo are celebrating their tenth year as a band in 2017 so a first time appearance at Manchester Punk Festival seems appropriate. Expect sing-a-longs so loud that you won't actually be able to hear the band when you go to see ONSIND.

The Human Project

The Human Project are one of the stand out bands in the burgeoning UK melodic punk rock scene. Returning this summer with a brand new album, the Leeds four piece look set to have a massive year in 2017. One of the most exciting live bands on the circuit, The Human Project's technical skill is only matched by their energetic performances.

The Living Daylights

No festival is complete without a reunion set and MPF has one from Lincoln's The Living Daylights. After splitting in 2012, The Living Daylights are back with two special shows to celebrate ten years since the formation of the band. I love the nostalgia that a reunion show brings and hearing so many great The Living Daylights songs again will put a great big smile on my face.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR MY THIRD MANCHESTER PUNK FESTIVAL!

For more information about the festival go here: https://manchesterpunkfestival.co.uk/

This top ten was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Umlaut Records Vol. 1 (by Emma Prew)

Umlaut Records is a (relatively) new London-based DIY record label. On the 1st of March they released their first comp, featuring many of the UK’s great underground punk bands as well as a few from further afield. The comp features two of CPRW’s own with songs from RXR (Dan) and The Burnt Tapes (Pan) appearing on the album – which is one reason why I’m reviewing this and not either of them!

There are a lot of different music styles going on on Umlaut Records Vol. 1 and, of course, I have songs I like more than others but I have listened to the whole thing (more than once) and tried to summarise each song in a sentence or two.

First up are Launch Control with, the extremely short and pretty darn fast, Cloak & Dagger pt. 2. It’s literally only 43 seconds long but kicks off the comp well. Strange Planes are next with You People<Fucked, which is a loud song musically with a great refined vocal style. A band I already know I like a lot are next – Eat Defeat and The North Remembers. This is melodic singalong pop punk with a neat reference to Game of Thrones in its title (I hope it is anyway!).

Simple Words by Give You Nothing is song comprising of pounding drums and shout-along-able, fist-pumping hardcore-influenced punk rock from Santa Cruz, California. (One of the few international bands on the comp.) Coming in at number 5 are On A Hiding To Nothing with Call Me Flyboy. This track has intense guitars and a vocal style akin to Anti-Flag or Rise Against. Ships Down are next with a fast-paced and guitar-heavy track, Not An Option. The vocals remind me more of classic rock style artists than your typical punk band which is no bad thing.

The Automaton & The Cosmonaut by Drunken Ramblings is a short, catchy and raw-sounding song with some great repeated backing vocals. This is followed by Charlie Work and track titled Captain Crapburgers & The Rhyme Schemes – what a title! It’s fast, furious and angry with definite potential for good ol’ live sing/shoutalong. Powerful and booming guitars for a musical introduction, followed by surprisingly melodic vocals is what FastFade have to offer with their song, Mid Point. It is short but oh so sweet.

The Doctor is the biggest change in musical style thus far. The song sees Maxwell’s Dead add some smooth Scottish ska tones blended with punchy punk rock to the Umlaut Records comp. If ska isn’t your thing then perhaps the thought-provoking and lively skate punk of RXR’s Take It Back is more your cup of tea. I hear this track is an exclusive for this comp too. Next up is some punk rock with a nice touch of folk. Cleary’s Clock is meeting point in Dublin and I got the Irish vibes simply from the style of the song – although The Scuts are from London, but whatever.

No Umlaut Records compilation would be complete without Müg. Merci is a roaring, head-banging punk rock anthem of a song. And at number 14 on the comp are No Matter with Shooting Star. This is another fast-paced and short track but more on the poppier side of punk rock – which is quite refreshing after so many loud and furious bands! History is an even more refreshing track by Coral Springs, a band from the Netherlands. The song features some great guitar work at the beginning, followed by suburb female vocals – I think the only female vocal of the comp. A catchy pop punk track.

The Burnt Tapes are up next. This is a song with a great introductory guitar work – there’s clearly some great musicians, as well as songwriters, on this comp. Adrenochrome Heights is a melodic and heartfelt punk rock song with gruff vocal style not dissimilar to Red City Radio. Start At Zero are possibly the first Slovenian punk band I’ve listened to (at least knowingly). I Wonder is another fast and furious punk rock song with plenty of opportunities for shouting along. There are hints of grunge in Ten Times Better by Street Drugs, the 18th track on the comp, particularly in the bass line. This is teamed up with clean and melodic vocals for some pretty darn catchy lyrics.

No Escape by Hack The Mainframe is everything I expected from an Umlaut Records comp and it’s great – pounding drums, loud guitars, melodic vocals, definite singalong ability and all played at a decently speedy pace. And as we near the end of the comp, Tape It Shut are here to bring something entirely different to the table. Verging on rap in parts, Trigger Sad is an extremely fast-paced and fun track although the lyrics are of a political nature and are far from light-hearted. Then the job of closing Umlaut Records Vol. 1 falls to Cereal Box Heroes for a pop punk tune that is certain to get your head nodding along.

So there we have it, 21 great punk rock songs from Umlaut Records. If any of these bands or songs interest you, and I sincerely hope that at least some of my descriptions are enticing, then you can find Umlaut Records Vol. 1 on Bandcamp now. It’s available to buy at a price of your choosing.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Ride The Storm by Good Friend (by Robyn Pierce)

A little while ago, Colin and Emma saw Good Friend open for Nothington at a show in Camden and were thoroughly impressed with their performance. It makes sense that Good Friend would play alongside Nothington, as both bands released their latest albums on Red Scare Industries, although Ride the Storm came out a little earlier at the end of November last year (on Black Friday, no less). Much like the glowing review Colin gave Good Friend after he saw them live, I was immediately impressed with this band. Good Friend are based in Newcastle but originally hail from Belfast, and Adam Carroll’s delectable Irish accent is clearly discernable on the record. He’s joined by Andy Reid and Leon Connolly. I’m not sure if it’s the combination of Carroll’s accent with the nautical album art and the notion of ‘Riding the Storm’, but this album gave me some serious pirate vibes - stirring up ideas of rebellious comradery and raucous partying that are generally associate with pirates. I may be alone in this (one of my ancestors was an Irish buccaneer, so I may be more sensitive to this than others), but there’s definitely some whiskey-soaked Irish flair happening on Ride the Storm.

The album opens with some slow, metallic distortion reverberating out like electrified water dripping down into an aluminium-bottomed boat, but soon fires up with some well-paced drumming and warm guitar. ‘Rock Bottom Revival’ is a fantastic song; its catchy chorus line of ‘I found faith on the radio’ is powerful and sincere, summing up the song’s focus on renewing one’s faith in humanity through music, bands, friends and community. There are a few synths brought into this song that I really wasn’t expecting, but which work here to create a fuller-bodied power pop sound. Towards the end, the song slows down to a poignant reflection on ‘those songs’ and the shared times they reflect. It then builds up beautifully with a stirring bridge, singing out ‘Hold me tightly, we arrive at the river. The water’s cold, but we’ll never surrender’. I know I’ve gone on quite a lot about this song, but it’s a really well-crafted track that immediately sweeps you up in the stormy pop punk of Good Friend.

The next song, ‘D.L.B.’, is a little more angsty and gritty. It reminds me of The Matches, but a more sophisticated version of that sound, with the self-deprecating chorus line of ‘Honestly, I’m a disaster, a dirty little bastard’. This line, of course, got firmly stuck in my head so that I found myself muttering ‘I’m a dirty little bastard’ under my breath while waiting in line at the supermarket. I got some great looks from moms doing their weekend shopping. The third track, ‘Overloading the Limiter’, brings back the energy of the album’s opener but plays with the contrast between quieter verses and a more raucous chorus. Then, ‘The Curious Case of Hy-Brasil’ opens with the sound of waves crashing and I’m getting all of those at-sea, pirate-drinking-song feels. There’s definitely a nautical theme being brought in again here with the lines ‘Would you be my anchor? Would you force me home? When the lights go down, I’ll cross this desolate shore’. This song also has some really great drumming and vocal work. ‘The Return of Fion and Fianna’ begins with a great looped riff that’s a little hypnotic, bounds through a few soaring choruses, and ends with a gutsy breakdown. ‘Curse the Name’ is a slower, heavier track where Adam can really show off his vocal talents. Actually, the vocals on this entire album are outstanding – switching between gravelly and smoother singing and hitting a wide vocal range. Not that any of the musicianship in Good Friend seems to be lacking, but I was continually impressed by Adam’s singing while listening to Ride the Storm.

‘Young Blood’ is my runaway favourite track from this record. It begins with some Matthew McConaughey-esque woah ohs that build into an upbeat song about ‘going wrong in all the right ways’. Leon’s drumming really makes this song, but I couldn’t tell you any specific reason why I immediately liked ‘Young Blood’ so much. It just has a great energy that feels like being blown free on the high seas. ‘Daniel O’D and the Moonshiners’ sounds like it could be an Irish band in its own right. Here, Leon shows off his drumming prowess again in a short and energetic song that issues a ‘call to arms’ to fight the feeling of ‘falling apart’. Before the band give out their ‘Irish Goodbyes’, ‘Bar Flies’ offers an acoustic song with some delicate layering of sounds (are those more synths I hear?) The effect of this is a really sweet, folksy ditty about the misfits who find homeliness in hanging out at their hometown bar. The last song on Ride the Storm, much like the first, begins with some slow reverb and the line ‘If you wanna drink whiskey, you’d best keep up’ (and I think we all know that these Irish lads aren’t kidding around when it comes to whiskey drinking). ‘Irish Goodbyes’ soon picks up and the album ends quite powerfully with pounding drums and soaring vocals.

Throughout the entire album, it felt like Good Friend reminded me a little of other bands. I’ve mentioned The Matches, and at times I also thought of Alkaline Trio, but the band that Good Friend most reminds me of is Direct Hit. However, while Good Friend are putting out edgy, well-crafted pop punk that does bear some resemblance to these bands, they also have a very distinctive flavour that smacks of salt water, whiskey and adventure. Ride the Storm packs a lot of power and energy; if the guys from Good Friend bring even a tenth of that energy to their live shows, I can see why Colin and Emma were really blown away by their performance. This is definitely a band that everyone should check out.

Stream and download Ride The Storm here: https://goodfriend.bandcamp.com/album/ride-the-storm

Like Good Friend here: https://www.facebook.com/goodfriendofficial/

This review was written by Robyn Pierce.

Album Review: Welcome To Hell by Fifteen Years

Fifteen Years are a melodic punk band from Bristol. The four piece, who are inspired by legendary labels Fat Wreck and Epitaph, formed in 2016 and in January of 2017 released their debut EP, Welcome To Hell.

Welcome To Hell starts with the most cheerful sounding of songs - Come On And Die. Starting out with a rumbling bassline before lead singer Dewey's distinctive vocals get the song really moving. They have that fantastic snotty sound that not many singers do anymore so it's feels fantastic to hear. This is followed up by Sail Away. The song starts with some first class drumming and some big guitar chords before Dewey's vocals add the melody to the song. There is an urgency in the verses that reminds me of The Ramones - always the best thing. Sail Away is a song that talks about wanting to get away and fighting the urge to go home again. It sounds like Dewey has an angel and devil on each shoulder, one telling him to get away and the other telling him to go home. Just reading the name of the track Suburban Wasteland makes me thing of 90s west coast punk rock. It's another song about wanting to get away from the place you're in. The use of different tempos in the song keeps you hooked on the verses until the massive and simple chorus of "I've Been Living In A Suburban Wasteland" comes in. So simple, catchy and brilliant. The crowd will be singing that loud and proud!

The fourth track, Mary, starts out in a bit of a plodding fashion before really springing into life. There are some wonderfully complex guitars parts mixed in with an ever changing tempo. This gives the song a really fresh sound that not many bands have. Lyrically there are plenty of sections that will allow a Fifteen Years crowd to sing along with the band, potentially making this a fan favourite. The penultiamte track on Welcome To Hell is named Rise and Fall. Listening to the music in the opening verse I loved how the guitar, bass and drums all do their own things but work perfectly together as one. Bassist Matt particularly stands out, he's one seriously skilled dude. The final track on Welcome To Hell is named Reason To Believe. I absolutely adored the simplicity of the song. It's basically a two minute long chorus but has such a powerful message. The lines "Find Reasons To Believe, Find Something Bigger Than Me, Find Solace In What You Do, Have Heart And Keep It True" are words that everybody in the whole wide world should live by!

Welcome To Hell as an EP is a bit of a throwback record, whilst somehow having a fresh sound to a lot of what is being put out at the moment. How these four Bristolians have managed this is beyond me. I don't really care, I just hope that they keep going and make more fantastic music like this.

Stream and download Welcome To Hell here: https://fifteenyearsbristol.bandcamp.com/album/welcome-to-hell

Like Fifteen Years here: https://www.facebook.com/fifteenyearsbristol/

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Column: Australian Punk Rock (Part Two)

Here's part two of my look at a small section of the incredible bands coming out of Australia's punk rock scene.

Anchors

Anchors are a fast paced melodic skate punk from Melbourne. The four piece have been around since 2008 and during that time they have made three releases including a self titled EP that was released only yesterday. Check out Born To Rust from that EP for a heavy, hard hitting, smash mouth punk rock explosion.

At The Space Jam

At The Space Jam are a brilliantly named ska punk band from Perth. The eight piece band formed in high school in 2013 and have since released an EP, The Shore Shark Redemption, which sees the band include elements of ska, reggae and punk together with funk, hip hop, dub and hardcore to create their own sound. Check out Marley and Me from The Shore Shark Redemption.

The Bob Gordons

Australia has a tradition of producing fast, fun and straight forward punk rock. That's a category you can definitely place The Bob Gordons in. Their music is hugely catchy without ever becoming poppy and has a charm about it that will instantly have you smiling like a fool. Check out Average At Best from the album Straight Hedge.

Camp Cope

Camp Cope are a three piece band from the amazing Poison City Records roster. These three Melbourne ladies have been making a name for themselves all over the world. Earlier this year they released a split EP with Philadelphia based three piece Cayetana, showcasing each band to an even bigger audience. Check out Lost (Season One) from Camp Cope's self titled album.

Clowns

Melbourne's Clowns are playing this year's Manchester Punk Festival and I'm ridiculously excited to see them. Playing super fast hardcore punk rock this five piece have been tearing it up all over Australia and are sure to do the same in the UK this spring. Their previous album Bad Blood is incredible and I'm really looking forward to their next full length, Lucid Again, which will feature the track Dropped My Brain. Check it out.

The Decline

I'm quite convinced that The Decline spend as much time away from Australia as they do at home - these four guys always seem to be on tour. After finally witnessing their live show at The Fest last year they are now a big favourite of mine. Their 90s inspired skate punk always puts a smile on my face and gets my blood pumping. The energy that comes from their music is infectious and they are one of the most fun live bands - and humblest bands - you're ever likely to see. Check out I Don't Believe from Resister.

Foxtrot

Foxtrot were one of my big finds of last year with the album Habitats appearing in my top ten of the year. Mixing punk rock with a hint of folk, there is a great uniqueness about the album. There are massive sing-a-long moments along with a great maturity about the sound. Foxtrot should be huge and they should come and do a UK tour! Check out Miner Bird from Habitats.

Horror My Friend

Adelaide three piece Horror My Friend play a nice brand of indie punk rock music that's becoming more and more popular all the time. I really enjoyed their 2014 release A Million Hands, it displayed a nice range of sounds and styles that prevented it becoming a bit samey by the last song. Check out Kaleidoscope from A Million Hands.

Lincoln Le Fevre and the Insiders

Lincoln Le Fevre is a folk punk performer from South Hobart who last year wowed Emma and I at Fest. So much so we ended up seeing him twice. There was a fantastic story telling element to his performances that hooked me and really had me captivated. An incredible songwriter. Check out Get Drunk, See Bands from Resonation.

Luca Brasi

I first heard of Luca Brasi when they released a split EP with London's Apologies I Have None last year. I was impressed with the emotional punk rock that the Tasmanian four piece played. Since then they have released their third full length named If This Is All We're Going To Be which is excellent! Check out Man, This Is Living from the new album.

The Nation Blue

The Nation Blue are a three piece playing a progressive style of gruff punk rock. I'm kind of reminded of Hot Water Music with the vocal style, which is no bad thing. Not many bands have a greater vocal duo than Hot Water Music. There is a harshness to The Nation Blue sound that really pulled me in when I first listened to them. Check out Uprising's Off from Rising Waters.

Nerdlinger

Nerdlinger are a skate punk band from Sydney and Wollongong that formed in 2012. I was a big fan of their last release, 2015's Trend Setter. It was great pop and skate punk with a dash of ska that was just fantastic. One of those great bands that baffles me by the fact they're not known all over the world. Check out Breaking Murphy's Law from Trend Setter.

Paper Thin

Paper Thin were one of those excellent Bandcamp discoveries last year. Randomly looking through the Discover section and I came across their debut self-titled EP. What I found was a great emo/pop punk band that really reminded me of The Smith Street Band - one of my favourite bands of the past five years. Paper Thin was an excellent EP and the band have since released a new single named Scared Of Flying too. Check out Japan Song from Paper Thin - you'll be singing it for days!

This column was written by Colin Clark.