Tag Archives: punk rock

Motörhead – Bad Magic

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“Victory or Die!” roars Lemmy Kilmister to launch the twenty-second album of Motörhead’s long, storied and legendary forty-year career. Coming into Bad Magic (UDR GmbH) on the back of one of their most successful albums of recent years, the opener is an archetypical ‘headbanger, all punked up rock n’ roll, with the Ace of Spades barking out “Who knows what the fuck it’s all about?!” in his distinctive voice.

Producer Cameron Webb has done a great job in capturing an energetic quasi-retrospective live rock sound with Mikkey Dee his usual pounding, driving self, launching ‘Shoot Out All Your Lights’ – a track with recalls the bands triumphant Bastards and Sacrifice (SPV/Steamhammer) combo of the 90’s – with a trademark thunderous fill, while Phil Campbell does indeed bring the bad magic; his frenetic bluesy lead-work squealing, his rhythm chops chunky on the beefed up blitzkrieg bop of ‘Electricity’, and his riffs bringing the dirty boogie on ‘When The Sky Comes Looking For You’.

There are only two types of Motörhead albums; good ones and great ones and there is no shame at all that this falls into the former category. A wholly enjoyable album, nonetheless it does lack strength in song-writing depth, despite the mentioned highlights, along with the years and health scares being obvious in a frailer sounding Lemmy. However, this has to be tempered with understanding, and this doesn’t mean the great man isn’t still capable of rolling back the years, as his filthy bass kicks off ‘Teach Them How To Bleed’, a track with recalls ‘Iron Fist’, and he’s at his gravel-toned best on the ‘Born To Raise Hell’-ish ‘Firestorm Hotel’.

If, as expected, Bad Magic does prove to be their parting studio shot it’ll leave the Motörheadbangers satisfied. While not their strongest outing, nonetheless it contains everything that is, and always will be, Motörhead; a selection of songs that are an undeniably distinctive speedball mix of middle-finger-up rock n’ fucking roll.

Lemmy may have switched from bourbon to vodka for his health, but the song, of course, remains resolutely and unashamedly the same.

 

6.5/10

 

STEVE TOVEY


Man The Machetes – Av Nag

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With bright, trebly intent ‘De Sier Nie!’ brashly hurtles out of the speakers before Christopher Iversen’s  raspy shouts pick up the intensity, kicking off Av Nag (Indie Recordings),  Man The Machete’s second enthusiastic blast of slapping you round the face with blackened punk n’ roll.

While their debut Ideokrati (Indie) drew accurate comparisons to fellow countrymen Kvelertak, it was nonetheless a well-received bundle of energy and brattishness. In terms of their continued similarity to the Stavanger sextet, differences are starting to emerge, though this is more due to the ‘tak’s own progression and development than any deviation on the part of Man The Machetes, whose open chord attack and full-throat abrasiveness continues unabated and in similar vein.

And Av Nag is certainly a vibrant and vigorous beast, with the Machetes aware that to maintain interest on an album where most songs do sound remarkably similar that they have to pump the six-strings with diesel powered strumming arms, keep the energy and belligerence high, and each hell-for-denim magic carpet ride short and not-so-sweet.

The triple axe attack of Morten Dischington Carlsson, Erlend Sætren and Markus Lind Aase provide plenty of melody, with leads and licks swirling in and out of the maelstrom molten chord battery that powers tracks like ‘Mennesketrapp’, while the rhythm section of Per Christian Holm (drums) and Erik Fossmo (bass) bring a nautical swing to standout tune ‘Tung Luft’ and a stoner fuzz and bounce to ‘Ørkenmarsj’.

Av Nag is an album that abounds with melodic aggression; short and sharp, but providing no shock as it competently rides the Kvelertak coat-tail train. A capable, proficient and enjoyable roll in the knives.

 

6.5/10

 

STEVE TOVEY


Heavy Montreal 7th Edition Wraps Up, Date Set For 2016

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heavy montreal 2015 daily lineups

Over 40,000 metal, rock and punk fans attended this past weekend’s Heavy Montreal at Parc Jean-Drapeau this past weekend. The 7th annual edition was so successful that next years 8th edition has already been announced, set to take place August 5 to 7, 2016. Acts for Heavy Montreal 2016 are tba.

Headlined by the likes of Slipknot, Korn and Faith No More, 70 bands in total graced four stages. Other bands on the bill included NOFX, Extreme, Iggy Pop, a reunited Alexisonfire, Faith No More’s first performance in Montreal since 1992, and a special set from Marky Ramone and Andrew WK who performed greatest hits of The Ramones to a roaring crowds treated to a more diverse bill more akin to European open air festivals than the typical concerts of North America.

A break down of the fest highlights by the numbers :

  • 70 groups
  • 17 Canadian groups
  • 12 Quebec groups
  • 3 days at Parc Jean-Drapeau
  • 5 after parties at the Métropolis and the Katacombes
  • 4 stages including 2 SAM750s from StageLine – the largest mobile stage in the world
  • 4 official HEAVY MONTRÉAL accommodations

 


Godhunter vs. Destroyer of Light – Endsville

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Come no closer if you like God or happiness, as the very antithesis is available in this remarkably-packaged ‘split’, Endsville (Battleground),  from Tucson quintet Godhunter and their Austin Doom counterparts Destroyer of Light.

The Arizona mob kick us off, their acoustic-toned ‘End Time Blues’ and ‘The Emptiness That is Left’ bookending four tracks of angry, raw Stoner. There’s a basic, Punk vibe to the minimalist style of ‘Divided States’ and ‘Anthropophobia’. The throaty squeal coursing through them is, however, somewhat inept, and accompanied by prosaic, unimaginative riffs and rhythm. Sadly this rather uninspiring, stodgy template continues throughout Godhunter’s offering; the Kylesa-lite ‘Cassandra Complex’ occasionally loads colossal weight upon the shoulders and is the standout track of their inferior set, but the slovenly growl and lacklustre riffs fail to stir the blood sufficiently. The closing coda of ‘…Emptiness…’, a diseased version of ‘Something in the Way’, desecrates Nirvana’s original whilst paradoxically landing a long-overdue significant punch.

Thankfully the rollicking, NWOBHM-infused Psych-Occult of Destroyer of Light fares much better. Opener ‘Electric Shadows’ finds ground between Moss and Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats; the steady, cantering pace graced by Steve Colca’s dramatic holler, subtle samples and eerie chanting which add melody to pummeling riffs and Jeff Klein’s pounding bass. Some electrifying solo work to the track’s coda, meanwhile, helps to banish the memory of what has gone before. The dirty, monolithic chords of ‘Coffin Hunter’, Colca’s vocal tolling over them, are reminiscent of Iommi at his evil, crushing best, while devilish roars from the three-quarter point are utterly terrifying and offer more than Godhunter’s whole portion.

And here’s the issue: this is a ‘split’ in the real sense of the word, an immense second half in real danger of being overshadowed by the shambolic pointlessness of the first. The dazzling leadwork of the morose, pulsing ‘Forever My Queen’ proves the Texan outfit’s name to be misleading, lighting the path to sinister, bone-crushing closer ‘Valley Of The Dead’, and affirms the belief that Destroyer of Light should not suffer the sins of their undeserving co-contributors. Give the Trad Doom boys your time at the very least.  

 

6.0/10

PAUL QUINN


Fell To Low – Low In The Dust

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Post-hardcore is a genre which has thrived in recent years, which is due to a vast number of reasons. One of these is the so-called ‘Tumblr’ bands, such as La Dispute and Defeater, whose music seems to appeal to teenagers and those in their early twenties, while one of the most popular features of the genre is the meaningful and deep lyrics which people can relate to. Another band which is sure to prove a hit with the younger generation is Fell To Low, a California-based quintet with their latest release Low In The Dust (Revelation).

It is easy to hear from the first song alone, ‘Galore’, that there is something different about Fell To Low: the haunting guitar riffs and deep lyrical content gives the album an almost eerie feel. It is pretty much impossible to listen to the music without feeling somewhat attached to it, subconsciously or not. Fell To Low manage to grab your attention for the entire forty eight minutes of the record, and the end gives you an almost cathartic-like feeling.

Another stand-out track is ‘Boundary’, which opens with a slower yet beautiful guitar riff. The song soon descends into an almost chaotic structure, which is emphasised by Travis Farmer’s hard-hitting and frantic vocal style. The pace continually changes throughout the nine minute song, which allows the listener to stay focussed and interested.

Fell To Low have managed to create an impressive album which will appeal to fans across the post-hardcore and punk genres. Their emotional yet chaotic musical style allows the listener to fully engage with it, which is a quality that many bands are unable to achieve.

 

8.0/10

 

JULIA CONOPO


Svetlanas World Tour Takes Them To Warped, Ticket Giveaway Contest Open

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The Svetlanas live

Russian anarchist punk band Svetlanas are in the midst of an extensive world tour , including a run on this summer’s Vans Warped Tour. Now the band is giving away two tickets to select shows of their remaining dates on the tour. You can enter the contest at the sign up form from their website: 

Svetlanas Featureing Blag Dahlia Revenge

Fresh off their tour of Europe opening for Punk rock legends The Dwarves, the band is on the road in the US supporting their recently released Revenge (Altercation Records) produced by Blag Dahlia of the Dwarves and Andy Carpenter, with Blag appears on the track.

Svetlanas Featureing Blag Dahlia Revenge vinyl record store day

Svetlanas online

Svetlanas on Facebook


The Nopes – Nectar of the Dogs EP

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If your vision of California rock n roll begins and ends with lap dancers on the Sunset Strip, riding your steel motorcycle into the romantic sunset or worrying about dockside industrial relations, then California punk upstarts The Nopes are about to light a bomb under your preconceptions.

Nectar of the Dogs (admittedly, a decent play on words), out now via Magnetic Eye, is five songs of sonic terrorism it’s acidic, acerbic, scabrous punk rock which, if he is listening, Bob Mould should be getting on the phone to his lawyer about as it sounds like his old band, Husker Du. Wait: check that. It sounds exactly like Husker Du – from the layer upon layer of guitar distortion, some of it amp-led, some of it studio twiddling, this is college rock à la 1985 writ large. Or, as Bob might have it, large writ.

I hope he’s not that grumpy though. He needn’t be. This is an EP full of piss and vinegar, in the nicest possible way. Nectar of the Dogs is eight minutes (yes, you did read that correctly) of furious, life-affirming noise. From the opening bars of ‘Matinee at Market’ to the closer, ‘Jingle Berries’, this is the aural equivalent of falling downstairs drunk- bangs, crashes, wallops and a big shit-eating grin whilst it’s all happening.

If you care about this sort of thing, you might be interested to know that production comes from those guys who twiddled knobs for Deafheaven and their début album Sunbather (Deathwish, Inc.). Whether this matters or not, I couldn’t tell you. What I can tell you though is Nectar of the Dogs is a punk record that genuinely sounds punk. Amen to that.

 

7.0/10

The Nopes on Facebook

 

MAT DAVIES

 

 

 


Nuclear Assault – Pounder EP

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Like spaghetti bolognese, it is hard to dislike Nuclear Assault, a thrash metal band who released a three well regarded albums in the mid-to-late 80’s, before internal combustion and some lesser offerings. Like spag bol, they were no nonsense, popular and easy to digest to the taste buds of all who liked their metal fast and thrashy. However, to over-extend the metaphor to the length of a string of tagliatelle, they weren’t as flavourful or complete as others, lacking the depth of ingredients in comparison to their contemporaries, and it’s very unlikely many would call NA their favourite dish.

Since announcing his impending retirement from live playing Dan Lilker has been a machine, blurring (sic) at the pace of his picking hand, bringing each of his projects to a concluding fruition, which has included the Lazarus act being applied to Nuclear Assault once again. Setting out to intentionally write “four killer old-school thrash songs”, the Pounder EP (Sidipus) is the band ramping up to a “Final Assault” tour and album in the second half of the year.

Achieving the majority of their pre-conceived idea, they have written four old-school thrash songs (well, three, and one, ‘Died In Your Arms’, that sounds as if Alan Averill was wailing along to a Metal Church outtake but not able to hear himself through noise-reducing headphones), though they’ve failed to live up to the “Killer” part of that promise. With what could kind-heartedly be called a “raw” lo-fi and DIY production, Pounder displays uncultured punky, chromatic thrash, a dearth of songwriting ideas and John Connolly’s once distinctive yelp having clearly seen better days.

One hopes this is merely the itching to get out of the blocks, let’s get something out there, false-start that serves as a irrelevant pre-cursor to a gold medal winning final sprint, but the portents don’t look promising for the final assault to do anything other than flounder and perish meekly.

 

4.5/10

Nuclear Assault on Facebook

 

STEVE TOVEY


Wolfnote – Wolfnote EP

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When musicians form a new band alongside their current band, it is safe to say that they usually stick to a similar genre, or even the same genre. This cannot be said for Wolfnote, who are comprised of members from Harm’s Way. For those of you who are not familiar with them, Harm’s Way are a popular metallic hardcore band from Chicago, who usually create hardcore music. If you are looking for brutal riffs to headbang to then you have definitely been mistaken, as Wolfnote are an alternative rock group with infectiously catchy riffs.

Although the EP comprises of only three songs, it manages to give you a good indication of what Wolfnote are about: solid riffs, haunting vocals and well-written lyrics. Opening track ‘Luna’ is a passionate and hard-hitting rock anthem, and it is instantly apparent that they have strong influences from Alkaline Trio.

‘Sick’ begins with a more mellow and melancholy riff, not dissimilar from something that The Cure would use. The strong and passionate vocals are able to shine through perfectly, making a powerful impact on the listener.

Final song ‘Prowl’ is upbeat and fast-paced, returning to the style of the first track. The harmonies sound beautiful, and you can instantly tell that every member of Wolfnote is a talented musician. Sounding like a fusion of Alkaline Trio and Bayside, Wolfnote are able to introduce a new wave of music fans to the alternative rock and punk genres.

Although Wolfnote probably will not appeal to fans of Harm’s Way, it is easy to see exactly why so many people have been excited to hear this self-titled EP (Head2Wall). If you are a fan of alternative rock/punk then you should definitely keep an eye on Wolfnote: it won’t be long until the whole world knows about them.

 

8.0/10

Wolfnote on Twitter

 

JULIA CONOPO


Anti Flag – American Spring

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There are far too many Punk bands who ‘talk the talk’ as far as being political and proactive about the issues that rile them. This is not the case with Anti-Flag who are arguably one of the only true Punk bands in the fact that they look to use their art and their talents to make a real difference – this album has been streaming on the Amnesty International website which in itself says it all. So what of American Spring (Spinefarm) itself then? Well if you’ve ever listened to Anti-Flag in the past then you know what to expect really – it is 40 minutes worth of politically fuelled melodic Punk at its best.

The album is jam packed with tracks which will both cause scenes of chaos in a live setting and trigger massive sing alongs. Opening track ‘Fabled World’ is a perfect encapsulation of both of these – as immediately the band hit you with a track which will make you want to dance around whilst sticking your fingers up at the Government. Because much like the rest of their discography, American Spring draws you in so easily to evoke the kind of emotion you perhaps didn’t even know you had. Of course with it being so politically heavy, this could very well turn people off – but to be honest at this stage in their careers they’re only really going to be adding to their fan base. A couple of other key highlights on the album are ‘Song For Your Enemy’ and ‘Set Yourself On Fire’ which again displays the band at their best. Justin Sane hasn’t really lost any of his fire as he crafts melodies around the lyrics to again evoke a brilliant sense of attachment and emotion to the message he is delivering.

Overall then, if you’re familiar with what Anti-Flag are all about, this is another good dose of their political modern Punk. Don’t expect to throw this album on and be sat in awe at the band changing the rulebook, because they haven’t. Instead what we’ve got is one of the bands who can truly call themselves “Punk” – and there are just not enough of those anymore.

 

7.5/10

Anti-Flag on Facebook

 

TOM DONNO