Tag Archives: punk rock

Needs – Needs

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Needs are a Punk five piece hailing from Vancouver in Canada, and whilst their homeland may well garner a reputation of kindness and chilled out vibes, somebody better tell these guys that! Their erratic delivery of punk on this self-titled release (File Under Music) feels almost neurotic and overall makes for a very strong release. Don’t think anyone is doubting the Canadian level of humour which is on display here in abundance, either as some of the track titles alone should pick up some kind of reward – ‘Clowns To The Left Of Me, Dzhokhars to the Right’ and ‘We Don’t Know Why We Are Protesting is Why We Are Protesting’ are two particular gems in that respect.

A key aspect to this record being altogether very impressive is the fact that whilst aggressive sounding, they’ve injected their music with a whole load of fun as well. You can already envisage people bouncing around at live shows singing along to some of the lyrics. A good example of this is with the track ‘We Forgot the Records to Our Record Release Show’ which displays a high tempo punk sound underneath some genuinely entertaining lyrics, “What am I doing? No seriously, what am I doing. I’m 36 Years Old, 37 in a couple of months” – a sentiment which no doubt a hell of a lot of bands will be able to identify and relate with.  

Overall then, this album is indeed a strong dose of Punk which will hopefully not go completely under the radar. Needs are evidence of the fact that if you search hard enough amongst the million bands out there at the moment, you will find a gem, and an entertaining one at that – this is definitely worth checking out.

 

7.0/10

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TOM DONNO


Mammoth Mammoth – Volume IV – Hammered Again

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I’ll level with you all now: I’m not the biggest fan of Aussie quartet Mammoth Mammoth and their raucous, ‘Eddie and the Hot Rods with added beef’ style of Punk rock meets Stoner. It’s great in the background of your local rock pub, though, and true to form ‘Life’s A Bitch’, the opening track of third album Volume IV – Hammered Again (Napalm), fair rattles along. The ensuing ‘Lookin’ Down the Barrel’ contains a seedy riff reminiscent of compatriots AC/DC, and while there’s a slower pace than its predecessor it carries high that retro Blues metal feel, oozing a snarling attitude; the full production aiding a sound akin to Jet‘s older, heavier and just as sexually confident brother.

There is a swagger for sure, the crunching riffs and engine grease of ‘Electric Sunshine’ accompanied by thundering drums and a cocksure vocal sneer, occasionally carrying Hetfield-esque intonations. The rolling, driving riff of ‘Fuel Injected’, meanwhile, bumps and grinds along a dirty desert road: gasping, pouring in sweat like the meanest Harley you ever saw, hunting voraciously for his Mrs. Davidson. The savage power of ‘Black Dog’, its rapidly chopping yet groove-ridden riff imbued with a lead solo, possesses a gravelly intoned yet heartfelt vocal – which comes as something of a shock.

For all the driving rhythms, fulminating sound and sexy insouciance, the band’s delivery has in the past been missing real feeling, a sense that their creations actually mean something to them. Tracks like ‘…Dog’ express that sense of emotional attachment which allows the listener to really engage, making this album a more complete experience. That sleazy boogie stomp reappears toward the latter end, however, at the expense of all the silly emotional stuff: the dirty leads of ‘Sick (of Being Sick)’ snaking around the dancing, brutal groove.

Indeed, the band’s final attempt at concentrating on wistful meanderings, album closer ‘High as a Kite’, is a clunky and overlong, often prosaic way to end. Maybe it’s just miserable old me: maybe it’s time indeed to let party infect the Low End. Victor Meldrew here, The crimson Avenger, prefers otherwise…

 

6.5/10

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PAUL QUINN


City of Ships – Ultraluminal

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It took me about three seconds of the opening bars of ‘The Light You Stole’, the first track on City of Ships’ third, full length album, the really quite brilliant Ultraluminal (Translation Loss) to know that I had fallen in love with it. In fact, it took just one listen of this record to realise that Ultraluminal had gotten under my skin and was going to stay there like a freshly inked tattoo. City of Ships are positively brimming with intelligence, insight and verve. This is the sort of record that makes you feel a little bit smarter, a bit better about yourself and a lot better about the world.

On the band’s second record, the underground classic of Minor World (Sound Study), their brilliance with atmospherics and textures was matched by a muscularity and power that beguiled and bewitched. On Ultraluminal, the first thing you’re struck by is the brevity of it all. This is a album of distillation: of thought process, of musical dexterity, of creative imagination.

As with many bands where lazy listeners look for an easy and comforting pigeonhole, you could lump City of Ships into that strange hinterland known as post-rock whatever that means. Admittedly, there’s certainly plenty of guitar driven histrionics that anyone with a passing knowledge of Thrice or Quicksand would find to their liking but I think that does them something of a disservice.  On ‘Alarm’, for example, I found myself being swept back to my college shoe-gazing days with all the psychedelic and swooning melodies that conjures in the memory. Equally, the plaintive and emotional vocals of lead singer Eric Jernigan means that you’re vicariously living his pain, joy and ennui as clearly and acutely as he is rather than looking for a convenient label to pin on them. Have a listen to the mournful ‘Lost It’ or the punky and feedback drenched ‘Private Party’ and you’ll get a sense of what I’m talking about.

There’s a focus and immediacy to the tracks on Ultraluminal that also impresses. Ultraluminal is notable for its punk aesthetic allied to a renewed belief in the power of writing, you know, actual songs. The closing track ‘Mile High’ perhaps being a case in point: it’s a minor chord, melancholic masterpiece. You don’t get alliteration like that everyday, kids.

Ultraluminal is a record that I keep thinking about when it’s not on and keep thinking about when it is on. You know that old, familiar adage about a band being able to do no wrong; on Ultraluminal, you get the idea that the hyperbole might just be justified.

 

9.0/10

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MAT DAVIES


Prong – Songs from the Black Hole

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I’ve never really taken to Prong, strange though it seems. Energetic and bruising, they nevertheless come across a tad light-heartedly for me, and that’s sometimes the case with latest album Songs from the Black Hole (SPV GmbH).

A set of lesser-known Punk covers, the opening draft of Discharge‘s ‘Doomsday’ rips up trees with its pace and ferocity; Tommy Victor‘s acidic growl and rapid bursts of leadplay enlivening a great start. It’s on the ensuing ‘Vision Thing’, however, a gothic classic given a Blink182-meets-Desert feel,  that the irritation begins: the largely laconic vocal blunting a subtle yet driving riff, turning the track into that awful ‘Nu-Punk’ stuff that blighted metal in the 90s. No doubt the band are trying to retain the feel of the originals while slapping on their own slant, but that cheapens the sound in some areas; the chopping bullet riff of the Butthole Surfers‘ ‘Goofy’s Concern’ diluted by that throwaway, almost disinterested vocal. The Adolescents‘ ‘Kids of the Black Hole’, though, is given a crucial kick by a more urgent, sputtered delivery, some pinpoint pace changes and a real snarling attitude with riffs and lead pulsing viciously together culminating in a brooding atmosphere enhanced by a rumbling bass.

As well as questioning the need for a band of Prong’s stature to produce such an album, it’s the lack of substance, immediacy, a paucity of real feeling and belief which ultimately disappoints despite the occasionally feisty rampage such as the version of Black Flag‘s ‘Bars’. If only the emotive, baiting ‘Seeing Red’ with its staccato riff, pounding drums and true Killing Joke evocations was the norm rather than the exception, this would be a joyous reworking of understated favourites. Even the catchy, driving riff of Fugazi‘s ‘Give Me the Cure’ seems to miss an edge, a vitality that only appears in the angered chorus.

There’s no doubting the “fun” aspect, nor the quality of the musicianship, but overall this could be a really decent pub band working through a hard-edged set. If Prong want to prove their relevance, this isn’t the trick to do it. Go and stream the originals, kids.

 

6.0/10

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PAUL QUINN


Primitive Man – Home Is Where The Hatred Is

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Abstract is the new brutal. The principal focus of Extreme Metal has always been to make music that sounds as violent or destructive as possible, but over the last couple of years a growing number of bands in different sub-genres have embraced a more subtle approach. Whether it’s Gnaw Their Tongues and their followers blending Black Metal with Noise elements, Blut Aus Nord embracing dissonance or Portal deconstructing familiar Death Metal into something totally other, it’s becoming more common to encounter Extreme Metal which doesn’t so much punch your face as make you doubt its existence.

Primitive Man are one of a current circle of bands – Sea Bastard, Keeper and Indian among their peers – engaged in stripping so-called “Sludge”, that ugly child of Punk and Black Sabbath, of its Blues influences and sense of groove and focussing entirely on its capacity for bleakness and discomfort, and are arguably the leaders in their circle when it comes to abstraction. Home Is Where The Hatred Is (Relapse) continues from their independent debut album Scorn with thirty minutes of abstract rhythms, broken chords and growled vocals that steadfastly refuse to describe anything as uplifting or recognisable as a riff.  It’s a thick, genuinely unsettling morass of noise and almost ambient amp abuse, and when they do allow themselves a brief moment of Grind-fuelled violence at the start of Downfall it’s almost a relief – though one that’s rapidly overtaken as the song collapses once again into dissonance and atmospherics. There are similarities to Khanate, of course, in their use of dissonance and unorthodox song structures, but as their name would suggest they seem less artful and refined, more… well… primitive.

It is extremely difficult to criticise HIWTHI, not because it’s without flaws, but because any apparent weaknesses (tracks blurring into another; the lack of satisfying climax; the sense of dislocation and frustration that pervades) are so obviously the result of very deliberate choices by the band.  They’re not bugs, to borrow from the clichés of IT, but features. This isn’t the dirty, angry Rock ‘n Roll of Eyehategod or Iron Monkey, and it doesn’t seek to press the same buttons – this is genuinely ugly, unsatisfying, dissonant music from a band who aren’t interested in catharsis or making you rock out.

 

8.0/10

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RICHIE HR


Cherubs – 2 Ynfynyty

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If you’ve never heard of Cherubs before it is probably because their new record 2 Ynfynyty (Brutal Panda) is the first piece of music they’ve released in just under twenty years. Their aggressive brand of Noise Rock allowed them to build quite a cult following and their fans will be delighted to hear that none of that quality has been lost in all that time. Despite having a highly irritating album title to continuously type out; Cherubs have produced a record which is thoroughly engaging from start to finish. The band transition so seamlessly between heavier slower, Doom fuelled tracks to a blistering Punk rush of chaos, and to such a high standard, you’re left wondering what the hell took them so long to get down to writing some new music. You listen to this closely with their previous albums and it is clear that they have not really missed a beat.Continue reading →


Torche – Restarter

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Torche Restarter Album cover

 

Sludge/stoner metal vets, Torche, have returned with their Relapse Records debut, Restarter. I felt as if the title Restarter is absolutely perfect for this album as I cannot seem to stop playing it and just have to give it just one more spin. There truly is something for everyone on this album as the sound ranges from your slow, doom-like sludge songs to what seems like full-blown punk. This album clocks in at just over the 30 minute mark which turns out to be the album’s only downfall as I was itching for more after the title track closer. Having said that, I am a firm believer in quality not quantity so I am thinking it is more of a blessing in disguise. Picking out my favorite tracks seemed like an easy task on the first time through, but after five or so times through, such a task grew more and more difficult.

For me, I found the riff centered tracks on Restarter to be the highlights. The third track in, ‘Minions’, really embodied this well. A simple, repeating, yet catchy riff carries the whole song and keeps your head bobbing the whole time. Not to mention some very crafty but not distracting guitar leads towards the end of the track that closes out the journey. Another fun slow and heavy track with a simple yet fun riff is ‘No Servants.’ On top of the great guitar work, I feel the drum work was exceptional and added a whole new element to the sludge feel. One of the more upbeat and, well, party songs on the album is ‘Blasted’. The riff in this track really brings out the inner party monster in us all and, dare I say, reminded me of Andrew W.K. just a bit. This song was one of the shorter ones coming in at just over two and a half minutes but I feel it plays an important role in the album as the final four tracks after this are in your face and heavy to close out. One of those tracks is the closer, ‘Restarter’ which I feel brought the same energy as the upbeat tracks like ‘Blasted’ and ‘Loose Men’ but still stayed true to the sludge/stoner emotions as earlier tunes such as ‘Annihilation Affair’ and ‘Minions’. This title track closer is also the longest track on the album which is surprisingly over the eight and a half minute mark, which surpasses the other tracks by far. Another great riff and following leads from Steve Brooks as well as great crescendo drum parts from Rick Smith. ‘Restarter’ is one of my favorite tracks to listen to on the album for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, the post metal influences really come to fruition on this track better than the rest of the album. Not that the rest of the album needed to sound like post metal, but I just really dug the ride the song puts me on. The other reason, is it is the closing track and it makes you feel like you are going through a wormhole back to where your journey all started so you can (ready for this?) restart it. See what I did there?

Overall, Torche has really out done themselves with only their first release with a strong label such as Relapse Records and I am more than excited what is in the future for these guys. The production was spot on as you can clearly hear all instruments at just the right levels and the vocals come across as another instrument with precise volume and quality. I find it extremely difficult to try and give this album a bad mark but it seems like all I could complain about was the length (31+ minutes, 10 tracks). My only hope is that at the end of 2015, my peers here at Ghost Cult will do right and include “Restarter” in their Top 20 year-end lists so Torche can get a spot in the Top 50. It certainly is well deserved.

Torche, photo by Janette Valentine

Torche, photo by Janette Valentine

9.0/10

TIM LEDIN


Alright The Captain – Contact Fix

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Right off the bat, let’s be honest with each other. Everyone likes honesty right? This is a complete re-write of the review. Whilst that isn’t completely unusual, this is a complete re-write in the fact that the sway from negative perception towards positive has been massive. This is because Alright The Captain with Contact Fix (Independent/self-released) have created an album so bonkers and eclectic at points the only way to give it any real justice is to ensure you give it proper time.

The album is wholly instrumental, and like with so many other bands that have chosen to go down this unconventional route, the music simply HAS to be good. There’s no hiding behind the growls and screams of a big personality front man, instead there needs to be enough to grab your attention and maintain it – and one thing is for sure they’ve done this very well. The album is seven tracks long, and runs for just under 30 minutes. This compact running length encourages numerous playbacks, as you begin to listen intently for some of the smaller intricacies contained within each track. If you buy into the ‘Math-Rock’ subgenre title, then this is Math-Rock at its best. We’ve got synths galore amongst a combination between punk fuelled riffs and heavier moments.

At the absolute core of this music though is an unbelievable jazz influence. The drums in particular are testament to this, with both the opening track ‘Toaster Mouse’ and ‘French For Gnome’ the best examples. But this jazz influence isn’t solely contained within the music itself, but more the whole idea behind the album. You never really know which direction it is going to go, it sounds like an impromptu jam but it is actually a very well calculated beast. To be able to create this kind of impression is a skill in itself.

 

8.0/10

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TOM DONNO


Youth Funeral – See You When I See You

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With a name like Youth Funeral, you’re probably not expecting the most cheerful music to emanate from your speaker system, and you wouldn’t wrong with that assumption. Combining post-hardcore and screamo, this New-Hampshire four piece have crafted a sound bursting in youthful energy, careering its way violently from beginning to end.

Coming in at 6 tracks and 11 minutes long, the record is virtually over as soon as you’ve hit the play button. See You When I See You (Twelve Gauge Records) is a short snap of angst. Far from being underdeveloped though, the short timing works in the EP’s favour. The songs are chaotic, lacking the usual clear progression, but the short lengths leave no time for the listener to tire of what they are hearing, keeping the songs consistently fresh and constantly angry.

It’s not all a bludgeoning assault either. ‘Confidante’s’ extended timing allows it to twist into atmospheric sections while ‘I Remember’ strips back into basic riffing. This doesn’t last long though as ‘When it Pours’ and ‘The Weak and the Ward’ roll out jumping riffs that virtually falls over themselves; combined with their almost dissonant chord progressions they easily stand out as the strongest tracks on the EP.

While See You When I See You won’t find itself spinning on my CD player often, that isn’t saying there isn’t merit to the music. The style is chaotic and stumbling but isn’t clumsy. The band walk a delicate balance between structure and absolute chaos, and pull it off with an ease that keeps each switching section sitting easily in one song. This is a band I’m sure we’ll be seeing on the scene for a long time to come.

 

 6.5/10

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CAITLIN SMITH


Dethfox – Natural Media Teleforce

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There are many EP’s floating around out there in music world which just doesn’t achieve their purpose. The purpose will always be to introduce you to a band’s makeup and style in a short and snappy style, and with Natural Media Teleforce (Chaos Rural), Dethfox have at least got the memo. Short and snappy is absolutely the name of the game here, we’ve got five tracks clocking in at just over eight minutes long. It blitzes by so quickly, you’ll find yourself listening to it three or four times before you’ve really been able to grasp what Dethfox is all about.

Musically the band flies through with a gritty punk edge. The poor production on the album adds to the rough feel, and genuinely shows a level of promise. Word on the street is the band are heading towards releasing their first full length album later on in the year, so this serves excellently as a punchy preview. Vocally we begin to move away from the roughness being a positive, as it is an area which can almost certainly be worked on, sounding like someone doing an impression of Lemmy.

But again, it is an EP, an EP from a band who are clearly still finding their way with their sound. When the full album releases later in the year it is definitely one to check out, as Natural Media Teleforce does at least show a degree of promise.

 

6.0/10

Dethfox don’t “do” Facebook, but you can find them (and a stream of the EP) on the Dethfox website

 

TOM DONNO