No Quarter - Fear & Loathing on the Pacific Highway review

 

 

 

Band: No Quarter

Album: Fear & Loathing on the Pacific Highway

Release date: April 22, 2022

Format: CD, digital, LP 

Reviewed by: punk_reviews 

 

While the vast majority of skate-punk’s would-be mavens have zigged toward heavily-squashed and sampled production, Australia’s No Quarter has zagged back toward a more organic, ‘90s-influenced sound. On the band’s new album, Fear & Loathing on the Pacific Highway, No Quarter sticks with its roots. 

This band wears its influences on its sleeves with pride and aplomb. Are you a fan of ‘90s-era Strung Out or Propagandhi? Maybe a little Pulley and Pennywise? No Quarter has you covered. 

 I don’t mean to say that No Quarter is derivative of those bands, or shamelessly rips them off. Quite the contrary. No Quarter’s new record blazes a new path all its own but it doesn’t take long for the band’s influences to come to the surface; for the careful listener, 

The band spent nearly four years meticulously recording and producing Fear & Loathing on the Pacific Highway. The tender loving care is evident in how clean the production is. 

For a self-recorded and self-produced record, I’m not sure the sound quality could get any better. That is, unless you crave the ubiquitous compression and sampled-into-oblivion sounds of new-school snake-punk, hardcore, and metal, too, frankly. 

No Quarter’s new record features 13 blazing tracks with a flag firmly stabbed into the earth as a bastion to defend skate-punk. Bands like this are keeping this sound alive and I, for one, am grateful for that. 

As for the music, No Quarter’s songwriting took a big step forward since their last record Freedom, and I really dug that album. The songs might still at times trod on adolescent topics like jerking off, unrequited love, and the like. But the majority of this record speaks to heavier, more mature topics like the loss of a friend/loved one, tyranny brought down on the heads of Western countries as a result of the pandemic, social media addiction, cracks in society, and inter-personal relationships. 

 Drummer, and riff-lord extraordinaire Micka Martin contributed a mighty performance to this record. The drums are clean, tight, and articulate, and some of his double-time beats feature a kick pattern I’ve literally never heard before. And this reviewer knows skate-punk. 

 Chris, the vocalist, sits right on top of the mix with solid melody and a signature flourish all his own. The vocal production on this album is quite polished, and again, meticulous. 

The guitars on this record sound so GOOD. It brings me right back to the good old days when Epi-Fat albums would have a signature sound, regardless of the band, because the sonic fingerprints of the studio/engineer/producer were apparent. No Quarter’s guitar sound is organic and quite powerful and sounds like something that was recorded at Westbeach Recorders, Motor Studios, or the Blasting Room circa 1996. 

 The bass keeps things solid, rounding out the band’s sound. My favorite tracks on No Quarter’s latest effort include For You Are a Witch, and Witches Shall Burn, Empty Apologies, I’ll Have one Ticket to the Revolution, Now Pass Me My Brick, and the record’s magnum opus, and latest single, Long Distance. The whoa whoas on Long Distance will quickly get stuck in your head and leave you wanting more. 

 All in, No Quarter’s new record is a great leap forward for the band, especially as songwriters and dedicated priests of the studio. This humble pilgrim genuflects in gratitude and respect for producing a really, really good skate-punk album

Chaser - Dreamers

 

 Tracklist:

1. Fight of Our Lives 

2. 2020 

3. Good Times 

4. Signs Of Life 

5. A New Direction 

6. The Ripper 

7. Echoes 

8. Dreamers 

9. Break The Chain 

10. Always With You 

11. Only Human 

12. Something In the Water 

13. See You At The Show 

 Reviewed by Chad Jensen, @punk-reviews

 

If you’re looking for that band that can be trusted to carry the torch of melodic hardcore (some call it skate-punk) forward with awareness and aplomb, look no further than Southern California’s Chaser. Formed in 2000, Chaser got its start on the heels of the massive ‘Epi/Fat’ punk-rock wave of the 1990s, and the influences and imprints of that scene are worn with pride on the band’s sleeve. 

And that’s okay with me. In fact, I treasure it. 

Think back to Good Riddance’s debut E.P. Gidget, which featured the track Not So Bad — a song whose main riff is palpably influenced by Bad Religion’s Do What You Want. Listen to NOFX before Bad Religion released its seminal, game-changing record Suffer in 1988, and you’ll hear a California hardcore band with some occasional melody but mostly just beer-bong-style lyrics with a nihilistic sound. 

Fast forward to NOFX’s S&M Airlines or Ribbed, and suddenly, it’s a band that sounds like the perfect mixture between Bad Religion and RKL. Only a couple of releases later, NOFX went gold with Punk In Drublic, fully carving out its own sound with confidence and authority, and the rest is history. 

It’s cool to recognize a band’s influences and trace it back. But the key for any band heavily influenced by another group or scene is to not be derivative. It can’t be a carbon copy because that would lame, boring, and counterfeit. 

Back to Chaser, who is releasing its new record Dreamers on April 9. The band’s fifth full-length album, Dreamers builds on its predecessor with gusto. Sound The Sirens was a gem and roundly lauded but between you, me, and the wall, as much as I like that record, it felt a little too close to the bone of the band’s Bad Religion/Good Riddance/Pennywise influences. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about that unholy triumvirate of melodic hardcore scions. But what Chaser needed to do was take the foundation of those influences, as laid on Sound The Sirens, and build on top of it something new and completely unique to the band on its next release. 

 Dreamers does that. And my oh my, does it deliver. 

It’s a 13-track burner that any fan of fast, semi-technical melodic hardcore will quickly find addictive and unique in its own right. The record opens up with Fight Of Our Lives, which was a nice selection as the album-opener. 

The song opens with a nice bass line that lets you know out of the gates that something familiar and interesting is about to unfold. If you’re a fan of the oozin’ ahhs and three-part harmonies, with a few well-placed gang vocals, Fight Of Our Lives will check those boxes. In fact, it sets the tone for the entire record. 

I’ve got to give props to Chaser and Dreamers producer Paul Miner (he of the Death By Stereo fame), because the production choices are flawless. It actually sounds like Davey Guy is playing a real drum kit instead of the over-used midi-triggers that skate-punk bands use without a thought nowadays. 

Guy’s drumming is solid and complements the band well. He’s not going to change the game in the way that Derrick Plourde did with Lagwagon back in the day, or even Jordan Burns with Strung Out, but Chaser’s sound doesn’t need that. Such drumming would only muddy the water and sound out of place with this band. Make no mistake, though, Guy is no slouch and his drumming chops fit right in the pocket as the motor of Chaser. 

Miner and the band came up with some great vocal ideas for this record and it comes as no surprise as the debut record of his former band, Death By Stereo, titled If Looks Could Kill, I’d Watch You Die boasts some of the most creative lead, harmonies, and gang vocals on any record of its time. 

 The lead vox on Dreamers, belted out by lead singer Mike LeDonne, are smooth and tight but with just a little bit of a distortional bite when the song calls for it. I don’t know who writes the main vocal melodies for Chaser but whether it’s LeDonne or a democratic process within the band, they’re absolutely top-shelf. Near-addictive. 

 You’ll quickly find yourself humming and whoa-whoa-whoaing your way through this record, long before there’s been enough time to memorize them. The harmonies are on-point and never overwrought. I can’t say it enough how good the vocals are on this record. Just smooth and melodic in a kind of No Fun At All sort of way. 

Topically, Chaser sticks mostly to a message of positivity on Dreamers. The lyrics are unique but give you that optimistic, motivating mindset similar to bands like Pennywise and 7 Seconds. Unity, staying true to your goals and dreams, putting in the work, avoiding negativity, and not selling yourself short (with just a few cultural and political pit stops along the way (see 2020), are the main lyrical themes on Dreamers. 

The bass player, Jesse Stopnitzky, really opens up and shows his chops on Dreamers. Track 3 titled Good Times, opens with a nice bass riff that hearkens back to the poppier bands of the Epi/Fat era, like old Strung Out, Pulley, and Face To Face. 

Guitarist Bill Hockmuth found a very nice sound, I’m sure with the expert help of Miner, who owns the Buzzbomb Studios in Orange, California, where Dreamers was recorded. One thing I’ve always appreciated about Chaser is the band’s prioritizing songwriting over virtuosity while its modern skate-punk contemporaries are trying too hard to be the next A Wilhelm Scream. 

 I love technical guitar work and complex song structures but not at the expense of the soul of the song. That’s what so many of the current skate-punk bands miss. Focus first on songwriting, instead of instrumental virtuosity. If the work is put in to write good songs, it’s only a matter of time before the technical chops come out in the wash. A little piece of advice, for whatever it’s worth. There’s little semblance of anything reminiscent of American hardcore in contemporary skate-punk, which lacks the very accessibility that inspired Johnny Ramone, Greg Hetson, and other punk rock pioneers to start a band. Modern skate-punk is closer to speed metal than punk rock. 

However, Hockmuth’s riffs and guitar work are a nice mixture between Pennywise’s Fletcher Dragge, No Fun At All’s Mikael Danielsson, and The Offspring’s Noodles. Straight-forward, powerful, and tight. Like that trio, Hockmuth isn’t trying to be the next Randy Rhodes but performs with a singular power all his own and lets the vocal melodies do the heavy lifting. That takes discernment and taste. I can appreciate that. 

All in, Chaser’s Dreamers isn’t just a good record; it’s a masterpiece. I don’t say that lightly. This record should be mandatory listening for any and all fans of SoCal-style melodicore. With the exception of Chicago’s Counterpunch (and a few others), Chaser is one of the few current skate-punk bands who, for lack of a better term, just get it. 

Hats off, Chaser. You crushed it on this record. I sincerely thank you for continuing to hone your craft as a band and keep alive this sound that so many of us treasure but find increasingly difficult to find (Epitaph and Fat Wreck aren’t signing bands like this anymore). 

Also, Chaser’s decision to have Jason Livermore (Descendents/Rise Against/NOFX/and so many others) mix and master Dreamers at The Blasting Room was the cherry on top. Wise call, gents. 

I give Dreamers five out of five stars. The best tracks are 2020, A New Direction, Echoes, and Break The Chain. This entire record will provide its listener with constant dopamine drops. Trust me on that. 

If you’ve been looking for a newer skate-punk band to provide you with those same goosebumps you used to get when listening to your favorite Epi/Fat bands but haven’t been able to recreate in a long, long time with a newer group, search no further. Chaser provides those goosebumps and dopamine in spades.

Good Riddance - Thoughts And Prayers

Tracklist: 

01. Edmund Pettus Bridge 

02. Rapture 

03. Don't Have Time 

04. Our Great Divide

 05. Wish You Well 

06. Precariat 

07. No King But Caesar 

08. Who We Are 

09. No Safe Place 

10. Pox Americana 

11. Lo Que Sucede 

12. Requisite Catastrophes

Release date: July 19, 2019

Label: Fat Wreck  

Format: CD, LP, digiatl 

 Reviewed by Trope Misanthrope. 

Three years after the band’s triumphant return with Peace In Our Time, Santa Cruz skate-punk legends Good Riddance have released a new record called Thoughts and Prayers via Fat Wreck Chords. Thoughts and Prayers, a scathing 12-songer, is the ninth studio album in GR canon.

 But that’s not counting The Phenomenon of Craving E.P. that directly followed Operation Phoenix. For a while, GR presented themselves as the only real hardcore band on Fat, but almost as a schizophrenic band. They couldn’t figure out whether they were pop punk or blistering hardcore.

 I liked GR perfectly the way they were pre-Operation Phoenix but it was producer Bill Stevenson (Descendents/ALL/Only Crime) who helped GR hone and perfect their unique sound. Since that punk rock union, GR has recorded most of their records at Stevenson’s The Blasting Room studio, with the exception of the band’s last two records, which were tracked at Motor Studios in NorCal but still produced by Stevenson.

 The main songwriter in GR is vocalist Russ Rankin. Rankin’s lyrics are right up there with Bad Religion in terms of their depth and vocabulary. Nowadays, even after decades of listening to both GR and BR, I’m more likely to pull out the ol’ dictionary reading GR lyrics than I am BR.

 Rankin has kept his wits and his pencil sharp. Thoughts and Prayers proves that with gusto. The album opens with what is sure to become another classic movie clip before tearing into Edmund Pettis Bridge — a song that hearkens back to Out Of Mind in its chord progressions and melody — arguably the catchiest song on the record.

Song two is Rapture, which sees GR straddle the old California hardcore sound alongside the band’s classic melodic undertones on the chorus. The hook on the chorus of Rapture has been stuck in my head for two days as of the writing of this review.

 Next come the two singles GR pre-released — Don’t Have Time and Our Great Divide. Both are excellent songs but Our Great Divide is one of the best songs on the record. This album has a few personal lyrics and songs, as Rankin is often wont to do, but most of the subject matter falls directly on the socio-political scale. That’s arguably where GR are most comfortable and where they best shine.

Make no mistake, Thoughts and Prayers is a very good record. I find it to be a more inspired album than its predecessor Peace In Our Time. Rankin was clearly in some sort of creative zone or trance writing this record.

In fairness, Rankin doesn’t get the credit he deserves as a songwriter and scion of skate-punk. As someone who’s been listening to GR since 1994, I put Rankin up there with the great songwriters of the genre, like BR’s Greg Graffin and Brett Gurewitz, Fat Mike Burkett of NOFX, Jim Cherry of Strung Out/Pulley/Zero Down, Jim Lindberg of Pennywise, Tony Sly of No Use For A Name and Joey Cape of Lagwagon. In fact, other than Graffin/Gurewitz and Cherry, I’m not sure there is a more talented songwriter to hail from the Epi/Fat scene than Rankin. That’s saying something.

 Rankin’s never been the drug-addled troubador, though he has tried his hand at a solo record and playing solo shows. A straight edge vegan with a passion for hockey, Rankin is a unique and refreshingly sane voice in the punk the rock arena. He’s written some of the best melodic hardcore songs of all-time, like Weight of the World, Shadows of Defeat, Darkest Days and United Cigar, to name a few.

Rankin adds a few new songs to his canon that’ll go down in history on Thoughts and Prayers. My favorite song on this record has to be No Safe Place. GR features their octave chords as leads in such an epic way, as perhaps no band from the Epi/Fat scene, and the bridge/outro on No Safe Place epitomizes that creative dopamine-inducer.

I give Thoughts and Prayers 3.5 out of four stars, only because the song Lo Que Sucede (sung in Spanish) didn’t hit home. But that’s just me. Maybe I missed the point. Thoughts and Prayers is still a phenomenal record that gets better the more you listen. It also happens to feature one of the best drummers of the genre Sean Sellers, whose performance is punk rock perfection yet again. Go buy this record.

@punk_reviews

Bad Religion - Age Of Unreason

Tracklist: 

01. Chaos From Within 

02. My Sanity 

03. Do The Paranoid Style 

04. The Approach
05. Lose Your Head 

06. End Of History

07. Age Of Unreason 

08. Candidate 

09. Faces Of Grief 

10. Old Regime 

11. Big Black Dog 

12. Downfall 

13. Since Now 

14. What Tomorrow Bring 

Release date: May 3rd 2019
Label: Epitaph Records
Format: CD, LP, digital


Reviewed by Trope Misanthrope


Some long-time fans might be disappointed to learn that Bad Religion are partisans. Who isn’t? Most have fully understood the band’s political leanings, at least since the album The Empire Strikes First, which was a mostly front-to-back scathing indictment of the George W. Bush regime. The band mostly remained silent politically during the Barrack Obama administration, but Bad Religion are clearly inspired once again, and perhaps triggered, by Trump.

Bad Religion gave fans an inkling of what was to come on Age Of Unreason — their first new full-length album since 2013’s True North — when the single "The Kids Are Alt-Right" was released last year. TKAAR did not make it onto Age Of Unreason, but the 14-song album which drops May 3 via Epitaph Records most certainly is a withering criticism of the new Republican President Donald Trump and any and all forms of nationalism and populism.

 If that’s going to turn you off, AOU probably isn’t for you. However, most Bad Religion fans, even those with right-leaning or even libertarian views, will likely look past the anti-Trump messaging in order to enjoy the pure and unadulterated sonic dopamine-dropping music the band has traditionally and consistently produced.

Age Of Unreason opens with "Chaos From Within", which lands on all the familiar building blocks of the Bad Religion formula. Lyrically, the song captures the xenophobic tendencies humanity has towards letting in outsiders, which nowadays often comes via migrants and immigration.

“When the ancestor fell from the arbor 

The march of fear began 

But the predator wallowed in failure 

 In the face of consciousness” 

The next song, "My Sanity", is probably the only feel-good type of track on the record. While lacking the exultant tones of previous pop-driven BR songs, like "Stranger Than Fiction" or "The Devil In Stitches", "My Sanity" does have a strangely optimistic tonality, despite it’s melancholy, even though the band is talking about trying to maintain one’s sanity in an increasingly unreasonable world.

 My favorite track on this album is a toss up between "Chaos From Within", "End Of History" and "Candidate". If you’re hoping this record contains the quintessential power ballad that hearkens back to classics such as "Infected" and "21st Century Digital Boy", you’ll get exactly what you’re looking for in "End Of History" and "Candidate", both of which made the goosebumps stand up on this reviewer’s arms.

 Far be it from me to pan any song written and released from the most prolific writing tandem in punk rock history — Greg Graffin and Brett Gurewitz — but if I’m being honest, Age of Unreason begins to lose a little momentum in the back-end of the album. However, the first eight tracks are excellent, and the record does finish strong with "What Tomorrow Brings". All in, "Age Of Unreason" is another fine addition to Bad Religion canon. My only real complaint is that some of the songs seem a little short, but only in the sense that a BR song ending after the second chorus only make me want to circle back and listen again.

Fans had to wait nearly six long years for new Bad Religion music, and I think it’s safe to say the band rewarded everyone for their patience and long-suffering. I’m still marinating on Age Of Unreason in all honesty, but for now, I have to give it 3.5 out of four stars — just shy of perfection — only because the album careens off the track towards the back-end, before jumping back in line with the final song.

@punk_reviews

Sabroso Festival 6- 7 April 2019 review

 Reviewed by Carlos De La Torre

Sabroso Festival facebook

Last weekend Melodic Punk Style was lucky enough to attend the first day of this year’s Sabroso Festival. A craft beer, taco and music experience stacked with an incredible punk line up with acts: D.I., Adolescents, Suicide Machines, Strung Out, Lagwagon, Bad Religion, and Flogging Molly. Sabroso is on its third year and the anticipation for this year’s festival had been fermenting with non-stop social media teases and band plugs on the festival’s Instagram and Facebook pages. We couldn’t wait to get our hands on some crafty IPA’s on tap from dozens of So-Cals top breweries, jam out to some amazing bands, and of course, enjoy some delicious hot-sauce topped tacos. Spicy!

The event took place at Doheny State Beach located in Dana Point, California. The weather was picture perfect and the cool beach breeze added to the amazing day awaiting for us. Security and check-in were quick and just as you passed the ticket scanner you were immediately greeted and welcomed with your Sabroso Festival Sampler cup. Your lifeline for the next 4 hours if you wished to sip on some of the finest beers around. As the aroma of the freshly cooking meat indulge your senses, you couldn’t help but notice the Lucha Libre ring to your right and beyond that, a row of some of the breweries sampling off their best lagers. We sampled for a short while and walked the festival grounds before catching D.I. hitting stage and ripping a short but solid set. The sound was good, the beer was good, so far so good.

After grabbing a plate of some fine chronic tacos, we shot straight to the Lucha Libre ring where match 1 of the scheduled fights was just getting started. The crowd, along with myself, engaged and cheered along with the luchadores enjoying the comedic but entertaining skits these actors had planned out. 3 other matches took place after each music act but decided to skip the rest and enjoyed more beer and social interactions with fellow attendees instead.

Adolescents performed a great set in front of a “Soto” banner that the band hung in remembrance and tribute to their late bassist Steve Soto who passed away in 2018. With the afternoon and beer tastings coming to an end The Suicide Machines had the crowd singing and skanking to their fast punk/ska sound.

We decided to take it easy while we waited for Strung Out to hit the stage. We walked around the venue and enjoyed some cold Energy Drinks at the Rockstar energy booth. An area sectioned off next to the stage specifically for Rockstar drinking. The energy we had after those Rockstars kept us going for the next 3 bands. An iconic trio that could headline any festival were up back to back. First, Strung Out killed it with their fast paced in your face melodic punk. With their new album releasing soon, we were hoping to hear something new but were still pleased with their set. They could play anything off of their first 4 albums and I would be a happy man. Second, legendary punk band Lagwagon put on an incredible performance playing classics such as “May 16” “weak” and “violins”. Joey Cape still has that inner youth flame burning strong. Lastly, The mighty Bad Religion took the stage. By far the best performance of the night in my opinion. Greg Graffin’s powerful intelectual preaching singing style always seems to capture the 3 audience. I can’t help but to feel the similarities to a college lecture, after all, Greg Graffin is a Professor at a top University in the states. The set was what you would expect from a band who has been rocking out for 30 plus years and performed classic anthems such as “You”, “Generator” and “American Jesus”.

As the night was drawing to an end, last but not least, Flogging Molly closed out the festival with a powerful set of Irish style punk rock filled with brotherhood and unity tunes that made you raise one last beer and sing along. A perfect end to a perfect day.

Overall Sabroso was a success. Beer, Tacos, and punk rock, what else could you ask for? We hope Sabroso keeps coming around each year and stays around for a very long time. With the absence of the Vans Warped tour, we feel that Sabroso could be the next up and coming festival that we all look forward to going each year here in Southern California. Cheers!

Satanic Surfers - Back From Hell

Tracklist: 

01.The Usurper 

02.Catch My Breath 

03.Self-Medication 

04.All Gone To Shit 

05.Ain't No Ripper 

06.Madhouse 

07.Going Nowhere Fast 

08.Paying Tribute 

09.Pato Loco 

10.Back From Hell 

Release date: April 13

Format: CD, LP

Buy: Satanic Surfers bandcamp


Reviewed by Trope Misanthrope
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The Satanic Surfers are back. With their new album Back From Hell, the kings of Swedish skate-punk have returned with authority, producing a record that strikes the perfect balance between melody and technicality.

It’s been 11 long years since last we heard new music from the Satanic Surfers. In between 2007’s Taste The Poison and 2018’s Back From Hell, singer/songwriter Rodrigo Alfaro continued his musical pursuits, playing in a variety of bands, the most well-known of which was Atlas Losing Grip.

ALG seemed to be the pinnacle of melodic hardcore, and just after the band laid down their masterpiece, Currents, Alfaro quit. While we don’t know all the grisly details — and we don’t need to — it’s clear that Alfaro still harbors some animosity. “The Usurper”, the first track on the Back From Hell, lays out Alfaro’s joy at being back with the Satanic Surfers, and takes a few shots at ALG with passive/aggressive eloquence.

As disappointed as many fans were with Alfaro’s split with ALG, and the band’s subsequent demise, this new Surfers record should salve those wounds. While the Surfers have always written complex punk rock songs, infused with melody and lyrics balanced between personal politics and social issues, this new album clearly looks to build on what I call the “Unholy Trinity” of ‘90’s Surfers albums — Hero of our Time, 666 Motor Inn and Going Nowhere Fast.

While the band’s last effort, Taste the Poison, was excellent, it lacked the furious riffing and technicality of the band’s earlier efforts. Back From Hell plays like a band that’s been tired of twiddling it’s thumbs for more than a decade, just itching to get back into a room and jam. There is a freshness and a vitality in BFH that should make the teenage fans and middle-aged punks alike want to pick up their skateboards and hit the streets.

 Rodrigo Alfaro is one of the most underrated songwriters in the history of punk rock. The dude is a borderline musical savant. While the lyrical subject matter on “BFH” might lack the gravity and personal reflections of Alfaro’s contributions to ALG’s Currents, it feels like Satanic Surfers, as well it should.

My favorite tracks on Back From Hell are “Catch My Breath”, “Self-Medication” and the album closer and title track “Back From Hell”. Despite Alfaro’s mighty contributions to Atlas Losing Grip, he clearly felt like a mercenary for hire while in that band.

Now, however, Alfaro is “home”. Listening to the lyrics on Back From Hell, it’s clear that Alfaro, and the rest of the band (which includes former ALG guitarist Max Hudden), are excited to resurrect Satanic Surfers — a seminal band that set the foundation 20-plus years ago for bands like ALG to build on.

Back From Hell is a fast album. It rips. Listening to it, I understand what Alfaro means when he sings “Chronically low. Shit I already know. I can’t handle stress. Let me catch my breath.” The album has a blistering pace and if you plan on singing along, you’ll need to come up for air every once in awhile.

 Newcomer Stefan Larsson might be the best drummer the Surfers have had since, well, Rodrigo Alfaro. Larsson has fit right into the band and matches the blazing nuance of Alfaro’s songwriting with a drumming clinic of his own.

Guitarist Magnus Blixtburg has been a Surfer since 1989, while bassist Andy Dahlstrom joined after 2002’s Unconsciously Confined. Their experience and chemistry together weaves this whole record together.

It’s an exciting time for the Satanic Surfers. This is how it’s done, skate-punkers. The Satanic Surfers were one of the progenitors of the skate-punk sound, and they inherently understand that you cannot sacrifice the quality of songwriting for the sake of technicality. There is a way to balance the two and the Satanic Surfers have proven their mastery of that formula with Back From Hell and that they remain the European kings of the genre.

 Four out of four stars

No Quarter - Freedom

Tracklist: 

01.Freedom 

02.One Hundred Metres 

03.Abandon Ship! This Fucker's Sinking 

04.The Air Up There 

05.Second Rate 

06.I.K.Y 

07.Bottle Tops and Jameson Shots 

08.Metrofucks 

09.KFC 

10.The Devil's Greatest Trick Was Convincing The World He Didn't Exist 

11.The Biblical Retelling Of Vesa The Finnish Chuck Norris 

12.Lost Boyz 4 Eva 

Label: Melodic Punk Style

Format: Cd jewel case

Release date: November 1st

Reviewed by Chad Jensen

The skate punk sound that was cultivated by the Epitaph and Fat Wreck bands (Epi-Fat) of the 90’s took a nose dive in scene popularity for about 10 years. When I was knee-deep in the scene, back in the mid-to-late 90’s and early 2000’s, we didn’t call it ‘skate punk’.

We called it ‘new school’ or ‘hardcore’. Sometimes ‘melodic hardcore’. It was all just punk rock, sped up with technical riffing and drumming and melodic vocal tones.

The punk attitude and aggression was still there, but we saw some truly phenomenal songwriters elevate punk rock into a whole new stratosphere — guys like Brett Gurewitz and Greg Graffin (Bad Religion), Fat Mike (NOFX), Jim Cherry (Strung Out, Pulley, Zero Down), Tony Sly (No Use), Russ Rankin (Good Riddance), Jim Lindberg and Jason Thirsk (Pennywise) and Joey Cape (Lagwagon), among others.

While the proliferation of skate punk bands might have slowed down for a while, the pillars who created the sound (those who survived) continued to create new music, keeping it alive for the next generation to pick it up.

And now skate punk seems to be gaining momentum again, thanks to some talented, young bands picking up the torch and running with it.

No Quarter is one them. Hailing from Australia, these boys clearly know what type of sound they’re looking to create. Musically, No Quarter reminds me of old Strung Out meeting old Pulley, with a different vocal delivery.

No Quarter’s vocalist is no schlub. He belts out songs like “Abandon Ship, This Fucker’s Sinking” with real power. While he doesn’t have much of a growl to his vox, it is a full-throated style, easily in command and control of where the music is taking him.

 No Quarter works to balance solid songwriting with technical riffs and drumming. My favorite songs off this record are the previously mentioned (ASTFS), “Bottle Tops and Jameson Shots”, and “Lost Boys 4 Eva”.

But No Quarter mixes up a few tracks with an acoustic opening, slowing down the controlled mayhem just long enough, before jumping right back on the rocket. Songs like “Freedom” and “I.K.Y.” exemplify this approach.

 I’ve enjoyed this record. While these boys definitely have a bead on where they’re headed, I can’t help but feel like this five-piece is still honing their sound. The longer they’re together and writing songs, the closer they’ll get to really figuring out their formula.

 One thing I’m not a huge fan of in modern skate punk are bands that go way overboard in trying to be technical. No Quarter, however, seem to understand the balance of being technical, with good songwriting and melody.

 I look forward to seeing how this band evolves. 3 out of 4 stars.

Listen/ Buy album at:

Suntrace - "Skate Fast Eat Ass"

Tracklist: 

01.For You 

02.Possessions 

03.Polonium 

04.Sugarcoated 

05.Idiotpond 

06.Mr.T 

07.Siamese 

08.Burden 

Label: Melodic Punk Style
Release date: November 13
Format: CD cardboard sleeve 
Buy/listen: Melodic Punk Style bandcamp


Reviewed by Jared Williams

Suntrace are a skate punk band in the purest form, as this is the first I have ever heard from them they sure have made a lasting impression on me with this album. I cannot wait to hear more from these guys in the future. 

For You 

The album opens up with a track that sounds like it belongs in a Tony Hawk game. This track reminds me a lot of Millencolin, so much melody in this track, it really packs a punch. An amazing start to the album. 

Possessions 

Tracks like this one are the best in my opinion, not too slow, not too fast. Although, it picks up towards the end, the riffs and drum work are reminiscent of The Ataris. Also a great use of the "woah, ohs". 

Polonium 

This track features a ska-esc tone. Outside of skate punk, ska is one of my favorite subgenre of punk. The band somehow captures a sound of ska/skate punk in one track. Making Polonium my favorite track so far on the album. 

Sugarcoated 

Right off the bat, the track starts strong full of that skate punk, melodic goodness, every track has melody and that is a great thing. This track in particular makes me feel happy but happy in the way that you can feel butterflies in your stomach and I'm not sure exactly why, but it's awesome! 

Idiotpond 

The record's 5th track is a complete banger, the kind of song that makes you wanna jump around no matter where you are. When I hear this track I can't help but to sing along. With an amazing riff, and fast paced drums it makes for a perfect track. 

Mr. T 

A track named after one of the most iconic public figures of the 80s. Brings forth another great track, that blends punk and a tiny pinch of ska toward the end. I truly love the sound of this album. 

Siamese 

One of the slower paced tracks of the album, it acts as a bit of a refresher, as a change in tempo after the first 6 tracks being fast paced. I like when album's change pace a bit, it makes for more of a diverse listen. 

Burden 

What a way to close this record, a song about a girl! Something all of us could relate to. Nothing makes a song better than being able to relate to the subject matter. It brings us all closer together with the unity of punk rock! 

Conclusion: 

With about 2 and a half months left in 2017, "Skate Fast Eat Ass" may be my favorite album of the year. Suntrace are a perfect of example of "defending skate punk". As I stated earlier, I cannot wait to hear more from Suntrace. Well until then, "Skate Fast Eat Ass" will be released on November 13th via Melodic Punk Style.

NOFX - First Ditch Effort

Tracklist: 

01.Six Years on Dope 

02.Happy Father’s Day 

03.Sid and Nancy 

04.California Drought 

05.Oxy Moronic 

06.I Don’t Like Me Anymore 

07.I’m A Transvest-lite 

08.Ditch Effort 

09.Dead Beat Mom 

10.Bye Bye Biopsy Girl 

11.It Ain’t Lonely at the Bottom 

12.I’m So Sorry Tony 

13.Generation Z

Label: Fat Wreck Chords
Release date: October 7, 2016

Reviewed by Chad Jensen


I’ve been on a NOFX kick lately. I just finished reading their tell-all book “The Hepatitis Bathtub” and let me tell you, it’s a phenomenal read. Go out and buy it. I found it for cheap on Amazon.

This is one of the most unique bands in punk rock history. Their sustained success over three decades is a case study in the DIY punk rock ethos.

They really did do it themselves. I’ve got to give them their props.

When singer-songwriter Fat Mike once famously sang “its my job to keep punk rock elite”, he meant it. He takes it very seriously. It informs not only his songwriting but also his label Fat Wreck Chords.

Reading their book, you learn rather quickly that drugs go hand-in-hand with NOFX. Fat Mike talks about mostly staying away from drugs as a teenager, through college and most of the early days of NOFX and Fat Wreck, with the exception of alcohol.

A heroin addiction almost caused NOFX to kick out their drummer Erik “Smelly” Sandin. Fortunately, the ultimatum was enough to literally scare him straight. He’s been clean and sobes since the mid-90’s.

Fat Mike didn’t really start using drugs until he was in his 30’s. In their book, he talks about how it takes several Valium and a few Vodkas for him to even muster up the energy to get on stage. Mike eventually got strung out on painkillers and very recently kicked his habit in rehab. Before he did that, however, Mike and NOFX wrote and recorded a new record.

 This is a review of NOFX’s new album “First Ditch Effort”. Some fans will be disappointed in the new record. And I understand why. It might not be as fast as previous NOFX albums but the songwriting is VERY good.

The record opens up with “Six Years On Dope” and it’s easily my favorite track on the album. It features guitarist Eric Melvin screaming on the verses with Fat Mike singing on the chorus. You want the Cliff-Notes version of Mike’s struggle with drugs and what sparked his decision to get clean? Read the lyrics to this song.

This album is replete with catchy punk rock songs. There’s no doubt Fat Mike has been heavily influenced as a songwriter by Bad Religion. He’s talked about it at length. But he also honed his own style of songwriting that blends the melodic song structure of Bad Religion with the riffy, technical discipline of RKL — another immensely influential band on Mike.

For the better part of the last 25 years, Mike has written some of the best songs in punk rock and he’s produced many of the best skatepunk albums ever produced. As he’s gotten older, his songwriting has stayed sharp, despite his drug abuse.

Never has it been so on point as it is on “First Ditch Effort”. I really have to tip my hat to him. The subject matter is a typical mix of comedy, stark life observations, political commentary and too much information (TMI). Those of you who have seen NOFX play over the last few years have noticed that he often dresses in women’s clothes. He openly discusses his predilection for cross-dressing on “I’m a Transvest-lite”.

One of the most poignant songs on the record is “I’m so sorry Tony” — written, of course, about No Use For a Name’s Tony Sly, who passed away in 2012. It opens with a piano intro and acoustic guitar, before exploding into quintessential NOFX.

“His dying isn’t tragic, it’s a fucking catastrophe.” 

We all miss Tony Sly’s musical contributions but this song is a sad reminder that his family and friends feel his loss most keenly.

One of the smartest and funniest punk rock songs written in a long, long time is “Oxy-moronic”. It’s a song written about the proliferation of prescription drugs in Western culture and how doctors have become just as pervasive as your run-of-the-mill drug dealers.

 In case you missed it, go check out the video NOFX made with Funny Or Die’s help for “Oxy-moronic”. This song is Fat Mike at his wittiest.

 Overall, “First Ditch Effort” is a little bit different stylistically than what we’ve come to expect from NOFX. But it’s very good. The golden rule I’ve lived by when listening to an album for the first time is this;

 Don’t make any determinations until you’ve listened to the entire thing at least three times.

 If you do that with “First Ditch Effort”, I’m confident you’ll become just as addicted to it as I have. On a four-star scale, I give it 3.5 stars.

Descendents - Hypercaffium Spazzinate

Tracklist: 

01.Feel This 

02.Victim Of Me 

03.On Paper 

04.Shameless Halo 

05.No Fat Burger 

06.Testosterone 

 07.Without Love 

 08.We Got Defeat 

09.Smile 

10.Limiter 

11.Fighting Myself 

12.Spineless and Scarlet Red 

13.Human Being 

14.Full Circle 

15.Comeback Kid 

16.Beyond the Music 

Release date: July 29, 2016

Label: Epitaph Records 

Reviewed by Chad Jensen 

The Descendents made us wait a long time for a new album. More than a decade. There are a multitude of reasons why it took the band so long to produce new material but the biggest hang-up was drummer and key songwriter Bill Stevenson’s health.

Stevenson had a giant blood clot removed from his lung and a softball-sized tumor removed from his brain a few years ago. Until the doctors figured out what was wrong with him, Stevenson just figured he’d become a fat, old, lame middle-aged man (Filmage).

Fortunately for Stevenson and the punk rock loving world, he has been rebuilt and new Descendents music has been unleashed on the world.

The group’s previous effort “Cool To Be You” was released on Fat Wreck Chords. For “Hypercaffium Spazzinate” and the band’s 5-song E.P. “Spazzhazard”, they returned to Epitaph Records, the label that released “Everything Sucks”, a live record and three ALL albums.

So, did the Descendents return with authority? Absolutely.

The new album begins with “Feel This”, a collaborative song with the words written by bassist Karl Alvarez and the music by guitarist Stephen Egerton. It hearkens back to the opening title track on “Everything Sucks”. Quick, brutal, and over before you know it.

The subject matter deals with the complicated emotions of losing a parent and rather than numbing the pain, wanting to “feel this” instead. Alvarez is one of punk rock’s best, and most underrated songwriters, and this song is his best contribution to the new record.

 Each song on this album deals with issues far removed from farting, fishing and unrequited romance that defined the Descendents in the 1980’s. These dudes are now in their 50’s and the problems they face now are very different than the ones they raged about as teenagers and young adults.

Stevenson’s health scare, and how it affected his marriage, is chronicled on “Without Love” and “Spineless and Scarlett Red”.

Infidelity, death, credit rating, religious hypocrisy, cholesterol and overcoming depression and personal obstacles are all topics covered in-depth on “Hypercaffium Spazzinate”. Singer Milo Aukerman, who built two careers — one as a scientist and one as a musician — was laid off from his job at DuPont not long before the band recorded the new album.

 The emotions Aukerman felt in losing his job and closing the book on what he had categorized as his “life’s work” as a scientist, are fleshed out on “Testosterone” and “Business AU”. If you purchased “Hypercaffium Spazzinate” Deluxe Version, you received the five songs featured on the “Spazzhazard” E.P. “Business AU” is one of them.

 There are some very catchy songs on this album. When you hear Alverez’s frenetic bass lines, Egerton’s technical savvy on guitar, Stevenson’s signature drumming and Milo’s gravely vocal melodies, you know exactly what band you’re listening to.

For fans looking for “Milo Goes To College” or “Everything Sucks” Part II, you’ll be disappointed. This album springboards off “Cool To Be You”, in terms of its more mature subject matter and sophisticated songwriting.

As a 36-year-old with a mortgage and a family, that’s not a bad thing. I relate to these songs, and the vast majority of the Descendents’ fans will too.

My favorite tracks include “Feel This”, “Without Love”, “Spineless and Scarlett Red”, “Shameless Halo” and “Business AU”. The only song I felt wasn’t completely up to snuff on this record is the 40-second “Human Being”. But whatever.

With Milo Aukerman saying that he’s now focusing his professional efforts solely on the Descendents, perhaps we can look forward to this punk rock powerhouse returning to making music at a more prolific rate. They’ve been on the road supporting the new album, so get out and see them. And buy this record.

The world needs more Descendents music. I give "Hypercaffium Spazzinate" four stars out of four."

Six7teen - Short but sweet!

Tracklist: 

01.six7teen 

02.Turmoil 

03.Simple 

04.Brief 

05.The Drive 

06.Radio 

07.Weaveworld 

Band web site:

Six7teen 

Review by Chad Jensen

Six7teen hail from Austin, TX, one of the creative capitals of the world for the arts. That artistic element is clearly present in their 7-song EP titled “Short But Sweet”.

Six7teen’s music is mid-tempo pop punk. There are some indie elements to it, and for some listeners, that can be refreshing. For those looking for straight forward pop punk, you’ll have to hone your expectations a little bit.

“Short But Sweet” was engineered and produced by Stephen Egerton (Descendents, ALL), and there’s certainly nothing lacking in that department. The EP is sonically crisp and clean, but somehow manages to capture a vital, lively garage band aspect. That energy adds to the experience.

And you can hear the Descendents/ALL influence in the band. Whether that’s due to the influence of the producer, or the band’s natural sound, its hard to say.

But there’s a great energy to the music. The vocals are clean and always melodic. In punk rock, I tend to side with Bill Stevenson in that music—and vocals—can be aggressive and hardcore, but somewhere there has to be melody.

Six7teen brings the melody, there’s no doubting that. Some of their tunes, like “The Drive” even reminds me of early Green Day. Six7teen’s music might be mid-tempo, but its not lacking in technicality, which again speaks to the Descendents/All vibe.

 For those looking for a catchy, short but sweet soundtrack to highlight their summer, Six7teen’s EP will most certainly do the job.

Belvedere - “The Revenge of the Fifth”

Tracklist: 

01.Shipwreck 

02.Hairline 

03.Years 

04.Transmissions 

05.Delicastressin 

06.Revenge Of The Fifth 

07.Red Pawn's Race 

08.Achilles 

09.The Architect 

10.As Above, So Below 

11.Carpe Per Diem 

12.Generation Debt 

Label: Bird Attack Records

Release date: May 5, 2016

Format: CD, vinyl 

Buy:

Bird Attack Records (USA)

Lockjaw Records (Europe)
Belvedere (Canada)

Reviewed by: Marc Ryan


When it comes to iconic bands in the Canadian skate punk / melodic hardcore scene, Belvedere is a definite stand-out. They have inspired so many bands, especially from their breakup in 2005 to the present day. The saying always goes that when an artist passes away, his art becomes far more popular and lucrative. The same can be said of a band like Belvedere during their inactive years. Fans craved for more music along the chance of a reunion show and possibly more. On April 27, 2012 it became a reality in Paris and that's all she wrote.

Since 2005, the band members have matured like all of us, started families and like many bands when they call it quits, the members were involved in other musical projects which provided new musical tastes. Therefore, with "The Revenge of the Fifth" (RofTF) you have certain songs that are reminiscent of the band's 2004 full length, "Fast Forward East the Tape" (FFETT), and other songs that provide a new feel (more on that later). Like many in the scene and especially in Canada, FFETT opened a lot of eyes and ears since the guitars and song structure are so unique and mesh so well-together. For me anyways, it's an iconic album and like "The Shape of Punk To Come" by Refused, a signature album for its genre. Talk about a tough act to follow, right!?

As mentioned previously, as the band evolved as people, so did their sound. On RofTF, you get that old school Belvedere feel with songs like "Hairline", "Transmissions", "Revenge of the Fifth" and "The Architect" but you also see the band's progression with songs like "Carpe Per Diem" with its new vocal ideas and "Delicastressin" which to me, is the most complete song on this album as you hear, dare I say, the new Belvedere. The song's tempo changes, shred factor and its memorable chorus line give me goosebumps like past Belvedere classics. Casey, the band's most recent member (drums), also had a big impact on the band's sound. And if you haven't heard Casey's other band, The Evidence, do yourself a favor and listen to their latest effort, "Potential" (2013). Along with being on drums, he's the lead vocalist, and damn, that man can sing! So you can expect some very fine back-ups from Casey (and the guys) when Belvedere resumes their post-RofTF shows in 2016 and throughout the album of course.

Lyrically, the band touches on many subjects, and once again, this is due to their years away from the scene. From world issues, to the highs and lows of playing shows when you start off as a band, to being responsible for the future of our planet, RofTF is about the past and the future since as we all know, Belvedere didn't choose this life, this life chose them long ago.

After a few years of Belvedere writing this gem, it was well-worth the wait for fans and ultimately, for the band to put their work into reality. Once a band returns to the scene after years of inactivity, there is always an expectation to sound just like the days of old, and in this case, I'm happy that Belvedere stayed on that path but also more importantly, the guys created a new masterpiece, a fine piece of art.

69enfermos – “Beyond Borders”

01. Numbers 

02. A Better World 

03. Maribor 

04. Once Again 

05. Choices Made 

06. Fading Away 

07. I See It 

08. In The Nineties 

09. Wake Up 

10. The Calling  

Release date: November 2015
Label: Melodic Punk Style, Morning Wood Records and Pro Rawk Records
Buy: Melodic Punk Style bandcamp


Reviewed by Chad Jensen


69 Enfermos new album "Beyond Borders" is a technically proficient, melodic tip of the hat to many bands that have come before, while also blazing a trail of their own.

The albums opens with a blazing fast beat on "Numbers" with octave chords reminiscent of '90s era No Use for A Name. Each song goes for the jugular and the melodic aggression doesn't relent until the album concludes.

The vocals remind me of Millencolin though.

Some people say this band sounds like No Use. That's partly true. But the vocals are the final element that build the complete character of the band.

 In 69 Enfermos' case, it's similar to Nikola Sarcevic and that's not a bad thing. It's always impressive when a band sings/writes in a second language. Hailing from Columbia, 69 Enfermos fits comfortably in English.

The vocals are smooth and never stray from pitch. Not a gruffy, throaty vocal, but very pop-punk.

This album is quintessential for any fan of melodic hardcore. The song structure of each song is penned by guys who've been paying close attention to their heroes.

In a good way. I'm not saying that 69 Enfermos are copy cats, but rather they wear their influences on their sleeve, and in today's day and age, where good, new Skatepunk is hard to come by, 69 Enfermos carries the torch forward with authority.

I find myself turning back to this album more and more. I highly recommend this album to any fan of Melodic Hardcore. 3 and half stars.

Chad Jensen

Good Riddance - Peace In Our Time

Tracklist:

01.Disputatio 

02.Contrition 

03.Take It to Heart 

04.Half Measures 

05.Grace and Virtue 

06.No Greater Fight 

07.Dry Season 

08.Teachable Moments 

09.Washed Away 

10.Our Better Nature 

11.Shiloh 

12.Running on Fumes 

13.Year Zero 

14.Glory Glory

Release date: April 21

Label: Fat Wreck Chords

Reviewed by Chad Jensen 


Other than Bad Religion, Good Riddance might be the most influential punk band in my life and many of you who read this review can probably say the same. Primary songwriter and vocalist, Russ Rankin, has the knack to craft a brutal, hard-hitting hardcore song on one track, and on the very next, a poppy love song.

As a lyricist, Rankin has a unique ability to articulate deep philosophical and political messages and condense them into a song we can all related to. In this regard, he takes backseat only to Bad Religion’s songwriting duo of Greg Graffin and Brett Gurewitz. Rankin’s words cover a wide-ranging variety, such as veganism, misogyny, post-traumatic stress disorder, family expectations, political commentary, women’s rights, sexual virtue, sappy love and much, much more.

I’ve had the honor of sharing the stage with Good Riddance, and having met them, I can say that they truly honor the DIY approach and punk rock ethos. And each member of the band is truly passionate about punk rock and what Good Riddance means to people.

 After more than a decade of cranking out their own phenomenal blend of melodic hardcore, GR called it a career back in 2007, because that passion had begun to fizzle. The daunting task of competing in the ever-evolving culture of the music business had worn thin for them.

 They played a series of farewell shows in their home state, including a date at the Catalyst in their hometown of Santa Cruz, CA., which they recorded live and released as “Remain In Memory”—one of the best live punk rock albums of all time. Fast forward to 2012 and GR began to get that itch to perform again.

 They started by playing shows and some big festivals, with no plans of creating new music. It didn’t take long for them to feel the pull of writing new material, which they finally did, and recorded with Bill Stephenson at the Blasting Room in Fort Collins, CO.

The result is “Peace In Our Time”, a 14-track blazing melodic hardcore record that comes in under 26 minutes. The opening track is “Disputatio”, which begins with a gruff bassline by Chuck Platt and rolling drums, laid down by one of the best drummers in the Fat Wreck catalog, Sean Sellers.

 Once Luke Pabich’s guitars come in, your blood is pumping. When Rankin finally makes his entrance, there is no doubt who you’re listening to—Good Riddance is back! The band does a tremendous job of keeping up the phenomenal tradition of killer opening tracks here.

 Their last full length album before they broke up, “My Republic”, is an amazing record, and “PIOT” follows the same path and feels like the natural sequel. However, if there’s anything different about “PIOT” than “My Republic”, or any of their previous records for that matter, its that the songs are very fast and relatively short.

They don’t follow the verse-chorus-times-three formula that is the custom of most punk rock song structures. Rankin and company keep it short and sweet and the result makes you want to repeat the previous song, rather than skip on to the next, because the melody and impact are so immediate and short-lived.

GR didn’t return to the “poppy” well much on “PIOT”, with the exception of “Grace and Virtue”, which follows the path laid down by Rankin on records past. Rankin’s vocal has always been melodic and has always skirted the borderline of a hardcore scream. On “PIOT”, however, we find Rankin mostly singing, rather than screaming, which could be more of a result of his weathered vocal chords, than a planned songwriting strategy. But the result is excellent and more of a melodic GR record.

Sellers' drums on “PIOT” are as powerful and tight as they’ve ever been. When he left the band, following “Operation Phoenix”, I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing from the band’s sound. GR needs Sellers' unique brand of precise percussion. He is as integral to GR’s sound as Rankin’s vocals or Pabich’s guitars. Fortunately, Sellers returned to the band in time for "My Republic".

Speaking of Sellers, his performance on “Our Better Nature” gives me the proverbial goosebumps. There’s a millisecond pause at the end of the bridge that leads to the chorus and it’s so tight, it emphasizes the following chorus with great power.

The production on “PIOT” is reminiscent of “My Republic” and shows the savvy hand of the previously mentioned Bill Stephenson, who is the best at honing that hardcore sound laced with melody that we’ve come to expect and look forward to in his work as a producer.

“Dry Season” displays those octave guitar riffs leading up to the verse that have become the calling card of GR, as best exemplified on some of the best songs in their catalogue, such as “Weight of the World” and “Shadows of Defeat”.

There is not one track on “Peace In Our Time” that you’ll want to skip. Each song blazes and stands on it’s own merit. With this album, Good Riddance honors the precedent set by Lagwagon on their latest effort “Hang”, that shows that Fat Wreck Chords’ illumni bands, the ones who helped build the label from the ground up, still have something relevant to say more than 20 years later, and can still be found leading the way on the top of the punk rock mountain. Four out of four stars.

Chad Jensen

Strung Out - Transmission.Alpha.Delta

 Tracklist:

01.Rats In The Walls 

02.Rebellion Of The Snakes 

03.The Animal And The Machine 

04.Modern Drugs 

05.Black Maps 

06.Spanish Days 

07.Tesla 

08.Nowheresville 

09.Magnolia 

10.Go It Alone 

11.No Apologies 

12.Westcoasttrendkill 

Release date:  March 24, 2015

Label: Fat Weck Chords

Reviewed by Chad Jensen

Strung Out made a huge impact on me as a young skate-punker in the 1990s. Their music even helped to inspire me to start my own melodic hardcore band. Their 1998 magnum opus “Twisted By Design” is one of the best melodic punk records of all time. Sadly, it was the last album that former bassist, founding member, and primary songwriter Jim Cherry, would appear on.

 Jim Cherry penned the deepest and most meaningful songs in Strung Out’s catalogue. “Bring Out Your Dead”, “Mind Of My Own”, and “Ultimate Devotion” are three punk rock songs that represent the pinnacle of some of the best songwriting I’ve ever heard. I had the pleasure of knowing Jim and I was anguished when he passed away more than 13 years ago. Since Cherry was 86-ed from the band, Strung Out has spent the better part of the last two decades writing melodic punk rock, infused with metalic riffs and mind-blowing percussion

However, vocalist Jason Cruz doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed as a ‘90s skate-punk band, as he recently told New Noise Magazine.

 “I get sick of the old stuff. I get sick of feeling like I suck off the old stuff,” Cruz said. “I don’t like doing this unless I feel like I’m contributing to something. Like I’m furthering, I’m adding something to what we do. I don’t want to be a fucking nostalgia band, or, like, a ‘90s skate punk band. I don’t want to be any of that fucking shit. I don’t give a fuck about the ‘90s. I don’t give a fuck about 2000 or George Bush or what Fat Wreck Chords was or what Strung Out was. I don’t give a fuck about any of that. I give a fuck about what we’re doing now, what we’re contributing now.”

 What Strung Out is contributing now might not speak to me like their first three albums on Fat Wreck Chords do, but they still have something meaningful to say and the music on their latest effort “Transmission Alpha Delta” is worthy of their sonic reputation. The album opens with “Rats In The Walls” and has a really cool bass-line that catches you right out of the gates. As a complete unit, Strung Out’s technical riffs, military-precision drums and Cruz’s aching rasp of a vocal (which still conveys melody and emotion) hits hard on the opening track.

 “Transmission Alpha Delta” took more than two years to record. The band was meticulous about getting the songs and their sound right for this record. And it paid off. Jordan Burns is his usual virtuoso self on drums. I can sit and listen to Strung Out all day for Burns’ performances alone.

 The guitar work on “TAD” is impeccable as usual. Rob Ramos and Jake Kiley duel with one another on the axe throughout the album and complement one another well. If I’m being honest, however, I could do with a little less busy guitar work underneath almost every song’s chorus. Sometimes it’s a little too “metaly” for me and takes away from the melody of the song structure and vocal. My biggest gripe with modern Strung Out is that this happens too often. Less is more would suit me better, but hey, I don’t write their songs.

 Chris Aiken has really evolved as a bass player, since replacing Jim Cherry in the late ‘90s. His contributions as a songwriter in the band have helped to shape their post-Cherry sound. On this album, I find myself more impressed by Aiken’s bass work than I have been since “Exile In Oblivion”.

 Cruz’s mercurial lyrics have a haunting undertone to them on “TAD”. His lyrics and vocal performance make the album. It could be Cruz’s best effort since the aforementioned “Exile in Oblivion”. My favorite tracks are “Rats in the Walls”, “Tesla” and “Modern Drugs”.

The bottom line is that on “TAD”, Strung Out has found a way to keep one foot in the known and one in the unknown, with even some gang vocals popping up a few times. As soon as Cruz’s vocals kick in, you know exactly who you’re listening to. But on “TAD”, the band is obviously pushing themselves to some uncharted territory and it serves them well. The Strung Out of the ‘90s is dead and gone. It went the way of the dodo when Cherry left the band. But Strung Out still has something to say and their latest contribution to their catalogue is one that deserves to be owned by any fan of melodic hardcore. I give “Transmission Alpha Delta” 3 and a half stars out of 4.

Lagwagon - Hang

Tracklist:

01.Burden of Proof 

02.Reign 

03.Made of Broken Parts 

04.The Cog in the Machine 

05.Poison in the Well 

06.Obsolete Absolute 

07.Western Settlements 

 08.Burning Out in Style 

09.One More Song 

10.Drag 

11.You Know Me 

12.In Your Wake 

Released date: October 28, 2014

Label: Fat Wreck Chords
Format: CD, LP

Reviewed by Chad Jensen 

It’s been 9 years since Lagwagon put out a new record. 2008’s E.P. “I Think My Older Brother Used To Listen To Lagwagon”, a self deprecating title, doesn’t count, because it was only 7 tracks. During this 9-years hiatus, lead singer, Joey Cape, focused primarily on his solo acoustic career. Some people dig his acoustic stuff, but as much as I love Cape’s songwriting prowess, I’ve never been able to get into his acoustic stuff. His music is best expressed through a full-band. Plugged in and fully rocking. In other words, when it comes to Joey Cape music, give me Lagwagon all day long.

 “Hang”. That’s the title of Lagwagon’s new record that just dropped on October 28th via Fat Wreck Chords. And let me tell you; as much as it sucked not having any new Lagwagon material since 2008, if going 6 years in between new material will produce a record as good as “Hang”, then I’m happy to wait another 6 years. “Hang” is a masterpiece. Although Lagwagon has never put out a bad record, it’s my personal opinion that they peaked with their 2nd album, “Trashed” in 1994.

“Hoss”, “Double Pladinum”, “Let’s Talk About Feelings” and “Blaze”, are all good records in their own right, but they pale in comparison to the riffy, fast-paced, technically melodic twin albums, “Duh” and “Trashed”. “Duh” and “Trashed” are two of the best punk rock records of the ‘90s and served to launch the Fat-Sound that revolutionized punk rock. Lagwagon’s dark, cathartic album “Resolve”, released in 2005, is excellent, but it’s not one I can listen to often, just because it’s so heavy and topic specific. Heavy from an emotional standpoint. It was written and recorded as a tribute to their founding drummer, Derrick Plourde, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, after years of battling drug addiction.

Most of my friends will disagree with me, when it comes to Lagwagon’s back catalogue. They love “Hoss” through “Blaze”, just as much as “Duh” or “Trashed”. I do not. And if you’re like me, then you’re going to absolutely love “Hang”. The new album begins with “Burden of Proof”, an acoustic number that harkens back to “Alien8”. A stripped down, poppy intro to what will lead to a blistering series of songs.

“Burden of Proof” leads into “Reign” and to be honest, it’s hard to tell where one song ends and the other begins. This song is great and reminiscent of something off of “Double Pladinum”. The subject matter in these songs, and throughout the album, deals with a older man’s seasoned view of the modern world and how he and his family, fit in. At 48 years old, Cape’s subject matter on “Hang’’ is often a scathing indictment of the advancement of modern technology and how it’s served to render many things that used to be normal, obsolete. And nullified so much of the human connection.

The song that introduced most people to “Hang” is “Cog in the Machine”, the 4th song on the album. It begins with a riffy guitar lick and pounding drums that immediately gets your blood pumping. Speaking of drums, Dave Raun’s drums sound so good and so precise on this album. It’s definitely his best effort as the drummer for Lagwagon. The production on this record, done by the Blasting Room’s Bill Stevenson, is slick, it’s big and it will blow you away. Production-wise, it sounds much more powerful than any other Lagwagon record you’ve ever heard.

Following “Cog in the Machine’’, Lagwagon churns through a series of 3 songs in “Poison the Well”, “Obsolete Absolute” and “Western Settlement”, that have struck me on an emotional level, unlike anything since “Trashed”. Like Cape, and as a parent of young children, I also wonder how they will fit into this modern world with all of its problems. Cape dwells on these issues in poetic detail and it will touch your soul.

 Joey Cape was with Tony Sly right before he died. He was there as Tony worked on what Cape has described as a beautiful song that will never see the light of day. They became close friends. And Cape pays great homage to Sly in “One More Song”. For fans of No Use For A Name, you’ll love that the band also covers No Use’s “Exit” from “Leche Con Carne” on the deluxe version of “Hang”. I recommend buying that version of this album.

 I think my favorite song on the record is “Drag”. A song that deals with the subject matter of quitting smoking and the psychological trips that nicotine addiction plays on the mind. Cape’s voice on this song, and throughout the record, is strikingly powerful, even more so than his vocal efforts on “Duh” and “Trashed”, when he was a young man, full of piss and vinegar.

This entire album is perfect. There is not one track on the record that you could possibly skip over. Each and every song stands strong on a foundation built on emotional lyrics, melody, powerfully technical drumming and riffy, layered guitars. The bass work by newcomer and former RKL bassist, Joe Riposo, is phenomenal. He adds his own personality on this record.

Joey Cape recently said in an interview that “Hang” is Lagwagon’s most collaborative record ever. For most Lagwagon albums, Cape would write a bunch of songs and when he felt like there were enough for a record, the band would get together and he’d teach them to the guys. There wasn’t much difference between the songs he conceived at home and the way they turned out on the records.

This time was different. Everyone contributed to the songwriting, says Cape. And the result is the best melodic punk record to come out since Ignite’s “Our Darkest Days”. Pennywise’s “All or Nothing” and Bad Religion’s “True North” are both excellent albums. But none of them are as original and emotive and virulent as “Hang”. This album will burrow into the deepest recesses of your lizard brain and leave you wanting more. I give it 4 stars out of 4. If I could give it 5 stars out 4, I would. It’s that good.