(review) Apathy Cycle-Apathy Cycle

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Well, this record and music on this one is a revelation. I haven´t listen something so good for a while. Apathy Cycle are from California and this is their new record. There are intro plus twelve songs on this record. The music is melodic hardcore punk, but what songs, what choruses, what energy! The lyrics are political yet mixed with fine dose of personal and they fit perfectly to the music, written so nicely. I love it. Also, the music is varied, from technical skatepunk of Premium Healthscare across hardcore of Forgotten Genocide to unusual Muted Light which has one of the best choruses I have heard this year, also angry punk of Feeling Snowed In and that guitar solo which shows all the technical might of this band. If I must compare music of Apathy Cycle to some bands, it would be like a mix of Chaser and Ignite, but retaining a really big dose of originality, not being anyone´s clone. This is great album, I am really glad I have heard it. Go support the guys if you like their music.

10/10

https://apathycycle.bandcamp.com/

(review) Namet-Propast

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Nice to see NAMET from Zagreb, Croatia are back with their brand new release. They had some personal problems, I was afraid that they will not be able to play anymore, but fortunately I was wrong. The new record is recorded by Filip from Studio Depth and it is a powerful tour de force. 8 songs with lyrics in Croatian language show all the anger and much needed rage in todays shitty world. The music of Namet is a mixture of hardcore punk, but with crust punk and darkened melodic death metal almost Gothenburg style melodeath riffs thrown here and there in the song structures, sometimes bordering with old school Swedish style of death metal and d-beat. The vocals are angry, screaming yet you can understand what is being sung so that is another plus. Recommended songs: Gnjev, Neka Gori, Pokvaren Do Srži. Great album by great band, so go support your scene.

8,5/10

https://namet.bandcamp.com/

LESS THAN JAKE Launches Lost At Home Sessions; Proceeds Benefit MusiCares

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Ska punk luminaries LESS THAN JAKE launches its first installment of Lost At Home Sessions. Volume One “Just Like Andy” is now on sale over at Bandcamp. Those who purchase the song at the current price will automatically be entered to win a prize pack that includes an old and rare glow-in-the-dark bobblehead and some out of print vinyl. Contest entries close on May 22nd and Volume Two will be on the horizon. Also, a portion of the proceeds will benefit MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

A message from the band: “Being cooped up at home like the rest of you, we thought it would be fun to keep the creative juices flowing and see if we could make music from five separate locations. That’s right, we’ve never played these songs together. It’s kind of an experiment, but we’re gonna have fun!”

MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares‘ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly influence the health and welfare of the music community. The Recording Academy and its affiliated charitable foundation MusiCares have established the COVID-19 Relief Fund to help our peers in the music community affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Continuing to play over 150 dates a year while also writing and recording new material has kept the band fresh in a time when “ska” has become something of a four letter word. The list of acts they have supported is staggering (Bon Jovi, Linkin Park, Snoop Dogg) while the list of bands that have supported them makes even the most hardened music industry veteran do a double take (Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Yellowcard). All the while the band has held firm to its punk rock roots and have managed to live through many musical trends simply by just being Less Than Jake.

With well over 300 releases on various labels under their belt, most would think their legacy is already in tact, but the status quo has never interested Less Than Jake. They continue to write and perform new material and have no thoughts of letting up. With the energy and exuberance of a band half its age and the determination of savvy veterans, there is seemingly no end point to this enduring and entertaining band.

LESS THAN JAKE is Chris DeMakes (vocals, guitar), Roger Lima (vocals, bass), Buddy Shaub (trombone), Peter “JR” Wasilewski (saxophone), and Matt Yonker (drums).