Mal Aux Yeux are coming from northern France and this is their debut album that came out with Gargouille Asso.
There are 13 songs on this record and they are all but one being sung in French, so I don`t understand what are they about, but I let the music speak for itself. The music is harsh and rhythmic complex hardcore punk, not your straightforward charging, but with smart song structures, complex guitar and drum parts, yet still being enough catchy and melodic to appeal to the fans of more melodic side of things, like my favorite song on this record En pleine rue. Faster, more aggressive parts mix with almost math core precise riffs, and angry shouted vocals, sometimes diving into melody fit just perfectly to the music like in awesome Detruire mon corps. There is an interlude almost in the middle of the record to add to the heaviness and atmosphere of the record. Good one, French hardcore punk scene is one of the best in the world.
Thousand Islands Records continues with releasing fantastic records and bands. This time, The Shorts from Australia deliver their brand new e.p. Punkrock trio delivers six songs of melodic, heartfelt punk with some fast skatepunk parts thrown in for good measure. I love the more faster songs like great Shady Ladies or The Drugs being one of my favorites on this record, short and sweet, but Sherlock and its midtempo is also great. The vocals are good, I love the harmonies on backing vocals, everyone who reads this zine knows how much I love harmonies, they are done perfect in awesome K Man, making great chorus, almost pop punk. Walls reminded me a bit of Nofx, early albums, being perfect midtempo energetic powerful punkrock song. The longest song on the record is a bit weird Gerard Never Made It To Brim, midtempo nice song with almost country touch I heard at the beginning, but evolving into nice interplay between vocals and backing vocals, don´t really know what the lyrics are about, but rather personal I think. The title song is also fast skatepunk anthem that need mentioning as one of the best on the record. I can`t wait for the full length.
American punkrockers Off With Their Heads released their new one, called Character. What we get here? We get 8 shiny songs of melodic, emotional, heartfelt punkrock. This is not music for the fans of speedy and uptempo skatepunk hardcore, this is emotional pure punkrock done from heart and having recognizable, perfect voice to follow the song structures, guitar and bass lines. This material is, I don˙t know how to put it, more calm, makes me wanna smile and enjoy the sunny day and have a break from all the rebellion, punk no bullshit middle finger in the air stuff, just hold my breath and enjoy the music. Keyboard in the songs, like in Always Alone, makes the melancholic and yet happy vibe all the more in the front of listener. Also, acoustic parts, like in Take Me Away are atmosphere pure. Great record. Check this one out.
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