Topsy Turvy’s are no strangers to this zine, this melodic punk band from Poitiers, France has already been featured with their singles announcing this full length and finally it is here! This beauty contains 11 songs of melodic pop punk, old school one, reminding of all those nineties melodic punk bands, not fast but punk rock done with heart and emotion. Dual vocals fit in such perfect harmony, that in some songs they made goosebumps upon my skin. Lyrics are in English and songs deal with you everyday themes to which all of us can relate to in more or less way. I enjoyed this one so much that 2023 started, but it is already a candidate for one of the top releases of melodic punk this year. This is not your fast skate punk as you might have been used from some Californian bands, but the songs remind me a lot of No Use For A Name how great they are written and the melodies they deliver. I would certainly love so much to check this one out on stage, they are so sweet. My personal highlights and favorites on this album change from listening to listening, but I will try for this review: Forever Alone, Not So Long and Are We Still Alive?
A bit older release but it doesn’t matter. Archgoat are Finnish veterans with their roots going back even to 1989. Formed by Ritual Butcherer and Lord Angelslayer, this entity deliver their vision of apocalyptic black death metal with Satanic themes and thus create a vision of fire, void, blackness and utter destruction. The music of Archgoat is bestial, not unlike Blasphemy and similar contemporary bands, there are some synth ritualistic undertones but this is darkness itself. Thundering bass and guitars blistering with hate, coupled with Lord Angelslayer’s death metal growling rather than your usual black metal screaming. There are four songs on this one, all fist in the eye of nazarene and his minions. Songs like Nightside Prayer or The Semen of Anti-Mastery are going to bring you to war eternally.
As promised, here is the review for new issue, number 13 of the best fanzine in this region right now. Fanzine is in Serbian language with contributors from all over ex Yugoslavia region. This one featured more or less interesting interview with Cock Sparrer, great interview with Napalm Death, this issue’s special is about one of the best Serbian hardcore bands Unison and how they recorded their album. What I love the most are tour stories and diaries, this issue contains tour diary of Parnepar(excellent!) and Sukob/Nailed In mini tour diary(more excellent!). Columns were always important for me in such fanzines so these columns in this issue are superb plus festival reports and gig reports that I also love to read. Fanzine ends as usual with music and fanzine reviews. Hats off to the crew and I eagerly await next issue.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 