All posts by vladkraykulla

Active member of alternative underground scene and culture since early 1990-ies. Underground is a way of life!

(review) Mad Caddies – House on Fire (Fat Wreck Chords)

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Things are much better coping with all that no gigs and festivals covid shit, now that Mad Caddies delivered their new e.p. with Fat Wreck Chords.

Californian ska reggae punks this time released an e.p. featuring 5 songs of their trademark melodic punk mixed with reggae and ska and brass instruments. Chuck sings like an angel hehe and the songs are just fantastic. Let It Go is a song in reggae style about letting go the love although it hurts with nice melody and I can totally relate. What is my favorite song on the record is doo wop influenced Waiting For The Real Thing, being a bit different and great than the rest of the material. Strange Days has so beautiful chorus and harmonies that make you hum and sing it the whole day after listening to the record over and over again. Dogs Of War is a classic MC song with flowing vocal verse lines, anthemic chorus and shows how this band never gets boring or stale. Wake My Baby is acoustic starting song turning into upbeat piano backed song and gentle lyrics and melody. This is awesome e.p. and I really can´t wait for the new full length.

https://madcaddies.bandcamp.com/album/house-on-fire

(review) The Order Of The Fly – Into This Abyss

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The Order Of The Fly is a proof of versatility and richness of horror punk scene. This band is celebrating their 20th anniversary of mischief and what better way to celebrate it than with the new album.

This band from San Bernardino led by Ralphie Repulsive on bass and vocals, always was one of my favorite horror punk bands. Why? Because they mix horror punk, hardcore, metal, industrial, gothic and even EBM in their songwriting creating dark and thickened atmosphere, almost you can feel it and touch it while listening. Yet, they retained a lot of melodies at the same time still holding on to their punk and hardcore roots thus delivering the best from both worlds.

This new album contains 15 songs carrying the story, couple of them being kind of interludes, making and creating atmosphere for the continuation of the main storyline in lyrics. Ralphie is screaming, whispering, singing and his vocals are soo fantastic, I love how they fit perfectly to the different songs and their atmosphere. Dual synth work is superb, guitar riffs catchy, metallic and thick, backing vocal harmonies awesome like they should be in this kind of bands. Double bass on drums, fast parts, slower rolling songs are totally fit for the album and this band will just never disappoint. Favorite songs: Pull You Under, The Persistence Of Vermin, Ashes.

https://theorderofthefly.bandcamp.com/album/into-this-abyss

(review) Touche Amore – Lament

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Touche Amore are Los Angeles based hardcore punk band. Their approach to songwriting and exploring some new territories outside the box brought them great respect and love in the hardcore punk community.

The music of Touche Amore is emotional and melodic hardcore in its base, also punk rock from which it all evolved, yet the band is not afraid to explore the territories of screamo, noise, post punk and even pop and play with them, thus creating a sonic landscape that just makes you sink in the songs and let them take you to some other place, where there is no pain, no depression and no sadness, place where you can face the Sun with the honest smile on your face and raise your hand, point the middle finger to the world and all the ghosts that haunt you in your black heart.

This new record contains 11 songs and I think that is the best to listen to this album as a whole because it carries the story in a way. It is not a concept album per se, but I understood it that way. The fast hardcore punk parts in some songs like awesome Feign shows the band´s roots and punk rock upbringings. But, atmospheric parts are what enriches the songs and makes them real jewels in the hardcore punk crown. Lyrics are poetic, but understandable and when I read the lyrics I am reminded why I love hardcore so much all these almost thirty years. Jeremy Bolm´s vocals are just fantastic, from screaming parts to cleanly sung melodic parts are impressive how fast they can transform. It is soo hard to take some songs which I can consider as favorites above rest because the record is fantastic, but I will try: Feign, Reminders, A Broadcast.

https://toucheamore.bandcamp.com/album/lament