All posts by vladkraykulla

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

(news) MUCH THE SAME – Everything Is Fine new studio album

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Reunited in 2015 after an 8 year hiatus, Chicago’s MUCH THE SAME continues carrying the torch of aggressive, melodic skate punk. Originally formed in 1999, the band quickly gained popularity in the Chicago punk scene, and eventually broke into national and international awareness with their ‘Quitters Never Win’ album in 2003 (A-F Records) and ‘Survive’ in 2006 (Nitro Records). Though the band broke up in 2007, word of mouth continued to grow their fanbase throughout the world. Much The Same now celebrates its 20-year anniversary and guitarist Dan O’Gorman’s recent victory over cancer by releasing their third full-length album, ‘Everything is Fine’.
When asked about the new album frontman Chris McGrath replied “Thirteen years have passed since we released Survive and we are very different people than we were back then. Everything is Fine is definitely a lyrically darker album, but musically more upbeat. It is a progression in our sound and our songwriting, and we experimented a little bit more than we have before, but it is still every bit a Much The Same record: fast, melodic punk rock with choruses that won’t leave your head and lyrics about real life.  There was no grand plan in writing this album, and no expectations of what might come of it, just a chronicling of a very difficult time in our lives and a celebration of the opportunity to play music together again.”

Pee Records will release ‘Everything Is Fine’ on CD and Limited Edition 12″ vinyl with alternate vinyl colours of the LP also available from  Thousand Island Records in US/Canada and Lockjaw Records in the UK. Pre-Orders will be available on  Pee Records webstore soon when they´ll also be releasing the first single from the album!

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(record review)COKIE THE CLOWN-You´re Welcome(Fat Wreck Chords)

Cokie The Clown is the alter ego of Fat Mike, the singer/bassist of legendary Nofx and he just released his new record on Fat Wreck Chords. I listened and reviewed the record in our zine.

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What to say first? I am still in awe of this record after listening it for couple of times now. It made me cry, it gave me hope, it helped me and also got me down too. Basically, this record is one man´s walkthrough personal Hell and fighting the personal demons and the past that haunts. The music is not similar to Nofx, nowhere near, it is haunting melodic mainly acoustic music with piano, synth melodies and also sometimes drums which add to the drama of the songs. Lyrics are the darkest lyrics I have ever heard in punkrock. Themes are death, suicide, coping with loss, depression, pain and heartache. Cokie The Clown does not give hope, it takes hope away from you. All of us who suffer from wicked depression throughout the years understand this record and love Cokie because he gave us this music. Some of you who read Hepatitis Bathtub book will know some of the song themes on this record. There is no in between, you will either love or hate this record. I love every single second. There are no hits on this record, no favorite songs, you have to listen to it as a whole.

10/10

https://fatwreck.com/

(record review)IEatHeartAttacks-Please Just Dance Death+Hello Cole Porter (Zegema Beach Records)

Norway is not only a land for black metal, but there are plenty good hardcore punk bands there. This time I reviewed the record by IEatHeartAttacks out with Zegema Beach Records.

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There are 12 songs on this record combining previous releases on one place. The music of this band can be categorized as harsh hardcore punk with noise influences. The whole material is very nervous sounding hardcore, but there are nice underlayers of melody as in one of my favorites Liar. The overall atmosphere of the record is very gloomy and dark, at least that is how I perceived it. This is not your happy merry go round hardcore with Sun and flowers and smiling, no, this is something much more powerful and delivered hits you straight to the heart and mind. Other favorites on this record for me are The Six and Please Just Dance Death. I don´t know how and why I missed this record and this band, but I totally love it.

8/10

https://www.facebook.com/ieatheartattack/

https://zegemabeachrecords.bandcamp.com/album/please-just-dance-dance-hello-cole-porter

https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords/