Gothenburg legends In Flames will deliver their new opus in couple of days. Until then, Metal Hammer decided to treat us with an e.p. containing four classics performed live and more important, four new songs from the forthcoming new album called ‘Foregone’. I will not comment live songs because we all know how In Flames sound live and that is mindblowing. New songs. Well, nice surprise. ‘State Of Slow Decay’ is a fast melodic death metal, Gothenburg style, which takes me back to the beginnings and my first listening to this band’s early albums, total blast from the past. Super energetic fast song with Anders’ trademark growling on verses and catchy clean vocal chorus. ‘The Great Deceiver’ continues in that direction, with a bit of melodic death groove thrown in making my mouth water for new album. ‘Foregone Pt 1’ and ‘Foregone Pt 2’ are connected songs with Pt 2 being more ballad and features other influences that In Flames incorporated to their music through the decades. Judging by four new songs, this new album is going to be massive and fantastic.
Canada has such a great punk rock scene and Another Joe are part of that scene. After long 23 years they finally released their full length record with People of Punk Rock Records. This is a record containing 8 songs. This is not your all out war fast skate punk/hardcore, no. This is pure punk rock, played tight, harsh and with conviction. Songs are mid tempo, influenced by old school punk bands from England, but more technical and also influence of American school of punk rock can be heard in song structures. There is rawness that many today’s punk bands lack, but there are also subtle or less subtle melodies getting through the guitar riffs and some almost gentle backing vocals like in my personal favorite ‘Freak’. Maybe it is only me, but I can also hear a lots of garage punk energy in there, not only in the mentioned song, but through the album as a whole. Songs that I must also mention as my highlights are ‘Sound Advice’ and ‘T-Bird Tattoo’.
Time for horror punk to grace the pages of this zine again. This time, it is a split release between Houston’s Cemetery Static and ROT from Mexico. Each band is featured with four songs here. It is interesting that there are no one side by one band, then another by other band. This split goes one song by CS, one by ROT and so on. Well, I liked Cemetary Static side a lot because they play rather fast and raw hardcore punk with horror lyrics and shouted vocals, meaning they are not your typical horror punk band, rather hardcore horror punk. ROT from Mexico were already featured in this webzine, meaning also raw and fast hardcore punk with horror filled lyrics, both bands are not your usual Blitzkid/Misfits/Calabrese horror punk style of bands. No, this is raw energy and horror lyrics. I must admit that on this release both bands deliver, but somehow I liked Cemetary Static side of split better. But, that is only my opinion. Now, go, listen, support and long live the horror!
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 