New AFI album is upon us! This band started long time ago as melodic hardcore punk skate punk band, but evolved with time into something else, combining Misfits influenced punk rock, dark rock and darkened pop topped with superb voice of Davey Havok. New album contains eleven songs and it is punk rock in a very stretched term. New songs rely more on darkened rock and pop than punk rock although there are couple of excursions into harsher punk waters like Escape from Los Angeles being one of my favorites on this record. But, although punk rock is no more with new songs, atmosphere that is unique for this band is still here. Mixture of melancholy, sadness, darkness and hope with death and life is still here. Also, good melodies and vocal lines, harmonies and songs that will make you hum long after the album finished are here. Besides mentioned, other personal favorites are Back From The Flesh and No Eyes. This is logical continuation of last full length.
Veteran UK punks Chelsea are back with a new album that is released just on band´s 45th anniversary. The album contains 13 songs mostly written in tour bus on the road in 2019 and recorded in 2020. Also, the album features guest performances from members from different periods of the band. Chelsea play punk rock with nice melodies, here I must especially mention singer Gene October who has wonderful voice. Music is mid tempo punk rock, not your fast hardcore stuff, but rather old school punk with anthemic choruses, superb lyrics which anyone can relate to, guitar work which combines punk harshness and emotions and songs The Great Divide, Shine The Light and Falling Apart are personal favorites of mine. This is punk rock with balls, street credibility and heart. Good one.
No Guidance are punk rock band from Germany and this is their debut full length album. There are 11 songs on this beauty. The music of No Guidance can be described as fast paced, energetic melodic punk rock with lots of skate punk and hardcore influences. I love how this record sounds a bit rawer than others production wise. Also, I love the use of hardcore influenced gang backing vocals in some of the songs. Although the music is raw melodic hardcore punk it retains enough melody to be enjoyed by any punks who love their punk rock melodic and made to sing along, also I heard couple of really melancholic guitar melodies and hooks. Main vocals are raspy and raw but melodic at the same time and I can only imagine how these songs sound live. Hopefully I am gonna see them one day playing on stage. Lyrics are special story. So good, so smart and at the same time understandable to all of us. Fine mix of politics watched from the ordinary person´s point of view. My personal favorites are How To Pronounce Metrocity, Anything But A Friend, Better Days.
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