The Toy Dolls are celebrating their 40th birthday. The UK longstanding trio are taking a massive tour to celebrate the birthday, but also to promote their brand new record. Yes, Episode XIII contains intro plus 14 songs of funny punk mayhem like we got used to from these legends throughout the years. I saw them live for the first time two years ago and remained jaw dropped by their fantastic show and this songs just prove how tight and musically talented this band is. The songs are melodic, energetic and anthemic just made for humming and singing the whole day long. Olga sounds better than ever, Tommy on bass too while Duncan Redmonds is definitely one of the best drummers in the punk scene right now. Some of the songs that I somehow liked the most on this record are Knickers Off In Mykonos, Christine`s Clothes and Until Next Time. This record is in the rank of their best releases in the four decade existence in the scene. Happy birthday Toy Dolls and here is to at least fourty more!
Slutavverkning is a band with members of Dödsvarg, JH3 and Fire! Orchestra among others and these Swedes play weird yet catchy music. This is part two in the planned trilogy. The music this band plays is a weird mixture of punk and jazz with saxophone, drums, guitars and desperate screaming vocals. Add to this lyrics about working class, hardships of working man and getting abused by the bastards bosses you get interesting, fresh and dancable band with cool record. Oh yes, the lyrics are in Swedish and the band is pissed off like hell. This is by far one of the more interesting records that I have listened lately and I hope to hear more from these guys in very near future.
Besides having black metal scene, Norway also has a strong underground hardcore punk scene. Veterans Die A Legend released their first new material in six years with Loyal Blood Records. This 10 inch contains 5 gritty hardcore punk songs. Liars is a noisy mid tempo metalized hardcore song with thundering guitars and booming bass reminding me a lot of Converge sounding a bit apocalyptic. Bloodthirst is for me one of the best songs on the record being fast, energetic straightforward hardcore punk song with moshing part for the end. Snakes is the most noisy and brutal song on the record with total booming bass and fast dirty riffs and crushing drums. Simulacrum is also fast song and another of my favorites on the mini album. Poetic titled Legends(Never Die) is the right way to close the record. Welcome back, you delivered a crushing hardcore record.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 