Category Archives: Reviews

(record review) CJ RAMONE-The Holy Spell(Fat Wreck Chords)

CJ Ramone was once bass player for the legendary punk band Ramones. Now, he has his solo career for years creating great melodic punkrock. I listened and reviewed his new record out with Fat Wreck Chords.

cover

I love his solo albums, somehow Last Chance To Dance was a milestone, with all the hits, and he never managed to put out the new record with the same amount of superb songs as that one. The new one has 12 songs in his memorable style, meaning straightforward melodic punkrock without much philosophy, leaning on the Ramones legacy, yet creating something unique and original, not being clone of his former band. Besides punkrock, CJ Ramone almost country influenced atmospheric half ballad Hands Of Mine is a great song, different from the rest of the material. There are also faster punk hits like There Stands The Glass(one of my favorites),  One High One Low or Rock On. Lyrically CJ stays in the same vein of his previous works with personal themes from love, death, happiness, coping with life and all that. I also love his full voice very much being somehow for me a cross between Ozzy Osbourne and Michale Graves hehehe at least I hear him like that. This is a decent collection of punkrock songs, but still not great as the album I mentioned above. But, great punkrock, better than many others out there.

7,5/10

 

 

(record review)Rise Above-Painkiller(WTF Records)

Rise Above are hardcore band from Holland and I listened and reviewed their new record for our zine. The record is out with WTF Records.

3. WTF-035 Rise Above - Painkiller cover

This is a relatively new band on the scene but the members played in numerous bands on the underground scene prior to forming this one. There are six songs on this record bordering between old school hardcore and 90-ies metalic hardcore sound. This record takes me back to the 90-ies when I was a kid growing up listening to metal and hardcore and this kind of band would be at the top of my list back then. Curiously, it still is at the top. Vicious thrash metalic riffs, backed with staccato fast drums, cut with moshing groove parts and gang singing back vocals just made to sing along at the top of your lungs in front and on the stage. This is also topped with screaming shouted vocals and some catchy punkrock riffs, sure to have a winner here. The lyrics are personal as I can hear, but with subtle social thematics and I think that you as a hardcore kid can relate to these songs. Recommended songs: Time To See, Painkiller, Live And Let Die. Good one!

8/10

https://wtfrecords.eu/

 

(record review)Los Fastidios-Joy Joy Joy(KobRecords)

The new album by Los Fastidios, the long running Italian ska/streetpunk masters is here! These guys have their hearts in the right places playing their music and spreading the messages of unity, positivity, antifascism in all of the years they have been in the scene.

Los Fastidios - Joy Joy Joy cover

There are 13 songs on the new full length album and they are all anthems in their own way. There are couple of covers, like the title song, Ellos Dicen Mierda too, to me they sound better than the originals that I looked up in the wastelands of internet. The remake from 2001.oldie Guarda Avanti is a cool ska punk hymn to make you dance to. But, my favourites on this album are more punk/oi oriented songs like BMX Punx, especially It´s Time with all the cool backing vocal singing just made for singing along at the gigs. Of all the ska songs my favourite is A Message Pour Toi with awesome interplay between Enrico´s voice and guest singer, is it Elisa Dixan who sang superb on the 7 inch recently? There is also a first Fastidios song in German language and believe me, it is great. Not to discover just everything, you will have to get this album and have a listen. This is an album to make your day happy and brings smile to your face!

8/10

https://www.facebook.com/kobrecords/

https://www.facebook.com/losfastidios/