The new album by Trapped Under Ice is out! These guys released the new album almost six years after they released their last material. Some of the guys also play in Turnstile and Angel Dust, so I guess they just didnt have time to do the record with this band. This Baltimore based hardcore band plays some of the most atypical hardcore that I have listened lately. The album contains 11 songs that close on in about 14 minutes, so there is the whole album. The songs are different, quite original modern hardcore with jumping grooves but there is also some punkish speedy drumming and some mathcore plus samples thrown in for good measure. There is also some guitar solos like in “Throw It Away”. The singing varies from typical hardcore shouting to more melodic singing. I would like to see and hear this band live, because I am sure that they are fun as hell to see live. While listening to this album, although it was in fact short, I somehow came under impression that the album is much longer than it really is. I am more a sucker for classic street oi influenced hardcore but this one is actually good and diverse album. Check it out!

7/10

Order at http://popwig.limitedrun.com

2017 Tour Dates

8.25 Fri – Boston, MA Middle East
8.26 Sat – Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bazaar
8.27 Sun – Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts
8.28 Mon – Albany, NY Trickshots
8.29 Tue – Baltimore, MD The Windup Space
8.30 Wed – Fayetteville NC The Drunk Horse pub
8.31 Thur – Columbia SC New Brookland Tavern
9.1 Fri – Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
9.2 Sat – Richmond, VA The Warehouse
9.3 Sun – Washington, DC St. Stephen’s

9.22 fri – Dallas, TX Club Dada
9.23 sat – Houston, TX Walters
9.24 sun – Austin, TX Barracuda

Round Eye were formed in 2012 and they are Shanghai, China based band. This is their new record that came out on Vancouver based Sudden Death Records, courtesy of Joey Shithead from DOA. The guys play more of an experimental and weird version of punkrock, kinda reminding me on The Stooges and earlier punk bands from UK, of course with some harder and modern touch in the songs. The album is pretty funny when listening because in between the songs there is some guy doing spoken word imitating radio speaker with a lot of dark humour and irony. The songs are made good so the album is not boring in any way. Round Eye also use saxophone on some songs like “Troma” for example. My  personal favourite songs on this record are “Commie Blues”, “Sifter”, they made a video for this one filmed entirely in North Korea, check it out below. This is not your usual punk hardcore stuff to mosh to, singalong or shout out angry slogans, this is an unusual punk record with songs influences ranging from B 52s  to Black Flag. There is a beauty to this record that can not be denied. I am glad I have listened to it and will keep it doing.

8/10

https://www.facebook.com/roundeyeband/

I eagerly awaited the debut album of this Belgrade, Serbia based band Psi(it is Serbian word for The Hounds). This trio is made of musicians who are veterans of the Serbian music scene through the years being active in bands like Grandpa Candys, S.U.S. and many more. When Psi started to play, they intended to be Misfits cover band, but luckily for us, they made their own material and started to play some kind of mix, I would say of psychobilly, rockabilly with goth rock influences. The album contains 10 songs with lyrics in Serbian inspired by horror and supernatural themes. Since these guys were active for years in the punk scene, there are also plenty of punk rock influences in Psi music. For me the highlights of the album are “Plavo svetlo”(Blue Light)having an excellent melodic chorus. Other great song for me is “Leptir”(Butterfly)having great melodic line reminding me of 50-ies doowop turning into pure blooded rock n roll. “Tu Gde Zvoniš”(Here where you ring) is a gothabilly song with lot of ooo singalong vocals on chorus which always works fine for me. The guys made a video for this song choosing it as a single from the album, so check it out below. The title song is a wicked psychobilly little song, so simple but effective. “Napred Nazad”(Forwards Backwards) is a horror themed song about insanity and it is one of the best on this album. Psi made a great debut record and I am sure that this band will be one of the best in this region playing that style of music.

9/10

Order the album here: http://www.mascom.rs/sr/rock/cd/psi-tik-tak-pid-5625.1.135.html

https://www.facebook.com/Mascom.Records/

https://www.facebook.com/psi.bgd/