Colorsfade from Canada are no strangers to the pages of this webzine, because we reviewed their previous record here, also featured their videos and singles prior to this new album out with People of Punk Rock Records. This new one contains ten songs of beautiful and fast melodic hardcore punk, skate punk, leaning more on modern side of this genre, with lots of technically well executed song parts, changes in tempo but, basically, yes, it is that old school nineties melodic punk hidden here in between and warms your heart. Music is fast and reminds me with all this speed of Spanish Adrenalized or UK’s The Human Project in some songs. Although Colorsfade have less metallic influences than mentioned band. Vocals are great, not whiny or snotty, just right with all harmonies and sometimes screamed backing vocals like in awesome ‘Roll Of The Dice’ and having listened to that great melancholic guitar solo melody of ‘Your Remedy’ almost brought tears of joy to my eyes and warmed up my old punk heart. Lyrics are personal, but also relate to state of the world and political situation this planet is right now like in ‘Rise To The Challenge’, another favorite of mine, so that is another plus. This is great fast punk rock and I recommend this one.
Ten Foot Pole are legends from the nineties and all those Epitaph and Fat nineties melodic punk bands that ruled the Earth when I was a kid growing up and which I still love and listen to and sing along to their lyrics and songs.
Thanks to Dennis Jagard, frontman and mastermind, this band still exists and has released two great studio albums in last couple of years. This new one contains 13 superb alive and kicking songs, just made for listening to all over and over again. What I love is upon first listening that this album is better than the last studio effort with fine mixture of up tempo and really fast skate punk songs, but somehow there is behind that energy also a melancholic feeling that continues to connect all the songs. Lyrics are personal and great vocal lines besides fine songwriting is what makes this album a superb punk rock listening must and one of the greater albums of this year that have come out. Special mention must be made of Dennis’ vocals which are gentle and sweet, but they fit so nice to the songs. I love the opener Can We Stop Trying To Win? bein an instant classic and I am sure it will fit nice into the live set list. Some songs like Bogeyman or I’m No Good At Sharing reminded me a lot of Swedish nineties school of melodic punk and Millencolin especially. One other mention must be made of great drumming which is like a human metronome. My personal favorites are more faster songs like Take Back Your Voice but the album as a whole is a worth listening. This band is one of the rare nineties skate punk legends that still play and I didn’t catch them play live somewhere yet, hope it will change in next festival season somewhere. Until then, check this one out.
Calgary’s Short Straps is the latest Alberta band to hop aboard High End Denim Records. With a self-titled EP release slated for a July 19 release, the band has unveiled their first single. “Tomorrow” is available on HED’s bandcamp and all streaming services and showcases the band’s talent for writing hard-hitting, dead ahead punk rock.
The band had this to say about the song: “Continuously seeing relationships fall apart as you mature and move past problems in your life you realize how difficult some have had hardships within their private lives and turmoil with feeling pressure to maintain compelled us to address the state we all conform to and be held to an unattainable standard for relationships.“
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