It has been two decades since Shades Apart released new music if I am not mistaken. The New Jersey power trio is releasing their new record with HellMinded Records. The new one contains 10 songs. The music of Shades Apart was really boring to me back in the nineties when I was a ferocious hardcore kid, knowing only speed, gang back vocals, nyhc and nothing more with those old school Fat and Epitaph bands too being part of my listening and growing up. I remember my friend Igor borrowed me a tape where one Shades Apart album was on one side and I think Nofx on the other side. I dismissed SA after two songs being too indie, too boring for me at that time. Now, as I listen the new album, all those punkrock melodic songs, being almost 43 years old now, I realize how wrong was I and how great this band is. This album fits me like chocolate pudding, meaning great. The songs have just the right balance between upbeat more rock and punk songs like Thread for example, but I love kinda more emotional songs like Only Light or Teach Me How To Live. The musicianship is superb, having everything from pop punk sensibility to more harsh approach with nice vocals, great backing vocal lines and I just love this album, if I must name one favorite song it would be 95, I can totally relate to the song and lyrics hehe, Super album and welcome back!
Japanese Northern19 are back with a new release. I must admit that with the exception of Hi Standard, which I used to listen intensely back in the nineties, I don`t know almost anything about Japanese skatepunk scene. This release contains 4 songs of sweet mixture between skatepunk and pop punk, done in a ultramelodic way with some fast parts thrown in like that almost grind drumming part of Drain and nice typical skatepunk song Yes. This is nice punkrock done with heart and soul and I really loved listening to these four songs. Acoustic beginning of Letter leads the listener into mid tempo epic song like reminding me a lot of Useless ID, in fact the whole record reminds me a lot of Yotam Ben Horin and his boys, which is great, because the music is awesome. Nothing But My Heart is for me the favorite on this release. Good one from far East!
A Few Good Losers are hailing from Atlanta, Georgia area and this is their new record. I love this one. Why? Because this is no bullshit old school nineties melodic skatepunk, fast and anthemic, like we are used to from all those old school Epitaph and Fat bands and these guys remind me a lot of a mixture between old Nofx and first Propagandhi album. The songs are cool and I love the vocal harmonies, cutting guitars and fast drumming with good lyrics and the songs I somehow like the most on the record are Grim Reaper, Miller Killer and Love Song. This is one the good ones I have been listening to lately. Go get this one if you are a fan of old school nineties skatepunk with a splash of hardcore here and there.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 