Punk veterani iz New Jerseya, The Bouncing Souls su objavili svoj novi materijal, prvi nakon 7 godina i jedanaesti puni album u karijeri. Album sadrži deset pjesama odličnog punka, punog melodije, a sa onim gradskim street punk utjecajem u tekstovima i muzici, dajući istovremeno žestinu i nježnost, odnosno senzibilitet pop punka sa hardcore korijenima. Čuli smo već dva singlea kao najavu, a naslovna pjesma je bila pun pogodak kao single sa uptempo ritmom i uplifting melodijom na refrenu i Gregovim prekrasnim glasom koji sve ove godine opravdano slovi za jednog od najboljih vokala u melodičnom punk rocku, što je istina. Hardcore korijeni se vide u brzoj ‘Back to Better’ te gostovanjem legendarnog Kevin Seconds, vokala 7 Seconds u ‘Vin and Casey’ koji je obogatio meni jednu od najdražih pjesama na ovome albumu. Ono što sam uvijek volio kod ovog benda je to, da kroz njihove pjesme naprosto mirišem gradski asfalt, vrući i ponekad miris kiše na vrućem asfaltu, totalno se uvijek uživim u njihovu muziku i koncerte i to čini ovaj bend odličnim i jedinstvenim, kao da slušam punk verziju Bruce Springsteena recimo. Odličan album i odličnih trideset godina benda. Bar još dvadeset želim.
THIEV are coming from New Jersey area and this band is comprised of two friends who wanted to play melodic punk rock and they do it perfectly. This EP contains three songs of old school Californian nineties influenced melodic hardcore with that Jersey pop punk influence, like more melodic hardcore version of Bouncing Souls for example. At least that is what I hear in their music. ‘Noise Machine’ is a pop punk oriented straightforward melodic punk song, while ‘The Paint Will Fade’ is my personal favorite being fast melodic pure hardcore song with nice melodic vocal lines and reminding me of Ignite’s faster songs or Chaser maybe, I love this one, but the EP as a whole is superb. ‘A Break In The Fence’ is also faster song, having that nineties pop punk influence with hardcore riffing. Only three songs, makes you wish for more at once. Great little record.
Robby Bloodshed is in no way stranger to the pages of Kraykulla. This New Jersey based artist has already graced the pages of my zine when I reviewed his last record a while ago. Now, it took two years to prepare the world for releasing these monster babies. Robby Bloodshed does such fantastic music, his work is original horror punk rock, ultra melodic and having that vibe I miss so much in nowadays scene. It reminds me of the original work Nim Vind does with his music, yet they are both different each in his own unique way. This record owes equal to Misfits or Blitzkid legacy as also the glamour of Queen. From the anthem like The Last Grin to piano pop infused Dying Is Easy, this is a record that just invites you and makes you listening to it again and again. Also, Robby paid beautiful homage to late and never forgotten Freddy Mercury with superb rendition of It´s a Hard Life on this record.
The lyrics are not horror per se, like in many other horrorpunk bands, but they are rather personal, every boy and ghoul can relate to in the pictures this lyrics provide and some of them really made my skin crawl with goosebumps how good they are. Almost like they remind you that real horrors await in real life you have to face and deal with it every day. The vocal lines, melodies and backing vocal harmonies are sweet and take you to another level of mind scape and provide for you a sweet refuge while this record lasts. This record is a keeper, from light Everything to night colored Fly By Night it is too hard to say which my personal favorites are because this whole release is probably contender for one of the best this year.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 