Canada has such a great punk rock scene and Another Joe are part of that scene. After long 23 years they finally released their full length record with People of Punk Rock Records. This is a record containing 8 songs. This is not your all out war fast skate punk/hardcore, no. This is pure punk rock, played tight, harsh and with conviction. Songs are mid tempo, influenced by old school punk bands from England, but more technical and also influence of American school of punk rock can be heard in song structures. There is rawness that many today’s punk bands lack, but there are also subtle or less subtle melodies getting through the guitar riffs and some almost gentle backing vocals like in my personal favorite ‘Freak’. Maybe it is only me, but I can also hear a lots of garage punk energy in there, not only in the mentioned song, but through the album as a whole. Songs that I must also mention as my highlights are ‘Sound Advice’ and ‘T-Bird Tattoo’.
Time for horror punk to grace the pages of this zine again. This time, it is a split release between Houston’s Cemetery Static and ROT from Mexico. Each band is featured with four songs here. It is interesting that there are no one side by one band, then another by other band. This split goes one song by CS, one by ROT and so on. Well, I liked Cemetary Static side a lot because they play rather fast and raw hardcore punk with horror lyrics and shouted vocals, meaning they are not your typical horror punk band, rather hardcore horror punk. ROT from Mexico were already featured in this webzine, meaning also raw and fast hardcore punk with horror filled lyrics, both bands are not your usual Blitzkid/Misfits/Calabrese horror punk style of bands. No, this is raw energy and horror lyrics. I must admit that on this release both bands deliver, but somehow I liked Cemetary Static side of split better. But, that is only my opinion. Now, go, listen, support and long live the horror!
I must admit that I have first heard of Hard Spread through this album. Hard Spread are hailing from Georgia, USA and this album contains 14 songs. As I listen to this one, sometimes reminds me of Cancerslug in couple of songs. Hard Spread play a mixture of hardcore, melodic punk, skate punk and also horror punk influenced music, sounding melodic, yet pretty raw especially in some guitar work and also great rough and melodic vocals. Lyrics deal with humor, irony, sex, std(yeah you read it right), computer games and many more merry themes. Music is sometimes fast and straightforward hardcore punk but also there are pure street punk rock songs like excellent ’20 on 1′ and horror punk on one of my favorites ‘Flesh Eater’ also one of the highlights for me ‘Saturday Night’. If I must compare this band to someone it would be above mentioned Cancerslug and Guttermouth. So, if you are into punk rock with no holds barred on fun, go listen this one.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 