The new album by French melodic punk hardcore band Hightower is out on the great label Krod Records. France has a great music underground scene and I enjoy discovering new bands, like this one. The album contains twelve songs of beautiful structured and played melodic punkrock with some hardcore influences. The lyrics are in English language and they deal mostly with personal issues. There are also some faster paced songs on the album with energetic fast drumming and short in your face attitude like “Ernests Castle” or the excellent opener “Numero Uno”. The only thing that could be a little tighter and kinda more harsher and a bit more convincing are the vocals. Dont get me wrong, the vocals are melodic, the singer is great, but it wouldnt hurt to do some shouted parts with the more clean and melodic parts. But, thats only me, that is the beauty of punk zines that we can blabber about the records we like and the records we like less. This one is a great record and I am very happy I discovered this band. I would love to see the guys live, I am sure this songs sound just awesome live. Top songs for me:”Numero Uno”, Titty Twister”, “Tournesol”.
I fuckin love the Australian hardcore scene, it is one of my favourite scenes in the world with many excellent bands like Toe To Toe, Deez Nuts, Clowns…coming out every day. I find some great Australian bands almost every month and it only deepens my respect and love for their scene. This time around we have a new record by Vacant Home, band that is coming from Perth City. This record contains seven songs. Vacant Home are playing modern version of melodic hardcore with very heartfelt and emotional lyrics, so I can almost characterize this band as melodic hardcore that is bordering with screamo. They actually remind me a little off a Croatian band called Mališa Bahat. The vocals are harsh but not screamy, rather shouted. The lyrics are very beautiful and they are depressive but I can also catch a glimmer of hope somewhere in there. The tempo is mostly smart and midtempo rythm but there is some occasional faster drumming and I can also hear some indie guitar lines in some songs like “Shiver” for example. This is nice hardcore record done from the heart, so give it a chance and spin it a couple of times.
This is already fourth album from this Vienna, Austria based melodic punkrock band. They started as a band balancing on a border of pop punk, horrorpunk and psychobilly, working hard, touring all over and now on their fourth album they profiled themselves as a great melodic punkrock force. The album consists of 12 tracks and listening to them made me feel good somehow. The lyrics still have that spooky horrorish feeling that they had since the first record but the musicianship and the vocals improved with each record untill now. Vocalist Kitty sounds better than ever delivering fine melodies and the harmonies are delivered with melody and precision. My favourite tracks are “Lights Out”, “Sweet Love, the balladesque “Oh Johnny” and “Dead Inside”. All of you who like your punkrock melodic, not too fast and if you like songs having a lot of emotion and atmosphere, this is the right record for you.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 