Upside Down Man are hailing from Calgary, Canada and this is their debut full length album with High End Denim Records! This little beauty contains ten songs. The music of Upside Down Man is in my opinion more modern version of skate punk/melodic hardcore punk with one leg standing in all those nineties old school Fat and Epitaph influences, but with other leg standing in modern technical skate punk that lots of fans of more technical approach will learn to love and appreciate. If I must compare it to some bands it would be a mixture of Pennywise’s anthemic melodies and catchy songwriting with Strung Out’s metallic technicality. This band provides more complex song structures, some tempo changes, chilling and great guitar hooks and solos and blistering musicianship that only makes you take your hat off. Usually, I am more of a fan of old school nineties influenced skate punk, but this one is enough technical to be modern and superb, also enough catchy to be appealing. Vocalist/guitarist Brook Hadden provides great voice, somehow calm and dramatic at the same time, while backing vocal harmonies do super job, all who read this zine know how important vocals and harmonies are to me when listening to music such as these. Lyrics are personal but you can read a lot of stuff between the lines and relate to them. My personal favorites on this record are ‘Don’t Care’ with that great galloping metallic part prior to solo, also ‘Diablo’ and ‘Chooses No Weapon’, but album as a whole is worth your listening pleasure if you love your skate punk technical yet anthemic and ultra melodic.
Downstater are hailing from Quebec City, Canada and this is their debut full length that came out with People of Punk Rock Records. This one contains ten songs. What do we get here? We get dose of melodic punk/skate punk with nineties influences, like it was played back in the days reminding me of all those bands that I grew up with. This album is emotional, dramatic, intense and melancholic, but also grandiose in richness of melody, backing vocal harmonies and superb songwriting. From the excellent opener ‘Thanks For Nothing’ which grinds everything in its path with contagious melody and superb chorus, this record is a rollercoaster of emotion, goosebumps and above all great excellent punk rock like we are used to from bands in Canadian scene. Musicianship is tight and if I must compare this band to some other bands it would be a mixture of No Use For A Name and Strung Out, being technical yet in your face punk rock at the same time, even with I dare say pop punk sensibility. Vocals are not too mellow or snotty at all, they are strong but fit in like butter on fine bread. It is very hard for me to choose favorites between these ten songs, because they are all excellent, but I will try. They are: ‘Call Me When You’re Dead’, ‘Let You Down’ and ‘Cruelest Defeats’ along with above mentioned song. I love this band and album!
Jughead’s Revenge were a band as I was a hardcore kid discovering more and more bands that I love in the scene and I must admit that since 90-ies I didn’t follow them really much. As I understand, they are active again and here is the new EP containing 5 songs. They were on BYO Records and Nitro Records back in the day and I am glad that they keep the flame burning again. This new one contains songs in melodic punk vein, but what I love about Jughead’s Revenge is that they kept the rawer edge of punk rock although they play skate punk and melodies come with raw guitar riffs, thundering bass and almost touchable punk rock energy blowing from your speakers into your old school punk rock heart! ‘Isolation Time’ is a fast tempo punk song reminding me a bit of Face To Face but not so melodic as mentioned band. ‘Bridges’ is my one of my favorites on this record with such beautiful main guitar melody and great interplay between main vocals, which are rougher and harmony backing vocal melodies. I totally dig this song and listened to it over and over again! ‘My Side’ is old school hardcore song miniature in the vein of Good Riddance and Sick Of It All if I must compare it to some other bands. ‘Eighties’ are more rock and roll influenced storms of riffs and pulsing drumming with some mid tempo rock sing along parts thrown in for good measure. This song makes me feeling kind of nervous while listening to and wanting to break something in the vicinity. ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’ is another favorite of mine. Fast hardcore punk track with great uplifting melody and atmosphere that makes you want to pump your fist in the air! Great EP by great band!
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 