Review: Shifka Chiefs - Shifka Chiefs [2016]

  Nadav Ben Horin is a name that gets written a lot in this blog. That's because Nadav happens to have his hands in quite a few projects within the Israeli punk scene. Alongside his drumming stint in Sweatshops Boy and leading his vocal prowess to hardcore punkers SPIT, he also fronts other bands which really only tend to get together every so often for the odd gig here and there. With Uzbeks having done a one off show recently (didn't get around to reviewing it but it was fun), there are also Shifka Chiefs. Having to split their time recording and performing between Germany and Israel due to guitarist Assaf "Finger" Bomgard currently residing in Berlin, the band finally release their debut self titled album.

  Some years back, I saw Shifka Chiefs on a couple of occasions. As entertaining as it was due to Nadav's legendary onstage antics, it never really blew me away. Now, I have been able to sit down and really take in what the band do through the 9 tracks that they serve on their first album.
 It starts off with Naked, which has a quite soft and indie-like intro but then explodes into some jangly garage rock, with a melody and groove that would make you twist and do the mash potato. After about 2 minutes of being instrumental, it then switches up into a more Dead Kennedys style punk. In a way, this sums up both band and the record's overall sound pretty well, as you can hear elements of Dead Kennedys, New York Dolls and the band's biggest influence, The Eat, as well as earlier bands like The Seeds, The Castaways and The Beach Boys.
  As with Sweatshop Boys, there are some really catchy songs on here. Gold Digger (not a Kanye cover) is reminiscent of a faster My Generation (The Who) through the verses. The chorus is simple and effective, inducing everyone who hears it to shout along. Ze Zaz (trans. It Moves) is the only Hebrew song here and a song I remember from previous shows due to someone pointing out that the chorus resembles the Presidents Of The USA song Lump. It's no rip-off, though, as the song itself has a totally different feel and holds up as a great tune. Hello, My Friend is a simple number that could have easily been written in the 70s. The guitar solo near the end of the song is impressive, as is that of The Snake, yet another catchy garage punk number. Wood stands out amongst the others as being slightly slower in pace and having a more Stooges vibe. I'm sure the song itself is meant to have some sort of deep meaning, but I'm really just hearing someone singing about wood. Nevertheless, it gets in your head.

 Computer/Machine follows its subject matter by having quite an uptempo, almost robotic beat while still having a lo-fi punk sound. Like both Gold Digger and Ze Zav, its repetitive chorus is infectious. It is up there as one of the highlights of the record along with shortest track, Darkness. Running just over a minute long, it is also the fastest and most punk track on here. I'm unsure of the actual lyrics but there are moments where the vocal melody reminds me of the "Keep on trying. I can see the light" part of Frustrated by Kids Insane, as well as somehow bringing to mind Can You Picture That? from The Muppet Movie. Maybe this is just how my head works, but all of those things mixed together makes it a favourite of mine.

  Shifka Chiefs are definitely one of those bands that target a particular market and probably would have been more suited in another decade. Not everyone nowadays might like this sort of thing. That said, the songs are short, catchy and fun enough to be listened to and appreciated. The jangly and echoey quality of the production makes it all raw and true; that's something to be admired. Also, for a record that was half recorded and mixed in Germany and half recorded and mixed in Israel, it gets extra respect for the hard work as well as the resulting product.

4/5

Review: Seas Of Mirth - Esmerelda EP [2015]

  From the murky waters of Nottingham comes the pirate themed folk band, Seas Of Mirth, who have been..err..making waves (sorry) in the music scene for some years now.

While I was living and studying in Derby, I remember seeing Seas Of Mirth at a very early stage with what I believe is almost a completely different line-up to now. The fiddler was a friend of mine from class. I can't remember if it was the same time, but two other "future" friends were also in the band and are there to this day.

  I never really got the whole pirate theme thing and I am not a fan of folk in general but the band's sense of humour still grabs me. Having grown to a nine piece band, consisting of instruments such as cello, accordion and bouzouki (!), they are still active 8 years, which is both admirable and impressive. 

  The Esmerelda EP, the band's latest offering, delivers 3 different tracks of their weird signature style of folk. The title and leading track is quite a romantic sounding song. Bearing in mind the band's persona and theme and paying closer attention to the lyrics, it seems to be more of an ode from a pirate to his wench. It still has a sea shanty vibe that the band are known for due to the violin and vocals but with an added spaghetti western rhythm. The vocals, sung by Fruitshoot Pete, bring to mind that of Nick Cave, especially in the softly sung parts of the verses.

  The EP changes pace with Hands Off My Chest. As soon as it begins with an a cappella voice declaring "...you will never get your hands on my treasure chest", you know this is going to be a fun song. It bounces along in an almost ska punk way, at times, but ultimately has a very Zappa feel. The midway change not only brings to mind Zappa but also Mr Bungle, as it explores jazz and progressive rock. 

  Final track, Even A Bull Needs Milking, has a catchy accordion hook (first time I've written that sentence) along with a galloping, early Broadway type rhythm a la Putting On The Ritz. The mixed male and female vocals are pretty and the musicianship is spot on, but the song generally isn't as punchy as the previous two, even when it goes frantic. 

  

  Compared to previous releases, the production on this record is immaculate and proves that the band really mean business. They're obviously going to make some people scratch their heads but seeing as folk stylings made a comeback with the likes of Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling, there is certainly more of an audience now who will respect Seas Of Mirth's direction and musical experimentation. I'll certainly be looking forward to the next album. 

3.5/5

Review: Mark McGrath - Summertime's Coming [2015]

For those who don't know, especially if you're not American, Mark McGrath is the leading face of alternative pop rockers, Sugar Ray, famous for such hits as Fly, When It's Over and, my first introduction to the band back in '99, the radio smash Every Morning. I remember the latter hit but didn't actually like it at the time. A little later on in life, I discovered that the band had heavier beginnings with the likes of Lemonade and Brownies, which is still one of my favourite albums. As well as still touring with Sugar Ray, McGrath has essentially established himself as a very pretty man over the years. His looks (and, yeh ok, his personality, too) helped him get into TV presenting, including Killer Karaoke, and acting, including Shaknado 2. I'm unsure if the latter is much to be praised for. 
  This year, McGrath has dropped his FIRST EVER solo offering in the form of the Summertime's Coming EP. For anyone familiar with Sugar Ray, this is actually not too much of a stretch from their sound. In a similar way to Gwen Stefani's solo work, McGrath has gone down the route of his band's more poppy and sunny anthems to produce a five song summer soundtrack.

  There's been many an act who have released summer anthems and it has either made them or broke them. Canadians LEN, another favourite of mine, made a name for themselves out of nowhere with the poptastic smash hit Steal My Sunshine, despite being initially an alt rock and shoegaze influenced band. On the other hand, saxophone wielding hardcore punk outfit Dog Eat Dog (looove theeeem) had the song Summertime on their Walk With Me album. Via it's music video on Youtube, the band got ridiculed for having "sold out" and having generally made a "shit song". (I like it.) Seeing as Sugar Ray, like LEN and also bands like Smashmouth, made their muller out of songs to cruise beside the beach to, these songs on here should be no real surprise to dedicated fans and I for one am not all that disappointed on the whole. 
   Opening song, title track and leading single (I think?), Summertime's Coming, gets you in a barbecue mood right from the start. We've got happy acoustic guitar strumming, a laid back hip hop beat, hand clapping, lahs, ohs and a catchy as hell chorus. Out of all the sunny pop songs that Sugar Ray has ever done, and maybe that anyone ever did, this has to be the most formulaic song to date. This doesn't mean that it's bad. It might be cliche and, to some, even cheesy, but, damn, it's uplifting. That "Summertime's coming, lala lala" chorus is totally infectious. Upon research, this song has actually been in Sugar Ray's live repertoire since 2013 when they were working on new songs. This begs the question: Why has this come out as a McGrath solo track and not on a brand new Sugar Ray album? Also, why is there no new Sugar Ray album? Are there band issues right now?
   Last track, It's Always Sunny, has the same vibe as the first song. It starts off as if it is going to be old fashioned and doo wop-like, but then it becomes happy and upbeat with a chorus you might end up singing for days afterwards. What The World Needs and Again and Again have more of a reggae/ska flavour that, for some reason, just don't get me all that pumped. They're both beautiful with a sweet sentiment. What The World Needs sort of reminds me of NOFX's pure reggae/ska version of Rancid's Radio; it has that same sort of pace and the same joyous sing-along, but really just seems cheesy in comparison. It's heavily Marley influenced, even incorporating the "woy yoy yoy" melody of Buffalo Soldier (or it could be the Banana Splits theme tune) near the end of the song. Again and Again has more of a 311 (great band) feel about it but the kind of 311 that I tend to not like so much. Just a little too slow and, frankly, a tad boring. It's nice and chill and would be great to lie in the sun to but could easily put you to sleep. The guitar parts add a little Santana feel but the song generally lacks power most of the time.
  Ease My Mind is somewhere between the two styles; the bouncy alt pop with a hip hop beat and the slow pop reggae. It's slow and chilled with a bit of a Latin vibe. The hip hop rhythm and the vocal melodies work well together to make it another sunshiny hit. I am almost certain that there is also a deliberate nod to Green Day as McGrath sings line like "It all comes back to you.." in the style of "It all keeps adding up..." from Basket Case. Could be coincidental, but it's a BIG coincidence. 

   If you've ever liked Sugar Ray, or similar acts like Smashmouth, LEN or Fastball, and, of course, if you simply like Mark McGrath, this is worth checking out and is definitely great for a sunny day. Personally, I would have liked to have seen more effort put into a new Sugar Ray album as opposed to this EP. At least three of the five songs here would have worked just as well on an album amongst more rocky numbers; a mix that always pleases me when done right. I hope there technically still is a band right now...  

3/5

Live Review and Album Review: Knees Please (Where's Ma Money Release Party) + The Great Machine @ Levontin 7, Tel Aviv [5th August 2015]

  The first time I ever saw either of these two bands was, funnily enough, also at a show they played together. It was some special event at a skate park in Tel Aviv. I had never seen or really even heard of these two bands before but I went along and even filmed part of both their sets. From thereon in, I've been quite a dedicated follower of both bands. Tonight, the two band's reunite to celebrate the Knee Please's debut album, Where's Ma Money.

The Great Machine

    These stoners don't get enough recognition. The Great Machine are a band formed by two brothers, Aviran (bass/vocals) and Omer (guitar/vocals), who, at different points over the last few years, have also owned a venue and a rehearsal space. Many tend to class their music as "stoner", whereas others may say "psychedelic". In a way, their repertoire has consisted of a bit of both.
 Instead of the stage, the band are placed in a sort of triangle pattern on the dance floor. Although this makes dancing a little bit more difficult for onlookers, this is the way this kind of band should be playing. It makes it easier to focus on what everyone in the band is doing.  
   Previously, they have been known to perform with female vocalist, Noga Shalev, whose enticing vocals made their sound go a little trippy at times. She seems to no longer be part of the band, resulting in the brothers and drummer Michael playing a heavier, more stoner and sludge influenced set. There's the odd song that I recognise from other shows, but the rest are either album tracks that I don't know or brand new songs. Either way, there is a fair bit of head banging as the trio rock out. 
   Most of the time, Aviran's mic seems far too quiet and he is really only audible in parts of the song where he sings/talks over silence. Personally, it doesn't make that much of a difference as they could easily work just as well as a totally instrumental band. Vocals aside, the sound is fairly good and their playing over all is highly energetic and on point. I was entertained tonight. However, there was a point where I was so sure they were on a new song but they ended up doing the same bit from a good 3 minutes earlier. So this is either quite a progressive song or they added it in to confuse us.  
  
3.5/5

Knees Please

  The first time I saw this band play the skate park, they were a duo called Tape&Rape, a name which actually stuck until some months back, even after becoming a three-piece. Knees Please are essentially still the same band as back then, Alex (guitar/vocals) and David (drums), with a good amount of the same songs only with slight changes here and there. Bassist, Ben (Zaga Zaga), actually plays his last show with the band tonight and will be replaced by another Ben. 

   The band prepare themselves in the same three pointed set-up as The Great Machine as more people start flooding in. After a few welcomes and stoned banter from Alex, the band kick off their set with album opener, Shit Back. This is a good example of the band's early grunge influences a la Melvins and Bleach era Nirvana; being all quiet one moment and then simply exploding into some very low and heavy riffs. Despite it's title, it lyrically comes off as one of the most serious and relatable songs they have.
   The band pretty much continues playing the whole of recently released debut, Where's Ma Money, in full, including other weirdly titled songs like I Came Blood and Sweaty Chicken in Ma Pants. Both songs are from the band's early days and also use that heavy grunge sound. I Came Blood has always been one of those songs that has lyrically made me go, "What on earth is this about?", as Alex seems to be describing a visit to the doctors because of bleeding genitalia. However, the lyrical content is so memorable that it get's people mouthing along. Sweaty Chicken.. still has Alex's mouth trumpet solo, which now works even better over their thicker and fuller sound. I would have loved to have seen someone actually turn up tonight with an actual trumpet...
   Other tracks from the album and the set that come from the Tape&Rape days include Ceiling, Mine and album closer Vacation. Ceiling is probably one of the band's most famous and popular songs, as drummer David pleases people everywhere by giving us "more cowbell" in both the intro. The song is pretty much how it used to be only with some lyrics changed. The song's groove has everyone in the place moving, whether it is just nodding their heads or fully dancing their socks off. Mine, originally "King Of The Garbage", has also had a bit of facelift, with some edited lyrics and added parts. The chorus still has that epic "I'm king of the wooorrld.." line, which gives the song the potential of being quite a hit if they ever get the right publicity. 

   Songs like Motherboard, Sleepy Time and I Lie are what I consider the highlights of the album and their set. New bassist, Ben (Belial), joins the band for Motherboard, a song I had never heard before listening to the album, despite apparently being an old one. Like with Ceiling, it has the most ridiculously cool groove that I had to bust some sort of move. After grooving in the intro, the band then plays a lot of heavy synchronised "stabs", which on first listen sounded sort of lazy and unimaginative but when played live, it makes you want to break stuff. Sleepy Time is a tune I recognise from previous shows, because I always mistook the intro for that of Teenage Kicks, only played in a slightly different rhythm. The song throughout has a bit of a swing to it, which is refreshing compared to the rest. I Lie is almost the band's quintessential grunge track, based on a steady rock beat but freaking out with an explosive chorus. It has an QOTSA feel to it; you can imagine yourself driving 100mph down a motorway in an open top car to this.
   In their set, the band also plays some brand new songs not on the record, such as Muddy, Barry The Lizard, The Sun and Go In Piss. Barry The Lizard especially stands out, with Alex's crazy vocals jumping along with the bouncy rhythm. There seems to be more of a sludge feel in the newer ones which makes the wait for the next album more exciting.
   After about an hour of rocking out, the band finish, all sweaty and tuckered, as the crowd beg for more. Ben bows out gracefully but the original 2 members take us back to their Tape&Rape days with We Said and its infectious "La la la-la" chorus. This was a nice way to end a set, showing how far they've come and that what they were is still a big part of who they are.
   
I've got a lot of love for Knees Please, especially as a live band. Although the album still has some great heavy stuff to rock out to, there are songs that sound a little bit too similar. For example, Sleepy Time and Mine have the same starting chords, making the latter sound like an extension of the former, especially on record. This could have been done to create some sort of underlining theme, but on first listen sounds sort of lazy. The quiet-loud-quiet method also seems a little bit overdone here, despite it's proven effectiveness for decades. If you like bands like Melvins, The Jesus Lizard and even Helmet, check out these guys some time.

Live: 4/5
Where's Ma Money?: 3/5

All photos courtesy of Eddie Botstein. 

Review: The Driers - See You In Never [2015]

   After a lot of hard work playing shows and writing new material, Tel Aviv rock trio The Driers finally deliver new EP, See You In Never, featuring latest drummer Ben (Mad Choice/Zaga Zaga/a bunch of other stuff). 

   As readers of my blog will already know, I have seen this band a bunch of times and enjoy their refreshing slab of 90s style alt. rock. The five tracks on this EP are all songs that I recognise and love. If I am not mistaken, these are also songs which have been in the band's repertoire for quite some time. Whereas some of the newer material I've heard in live shows are a little bit more along the Weezer style of alternative rock, the songs here could almost be considered pop rock.

   Contagious gets things off to a heavy start. Some thumping drums in the intro lead to an upbeat, rock-out number with a bouncy chorus. Although guitarist Ronnie sings the first verse, from thereon in we hear the now trademark sweet harmonies that her and bassist Tomer do so perfectly. Ronnie also sings main vocals for second track Who Doesn't and fourth track Porchlight. Who Doesn't is pure rock in the choruses but, due to Ben's drumming techniques, explores other rhythms and styles throughout the song. Porchlight sounds incredibly lighthearted and quite poppy. The intro is one of my favourites of theirs, as the opening guitar riff is soon accompanied by the bass that harmonises beautifully. The song can easily be mistaken as a cover of some sort of song by Shangri Las or even The Supremes, as it has a hint of that traditional style of writing plus an easy listening quality to it.
   Tomer takes up main vocal duties on third track Lipstick Buds and EP closer A.L.A.R.M, which makes sense, as they are both pretty bass led. Because of the bassline and the groovy drumming, both songs have quite an electronic/new wave sound to them. Lipstick Buds has it mainly in the first verse which then leads to the hard hitting chorus of "You want to be my never again". All Driers' choruses are easy to sing along to but this has to be the catchiest of them all. The song has interesting vocal melodies and a generally fun and uptempo nature.
  A.L.A.R.M could be considered the EP's party song due to it's disco beat in the chorus. However, Tomer's vocals and the song's lyrical content add dark undertones, making the song a little bit edgier than the rest of the EP.

   As I have heard these songs many times before, I was really hoping to hear something new on this EP. Luckily, we are promised a full length soon which will hopefully have some cool surprises. I love the band's use of harmonies, especially blending both a female and male voice together, similar to bands like Band of Skulls and Spiderbait. That, plus the musicianship and songwriting, make these songs very enjoyable, as long as you appreciate pop sensibilities in rock music....which I do.

4/5

Review: Not On Tour - Bad Habits [2015]

   When it comes to punk in Israel, there are certain bands who have the talent, songs and potential to be an almost worldwide success. From the moment I discovered the music for video Silly Thoughts around 4 years ago when I moved to Israel, Not On Tour stole my heart. I have always had a soft spot for female fronted bands but Not On Tour go beyond just being a female fronted band. Along with Sima's strong vocal delivery, the rest of the band are able to play at breakneck speed and harmonise during their super short but catchy songs. They are certainly the most popular band in the more pop punk/skater/hardcore scene in Israel and have also made waves in Europe in the last few years. The band did a Europe and UK tour a couple of months back in light of the new album Bad Habits and the band are about to head out for another tour this summer. Hopefully, the good word has and will spread further. 

   Being a regular gig goer, I have seen the band a countless amount of times, both at packed shows and at shows a bit light on numbers. Along with classics from the self titled debut, the N.O.T On Tour Ep and second album All This Time, the guys have also played songs which feature on the new album, some of which have been in the live repertoire for quite some time. Album opener, Flip, is a track I think I recognise, although I could just be confused as it is similar in places to a previous track, I Wanna Be Like You (from All This Time). After more listens, the half tempo "This ship is sinking. Save yourself. There's nothing left to see here.." chorus really gets stuck in your head. 4th track, Write It Down, I definitely know from shows. As is common of Not On Tour, the song is short (although at 1:32, it's nowhere near the shortest on the album) and catchy, with its chorus that suggests repeatedly that we'd better..well...write it down. It is one of their songs which is at a nice enough tempo to be able to really appreciate the song fully as well as dance to.
   I have heard Gut Feeling (track 2) before as they are meant to be bringing out a video for it soon. At 1:19, it is still not the shortest on the album. While listening, I tend to often expect (and hope) that the song goes on for longer. It also has one of those choruses that can easily get stuck in your head, which has sort of been Not On Tour's specialty over the years and there's a fair bit of it here. In Rumours (track 3), they have us singing "This can be over when we say the word..", especially the anthemic singalong part right at the end. Without checking the name of the track, I have been singing one of the songs as "Cos it's a different kind of weapon...Cos it's a different kind of reign." Turns out the song is called Different Kind Of Weather (track 6). Ooops! Close, though.
    In Stuck In A Rut (track 10), you'll be sympathising with how front woman Sima "Never got things done" and was "Stuck in a rut" but has since "Found a way out." I can relate to this song's concept of having once been lost in life and putting things off but am I completely on track now? Hmm. I don't know. I think I am more akin to seeing myself as "Failing to succeed", as sung in Failing (track 15).


   Not On Tour essentially play hardcore punk but the addition of Sima's melodic (although still raw and aggressive) vocals and the band's backing harmonies give their music that pop punk quality. Most songs, with the aid of Gutzy's awesome drumming, are super fast, such as thrashiest song No Communication (track 11) and title track Bad Habits (track 9), but there are still those which go along the more pop punk vein, such as Black Coffee (track 7) and Sick Of This Mess (track 8). The 16 songs on here range between 0:42 (Waiting In Line, track 14, possibly my favourite on the album) to 1:44 mins long (Sick Of This Mess), so you can hear the entire album in one short bus journey. It kind of leaves me wanting more but also wanting a little more diversity. The band have songs in their early repertoire which are more chaotic, have breakdowns and generally show the band's versatility. Bad Habits could do with a lot more variety, in my opinion, but it is certainly not a disappointment.
 
4/5

Review: Therapy? - Disquiet [2015]

   Despite being a band since 1989, I remember really only knowing Therapy? through their hit Screamager (maybe also Nowhere) before seeing them at something called The Lost Weekend in London. I was blown away by their set and the fact that they actually incorporated different styles, like industrial and techno, while I initially viewed them as just some sort of old school hard rock band. Despite really only ever having the album Troublegum in my collection and not really paying attention to them since the song Rock You Monkeys (from Never Apologise Never Explain), I've always had a sort of sweet spot for the band. When I heard they had new album, Disquiet, on the way, I just had to check it out.

   As some of my readers know already, I posted the video for the band's first single Still Hurts (album opener) a while back and was surprised by the fact they are still churning out pretty heavy stuff. Still Hurts is pretty frantic in the verses, melodic and sweet in the bridge and groovy and catchy in the chorus. It has that iconic Therapy? snare sound (the one that sounds a bit like a trash can) which has always given them a slight industrial edge to their music. The song, as a whole, aptly sets the tone for the whole album.
   Not saying that all the songs here sound the same, but there's an ingredient that not only ties them all to Therapy? but also ties them all together to the same album. What that actual ingredient is, I'm not too sure, but could be a fusion of the aforementioned snare sound, the guitar tones, the pairing of thumping as well as groove drumming (played by drummer Neil Cooper) and frontman Andy Cairns' distinct vocals. There is nothing on this album which is too "out of the ordinary", which also means there is nothing that feels out of place. Even the incredibly named Vulgar Display of Powder (track 8) unfortunately doesn't live up to the Pantera-esque image I initially had. It still has a fat, heavy main riff, as do tracks such as Fall Behind (track 4) and Helpless Still Lost (track 6). 
   Therapy? have definitely surpassed themselves by managing to write a catchy chorus for almost every song. Tides (track 2) has one that's melodically sung and relatable, the one for Good News Is No News (track 3) will be stuck in your head for days (was for me), that of Idiot Cousin (track 5) sounds like Silverchair's Freak but cooler and the chorus for Torment Sorrow Misery Strife (track 10) is surely going to be a great singalong at shows.
    The latter, along with album closer Deathstimate, are really the only tracks that are in anyway different to the rest. Torment Sorrow... has a punk feel, reminiscent more of bands like Down By Law or Social Distortion, while Deathstimate, the album's slowest track, stands out due to its spacey stoner riff. Its change of pace makes it a great end to a pleasurable album, which is surprising for me to say as I don't normally like songs this long (7 mins). 

   As someone who hasn't been following Therapy? for a long time, the album was still a great listen from start to finish. My only criticisms are that the snare sound might distract some people and the bass tone on the intro for Good News... is ridiculously 80s and quite awful on first listen. The material on here is heavier than some stuff they have done before but also not as experimental as other material from past albums. Nevertheless, I can't imagine any diehard fans being disappointed with this album. Whether it will get the band new ones is hard to say.

4/5

Review: Ash - Kablammo! [2015]

   "Ash?" you say? Yes, Ash. Anyone remember them? During the 90s, the three-piece were known for hits such as Kung Fu, Girl From Mars, Goldfinger and Oh Yeah! from the album 1977 (from 1996), all of which were songs that made me, at about the age of 9/10, think that they were one of the coolest bands ever. It wasn't until the album Meltdown (2004) that the band garnered success with singles such as Shining Light and Burn, Baby, Burn. New album Kablammo! is the band's first full length since 2007's Twilight of The Innocents, the first album released as a trio after the departure of guitarist Charlotte Hatherley. Somehow, both that album and 2012's Little Infinity EP completely passed me by.
   

   Upon hearing the thunderous drum intro to Ash's first single Cocoon (also the album opener), they now had my full attention again; it is an absolute return to form. A slight nod to punkier hits such as Kung Fu, Burn, Baby Burn and even A Life Less Ordinary (from the movie of the same name), the chorus will have you sweetly singing "COCOOOON" along with frontman Tim Wheeler in the chorus. Shutdown (track 10), like Cocoon, is reminiscent of  the band's more 'full throttle' material, where songs like Let's Ride (track 2) and Hedonism (track 8, not a Skunk Anansie cover) still rock out yet have a more commercially acceptable quality to them. (On a side-note, the latter's intro reminds me of the title music to a franchise of British adult movies. I'll say no more.) Machinery (track 3) is also fast paced, but has elegant strings and warm vocals that give the song a Manic Street Preachers type feel. 
   The band's softer side, as seen at different stages throughout their career, is still present on this album. Free (track 4) beautifully rumbles away, Moondust (track 6) is a heartfelt orchestral masterpiece and For Eternity (track 11) is essentially Robbie Williams' hit She's The One in some form of alternate universe. 
   As good as the aforementioned tracks are (specifically Cocoon, Let's Ride, Moondust and Hedonism), stand out track on this record is undoubtably Go! Fight! Win! (track 5). Going in the same thumping vein as Envy (the only new song from the Intergalactic Sonic 7"s compilation), the whole song felt like a salute to rock and roll revival bands like Rocket From The Crypt (I can't really think of any others, to be honest). Not only does it have the thumping drumming, but it has a heavy guitar riff, organ hits, a bouncy chorus and... cheerleaders! It is definitely the most rock and roll on this album and possibly the most rock and roll track they have ever done. What would have made it even more impressive for me would have been a brass section, although then it would REALLY sound like RFTC. 

   Kablammo! is an easy album to listen to from start to finish. There's a hint of that "Spaghetti Western" sound hidden in there which I'm not really a fan of, but the album is nevertheless an interesting collection. The slower songs may bore some people and the rockier ones might not be everyone's cup of tea, but this is definitely an impressive album for a band whom many have seemed to have left behind. They still know how to pen a song and are not afraid to show that, even as a rock band initially, they have the essence of pop within them. Cocoon even has a bloody key change. Who still does key changes anymore? 
I'm hoping this gives them equal success to that of Meltdown from over ten years ago. 

4/5

Live Review and Album Review: Sintax: Sway For A Better Day release show @ Gargarin, Tel Aviv [30th May 2015]

   Although there was a show at Koro tonight I could have gone to review (my apologies to both Jeronimo and Krokodil Popular, whom I was hoping to give support to, and Regel Sabres, who I don't really know), I have ended up tonight at Gagarin in South Tel Aviv for yet another metal show. Tonight celebrates the release of Jerusalem Metal band Sintax's new album, Sway For A Better Day. As most of the set consists of songs from the new album, I shall be doing my first ever 2-in-1, reviewing both the show and the album.

         Photo by Sharon Shapira

   I have seen Sintax once or twice (I can't really remember) over the last few years and never really paid proper attention to them. I always thought they were good but never all that memorable. Tonight, I have come to check them out with the proper attention deserved and also give support to the two Sintax members I know from hardcore band "03" (Efes Shalosh), Lemmy and Misha. Misha has even turned up in a No Turning Back shirt, which has to be a first for out here.
    There were two supporting bands, Mechanigod and Sinnery, who I missed due to tardiness, but managed to turn up just in time for the main act. Ascending the stage to the sounds of sirens and under quite blinding lights, it is quite an epic entrance despite a low turn out. The band then kicks in to the set opener, the weirdly named Fine Line To Sodomy (track 5 on the album). The song has an amazing opening riff with thrash drumming and basically stays pretty old school throughout the song. The chorus is very headbang inducing, although I'm not really seeing much of that amongst the crowd. The band are putting a lot of energy into the performance. I already know that Lemmy (rhythm guitar) and Misha (bass) are great performers from their 03 shows. Lemmy is jumping every chance he gets as Misha strums his bass with gusto and an aggressive (although incredibly content) expression on his face. Lead guitarist Roi (ex-Shworchtsechaye) keeps reminding me of Shane Embury of Napalm Death; he's a mature (in age) fellow with big hair and a goatee (technically, Embury has a Van Dyke) who plays standing quite still but still oozing coolness. Frontman Yehi (frontman of Caveman King and owner of Blaze Bar in Jerusalem) has great vocals and a proper metal presence but sometimes lacks on the enthusiasm and energy that the rest of the band shows.

    Photo by Sharon Shapira

Next song, Up For The Physical (track 8), is quite classic metal in style, especially with its long and haunting melodic intro. The "Stop wasting my time" refrain is infectious and can be used in any pissed off situation. Throughout the song, the style switches from the more classic metal sound to pure thrash, ending with an amazing thrashy climax. Drummer Nir, who, from where I am standing, is pretty hidden in darkness, seems a bit off in this song. The cymbal crashes didn't seem to be in the right places and the fills often seemed like he was squeezing too much in. Despite that, he continued to play spot on throughout the show. 
    Shooting Starts is a very new song which is set to be put on the next record. It's a heavy and groovy track. The vocal rhythm and general feel of parts of the song reminded me of the heavy parts of a song called Fundamental by PUYA. It's almost on the verge of rap metal and I for one am not complaining. Lemmy is encouraging the crowd with all his might like some sort of knight leading his men to victory. He's so metal, it's not even cheesy...just brilliant. The band then invite Orel from Mechanigod to join in on guitar for I Get It Now (track 7). The song has a frantic intro, with fast paced riffing and chaotic drumming. The song stays pretty thrash throughout and causes major headbanging. At the show, the sound was a bit muffled so everything was a bit unclear. On record, however, the song is clearly a banger with an awesome ending. 
   Title track Sway For A Better Day (track 2) takes us back to a more old school vibe with some solid standard 4/4 drumming which then switches to 6/8 at around the 1:30 mark (yeh...I'm getting all technical on your asses right now!) and back to straight up metal. There's a more modern metal groove near the middle of the song which, at the show, got me swinging my head as Lemmy bounced over the place. Let's Get Mental (track 3) starts slow, heavy and demonic. The guitar melody could easily be summoning Satan [Punkalovich does not endorse Satan worship or the black arts in anyway...although The Craft is a great movie]. The pace then picks up and the "pit" here tonight eventually opens up, although there's still not a lot of people. The song is a great thrash number with changing drums patterns and interesting breakdowns. The "Let's get mental" refrain near the end of the song is something that, with time, all fans will be throwing their horns and shouting along to. 
  The following few songs in the set are newer songs lined up for the next release. Moti (Spawn of Evil vocalist) joins the band for a song entitled Pen Sword, which starts off groovy and then goes full on thrash. Finally, there's a bit more excitement on stage as Moti is properly engaging the crowd with eye contact, hand gestures, a lot of hair swinging and an evil yet incredibly pleasurable smirk. I already liked Moti from when I saw Spawn of Evil first time I came to Gargarin so I'm not really all that surprised. Both Hate People and Most Hated Man In The Universe give us a dosage of both thrash and groove, with the pit opening up again during the latter. 
     The Answer...The Name... (track 6) marches itself into thunderous double kick and chugging guitars followed by blast beats and fast riffing. The song itself, especially on record, sounds a lot like classic Metallica, which isn't a bad thing at all. I didn't really get that feeling live; it just came off as raw death metal. Either way, it's good old fashioned fun!

Photo by Sharon Shapira

   The band then treat us to two covers. The first song turned out to be You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks by Seasick Steve. Unexpected and interesting cover song choices are always a thumbs up in my book. Even though I had a feeling the original was not even a metal song (the slide guitar was a bit of a giveaway), they still played it their own way which had me far from thinking it was a Seasick Steve cover. This song was then followed by a proper hardcore bassline from Misha. As soon as it started I thought to myself "Don't I know this?" Ex-Instinct frontman/current 03 frontman/current Best bassist Jenia who was standing next to me then asks me "This id Pro-Pain, right?" Pro-Pain are one of my favourite bands so I was going to kill myself if I didn't recognise this. It wasn't until the "Outta my way! I'm coming like a freight train right on through ya" part of the chorus that I realised that this was Don't Kill Yourself To Live and my wish for a band out here to cover Pro-Pain is actually coming to fruition. I thought it might be one of the more hardcore or crossover bands so this is a great surprise. I of course move from my comfy spot at the bar to try and put some life in the empty space by singing along at the front of the stage. Even Lemmy coming down into the crowd for the whole song didn't really get anyone excited. THIS IS PRO-PAIN, PEOPLE!
   After a new, more hardcore sounding song entitled Lunch Time Funeral and the fairly progressive and melodic Four More Years (track 4), the band treat us to yet another new song which doesn't even have a name. The song itself reminds me of the Stampin' Ground song Officer Down. The vocals seemed to run the same and had a very similar groove (I'm using "groove" a lot in this, aren't I? I need to find a new word...) 

   All in all, I am glad I came tonight to celebrate with the band and see and hear them properly. They both surprised and impressed me with there mixture of classic metal, hardcore and thrash. The newer songs sound great and I am now very eager to hear what is yet to come. Sway For A Better Day is a great listen. The fact that it's mixed, mastered and partly recorded by the legendary (in my eyes) Mark Mynett of long forgotten Manchester electronic metal band Kill II This in itself is pretty cool. Everything is played to perfection and Yehi's vocals sound immense, sometimes even more heavy on certain tracks than others. The only thing that bugged me at first were the toms. Maybe it's because I am a drummer and I pay more attention to these things, but the toms are incredibly high pitched and also quite high in the mix. After a while, former drummer Rom's impressive musicianship trumps the actual tom sounds and it all seems to work. Although this album didn't make me jump for joy and isn't breaking any boundaries, it has it's moments and will please many a metal fan.

Live: 4/5
Album: 3.5/5

Thanks to Sharon Shapira [Facebook] for the photos. 

Review: MooM - First EP [2015]

   
    MooM is a brand new band featuring Sima on vocals (Not On Tour), Ez Ra on guitar (The Orions), Gad on bass (has probably been in bands I don't know) and Heshbon on drums (Zaga Zaga). I first saw these guys at a show at Tel Aviv's central bus station and I was absolutely gobsmacked! Despite having a female singer from a pop punk band and a guitarist from a surf band, MooM play fast paced crust/sludge a la EYEHATEGOD. Having only 4 songs and lasting 4:45 minutes, this First EP still probably isn't the shortest EP or even album ever released but it has to come close. 
   As a fan of bands like EYEHATEGOD and Napalm Death, this band feed that love of dirty riffs, super speed and venomous vocals. Sima's vocals give a slightly more punk edge and actually remind me of other Israeli band MESS. The backing vocals (I think done by Gad) add a hint of death metal/grindcore to the mix. With the added factor that this is a purely live recording, the whole thing just sounds raw and brain meltingly demonic.
   I wish this wan't just a 4 track EP and am looking forward to at least 10 minutes more of this kind of stuff from them. I guess seeing them live will have to do for the time being.  
  For fans of EYEHATEGOD, DOOM and Extreme Noise Terror. 

5/5

Review: Jeronimo - Jeronimo EP [2015]

   

    Back in December, I went to a show at the Koro to see three bands I had never heard of before. One of them was the young band Jeronimo. I was impressed by these guys' rock riffs and energy that I even put them on the first Punkalovich show, which unfortunately they had to pull out of because of personal issues. The band are back on track again and released their long awaited self titled EP.

   Opening track, Aircraft Boneyard, starts off heavy and quite epic. Drummer Itamar's spacious fills over guitar feedback followed by a tribal rhythm tell us that we're expecting something big. We're then hit with a cool riff that leads us into full throttle mode similar to the likes of Kyuss et al. I definitely remember this as one of the ones I liked when I saw them. The chorus is catchy and will have you singing "THEY'LL BRING YOU DOWN" along with them. However, the song feels like it is a little bit longer than it needs to be. The mid-section and solo in particular feel like they could have been cut short. It is all well-played, though. Next track, Scratch, has that similar hard hitting feel. The opening riff is reminiscent of something you might hear in a Disturbed song. Don't get me wrong...the song itself sounds nothing like Disturbed. That's just the best comparison I can come up with for that riff. The song itself is pretty rocking but the vocals bug me a tiny bit. I'm not expecting Israeli bands to sound exactly like American or British bands but when an accent is a little bit too strong, it can throw me off a little bit. Guitarists and vocalists Auriya and Yonatan share singing duties throughout the record and it's at the beginning of this track that the Israeli accent really shines through. 
    Torch Torture takes the tempo down a bit. Compared to the first two tracks, it has more of a Alt. Rock vibe. It slowly dawned on me that it sounds a little bit like Kool Thing (Sonic Youth) only a fair bit slower. What really sticks out on this track, possibly due to the weird mixing of the EP in general, is the bass playing. Throughout the song, and especially in the chorus, bassist Eilon does some pretty crazy runs which sound great. The track really picks up near the end when the band turn up the volume a bit more for a heavy instrumental section before rocking out on the final chorus. Next track Jeronimo is, I guess, almost meant to be the band's theme song. This is definitely one of the main songs that got people moving at their shows (when there were people). It runs on a bit of a repetitive riff throughout a good part of it but we do get a break in the song which builds to a continuous proclamation of "JERONIMO".
   Stabbing Sound comes across as something heavily influenced by the British Invasion of the 60s. It has a simple yet rocking main riff and a catchy chorus. Final track Zero Kills' riff has Queens Of The Stone Age written all over it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. With Auriya's raw vocals, the song takes on a more grunge feel. There is some wonderful musicianship all round from the middle part right up to the end. 
    As I already knew from their live shows, Jeronimo are very competent musicians but some of the songs sometimes feel like their lacking something. It could be because of the accents, the tempo being too slow on some tracks, or how certain instruments and vocals sound too high or even too low in the mix...but whatever it is, the EP is still enjoyable. In a way, the flaws do give it a raw quality. The overall subject matter of the EP is still a little bit lost on me, however that doesn't necessarily spoil the enjoyment. Musically, Aircraft Boneyard is my favourite, with the emotional chorus of "You feel OK" and instrumental finish on Zero Kills making it the stand out track.

3.5/5

Review: The Prodigy - The Day Is My Enemy [2015]

 

    Although I may have been briefly previously aware of tunes such as Out Of Space, No Good (Start The Dance) and Poison, it was really when Firestarter came out that I, and I'm sure a whole bunch of others, really started to take notice of British ravers The Prodigy. It was Keith Flint's new punk look that intrigued me as a 10 year old already interested in a little bit of 70s/80s punk rock but mostly 90s Brit pop and Brit rock. Whereas he was once really only a long haired dancer along with the giant Leeroy Thornhill, Keith was almost seen here as a frontman. It happened again with Maxim, although already been at the forefront of previous tracks, in the Breathe video, leaving brains of the outfit Liam Howlett quietly enjoying the success of his songs from behind the controls. This escalated The Prodigy from being a DJ led rave act to an innovative rock band of sorts. On top of that, the music was guitar sample led and quite heavy. Both Firestarter and Breathe especially can be considered by many musicians today as songs that got them into heavier music.

  Over the years, the album that spawned those singles, Fat Of The Land, is still considered a classic and an almost revolutionary masterpiece. The band have kept their position as one of most beloved dance acts as well as a proud British export. Both ravers and rock fans alike have been able to enjoy the amazing live spectacle that is The Prodigy both at their Headlining shows and at festivals across the globe. Although later albums Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned and Invaders Must Die did not manage to beat Fat Of The Land's global success, they both reached number 1 in the UK. Tracks like Spitfire (which, at least when I was at University, was being played in rock clubs everywhere along with Pendulum's Tarantula), Omen and Invaders Must Die still kept longtime fans happy and gained them new ones. Everyone was of course awaiting new material and eventually 6 years later the full album has arrived and also hit number 1 in the UK. So....was it worth the wait and the hype?

   Followers of the blog will be aware that I have been quite excited about this new release and already shared my thoughts on some of the tracks that were already released with lyric videos and/or actual videos. The title track and album opener The Day Is My Enemy is a great track to start off the album and a really good track in general. It starts off with some heavy thumping courtesy of Swiss drumming group The Top Secret Drum Corps which then gets used throughout the tracks while singer Martina Topley-Bird (known for her work with Tricky and Gorillaz in the past) sings the lyrics "The day is my enemy, the night my friend", inspired by Ella Fitzgerald's version of All Through The Night. The track has a slow pace and is generally quite reminiscent of Spitfire. Topley-Bird's vocals fit the sentiment of the lyrics perfectly and also compliments the dark mood of the drumming and main riff.
    Tracks like Nasty, Rebel Radio, Get Your Fight On and Wall Of Death are the most rock-like tracks on here. Nasty starts off with a twangy riff which is so reminiscent of something it's killing me. It sounds like something you might hear in a martial arts movie, almost as if it's played on a Pipa (traditional Chinese lute). The track itself literally sounds "nasty", with Keith snarling the lyrics as per usual, heavy beats and some dirty fuzzy synths. There's a bit in the middle of the song where you hear someone say either "I ain't no tourist" or "I ain't no Taurus". I'm not entirely sure.That's going to bug me... Rebel Radio, after its robotic intro, is based upon guitar stabs along with synths, electronic bleeps and whatnot. Every now and again, you hear an uplifting calling of "That's the rebel radio sound" which makes you want to throw your fist in the air.
  Get Your Fight On has some ringed out guitars played over some funky breakbeat for a majority of the track, accompanied by the lyrics "Get your fight on...here's something to bite on". Not really deep and meaningful, but catchy, nevertheless. The synth parts remind me of Invaders Must Die...but then again, synths would do that. This is definitely a song which will get your feet moving whereas the others are more for throwing shapes and jumping up and down.
  Wall Of Death starts off with a riff that keeps tricking me into believing I'm about to listen to something by Lamb Of God or something. Then the heavy pounding electronic beats come in and we're back on track. This is pure Prodigy, with Keith proclaiming "Fuck this and fuck the cash! Fuck you and your heart attack!" Not totally on board with the latter remark. Who would you say that too? Although not lyrically challenging, the track itself is a slight return to Fat Of The Land and therefore a hit.
  Despite also having guitar parts, the heavy synths and characteristically Prodigy beats on Destroy take us back and forth between the ...Jilted Generation era and what has been more common from them in later years. Rhythm Bomb similarly mixes guitar stabs with simple old school dance techno beats. The female vocal samples bring to mind No Good, which isn't a bad thing at all. Roadblox begins sounding a bit like an 80s new wave ballad of sorts, until we get to a little glockenspiel/music box melody which then leads to pure drum and bass beats. I love a bit of drum and bass so this perked me up a lot more while listening. I can see this track being a total floor-filler in the near future if it isn't already.
   Both Wild Frontier and Rok-Weiler (this will soon be a whole new breed of dog) both have intros that make me think of classic computer games. Wild Frontier has already been released to the masses via it's creepy animated video but as a song it doesn't really do anything for me. Rok-Weiler, on the other hand, is a bit more up beat and has that slight drum and bass edge to it. Still, it reminds me of when I used to play something like Hi-octane back in the day.
  For me, Roadblox and Rok-Weiler could be considered album highlights along with Ibiza, Medicine, Invisible Sun and even iTunes bonus track Rise of the Eagles. Ibiza, upon first listen, was just a total delight. With help from Sleaford Mods, the track has that proper British swagger and Prodigy snarl, with the "Eye-Beefa" mantra and "What the fuck is he doing?" parts burying themselves deeply in your brain. Despite written to be poking fun at the simple DJ culture of Ibiza, it musically has the magic to get people pumped on a night out. Medicine, which could in a way be considered the sister song to classic track Poison, has an Eastern feel through parts of it due to a flute melody. It might be slow paced like the title track but the "A spoonful of sugar just to sweeten the taste..." chorus, along with guitar stabs and hype parts, all make the track a pleasure to listen to.
  Although Beyond The Deathray is also a very unexpected track, with no beats, just an atmospheric soundscape, Invisible Sun stands out as being almost like a slow rock jam. I can imagine lighters aloft as people sway along to this. Beyond The Deathray has grown on me on further listening but did just feel like album filler. Rise of the Eagles is most possibly my favourite of the whole album despite only being a special bonus track. It has that feel to it that reminds me a little bit of Walk Like A Panther by All Seeing I mixed in with Cobra Style by Teddybears Sthlm.

   On first listen, I wasn't taken to the album straight away. Maybe it was because of the mood I was in at the time, but some of the slower paced ones just didn't do anything for me. I felt at times that I had heard it all before; same old synths, noises and beats. I kind of felt that Liam Howlett had run out of ideas. Nevertheless, the more I listen, a majority of the songs still hold up on their own. Ibiza and Wall of Death especially are future classics. If you ever had a fondness for The Prodigy but haven't hear this album, I suggest you do but you will have to listen a few times for some of the tunes to really sink in.
4/5

Review: Dead Sara - Pleasure To Meet You [2015]

 

    I have been awaiting this album for quite some time now. Having fallen in love with the LA rock outfit Dead Sara since seeing the video for and hearing the song Weatherman, the self titled album blew me away. Frontwoman Emily Armstrong's voice stands out amongst many other singers out there right now, not even just the female ones. She is able to sing melodies that blend with guitarist Siouxsie Medley's sexy riffs in such a wonderful way. Dead Sara somehow manage to be both bluesy, heavy, energetic and mellow all in one album. The follow up, Pleasure To Meet You, has proven to have similar dynamics and just as catchy tunes.

   I already posted two tracks from this album already, Mona Lisa and Something Good. Mona Lisa was a little bit harder to grasp at first; there's quite a bit going on in the song. After a while, you find yourself humming the intro, playing the verses in your head and every so often shouting "I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT BUT IT AIN'T GONNA BE WHAT YOU LIKE!" Something Good comes at you straight away as just a really sweet and well-penned country-tinged song. The melodies, both vocal and guitar, are something your gran could even appreciate, but there's enough bite that it just doesn't seem like a cheesy pop song. This song has already had a bit of airplay and TV exposure that I'd be quite disappointed if it doesn't become a massive hit. It's like a slightly harder HAIM song....and everyone likes HAIM, right?
    The song Suicidal was a good choice for album opener...unless it was purposely made that way. It shows the band's heavier side, in a similar way to debut album tracks such as Weatherman and my personal favourite Test On My Patience. I haven't asked the band themselves the real meaning behind the song, but judging behind the lyrics it does seem to be speaking to those who have ever thought their life wasn't enough and telling them that they should never give up. It seems to be almost laughing at one's own concept of wanting to end their life, which I for one can relate to. If this is not quite the meaning of the song, then that's at least what I take from it when I head bang along to "Run and blow my life away. I wake up to another day."
   All the songs on this album have something special about them; there's a little bit of something for everyone. Lovesick, Greaser and Feel Right At Home all lie in the mainstream hard rock category, with catchy choruses and mixtures of heavier and softer parts. "Baby we're lovesick" is a chorus you won't be forgetting in a hurry and Greaser's chorus will have you waving your arms side to side while also trying not to break into Buggles' Video Killed The Radio Star (you'll know what I mean). Feel Right at Home has more of a groove to it than the others, coming off a bit like Black Crowes (whom I love). Mr Mr has an almost Black Keys vibe. It has echoey guitars and bluesy riffs along with pounding drums. There's a riff at the midway mark and at the end of the whole song which gives the song a headbanging quality.
    Radio One Two is possibly the nearest this album has to a punk rock song. Starting off with more of a new wave sound, it breaks out into a joyous singalong. Every song could be considered to have mainstream likability. There are also two slow songs on the album; Blue Was The Beautiful You and For You I Am. The former is bluesy with an explosive chorus and the latter sounds at times like it could be an Alanis song (which isn't a bad thing) and is slow but builds and builds into something emotionally beautiful.
        If you haven't listened to Dead Sara yet and you consider yourself a rock music fan, then I suggest you get on it straight away. They are a super cohesive unit, with Emily's voice definitely being at the forefront. This album has every chance to hit mainstream success; hopefully, it already is. It's hard to pick highlights as it changes at every listen, but Radio One Two and Something Good stand out for me right now. Whether the album itself is as good as the self titled album, I don't know...but it definitely hits a spot.

5/5
   

Review: Ironed Out - Us and Them EP [2015]

   For those who don't know me, my "hardcore" background comes from being introduced to the band Knuckledust through a Terrorizer compilation CD and then being taken by friends to my first London hardcore show. Since then, up until I moved to Israel, I have been going to London shows and supporting Rucktion Records' releases. Ironed Out is a new band on the scene; kind of a super group, including members of some of my London faves such as the previously mentioned Knuckledust and 50 Caliber.
    For those familiar with the whole Rucktion/LBU scene, this band has that same tough-guy London swagger with more of a "rap" emphasis, similar to that of other London band TRC's earlier work. On this EP, they also incorporate something which, to me, is pretty closely associated with London hardcore bands; using samples from British movies and TV. We can hear it in the EP's intro as well as in third track ACAB (which is a sample from British sitcom Only Fools and Horses about the police aka "the old bill").   
   Unlike more popular rap-hardcore bands like Biohazard and Madball, Ironed Out take more of a leaf out of E-Town Concrete's book, using melodic guitar parts as well as groovy riffs. Penultimate track on the EP, Built To Last (not a Sick Of It All cover), even has singing in the chorus. Personally I love that, but I remember a time when this side of the London scene made fun of Your Demise for introducing singing on their later material. On the other hand, Your Demise's sound pretty much completely changed so that was probably more the issue.
    Built To Last stands out as one of the EPs best tracks, along with final track Survivors. The whole EP is heavy and groovy; totally my sort of thing. However, there are a few issues. When the music kicks in on ACAB, especially when listening on headphones, the first guitar's chugging seems a little off which is a little distracting. Luckily the rest of the track compensates for that. There is also a section nearer the end of the Never Gonna Change, where the guitar part and the drumming seem out of sync but once again, everything sorts itself out and the groove is back on track. One other criticism is, as much as I've always loved the scene, the whole shouting "LBU" thing every so often and talking about the scene just doesn't really do anything for me anymore. It's like when a rapper says his name quite often. That aside, this is a perfect band for fans of E-Town Concrete, Fury of V, TRC and most things Danny Diablo has had a hand in. With bands like Hacktivist and TRC having gained popularity over the years, there's a possibility that Ironed Out will not just remain a hidden gem.
3.5/5

Review: Turnstile - Nonstop Feeling (2015)

  It has already been one of the most talked about records for 2015 since the revelation of first track Gravity and the fans were made even more excited by the release of a video for second track Drop. After having treated us with the EPs Step To The Rhythm and Pressure To Succeed, Baltimore's Turnstile, fronted by hardcore band Trapped Under Ice drummer Brendan Yates, are finally releasing their first studio album Nonstop Feeling, expected to come out on January 13th. I am one of those people who are already in love with the band but the teaser tracks have been hinting at slight changes in style which must be investigated.

  As previously mentioned, Gravity and Drop are the first two tracks on the album; both were greeted with mixed reactions. Gravity is groovy with a fairly simple, although in my opinion still catchy, main guitar riff, which I find reminiscent of a song called Independent by Dog Eat Dog spin-off band All Boro Kings. The verses have a bit of a Downset feel about them and the chorus has a hint of 311, especially in the way "It's just the gravity" is being sung. All in all, it has a bit of a Leeway feel, which is what I already liked about the band. Drop starts thrashy and then slips into a groove for the rest of the track with barely any other lyrics. We get more of a 311 echo-style singing. I think this is what is dividing opinion on this record. There's singing...in a hardcore record! SHOCK HORROR! And yes...I am relating it to 311 because a) that's the only band I can think of that has vocals exactly like that and b) I love that band!
  When listening to the rest of the album, you realise that this definitely isn't a typical hardcore record nor is it just a repetition of the first 2 tracks. Although the album still runs along the groove driven, rapcore-ish hc, there's still a mix. Fazed Out and Bad Wave are heavy and more traditionally hardcore with heavy riffs and "mosh" parts , similar to bands like short lived Inside Out (fronted by a pre-RATM Zack de la Rocha), with less of the "singing". Can't Deny It and Bring It Back are also both heavy and danceable. They both lean slightly more towards the style of crossover that we can hear in Leeway albums like Adult Crash and Desperate Measures. Bring It Back also has a bit of a Stuck Mojo vibe about it. Both include the "echoed" singing as mentioned before, but the chorus of Can't Deny It sounds so much like 311 that one could think frontman Nick Hexum is actually guesting on vocals. Actually...is he? Same thing goes for second shortest track on the record Blue By You. Where on earth did this baby come from? Not to be mistaken for a cover of Roy Orbison's Blue Bayou, this basically sounds like a melodic pop punk song...sung by Nick Hexum. It's short, it's energetic and somehow both sweet and haunting at the same time. This, along with penultimate track Love Lasso (a slow and almost country sounding instrumental), are the odd ones out on this record and feel like album fillers. Love Lasso even has an organ part! Beach Temple is also instrumental but at least somewhat keeps in with the more typical Turnstile sound.
  Addicted is the album's no holds barred thrashy hardcore punk track. It zooms along, making you bang your head as Brendan (or maybe someone else...doesn't quite sound like him) sings stuff like "Give it to me! Give it to me right now!", eventually ending in a good old "medium heavy" beatdown. Out Of Rage and album closer Stress could be considered by many as the real rap-metal/nu-metal tracks on the record. One would think a song with the word "rage" in the title would not necessarily sound anything like Rage Against The Machine but this does. Starting off more like the later Leeway stuff, the chorus is full on RATM, which in my book is not a bad thing. Stress is a really good mix, with 2 stepping parts and hip hop grooves which could create dance battles at shows (just imagine!..) It's very heavy on the old guitar harmonics which sounds awesome on first listen but could get annoying.  

TRACK LISTING:
1. Gravity
2. Drop
3. Fazed Out
4. Can’t Deny It
5. Bleach Temple
6. Bad Wave
7. Blue By You
8. Out Of Rage
9. Bring It Back
10. Addicted
11. Love Lasso
12. Stress

For those who already like Turnstile, this not an album to be ignored. For those more into pure tough guy and beatdown hardcore, you should listen to this...but you're probably not going to like it. For anyone who has ever liked any rap metal/rapcore/nu-metal/whatever you wish to call it, this is definitely worth checking out. For a 12 track album, it really doesn't seem all that much longer than each of their Eps. Despite the fact I still think it's just album filler, Blue By You is a stand out track for me because it literally (albeit not physically, for all you grammar lovers) does stand out. Can't Deny It and Stress also make it as my favourites on the record. Is it one of the most groundbreaking records ever, maybe not...but at least they've got the balls to experiment. 
4/5