Favorite Tracks: Radioactivity, Nervous Wreck, This Machine Empowers Facists and Darkness Glows
Sounds Like: Exploited, Almataha, Rene SG, Minor Threat, and Gorilla Biscuits
We get a ton of reviews requests on a weekly basis. Some are so good, we can’t refuse. Some we have to pass, because it may not fit our format. On that note if you would like to help keep our reviews and website up, please donate here.
On that note we get a ton of pop punk review requests. Don’t get me wrong I love me some good pop punk, but sometimes you just need some good street punk in your lives. You need the energetic, fuck the establishment, pure and raw sound. Melbourne punks, Dead Already are doing just that with their latest release, “Gilded Age Of Piss”.
This EP is non stop train of old school classic punk straight out the back alleys of Melbourne. With songs like, ‘Nervous Wreck’, ‘This Machine Empowers Facists’ and ‘Darkness Glows’ I find myself fist pumping inside my office. My boss is probably thinking I’ve gone mental. Oh well fuck him anyway. So if you need something to accommodate an angry outburst, socially powerful, Dead Already’s, “Gilded Age Of Piss” is exactly the EP you NEED.
Favorite Tracks:Go Fund Yourself, R.P.F.O and The Kids Are Pissed
Sounds Like: The Shell Corp, Propagandhi, and Reagan Youth
There’s no doubt that Donald Trump is the worst president this country has ever witnessed. From his racism and sexist ideals. To his promotion of the rich and powerful to his cabinet and the Supreme Court. To his social views and extreme world views. It seems since Obama left office. The US has become the laughing stock of the world. One great thing has emerged since, the punk scene has responded and will not back down. You might say political punk never left, but I think maybe it was a little less angry for awhile there. Just look at the amazing bands writing songs about this country and it’s so called., “Leader”.
Here in Denver we have Cheap Perfume, Rotten Reputation, The Windermeres, The Unaccepted, and so many more, too many to name. This leads me to introduce Florida punks, Debt Neglector. This band is pissed off and their new EP is should join the ranks of other major political bands like, Bad Religion, Propaghandi and The Shell Corporation. So let’s get into the “Kids Are Pissed”. The first track up is, “Scared Of The U.S.”. This track is politically charged and sets the scene for the rest of the EP. The lyrics will rope in right away. The drums and vocals are amazing on this one. The song talks of the country repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
“It’s a shame and we’re to blame, whole goddamn world is scared of U.S. It’s not a game, we feel the same, Whole goddamn world is scared, We’re so scared of U.S.” “Go Fund Yourself”, is up next. This is more a power punk anthem. Basically it’s telling the government to “Go Fund Yourself” and “Go Fuck Yourselves”. We get some catchy lyrics, with a wicked bass line. The screaming really adds to the song! This is by far my favorite on the record. In fact buy the vinyl for this one alone!
“Wrong Side”, comes in next with an anthem like chorus. You will be singing along quickly. This is followed up, by another personal favorite, “New White Roses”. There’s a great little guitar intro before the main beat kicks in. This song brings me back to my original point. If Donald Trump has done anything good for this country, its bring more and more political activists into the fold. People who are sick and tired, and now ready to stand with fist in air.
“R.P.F.O”, is up next and this one really hit my heart. It’s about the administration’s policy of immigrants to this country. How many domestic violence calls go unmade, because an immigrant is afraid to call the police? How many have died from simple colds and flus, because they were too afraid to seek medical assistance? This is NOT ok with me. This country was founded on the backs of immigrants and now we stop them for papers like the Nazis? Fuck that I say.
Now sadly we are nearing the last track. “The Kids Are Pissed”. The song tells nothing, but the truth about the American political system and now the kids pissed off and ready to overthrow. The lines are catchy, and this song is extremely powerful. The combination of all creates this massive power sure to get you out into the streets.
“Make way, get out, cause they’ve had enough, Make way, Fuck off, Cause they’ve been through enough, Make way, Grow Up, cause they’ve had enough”. It’s time to wrap this review up. Debt Neglector has joined the ranks of my personal favorite politically charged punk bands. With deep and powerful lyrics, anthem like and charged music. There is pure raw emotion in every song. So pick it up on 10/25/2018 here, http://debtneglector.com/.
Label: 1984 Records, Live From the Rock Room, Bypolar Records, Gunner Records (EU)
Location: Seattle, WA and LA, CA
Current Lineup:
Rev – Guitar
Andy Wylie – Bass
Jake Margolis – Drums
Favorite Tracks: Eternal Debate and Faithfully, Faithless
Sounds Like: Street Dogs, NOISE, Strung Out, Off With Their Heads
View From The Bottom is yet to be released and bummer for you, you will have to wait. CPRA was stoked to get in on it early. This is straightforward punk sound; pre-labels and sub genres. The Drowns are a three piece that put out a lot of sound. I’m always a fan of good bass lines and the ability to harmonize the agansty lyrics. Boxes checked. This made want to get in the car and sing along nice and loud.
About the writer: Old crab that stands in the back and complains that it was better in my day, but is 100% for the youth take over. I’m a contradiction that thrives on holding on to rebellion with one foot on either side. – Lala
Sounds Like: Bad Religion, Face To Face, The Descendents, The Shell Corporation, Teenage Bottlerocket
Now landing on CPRA runway 69 from Vancouver, BC, we get The Corps, with “Tales From 2814”. This album is their first full release. We definitely were not disappointed. Let’s check out it and excuse my bad Airplane pun below.
Tales From 2814, offers nothing, but absolute punk perfection. From the opening track, “Supergirl” to the very end song, “The Island”. This album is full of power anthems like, “Obsidian” and “Greed”, where the band displays their more hardcore side. Rachelle Boily’s voice, combined with the Corps backing makes, “Diana”. One of my personal favorites on the album.
“There’s no such thing as an overdose, no such thing as a to not need, no sense turning back, once the orange light has found you, all we have is greed” Greed -The Corps
Dan Garrison, (Guitar/Vocalist for the Real McKenzies) does an amazing job with the lead vocals on this album. The lyrics to each song are carefully, skilled and deeply heartfelt. Each song seems to have it’s own message. You get it all, catchy pop punk, melodic, and hardcore all shoved into 13 tracks. The overall combination leads me to ponder, could this one be a nominee for a 2018 album of the year?
Here’s some videos from their EP release “In Brightest Day”.
Trond Goderstad – Vox
John E. Quesada – Guitar
Bella Quesada – Bass
Max Arbess – Drums
Our Favorite Track(s): Illusion Wall, Genocide, American Taliban
Sounds Like: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies, Subhumans, Bad Brains, The Exploited
Great Hardcore? Look No Further!
When it comes to hardcore punk, there are certain things you expect: fast buzzsaw guitars, pounding drums and those over the top throat ripping vocals. Almataha’s latest effort delivers that in spades! Personally, I loved the little “vintage” atom bomb instructional intro on Illusion Wall. While this sort of thing has been done before, it’s fun and tasteful. Plus, with the warning siren in the background, it does feels like the big one is about to be dropped. Duck and cover!
The rest of the album quickly aligns with the sound and feel of “Wall” and doesn’t let up until the very end. This band needs to make its way to Milwaukee, they would do very well! Can’t wait to see what else these lads (and lass) come up with next.
When you do what I do, sometimes you come across an album that you just love right from the word ‘go,’ but you just can’t find what you want to say about the album…
… such is my current conundrum…
This album is fun as hell! It makes you want to dance! It makes you want to move! It helps you clean your house!
The lyrics are fun, poetic, and pointed; and the music is energetic and rowdy. All in all, it’s most reminiscent of early Streetlight Manifesto, with a little Dropkick Murphys and Bad Religion peppered in, for good measure.
During the last song on the album, I thought it would be fun to hear them do a cover of “Dayman,” from the show, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” because the singer reminds me a little of Charlie Day in that song; which is a pretty fucking cool element that meshes well with the demeanor and timbre of the music! While this vocal characteristic is present in spades during the final track, it isn’t as prominent on the other tracks. This has the effect of making you look forward to listening to the album again, to try and hear it in the other tracks (a genius ploy, gentlemen, but I’m on to you!)
This is a great, fun album, and it fully gets my seal of approval!
You know, I LOVE this part of my job… I get to listen to kickass music and write about it… not many things feel quite so gratifying as being tasked to do something that you ALREADY love doing… right???
… BUT…
Every once in a while, an album comes along that hits you like audio cocaine… it makes you feel invincible… it’s impossible to sit still while listening to it… it’s pure, balls-to-the-wall ENERGY; and when you’re done listening to it, you just want MORE!!!
Albums like this make it REALLY hard to write, because your fingers just somehow can’t type fast enough, and everything that comes out of your hands is cliche as FUCK!
“Safe At Home,” by United Defiance definitely falls into that category. Somehow, the word “intense” doesn’t quite cover it… this album displays incredible musical talent, EPIC drums, well-crafted lyrics that inspire personal strength and strength as a community, and very clearly-enunciated vocals (which I, for one, GREATLY appreciate… I can always hear my high school drama teacher in the back of my mind… “PRO-JECT AND E-NUN-CI-ATE!“)
The sound is a culmination of all my favorite California punk bands… Rancid, NOFX, Flogging Molly, Dead Kennedys, The Vandals, L7… it has a very familiar sound and feel, and combines all the stuff I like into one nice, neat package!
I would be just as likely to recommend this album as I would be to recommend “And Out Come the Wolves” by Rancid, or “Hollywood Potato Chip” by The Vandals, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up as essential listening for anyone studying California punk, in some future “history of punk” class.
