Author: UberAdmin

The Damned Things – ‘High Crimes’ (Nuclear Blast)

The Damned Things – ‘High Crimes’ (Nuclear Blast)

Posted by | May 2, 2019 | ,

For those unfamiliar with their background, “supergroup” The Damned Things trace their routes back to the dawn of the decade, when Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe Trohman approached Scott Ian – yes, that Scott Ian, the one from Anthrax – and suggested that these two musicians from apparently completely disparate backgrounds use their mutual love of Thin Lizzy to make some rock ‘h’ roll of their own. Recruiting FOB and Anthrax band mates Andy Hurley and Rob Caggiano respectively, alongside Every Time I Die duo of Keith Buckley and Josh Newton they released the surprisingly impressive ‘Ironiclast’ album in 2011, played a handful of festival shows and then went back to their day jobs… until now, as eight years down the road, and with Caggiano and Newton replaced by Alkaline Trio’s Dan Andriano, they have re-emerged into the sunlight with their second album…

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Bad Religion – ‘Age of Unreason’ (Epitaph Records)

Bad Religion – ‘Age of Unreason’ (Epitaph Records)

Posted by | May 2, 2019 | ,

Godfathers of one of the most recognisable sub-schools of punk rock, Bad Religion’s contribution to melodic hardcore has seen them namechecked by nigh on every major punk band to emerge post-1988. Approaching their fourth decade and onto their 17th record, Bad Religion are still very much in business, proving that even while they might have spawned a legion of imitators and fans, they have never been left in the dust as the decades wear on. ‘Age of Unreason’ stands testament to this; a record which showcases all the hallmarks of what has made Bad Religion popular to this point, whilst ramping up their most melodic elements to produce something which is less seeped in anger or cynicism, but a kind of jaded optimism that draws on the traditional punk spirit of community whilst offering a sense of joyous release.

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Mammoth Penguins – ‘There’s No Fight We Can’t Both Win’ (Fika Recordings)

Mammoth Penguins – ‘There’s No Fight We Can’t Both Win’ (Fika Recordings)

Posted by | May 1, 2019 | ,

As a third release, this isn’t a bad effort at all, though it marks a slight deviation in musical intention, with this album sounding a lot more orientated towards Indie than their early pop-punk fare. While last release, ‘John Doe’, was a concept album, they revert to their previous form in the topics they are tackling, those being more relatable subjects and things that your average person would likely be experiencing in day to day life.

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Calamity – ‘Kairos’ (Self-Released)

Calamity – ‘Kairos’ (Self-Released)

Posted by | May 1, 2019 | ,

At first glance, ‘Kairos’ seems to be just another thrash album. Opener ‘Killer Vibes’ is a party-anthem that’s as enthusiastic as it is predictable, with lyrics about mosh pits and guitar solos as fast-paced as an F1 car. It’s all pretty standard stuff and there’s nothing to suggest that Calamity will do much to carve their own niche, but then they follow it up with ‘Guerreros’ and things start to get more involving. They don’t do anything particularly ground-breaking, but on this one they sing in Spanish and suddenly, a comparatively run-of-the-mill album starts to develop its own character.

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Age Of The Wolf – ‘Ouroboric Trances’ (Aural Music)

Age Of The Wolf – ‘Ouroboric Trances’ (Aural Music)

Posted by | May 1, 2019 | ,

Our resident DJ was previously unaware of Costa Rica’s Age Of The Wolf, although a nod at stoner or fuzz is usually a good thing for him, so he had a quick listen through their previous self-titled EP to get a feel for their music first, noting that while raw, there were definitely some positives to draw from it. So noted, it was time for the first playthrough of ‘Ouroboric Trances’, their debut full-length offering…

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