Dom Daley.

Hooligan Pop is a new one on me but I’ll take it when it sounds this raucous and bursting with energy. Of course, they hail from Canada most of the best purveyors of this style come from that part of the globe. If you’re wondering what the cut of their jib well, imagine some small dash of The Jam poured over a large slug of Buzzcocks then stir in a healthy amount of pop suss like say oh the small faces. And you’re on your way guv. Its sharp and to the point and has a tonne of melody in its eight songs.

‘Devices’ kicks things off with a cool raw riff and a backbeat this is like a majestic blend of Wilco Johnsons raw Tele wrestling with Wellers Rickenbacker but it’s all wrapped up in a bit of bovver like early Sparrer with the pop of the Undertones. Regardless it’s a great way to kick things off that’s for sure. Worry not pop pickers because ‘Straight Jacket’ is up next and like Houdini, it breaks free of its shackles easily and strikes a pose with a rollicking melody and we’re under no pretense as to what we’re listening to – this is indeed hooligan pop.

‘Permanent Fixture’ is busy making noises like prime time ‘Cocks and has a Shelly like melody but the magic really takes a grip on the great lick that falls from the guitar neck on ‘Hurtin’ Boys’ which is something special. you have those band stabs around that hypnotic lick and gang vocal chant of the title and you’re ready for a Saturday night down the footy like the 70’s never ever happened.

To be fair the standard is set early on and the fact that Tommy and the boys can maintain that til the end is a wonderful thing and they’ve nailed the production and style of this album. ‘So Happy’ is an apt title because I’m feeling perky from playing this at ear-splitting volumes as the outro riff shakes the floorboards I’m only stopped in my tracks that there is only one more punk rockin’ hack and slash as ‘Reggie Rocks’ takes this album home. With no soft focus or stylized edges smoothed over by big production Tommy has gone for edge and relying on the tunes to chicken dance this bad boy onto your turntable and take up residence.

‘Here come’ might well be a throwback with little finesse but it contains a bunch of well-crafted stompers that are packed with tunes and an attitude that it’ll dance to its own tune and won’t have its head turned by anybody because Tommy knows he rocks and I can tell you that now – we also know Tommy & his commies kick ass!

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Gerald Stansbury.

Hell Nation Army might be new to me, but they have been delivering their punk n roll since 2010. Based in Berlin, I have definitely been missing out over the years based on this new EP. On paper, I think an EP is often thought of as the safe alternative to an album. There are fewer songs so less of a chance that someone will perceive a song as filler. At the same time, a band needs to really deliver the goods on each song on the EP or we kind of write them off as incapable of writing a full album so there might actually be some extra pressure in that regard. Much like the Criminal Kids did earlier this year and Electric Frankenstein did back in the 90’s, Hell Nation Army delivers six songs that leave me wanting more and eager to explore their discography.

‘Gazoline’ gets us started but really any of the six songs here would have been a strong opener. Within the first 30 seconds, the guitar riff establishes itself, and the rhythm section amps up the adrenalin for a full-throttle assault. The call and response vocals on the chorus are mixed extremely well. Chris the Bliss may not have the most diverse voice or vocal talent, but he has character and an identity in his voice that makes for the perfect fit here. ‘Hell Sweet Home’ is based on an awesome guitar riff and a chorus that mandates audience participation. Special notice really must be given to both Beef and Simmi Sixx for their guitar work on this song as the riffs carry it for me.

Sounding like a locomotive roaring down the tracks, ‘Feed the Machine’ shows how to do shouty vocals right with some great early Nashville Pussy type guitar lines providing an additional hook underneath the chorus. If your foot and body are not moving, check your pulse STAT as the chorus is hammered into our brains. ‘Blackout’ features big drums from Ivil and a classic rock n roll riff turned up to 11 and played at maximum speed. The simple chorus works extremely well here, and the guitar solo is immense.

Hell Nation Army never really dial the tempo back at all, but the songs all have their own identities. ‘I Wanna Be Dead’ features some well-done backing vocals that add meat to the chorus. My favorite part of the song though is how the great bridge leads into the guitar solo. ‘Demon Girl’ is rhythm heavy with a chunky groove featuring some great work by Ivil and Kapt’n (bass). Based on the lyrics, I have concluded that Chris losing his soul has apparently turned out very well for all of us because we get these great songs out of the deal. In my notes on this song, I keep scribbling a bit of Motorhead in the mix.

Punk n roll seems to be a genre enjoying a rebirth, which is great for me as I have always loved the energy and approach of this style with the hooks and classic riffs designed for catchy short songs. Hell Nation Army has created an EP that can be played over and over again with more subtle elements rising out of the songs thanks to the great mix on the record. When Electric Frankenstein was releasing 10” vinyl EPs, I would play them until I was afraid the grooves were wearing off the album. It is probably a good thing that can’t happen digitally. Now, let’s crank up the volume and rattle the foundation by playing all six songs again.

‘Anthems for the Misanthropic’ is released October 13^th

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Johnny Hayward.

The only positive thing to come out of the demise of south Wales punk rock legends This System Kills is the fact that we now have three bands where we once we had just the one. Social Experiment are the first of these new bands to show their hand, and boy oh boy have they come up trumps with this debut eight tracker.

Self released on both gatefold digipak CD and 12” vinyl formats (both of which also contain a download code) the band really have delivered a premium looking package on what must have been a DIY budget, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that all their available readies might have gone into the artwork and the music might be little more than rehearsal tapes dressed up as a debut album.  Think again though brothers and sisters because once you drop this baby onto the turntable or into your CD player the aural onslaught that awaits you really is quite astonishing.

Expertly produced by ex-Dub War and current Bad Sam guitarist Jeff Rose the sound of Social Experiment is nothing less an all-out assault on your senses, and from the almost gothic throb of opener ‘Unlock The Cage’ to the metallic pounding thrash of ‘Tilikum’ that closes the record the 23 minutes you spend in the company of  Puddle (vocals), Newt (bass), Nicky (drums) and  Paul (guitar and backing vocals) are some of the most exhilarating you’ll spend with any UK hardcore band right now.

Given the ferocity of the band coupled with the bang on point social politics of the record, this is not exactly what you would call “a sit-down and relax after work type of record.” In fact, it’s more of a record for those who like to feel like you’ve just done eight rounds down at your local Fight Club but this time around it’s something you really must talk about, and not unlike those early records by the likes of Subhumans, Discharge and Extreme Noise Terror.

It’s when Social Experiment break ranks ever so slightly that they truly shine through, like on their second video release ‘Clones’ a track which has an almost RATM meets Motorhead thing going on, whilst in ‘It Makes No Sense to Me’ the ghost of Poison Idea looms larger than life in the hardcore rear-view mirror.

Eight tracks, eight short sharp shocks to the system and a virtual bloody nose for your troubles ‘Rumours of Our Demise Are Not Greatly Exaggerated’ is one of the most brutal records I’ve heard this year.

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Fraser Munro.

This album takes me to the limits of my musical reference points. I guess you could say it is Americana in the most literal sense; taking inspiration not only from country but also roots-rock, folk, gospel, and bluegrass, with a big dollop of dirty blues.

When I slipped the CD into the slot and “The End” wrapped itself around my unsuspecting brain, I immediately thought of Dr. John but then the second tune “Ain’t No Love” kind of spun me around with a slightly Roger Waters vibe to it. Their distinctive roots-oriented sound lives in a world apart from the pure forms of the genres upon which it may draw but packages it in a way that even glunk philistines like me can latch on to.

Upbeat stompers “Mountain Song” and “Feast of Snakes” nestle perfectly with the slower southern slide guitar led of “Louisiana”, while Rob barks like a Saint Bernard on the heart string pulling “Shipwrecked” making Tom Waits sound like a sweet choir boy in the process.

At a stretch, for simple folk like me, the penultimate track “In The City”, makes me think of Tyla at his most down and dirty, draining the last drop from a bottle of acid-tainted whiskey.

I’ll leave you with a word to the wise, this is simply the album that Whiskeytown should have made to follow “Strangers Almanac” and one of the best albums I’ve heard so far this year.

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