SLYDER SMITH & THE OBLIVION KIDS On The Charm Offensive

SLYDER SMITH & THE OBLIVION KIDS On The Charm Offensive

SLYDER SMITH & THE OBLIVION KIDS, have announced the release of their debut album ‘Charm Offensive‘, to be out on 19th August 2022 through Ray Records on 12” black vinyl, digipak CD and digital, distributed worldwide via Cargo Records. Pre-order the album here

“This album has been a real labour of love for me, I’ve really put my heart & soul into it. Over the last year or so I’ve been working very hard developing my guitar playing, music & lyric writing pulling myself in all sorts of directions, really stretching myself. I feel I have accomplished what I set out to do, create songs from the heart in no specific genre & perform them to the best of my ability on the record. I guess for years I have been a frustrated lead singer so I have relished the opportunity to showcase what I can do vocally too.” – Slyder Smith –

Slyder Smith first swaggered onto the stage as lead guitarist with glam-tinged power popsters, Last Great Dreamers. After releasing four studio albums and one live album on Ray Records, & having toured extensively throughout the UK & Europe with LGD, Slyder now takes centre stage leading new power trio, Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids (Tim Emery, Bass and Rik Pratt, Drums) in an honest outpouring of grit, glamour and emotion.

Stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight, the self-confessed ‘frustrated lead singer’ has been forced to delve deep into his own psyche, to carefully craft lyrics and melodies that speak from the heart. Slyder’s emotive vocals are powerful, yet melancholic, the perfect balance of light and shade sitting effortlessly within the sonic landscape of his varied rhythm guitar sounds and highly melodic & anthemic lead lines.

Stage left, Slyder is joined by Tim Emery, a towering enigma, whose stylish bass lines are the only thing to outshine his impeccable apparel and at the back sits the Oblivion Kids’ powerhouse and beat master, Welshman, Rik Pratt. A man of few words but whose presence is palpable in this rock steady rhythm section.

But this is no ordinary guitar-based rock album; together with producer Pete Brown (George Harrison, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Marc Almond, The Smiths and Sam Brown), Slyder has allowed the songs to dictate the direction they have gone in; discovering melodies and hook lines along the way. Making use of Hammond organ and piano with the help of Neil Scully (Richard Davies & the Dissidents), a 1950s Phillicord organ, lap steel guitar & even a bit of banjo.

A chocolate box of sonic sensations offering up a little something for everyone – from heavy riffage with walloping drums akin to the brothers Young to the anticipated sleaze rock shades of Hanoi Rocks. However, this band is not afraid to step away from their rock roots, instead, with nods to the likes of The Doors, Velvet Underground, The Stranglers and The Kinks from the past and the alternative rock sound of Manic Street Preachers, The Oblivion Kids have reimagined an 80s synth-pop classic and mastered singalong pop, gothic, dark Americana, and dare I say it, funk-rock?! There are a few firsts for Slyder on here too in the form of an instrumental track with a western feel to a duet featuring the ethereal vocals of Nina Courson (Healthy Junkies). The result is an idiosyncratic 14-track album of outstanding versatility.  A Charming debut, I’m sure you’ll agree.
 

On the strength of the new recordings, Slyder has also just signed a publishing deal with Cherry Red Songs… “I’m really hopeful that with Cherry Red’s help we will find plenty of opportunity for my new music to be used commercially.”

On May 2nd Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids played their live debut on the main stage at HRH Ibiza Road Trip and went down a storm in front of a packed house to opening the 5-day rock festival!

The band plan a string of single & video releases throughout the summer & will perform their UK debut show In London at Pump It Up Festival on Sat July 2nd.  followed by a demanding schedule of live dates including a 9 date UK tour as special guests to Swedish groove-rockers, The Electric Boys in Aug/Sept to coincide with the release of the debut album. Further headline & festival live dates are planned for the rest of the year in UK & Europe.

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Quazimofo – ‘King Of The Trash’ (Savage Magic Records)

Quazimofo – ‘King Of The Trash’ (Savage Magic Records)

Turn up the stereo! Quazimofo are on the player and they’re bringing the noise – pure unadulterated punk n fuckin roll. the baton has been handed down from the likes of EF, Gluecifer, and The Dragons. The cats out of the bag and Quazimofo are carrying the blazing torch forward with their no-bullshit, amps to 11 Rock n Fuckin’ Roll.

Orange County, California’s the base for these punk rockers. It’s ten tracks of zero fucks given Punk n Roll played from low-slung guitars with the required amount of spit and sweat that bands who do this shit properly need. From the opening chords of ‘Five Times A Day’.

The songs rock and the tempo is generally high octane. Some strong melodies throughout and there are some stand out tracks. ‘It’s Broken’ has a cool meandering intro that breaks out into a juggernaut of a swashbuckling guitar lick where the vocals soar and the rhythm is kept solid as a rock towards the chorus of sorts like prime Velvet Revolver (if I might be so bold) they then turn up the pace for ‘It’s For The Best’ that just thrashes about rebounding of a cool vocal not a million miles from Bad Religion or some Bob Mould with brutal guitars over a cool subtle melody.

The title track ups the tempo and pours petrol on the fire that’s been smouldering in the engine room again a subtle vocal with some well-placed backing vocals. This is an album that didn’t register when I first started playing it – sure, some tunes were instantly gratifying but as a whole it was definitely a slow burner but when it clicked it has been the album that keeps giving something extra on each play.

‘Leave Me Alone’ eases into the verse with some cool gang vocals and a rollicking riffs. This band isn’t fucking about as ‘Pay It Back’ demonstrates – no fucks given on any level. be it an all-out punk rocker like ‘Pour One More’ or the harder rock songs it’s a no brainer that this record benefits from being played loudly. ‘Suffer’ and the quite brilliant ‘Why Do I Care’ are real highlights of this album.

If you’re looking for a new band who rocks like fuck then Quazimofo might just hit the spot. Riff after Motherfuckin Riff all the way baby! Buy it!

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Author: Dom Daley

Ultrabomb – ‘Time To Burn’ (Ultrabomb Records)

Ultrabomb – ‘Time To Burn’ (Ultrabomb Records)

Greg Norton, once the bassist for one of the most influential bands to come out of the American alternative punk scene, Hüsker Dü, alongside Finny McConnell, a name you’ll recognise from thirty years as the frontman of the Canadian Irish folk punks The Mahones. Holding it together in the engine room is one of the finest drummers and most in-demand sticksmiths the UK has thrown up in the last few decades is the drumming powerhouse that is Jamie Oliver.

There you go I’ve got your attention now and I’ll say this, leave any preconceived ideas of what you are about to listen to and drop the needle or press play with a clean pallet and ‘Time To Burn’ will reward you 100 times over. Take on board that this platter was written and recorded in just four day! Yup four fuckin’ days! Wow.

The title track gets things underway with Oliver revving up his Bass drum before the song breaks out into a widescreen slice of ultracool power pop like the sounds a Buffalo Tom used to play with the guitars turned up a little and a great melody from Finny McConnell. It’s got a great tempo and a real blast of energy a fantastic opener that’ll make you sit up and pay attention. It is indeed Time To Burn.

The band then heads down a route with a barroom riff that’s windmilling throwing it out there creating a sidestep from the opener with more menace and showing that this beast has teeth. ‘Star’ has single written all over it like a cross between the opener and early Goo Goo Dolls and American college radio running through its veins I might be wrong but Husker Du comes to the fore.

Now we’re getting warmed up as the sprightly ‘I Can Make It’ rolls into view. With some exceptional drumming throwing this one in all directions like a blender of their histories and this comes out. some great vocals (again) and one of the songs that I’ve kept going back to. Oh, and turn it up baby it sounds even better.

The album flip flops through tempos with ‘Feels’ veering into Dinosaur Jr territory with some loud guitars twisting and turning all over the track. Don’t be lulled into a false sense with the dreamy intro on ‘Stickman vs Hangman’ – hold in there it’s like a rocket getting launched as it peaks it burns most brightly. You also have some Rock with ‘Faded Way’ where the collaboration works really well from the groove they hit to the melodies and backing vocals – we all know these guys can play and the solo on this is exceptional with drama and tension being used to great effect.

As the album steams toward its conclusion there are no weak tracks at all and the chemistry the three clearly have is a gift that keeps giving, ‘Super Hero Shit’ is a stone-cold banger, plain and simple it rocks like fuck, and is simple in its construction but it just works. The penultimate offering is ‘Like The Wind’ with its calmer more measured tempo and delivery in the intro before being counted out and turbocharging towards the finale.

That’s ten tracks of the highest caliber and one that will make many friends and if there’s any justice will do extremely well for the trio. One of the finest albums I’ve heard all year and for a debut, it’s exceptionally good. I would however temper my enthusiasm with the cover of the Dead Boys classic ‘Sonic Reducer’. Although there’s nothing wrong with this interpretation of it, some songs are sacred and should be left well alone, and if I’m being picky it’s because I’d have preferred to hear another original tune rather than a decent cover. It’s a magical song that can’t be improved upon but as a tip of the hat, I get that, maybe a B side? but I’m not going to let one (very good version I might add) song take anything away from what should be in your top ten come the end of the year. Banger! Make no mistake about that. Absolutely buy it!

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Author: Dom Daley

Sergeant Thunderhoof – ‘This Sceptred Veil’ (Pale Wizard Records)

Sergeant Thunderhoof – ‘This Sceptred Veil’ (Pale Wizard Records)

Sergeant Thunderhoof (great name!) hail from the lovely city of Bath. The band formed in 2013 and have released three previous albums. Their latest effort – This Sceptred Veil is by far their most accomplished work. If you’re a fan of Black Sabbath, Kyuss, Corrosion of Conformity, Monster Magnet, Soundgarden, Hawkwind, and Green Lung you will absolutely love Sergeant Thunderhoof. Big down tuned riffs, melodic vocals, swinging drums and thundering bass are the order of the day.

The album kicks off with You’ve Stolen the Words which has a riff bigger than Godzilla, it reminds me a little of Albatross by COC (no bad thing!) When the band all kick in together it really is a sonic assault. Daniel Flitcroft has a fantastic voice that soars over the music, and he really has a knack for memorable harmonies. Devil’s Daughter is a barnstormer of a song with another great guitar riff and some superb minimalistic drumming from Darren Ashman, he really knows how to play for the song. Absolute Blue has an air of early Tool about it, almost hypnotic. Foreigner is a more up-tempo track with an earworm of a chorus. Woman Call has another massive riff, the band just seems to be able to churn them out at will! Fantastic.

King Beyond the Gates reminds me a little of early Paradise Lost with its harmonic lead guitar work from guitarist Mark Sayer. Show Don’t Tell moves into a more direct approach with a crunchy riff and yet another catchy chorus. The album finale of Avon & Avalon Parts 1 & 2 really showcases what Sergeant Thunderhoof are capable of. Plenty of light and shade, combined with a real depth of songwriting, and subject matter around the magical Isle of Avalon make for incredibly interesting listening.

As I sit writing this review, I have pre-ordered the album from Bandcamp. You should absolutely do the same. I salute you Sergeant.

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

Drive-By Truckers – ‘Welcome 2 Club XIII’ (ATO Records)

Drive-By Truckers – ‘Welcome 2 Club XIII’ (ATO Records)

US rockers Drive-By Truckers roll into the summer of 2022 with the release of an impressive 14th studio album. ‘Welcome 2 Club XIII’ sees the band step away from the politically oriented releases of the last few years, and instead focus and what the band describes as “a reckoning with the dualities of the things that make you alive and how they sometimes can kill you. A life-affirming flashlight for the dark nights of one’s soul.”

Dark nights are certainly the appropriate setting to accompany this album. The trudging riff of album opener ‘The Driver’, where we go “driving sometimes late into the night”, are offset by some ghostly vocals, all wrapped up in a fully atmospheric 7 minutes. By the second song ‘Maria’s Awful Disclosure’, the album is already opening up, sitting comfortably in a breezy southern rock world of cool.

The record is a wonderful tour through many of the things that make Drive-By Truckers so well-loved – shades of light and dark folk, country and rock and roll, all with a gritty but delicate delivery. From the warm ‘Shake and Pine’ to the somewhat joyous title track and first single (“a tongue in cheek homage to a local dive that founding members Cooley and Hood played in their early days”), or the melancholy of ‘We will never wake you up in the morning’, the album travels various yet always complementary paths converging together in a glorious 9 sweet tracks.

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Author: Craggy Collyde

The Clash – ‘Combat Rock / The People’s Hall: Special Edition’ (Columbia Records)

The Clash – ‘Combat Rock / The People’s Hall: Special Edition’ (Columbia Records)

A lot has been written about this here three-LP edition of the Clash’s ‘Combat Rock’ originally released in 1982 and the last to feature the classic line up however the album whilst containing a few stand-out tracks never hit the dizzy heights of its previous releases.

With an incredible 17 show residency at New York’s Bond’s Casino in the bag, the band set about rehearsing at The People’s Hall in the Latimer Road area of London thereafter they headed to Asia for a tour where the artwork was shot by the band’s photographer Pennie Smith as it goes.  This release of ‘Combat Rock’ includes unheard, rare, and early versions of tracks spread out over two albums and the original ‘Combat Rock’ however the final side is blank! Nada, nuffink not even an etching of ‘Know Your Rights’ Which left me feeling a little cheated. I might be being a bit fussy here but it could have contained a side of the best tracks from Bonds as a live side which might have been sufficient but nothing?

Anyway, I digress. Whilst having many a discussion about what constitutes a classic album and especially a classic Clash album nobody ever says ‘Combat Rock’ that I’m sure however when you drop the needle on side one and that familiar Echo of Strummers clanging reverb-laden guitar kicks in and his equally reverb-laden vocal introduces ‘Know Your Rites’ with “This is a public service…announcement – With guitars!”. I still get quite excited when the track sparks to life with Strummer’s rasping vocal as he rattles off your rites. It’s hypnotic and captivating to this day from the shots that fire off Jones’s guitar to the snap of the Heddon snare ‘Know Your Rights’ is a great tune and those rites still stand up to this day shame our government has no respect for them anymore. Strummer would spin in his grave I’m sure of that.

After the turn down leftfield, that was ‘Sandonista’ with all its headfuckery and musical veins that pumped life into a sprawling record that to this day has me scratching my head as to whether it’s a work of genius or the band is fucking with me different days offer different answers.

From the tweaks and funk of ‘Rock The Casbah’ Strummer was penning some fantastic lyrics and the band still had some fire inside them that they were able to express onto vinyl. They weren’t the same band who had led a generation into revolt at the tail end of the 70s they were indeed older and wiser. They’d seen the world and what was on offer and had soaked it up like a sponge. The dub and NYC had left a big impression on the band from hip hop to pop art and the sprawling metropolis that was Manhatten was a long way from London. ‘Red Angel Dragnet’ was all of this inspiration bleeding out onto the tape.

One of my favourite Clash songs is the magnificent ‘Straight To Hell’ from its rhythmic, atmospheric arrangement to Strummer’s vocal delivery and some brilliant lyrics it still sends chills down my spine. I always liked the bands changing image and the cool London urchins in their suits of London Calling had gone as had the Westwood fatigues of the spraypaint slogans and in were a united military mad max look and I vividly look back on seeing the ‘Rock The Casbah’ video and liking it from the great big ghetto blasters to the berets and camo fatigues and Strummers Taxi Driver haircut. The Clash were still cooler than most and that’s a fact!

‘Atom Tom’ is a great tune and even the weird dub-inspired dope-induced mish-mash of ‘Sean Flynn’ and ‘Ghetto Defendant’ are cinematic and experimental. ‘Inoculated City’ is a Big Audio Dynamite slice of pop from the guitar of Jones using the Glyn Jones samples no doubt. Not as strong a side as Side One but nevertheless a nice trip of a record I’ve not played in quite a while.

The real lure of this album probably isn’t going to be the remastered ‘Combat Rock’ but the other material not including the ‘Outside Bonds’ intro. Pfft I’m not sure why that took up five minutes of wax either. The funky ‘Radio Clash’ with alt lyrics is, however, exactly why I bought this record. Funky as fuck and from the slap bass to different lyrics its a window into a world we never thought possible.

‘Radio One’, ‘He Who Dares’, ‘Long Time Jerk’ is fascinating for Clash geeks no doubt about it. I love ‘Midnight To Stevens’ but the seven-plus minutes of ‘Sean Flynn’ almost fried my brain. All in all a right mixed bag is it worth the almost £50 price tag? Probably not it’s not in some fancy sleeve and the inner bag artwork is half decent and maybe I was expecting a bit more or a lot more I don’t know. It’s The Clash they are special and I couldn’t say no. Give it a listen on a streaming platform – you have a right. you also have a right to walk on by stay or go, but one thing you can’t deny is the Clash, as a unit, were formidable, adventurous and always up for a challenge to themselves and their fans. They follow their hearts and only dance to their own tune one thing I know for sure is there won’t be another of their kind not now not ever some have tried but all have failed.

Clash completists roll up and open your wallets this is something you must own. Oh, the poster is pretty cool as well. Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Demiricous – ‘III: Chaotic Lethal’ (Post. Recordings)

Demiricous – ‘III: Chaotic Lethal’ (Post. Recordings)

Been looking for a band to fill the void since Slayer called it a day? Look no further! After a fifteen-year hiatus, Indianapolis-based thrashers Demiricous have returned with a fucking monster of a metal album. Yes, that’s right, a METAL album. This is as metal as it gets, one minute it’s bouncing from Testament and Slayer-tinged riffage, and the next we are blasted with Biohazard-style gang vocals. The band is as tight as the proverbial duck’s backside, double bass drums aplenty, fast parts, slow parts, huge riffs, fantastic, clear as a bell production values, and memorable songs make for a hugely enjoyable listen.

Demiricous III opens with an apocalyptic piano intro, before Unconditional Hate slams into action with some Gary Holt style whammy bar acrobatics. The track is a good indicator of what’s to come. Terminal Future sounds like Seasons in the Abyss era Slayer with its crunching riffs and pummeling drums. The single Smoke Chaser is a master class in metal, think of Machine Head, Sepultura, Prong, Slayer, Testament, and Exodus giving birth to a bastardised offspring and you’re somewhere close. Superb stuff! I was pulling that metal face while listening, you know the one, where your eyes roll up into your head and you start gurning? We’ve all done it…haven’t we? Haha!

‘The Follow‘ starts off with stabbing riffs and cymbal chokes before more full-on thrash kicks its way out of the speakers. Fuck the Fire settles into more of a double bass groove, this is the track that gives me the Slayer vibes more than any other, love it! ‘Chaotic Lethal‘ delves into more of a black metal style, while the brilliantly titled ‘Merciless Slut Cult’ starts with a sample of someone telling how much he hates people before we are back into breakneck speed thrashing, some Fear Factory style staccato riffing and double kick that gets your head banging. ‘Choke’ offers up more crunch than a share bag of Doritos, and the album closes with the epic nine-minute ‘Faith Crime’ which has more twists and turns than a go on the Waltzers at Barry Island.

A superb album from start to finish with amazing performances from every band member. It’s so refreshing to hear that there are bands that can take over from the old guards that are diminishing slowly but surely. Now, go and buy this, turn it up and piss off your neighbours like real metal fans are supposed to do!

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/demiricous
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Bandcamp: https://demiricousofficial.bandcamp.com/

JJ & The Real Jerks – ‘Mess You Up’ (Heavy Medication Records)

JJ & The Real Jerks – ‘Mess You Up’ (Heavy Medication Records)

WooHoo! A brand new set of recordings courtesy of JJ & The Real Jerks had this scribe jumping for joy and when they featured on the Rock and Roll Manifesto single EP that got released a while back I was delighted only to find out this long player was in the works. This crazy rock we live on kinda reverting back to some sort of happy place after all the turmoil of the past few years.

It’s simple, I love loud guitars, and can’t get enough of ’em especially when they come wrapped in excellent melodies and arrangments that ooze class then all squeezed onto plastic that we can spin to our hearts content. Welcome to the world where JJ & The Real Jerks are that band.

A tonne of Energy, Saxophone, Electric Guitars, bass and drums all chewed up and captured with understanding and love for what they do. It’s a time-honored format – nothing too complicated. Tip the hat to the good and the great that went before them and paved the way so some could follow. Drain a few beers get the vibe going and then kicked down the door and just rocked the fuck out.

‘Mess You Up’ begins with a rapid beat and thumping bass line then JJ enters the fray before we zoom off with a hack and slash slice of punk rock n roll old school. It’s got the right amount of energy and lip curling bubblegum chewing vocals – pouring out the lyrics that pick up the gauntlet and not so much run with it but blaze the path and keep the cycle of punk n roll turning. JJ & The Real Jerks do this as good if not better than most. Tunes? Hell yeah! ‘Dead In The Water’ is cool as fuck. Nothin’ groundbreaking but thats not their MO, they just wanna rock n roll to the best of their ability and leave a bunch of great tunes that rock like a bastard and the result my friends is a resounding Job Done! The chorus on ‘Dead In The Water’ is easy even if you’re wasted just so long as you’re not dead in the water you can join in. turn up the stereo and let it out..

‘Lost Souls Pub’ is a killer tune. JJ sings with such authority of course I’m gonna join you in the pub get the beers in I’m there and the sax punching in is awesome. My only complaint is there are only eight tracks on offer because I want more, more, more!

‘Ten Cent Beer Night’ continues the party. Then, the title track rolls in on some cool slide Geetar and a chilled backbeat before the fist-pumping gang vocals get involved. This is anthemic Rock n Roll kids but not in some cheesy way it’s the bastard sons of the Dolls and The Dictators and all those bands who cruised around knowing they were out of step with what was the ‘flavour of the month’ but did it because its what was in their soul, it’s all they knew. This is a bunch of tunes that deserve to be heard and those of us lucky enough to tune in and get it will have records to turn to forever just like the bands that helped shape JJ & The Real Jerks like The Humpers, The Dragons, sure some Johnny Thunders meets Hanoi meets Buzzcocks with a twist of X-Ray Spex and Supersuckers (at their evil powers best).

JJ & The Real Jerks understands what it takes to whip up some magical music and then get it pressed on wax. Hell, they close with the epic smoulderingly cool as fuck ‘Sinking Feeling’ which deserves to be heard so I’ll leave you with this – I know it’s only Rock n Roll baby but I love it! Welcome back JJ we’ve missed ya! Now people get out and buy this record it’s a Banger!

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Author: Dom Daley

Salvation – ‘We Gave You Diamonds’ (Timeslip)

Salvation – ‘We Gave You Diamonds’ (Timeslip)

Having recently seen the band perform live supporting The Mission I spent a few days wondering where I’d seen them before (probably due to brain fog, age and the bands inactivity over the last few decades) and then it came flooding back. “Back in the day”, Salvation played that fateful evening of legend (in my house) supporting The Lords Of The New Church when Stiv wore that T Shirt and fired the band on stage. Anyway moving on some thirty years! (ah that brain fog) I find myself listening to this here live album and it sent memories flooding back from that fateful night. To be fair the songs sounded great when I saw them recently, even with the help of the rhythm section in a box it was a decent support on that Mission tour.

Songs like ‘Debris’ and ‘All And More’ sound great and sparked a flick through my record collection knowing I had at least one of their studio albums, and so it was, ‘Sass’ an album that is well represented here with ‘Paint It Rose’ having a great rolling Cult-like riff that leads this upbeat number.

This live recording captures a band that clearly loves the music they play, and to be fair, The songs have dated really well seeing as they’ve not been played for an age. From the opener ‘The Answer’, with it’s vibrant tempo. It’s something many bands, who to be fair, haven’t played a great deal over the past thirty years don’t quite capture. I’ve always liked that big overdriven guitar sound and having strong melodies always helps.

There are eleven tracks on this CD and a twelve-page booklet to accompany it. Sure fans of The Cult, Mission, and Sisters will be all over this and it’s a no-brainer if you caught any of the band’s recent shows some of these songs will be familiar anyway but Rock fans looking for a new “old band” who had a whole bunch of top tunes – dive in!

‘The Shining’ is a burst of energy before ‘Pearl Necklace’ then raises the bar. I’d love to hear what the band are currently creating studio-wise and see if they can still capture a sound that brings back such good memories. Finishing off with the vibrant ‘Why Lie?’ with its glugging bassline and rolling guitar lick it’s a great set ender.

Go seek Salvation in this live snapshot that contains some really good driven hard rock meets Goth that is delivered really well by a band who clearly still loves music.

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Author: Dom Daley

The OhNos – ‘Waving From Hades’ (Beluga Records)

The OhNos – ‘Waving From Hades’ (Beluga Records)

Malmö is the place The OhNos are the band. 2017 was when they released their first album ‘Sounds From The Basement’ after they dipped their collective toes in the murky pool of shark-infested Rock n Roll waters that we know and love. you might be forgiven for thinking (such is their confident swagger) that they’ve been at this pop-punk lark for a lot longer. Signing to Beluga Records is most definitely a seal of quality and points to the fact they don’t sign and release rubbish records so be safe in the knowledge ‘Waving From Hades’ is well worth getting your mitts on.

The album struts into life with the title track and easy to see why it was picked for a video, with its catchy hook and familiar-sounding melody. It’s catchy and will ease you into this album like a ray of early morning sunshine but be careful it might get darker. And so it turns down an altogether more punchy alley with ‘Final Call’. Rattling out of the speakers with fists windmilling and some great thrashing guitars raining down on you, it’s always a beautiful thing.

‘Trouble On Legs’ has got swagger and some fierce Backing Vocals. Once the ‘Light’ gets going it’s a swirling mass of snare drum and guitars being rinsing within an inch of their life. Narrowly avoiding chaos.

‘Message’ has shades of PJ Harvey which is never a bad place to find yourself oh and I love those BV’s. ‘Kiss The Boots’ has the tone of prime-time Steve Diggle and is easy to see why it was picked to be a single, Damn, you pick anything off this record there are so many great tunes at every turn. There is some great arrangement going on on ‘Desert Dreams’ which ebbs and flows really well.

‘Tommy Gun’ (no not a cover) has a great melody and guitar lick that gets inside your ear and burrows into your brain, complete with groovy breakdown before heading down the pop-punk route. Before they sign off they offer up ‘Stop’ with its punchy verse juddering towards the chorus. They then sign off with a big grinding ‘NGBG’ like Sonic Youth covering some T Rex. ‘NGBG’ (as far as I know) is a Swedish street festival native to Malmö. All in all an excellent album with variety, attitude, great arrangements, and an album that most certainly rocks but with an eye on the pop and being able to carry all that off with consummate ease. Check this album out!

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Author: Dom Daley