Robyn Writes

A Tale Of Two Cities – New Horizons [EP]

This Bristolian five piece really pack a punch with their new EP ‘New Horizons’. Having already toured with bands like Attack! Attack! and Deaf Havana, this EP can be seen as a mission statement, showing a lot of quality and a shitload of potential. The songs show the sort of maturity you might expect from a band who have been in the business for decades rather than a matter of years. The EP itself has been finished to a high standard, with evidence of a very clean, crisp production. The sound may be similar to a lot of screamo, but the band still manages to carve out their own niche instead of living on the coattails of better bands that have gone before.

Opening song Four Words kicks in with heavy drums, thrashing guitars and vocals which remain prominent throughout. As an opening song it delivers an aggressive yet melodic sound, with the strong vocals of frontman Karl Ficarotta adding superbly to the atmosphere created by the whole band. With Familiar Traits the band show their alternative side, with the great addition of Joe Marsh’s screaming blended in with the lead vocals. Listening to the song you can’t help but think that it would have slotted in to one of The Blackout’s earlier albums quite nicely, the vocal exchanges between Karl and Joe definitely reminiscent of the interplay between Gavin Butler and Sean Smith. The song ends with a metal-esque breakdown that you would expect on the first couple of Lostprophets’ albums, with an electronic presence alongside the riffs and powering drums – it’s hard to believe they are actually from Bristol and not Pontypridd.

Fire Burning Through Our Wings shows how ATOTC can be quite dynamic, producing a very vocally central song in which the drums and guitars play a more diluted role, before Machine finishes the EP off nicely. Combining all of the elements from the songs coming before it, Machine has vocally dominated verses but heavier choruses, bringing back the pounding drums, the catchy riffs and the scream/clean mix of vocals.

It says a lot that the most negativity I could muster is that quite frankly, the EP is too short. It serves a platform from which the band can hopefully spring into the international circuit, but I was left wanting more. When a full length album comes it will have a lot to live up to. If they play their cards right, in years to come ATOTC could be as huge as the Dickens novel they presumably got their name from.

 

4.5 out of 5 high fives!

Artist Spotlight – Bigblast

Bigblast are a punk band from Lyon, France. Their most recent album, All Saviours, is an explosion of hardcore sensibilities and melodic gems, no doubt greatly aided by vocalist Emi’s fantastic vocals. From opening track ‘Something To Sing About’, their intentions are clear – to take the rock scene by storm, promoting humanist ethics and having a bloody good time along the way.

“For me, all kind of arts can deliver a message, politically or not. I think it’s easier to share strong statements through punk rock than dance or pop, though,” says Greg, the band’s bassist. Seb, who plays guitar, backs that up – “I think punk rock is a kind of music that offers us the possibility to speak out loud about everything. Not all bands are taking this chance, but strong messages are important for us.” All throughout All Saviours, there’s a true sense of hope, that Bigblast are just aiming to make the world a slightly better place, and they’ve put their faith in punk. Liom, on screams/guitar, points out the power of punk – “Since I was 14 years old, punk bands that I’ve listened to have opened my eyes on a lot of issues that I didn’t even know about, and made me realise how the world works. It’s a very good way to share opinions and bring awareness!” The band aren’t afraid to reach out either – “We write our songs in English for 3 reasons,” say Emi and Liom. “It sounds better (to us), we can touch more people and the message is more powerful!”

Of course, Bigblast have far more influences than just punk, as is evident from their songwriting. Citing influences like Deftones, Linkin Park and VersaEmerge, as well as some slightly more predictable ones like A Wilhelm Scream, Rise Against, The Flatliners and Mute, Bigblast have managed to craft a unique and compelling sound. This sound hasn’t been found that easily though. When quizzed on the formation of the current lineup, Liom adds “Like a lot of bands we started as friends making music and playing a few gigs. Some of us wanted to go further, some didn’t. That’s why there were a few line up changes before the current formation.” And though their sound has “evolved” since Emi and Greg joined the current lineup, the band are quick to stress that they’ve always been diverse in their sound – “It’s always hard to put a label on your music. Some people think that we are very poppy and that we’re easy listening thanks to Emi’s voice. Others think we are hardcore punk because of our lyrics, screams and also because we play fast,” says Liom. “But I think we’ve always been melodic.”

Here at TwoBeatsOff, we’re always keen to scope out new and awesome music from around the world and our knowledge of the French punk scene is reasonably shocking. So we asked Bigblast whether they knew any good bands. Liom was eager to offer forth some suggestions – “There are a lot of good bands in our town, but no one is close to our style. That said, you should check out these bands, you won’t regret it: The Traders, The Amsterdam Red Light District, uncommenmenfrommars and Burning Heads.” But has that scene helped them along the way? “It’s always the same story. The scene trusts you only when you are about to reach your goals. For the past year and a half, we’ve worked our asses off and we’ve done lots of things (album, tours, opening for famous bands) and people want to be a part of that success,” says Liom. “But Every new fan is a special one for us and we always remember the ones that were there when we were nothing. Being supported feels good, man!”

Bigblast care about their fans a lot, and are always finding ways to get them involved. As such, touring is a big deal for them, and they put their heart and souls into their live shows. We asked what you might expect from a Bigblast show – “Lots of energy between the band and the audience,” says Emi, and Seb agrees – “Loud music, and as Emi said, energy!”. Liom adds “If you’re coming to one of our shows, you’ll see a band having fun on stage and enjoying every minute of it. Our aim is to share this feeling of happiness we all have when we are on stage.”

With such an exuberant stage presence, it’s not hard to believe that Bigblast know how to have a good time and they’ve got plenty of tour stories from their latest European tour. “The European tour had a lot of good moments; meeting new people every night is very exciting. I think music is a really good way to link people because it’s a passion and you’re living these strong moments together. One of my favorite moments on this tour was in Liberec in the Czech Republic, we played with a kick ass band called Burning Steps and partied like crazy ‘till 6 in the morning. Come on, one Euro a pint, we had to honour this local beer!” says Emi. “For me it was a real discovery,” says Greg. “We’ve met super cool people, we’ve done lots of kilometres and partied with a lot of new friends and fans. I personally enjoyed discovering new foods and drinks. Trust me, I’ll remember this fucking spicy soup we got in Liberec! I also keep a sweet memory of this after party in Livraga, Italy, where I discovered sambuca and chinar, two local spirits.” Liom enjoyed himself a lot too. “The tour was pure awesomeness! The crowd welcomed us warmly, we’ve shared our music, and discovered countries we’ve never seen before. I remember this morning waking up in the van after a snowy night, everything was white and beautiful. It was a totally unbelievable and unexpected view for a band on tour.”

With the release of All Saviours and numerous tours, it’s been one hell of a busy year for Bigblast and it’s set to get even busier. “This year, we’ve released an album, we’ve done two tours and another one is gonna be added at the list in October,” says Emi. “We are proud of what we’ve achieved in a year and we definitely have reached our first goals! Now we’ve set up new ones – to reach larger audiences and tour in an other continent are some of them.” Seb’s got some other ideas too – “Touring is definitely what we are made for! A new album can be a good project for the future …” And Liom’s already thinking ahead to next year – “The Eastern European tour in late October is our priority for the moment, but we are already planning some exciting stuff for next spring. Those plans can involve taking a plane…”

Bigblast are Emi, Liom, Greg, Seb and Jérome. All Saviours was released in January on Craze Records, Bad Mood Records, Maximise Records, Sirkel Pit Records and Culture Punk Records. You can check them out on Bandcamp.

We Are Lost Boys – Life [EP]

Brit rock seems to be going through a revival of sorts at the moment.  What with bands such as Lower Than Atlantis taking over the airwaves and Twin Atlantic packing out cavernous halls, things are looking up for the formerly beleaguered scene which many naysayers previously mourned and declared extinct.  We Are Lost Boys fit well into the scene, with new E.P- Life, they create a kind of arena-sized hook-heavy Brit rock with more melodies than you can shake a stick at and a social conscious that despairs at modern Britain’s inner turmoil.  The first thing that hits you is the monstrous production which is polished and waxed to perfection and sounds more like a band who are headlining festivals rather than one who are still peddling the UK’s demoralizing toilet circuit.  Lyrics deal with the state of UK culture or the lack of herein, channelling the thoughts of a confused young man in an equally confusing and incomprehensible society.  Unfortunately, the lyrics lack any real bite or wit, relying more on simple uninspiring phrases of discontent such as in ‘Don’t Care’ and the rather dreary Generation X refrain of “I don’t care.”  Elsewhere, “What Now?” is smothered in gloom and minor chords, relying on subtle guitar and almost ethereal backing vocals to create the most restrained yet emotionally hard-hitting song on the E.P.  Despite the overt melodic emphasis throughout Life there is enough of a grungey disposition to ward off any outright pop palpitations.  Nevertheless, latest single ‘The Way Of The World’ seems to have been written for the radio, coming across like Hundred Reasons playing through The Smashing Pumpkin’s amps, boasting a stadium sized central riff and infectious melodic intuitions.  Vocals soar throughout with singer Danny utilizing his versatile pair of lungs to maximum effect and refusing to be buried by the weight of the music.  There’s no doubt that We Are Lost Boys have potential.  They already have the riffs and the hooks.  But what they don’t have are truly memorable songs, songs that you can imagine screaming back at the band along with several thousand others in a muddy field in Reading.  Yet, seeing as this is the band’s second ever release this can be forgiven.  Life is a genuinely brilliant starting point, but their best songs are yet to be written.

4 out of 5 high fives!

The Dopamines – Vices

It’s a wonder these boys ever found time to record a third album. Their schedule seems to be full from now until three premature deaths from alcohol poisoning or liver failure. It’s a good job they managed to muster up the self-restraint to remain conscious for long enough to record Vices, because in doing so they have found a niche which can appeal to both the hardcore punk rockers and the pop-punk kids out there.

The Dopamines’ first two albums were no doubt more raw, unadulterated punk than this latest release. The second album, Expect the Worst, was particularly well received and this culminated in the band winning the Cincinnati Entertainment Award for best punk band of 2011. With such a powerful second album, there’s always a concern for how the third will turn out.

Whether the lads consciously decided to make an album with a different sound to their first two is open for debate, but the change is no bad thing. With Vices the band has found a more polished sound, taking the edge off the aggression. The increase in notable guitar riffs also helps the record appeal more to the pop-punk market than the straight-up punk of its predecessors. This potentially lighter, happier sound still deals with the same dark subject matter as ever. The lyrics cover all of the generic punk-esque topics: from failing and broken homes to the combination of drugs and alcohol. While these are fairly unimaginative and generic topics, they seem more relevant than ever with the western world enveloped in financial turmoil and with people struggling to even secure a dead-end job. The production on the album is obviously crisper than any of the band’s previous releases. It isn’t as if they are holding back, they are just venting their pent up energy and emotion through a fast burning fire rather than a series of rapid explosions like before.

The album opens with an interchange between punk and pop-punk as the first track, “You’re So Vain”, jumps quickly between different time signatures (a little excessive for a song which is only 90 seconds in length). With “Paid In Full” the boys start dealing with the issues of being a 21st century punk: “Now we’re packing our bags, ’cause heaven doesn’t have any room for losers like us…”. They also deliver one of many catchy choruses’ throughout the record, although for The Dopamines this is very much a pop-punk song.

The band also manages to flex a bit of muscle towards the end of the final track “10 Stories”. Out of nowhere they hit in with a strong, heavy instrumental which wouldn’t be out of place on a more progressive album and conjures thoughts of the Young Guns style outro. Unlike the Dopamines’ earlier work, this album may not grab your attention immediately. The album’s more reserved sound means it is much more likely to build up and grow on you, luring you in rather than assaulting you at first listen.

There is an odd point in the album though. Part way through an otherwise promising song “Don’t Mosh The Organ”, the music fades out and then back in again after merely one or two seconds. The reason for this escapes me entirely and whatever the band’s intentions were it just sounds awkward. Other than this blip, “Vices” is a pretty solid pop-punk album even though it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. The highlight of the record has to be the bands’ new experiment with the pop side of punk, showing they can do more than get wasted and then write a quick, angry song about it.

3.5 out of 5 high fives!

Crusades – Parables [7-inch]

Crusades are suitably eerie. From a delightfully gothic EP cover to some serious Halloween sound effects, they seem dead set on claiming the mantle that has been abandoned by The Misfits, AFI and their contemporaries. And yet, for all that, Parables really is an EP of two halves.

Opening track, Parables I (Rites Of Atonement), with a creeping acoustic intro, bursts into a speedy, but melody-ridden punk affair. The lyrics are suitably gloomy, but the track itself is far more upbeat. Almost in opposition to its atmospheric beginnings, it feels like one of Alkaline Trio’s less spooky tracks but with a dual guitar approach. The call and response chorus is suitably catchy and simply doesn’t prepare you for Parables II (Gods, Too, Decompose). The heavy bass intro and a far doomier guitar tone feels more like that early AFI sound, but the band introduce some insane tapping that requires a double take. Vocal duties are passed around the band more equally in Parables II and lead to an echoing, haunting chant followed by some seriously blood curdling growls at the end. It’s in this moment that I realise Crusades aren’t just AFI/Samhain 2.0, but have managed to eschew the weaknesses of those acts and hollow out their own niche in the horrorpunk gravestone of destiny. Lyrically, it’s far more impressive than those bands have been in years; Crusades are challenging notions of religion and the failures and hypocrisy of religion in the modern day to superb effect.

If you’re a horrorpunk fan, then Parables just can’t be ignored. It’s clever, dark and is truly reclaiming the “punk” in horrorpunk.

4.5 out of 5 high fives!