Spunk Volcano and the Eruptions - Not Wired Up Right (2017)

Genre - Hard Rock / Punk

Label - STP Records

Track listing:

01. Not Wired Up Right

02. Nobhead

03. Shutdown

04. Gatecrash

05. Fuck This For A Game Of Soldiers

06. Your The Bastard

07 . Out Of The Blue

08. Dementia Hurricane

09. Smack In The Teeth

10. Knuckledusters and Scars

11. Purely Medicinal

Following hot on the heels of their Ram Raid EP (released late March 2017) the imitable Spunk Volcano and the Eruptions return with their latest full length album in the form of Not Wired Up Right.
The album opens with the title track, 'Not Wired Up Right', an energetic blast of angst and aggression. The perfect start to any punk album! Next up we have 'Nobhead'. Here the tempo drops slightly, but not the quality as 'Nobhead' is a great slice of melodic punk rock n roll! 'Shutdown' follows and is yet another example of a finely crafted melodic punk track by Messrs Spunk and crew. 'Gatecrash' continue in much the same vein as its predecessor, following the well established Spunk Volcano formula. Next up we have the awesome, 'Fuck This For A Game Of Soldiers', a great slab of punk rock if ever there was one! Its also, in my opinion, one of the three tracks on the album that features "additional screaming" from one Mr Ginger Wildheart! (Non are actually listed in the CD artwork.)
'Your The Bastard' follows, a short sharp punk blast that sees the guys up the tempo once more before sliding into the brilliant 'Out Of The Blue'. 'Dementia Hurricane' is up next, and is as close as you are likely to get to a ballad, lol. 'Smack In The Teeth' is yet another great blast of angst and aggression. this is another of the tracks that I feel features the backing vocal talent of Ginger Wildheart in the shouty chorus'. the albums penultimate track comes in the form of 'Knuckledusters and Scars', which is yet another blast of pure punk aggression! Great tune too!!!
The album closes out with 'Purely Medicinal'. Here the guys change things up a little with a pretty much stripped back track featuring just a single guitar riff and vocal. A great song that showcases another side of the guys song writing skills.

Very Highly Recommended!!!

Rating: 10/10

Hung Like Jack - White Powder (7 Track Album) (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Alternative / Punk

Label - Self Released

 

Track listing:

01 - White Powder

02 - Kickout

03 - Four Walls

04 - Colder

05 - Short Arms Deep Pockets

06 - Flystrike

07 - Ripe For Grieving

 

A couple of months ago I had the pleasure of being asked to review a three track (White Powder) Ep released by Hung Like Jack which blew me away with the bands energy. Now we have a seven track album / EP which features that EP pls four more tracks, so here goes!

Hung like jack were formed back in 2007 in Darlington (UK), when Tim Smith (Guitars) met up with J Tutin (Vocals) and Hakim (Bass). The band advertised for a drummer and up steps Denz, hitting the sweet spot with his hard hitting beats and versatility.

Again title White Powder starts things off in a high octane punk / alternative rock fused fashion. You can definitely hear the punk influences, and at a little under two minutes in length the song really does fly by, but the production is quite polished and really brings out the quality of both the performance and songwriting. A great start.

Next up is Kickout, this song mixes the tempo up a little with some great drum and guitar work from Denz and Tim.

Four Walls follows, again another great song, with a real modern rock feel to it.

Colder slows things down a little, and showcases another side to the bands songwriting, and features some great bass work from Hakim.

Next we have Short Arms Deep Pockets (hey don't we all have a friend like that!) which picks the tempo up a little and proves to be a great little melodic rocker!

Flystrike slows things down a little once again, with its rather epic feel.

Closing out the album / Ep we have Ripe For Grieving, the second longest of the on offer here (the longest being Colder) , again with a slightly slower tempo and some great atmospheric guitar work. Another great song that at times brings Nick Parsons Supercharger (UK) and Whatever to mind. Again a really great song.

 

This really is a solid EP / Album and well worth checking out!

Hung Like Jack are proof the Gene Simmons is talking out of his rear end when he claims Rock is dead, its alive and well, kicking and screaming in the hearts of bands like Hung Like Jack!

Get out there and show them your support!

 

Rating 10/10

 

Mongrel - Evolution (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / Punk

Label - Unable Records

Track listing:

01 - Snakes

02 - oxygen Mask

03 - Consumed

04 - Best revenge

05 - Over and Over

Mongrel are a talented rock punk metal band from Boston USA who actually unleashed this five track EP a couple of moths ago. The EP Evolution is packed with  hard hitting and extremely well written songs that you can’t help but to head bang along to!  Now don't get me wrong, the band are very tight and more than competent musicians but the real gem here is lead vocalist  Jessica Sierra who to me has a voice and vocal style very reminiscent of nineties UK alt rockers Die Cheerleader's Sam Ireland!
MONGREL lured some high-caliber production personnel to "Evolution" including Jim Foster (P.O.D. , NULLSET), who recorded the five EP tracks, plus Dave Fortman (SLIPKNOT, MUDVAYNE, OTEP, EVANESCENCE and SOIL) and Howie Weinberg (METALLICA, PANTERA, NIRVANA and THE CULT), who mixed and mastered, respectively.
The songs sound fantastic, the production allowing them room to breathe without over producing them, which captures the band really well. All the songs are very well written and performed and judging by the standard on display here its only a matter of time before these guys breakout huge on the world stage!
Very highly recommended!

Rating - 10/10

Hung Like Jack - White Powder EP (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Alternative / Punk

Label - Self Released

Track listing:

01 - White Powder

02 - Ripe For Grieving

03 - Four Walls

Hung like jack were formed back in 2007.in Darlington.(UK), when Tim Smith (Guitars) met up with J Tutin (Vocals) and Hakim (Bass)..The band advertised for a drummer and up steps Denz, hitting the sweet spot with his hard hitting beats and versatility. Four e.p's and a live disc."Arrested By Midnight" later the band split for a short period whilst the band members went their separate ways, that was up until around six months ago when they re-formed and recorded this their latest e.p. titled "White Powder".
Considering that Denz recently claimed that this e.p. was recorded very quickly and on a very limited budget its out standing. Title track white Powder starts things off in a high octane punk / alternative rock fused fashion. You can definitely hear the punk influences, and at a little under two minutes in length the song really does fly by, but the production is quite polished and really brings out the quality of both the performance and songwriting. A great start.
Next up is Ripe For Grieving, the longest of the three tracks on offer here, with a slightly slower tempo and some great atmospheric guitar work. Another great song that at times brings Nick Parsons Supercharger (UK) and Whatever to mind. Again a really great song.
Four Walls closes things out and its another really solid song.
In short the band sound really tight all over this Ep, yet fluid and relaxed enough to really capture that live feeling. All three songs are really solid, and if their strength and quality are anything to go by then I really cant wait for the album!
Personally I'm really glad these guys chose to reform, otherwise I would have sadly missed them, now to track down their back catalogue!

Highly Recommended

Rating - 10/10

The Loyalties - 'Til The Death Of Rock & Roll

Genre - Hard Rock / Punk Rock / Pop / Rock N Roll
Label - Independant Release

Track listing -

01 - Intro (Funeral March)
02 - 'Til The Death Of Rock And Roll
03 - Meat In The City
04 - The Will To Kill
05 - Death Girl
06 - I'm The Blues
07 - Whiskey Under The Bridge
08 - Killer Radio
09 - To The Flame
10 - Ashtrays Empty
11 - Pheremone Jones
12 - One Reason
13 - Whole Lotta Hate
14 - Carry Me Home
15 - Rock & Roll Over (And Die) Epilogue

The Loyalties return with their second full length album in the form of the mighty 'Til The Death Of Rock And Roll, and I have to say that we may be looking at a contender for album of the year here! The songs are sublime, the musicianship perfect, and the production spot on! This album has hardly been off of my MP3 player ever since I got it, I absolutley love it! Every song is full of energy and life, ballanced perfectly with a sense of melody that is rare these days.
If you are already a fan of the band then you wont be dissappointed!
Musically The Loyalties are in a similar vein to Sorry And The Sinatras, having a certain punky garage feel, combined with some great playing and terrific songs!
This album is a kind of concept album that goes together with the book that comes along with it, a kind of Rock N Roll who done it, but dont let that put you off as each of the songs easily stand up on thier own, and as I have already said, there are here such as title track, 'Til The Death Of Rock And  Roll, Ashtrays Empty, Whiskey Under The Bridge, death Girl and Whole Lotta Hate.

You owe it to yourself to check these guys out!

Rating - 10/10

Supercharger - Retox EP (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Punk Rock / Metal / Garage Rock
Label - Independant

Track listing:

01 - Retox
02 - Hold It Down
03 - Postcards From The Edge

Geordie noise merchants Supercharger return with a new three track EP in the form of Retox, a blistering work out in all that they do best!
With the pedigree of Nick Parsons (Whatever / Almighty) leading the way, the band power their way through opening track, Retox, a song that has enough riffs, tempo changes and pop sensibilities that that the mighty Ginger Wildheart would be proud. Next up is Hold It Down, which opens with a bone crushing riff, before the tempo changes kick in, another great song added to their arsenal, and a song that really does remind me of Nicks Whatever days. Closing out this EP is Postcards from the Edge, opening with a classy atmospheric begining, and proves to be the classiest song on the EP. Again the band show that they know how to write a great song, with plenty riffs, tempo changes and big choruses.

If you ever wondered just what happened to Whatever, then check out this EP to see just what they mutated into!

Rating - 9/10