By Keith Walsh
Punk rock music started out with a definite bang, featuring torrents of rage and discontent amplified by guitars and pounding drums. Over the years various iterations have followed, as punk rock spawned changes in pop, resulting in new wave. Punk rock’s influence on later generations is found in music that combines lots of loud guitar with various innovations. This month’s Spin Report features new releases with roots in that original loud and raucous explosion while featuring some new electronic sounds and production as well.
Soraia “Jokers, Thieves And Liars”
This melodic rock tune features all the passion and rebellion of punk rock, dressed up in with melodic trappings and the powerful vocals of ZouZou Mansour. “Jokers, Thieves and Liars” is from the 2022 album Bloom, from this American band out of Philadelphia, PA. It’s a band admired by Joan Jett, and it’s easy to understand why.
Soraia dot com
Soraia on Facebook
Wicked Cool Records dot com
Hematite “Run Devil Run”
This darkly satisfying track features moody atmospherics, with subtle distorted guitar and ominous spooky vocals. A unique name is always good for a band, and ‘Hematite,” an dark, crystalline iron ore is an apt descriptor for this band. Featuring Davey Muise and Andrew Gaultier and with roots in Portland, Oregon and Nashville Tennessee, Hematite is a duo with a hard rock background, amalgamizing hard rock, punk and country influences into a delightfully captivating sound. “Run Devil Run” is the final single from their upcoming EP Speak Of The Devil.
Hematite On Spotify
Hematite On Youtube
Hematite On Instagram
World Gone Cold “Burn”
Featuring hip hop and electronic elements, it’s the rawness of the vocals, the hard guitar sounds and drum beats that descend from metal and OG punk rock in “Burn” by supergroup World Gone Cold. The guttural vocals in the background are all metal, while the melodic vox of Ryland Raus (Attack Attack and Inhale/Exhale) tell of the injustices done to witches in colonial Salem during the founding of the U.S. As the song conflates these tragedies with all judicial injustices, and it’s quite effective. World Gone Cold features other rock luminaries including Traa Daniels (P.O.D), Tim “Yogi” Watts (Demon Hunter), Andrew Stanton (Disciple), Mark Anthony (The Letter Black)
World Gone Cold dot com
World Gone Cold on Facebook
World Gone Cold On Instagram
Now After Nothing “Fixation Fantasy”
When punk rock’s furor softened in the early 80s, angry guitars gave way to more dreamy textures as played by Jonny Marr of The Smiths and in groups like The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees. From Atlanta, Now After Nothing features vocals and guitars by Matt Spatial and drums by Michael Allen. “Fixation Fantasy” is a spellbinding, trance like pop tune that seduces with its melodic spell. It’s the follow up to their debut single “Sick Fix.” Now After Nothing are getting ready to tour in 2023 in support of an upcoming EP.
Now After Nothing links
Poison Idea Official Facebook
Jerry A. Lang “The Blade”
Hewing close to an OG punk sound, Jerry A.’s single from his new album Fire Into The Water rocks hard in all the right ways. The serious punk vibes should be expected, as Jerry A (aka Jerry Lang) earned his punk rock creds in the 1980s with Poison Idea, from Oregon, on the West Coast of the U.S. Lang has also worked with European bands, Crime Scene (from Belgium) and Savage Beat, from Amsterdam. “The Blade” and the rest of Fire Into The Water delivers serious but melodic hardcore vibes, wrapped in pristine production that let the guitars, bass and drums shine. “The Blade” is a collaboration with The Hard Ons, a rock band from Australia.
American Leather Records
Jerry A. Lang “From The Fire Into The Water” on Bandcamp
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