REVIEW: Royce – Embrace Yourself

Royce – Embrace Yourself
CD 2016 DIY

Royce is a quite new outfit in the Belgium heavy music scene born out of the ashes of Angelskin in 2013. On the 10th of July 2016, Royce self-released their first EP Embrace Yourself.

In a way Royce and ‘Embrace Yourself’ is hard to pin down, which is great by the way. They just have so much to offer from melodic metalcore, post hardcore to more extreme metal. So innovative? … Yes but on the other hand it also sounds familiar at times.

You really have to appreciate heavy music in its different froms to really appreciate Royce. It’s an interesting band, with a decent EP so keep your eyes open. 8/10

Track list:
1. Open Your Eyes
2. Green Dream
3. Through Anything Pt. I
4. Embrace Yourself
5. Words
6. I Draw The Line
7. Through Anything Pt. II
8. Carry Me

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/roycetheband/

BOOK REVIEW: To Make Matters Worse

I don’t usually do (audio) book reviews or things like that but I got a friendly request by Danny from New Jersey USA to take a listen to his latest audio book ‘To Make Matters Worse’. Because Danny has a history in hardcore I thought why not. I don’t know what the worst part is: listening to the book or writing a book report?

About the author

Danny authored his first book ‘Don’t Ever Punch a Rockstar: A Collection of Hate Mail and Other Crazy Rumors’ in 2012 and has since released a few other genre books: ‘The Belligerent Book of Movie Quotes’ and ‘The Mega Book of Revenge Films Volume 1: The Big Payback’.

He is also the horror shorts programmer for the Phoenix Film Festival and The International Horror and Sci-Fi Festival. He is a contributor and guest writer for different websites and publications and occasionally hosts live events of all types. Danny was the vocalist of hardcore band ‘North Side Kings’ and played guitar in the NYHC band Cause For Alarm. Ooh … he is also the guy that punched Glenn Danzig in the face. If you don’t know it by now I’m talking about Danny Marianino.

About the book

Not sure if audio books are my favourite cup of tea but listening to his (embarrassing) stories was quite funny and entertaining. Some of you might have experienced similar things in middle school or high school or maybe you are/were in a band and you might have similar touring stories to tell. One thing is for sure Danny tell his childhood, teen and band (North Side Kings and Cause For Alarm) touring stories so vividly, its almost like you were right with him in the middle of all the action. Throughout the book public toilet stories, needing to go badly and (spray)poo stories seems to be the glue to stick the chapters together🙂 and to make matters worse there never seems to be enough toilet paper when you need it the most😀

Coming back on my book report statement: listening to this audio book wasn’t bad, well it was a lot of fun and it just wants you to keep on listening. I had some laughs but also some ooh-no-another-poo-story-feeling but that mostly led to some more laughs. So the book was a lot of fun and very entertaining. One thing is for sure … I still suck at book reports.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/donteverpuncharockstar/

WEBSITE: http://www.dannymarianino.com/

REVIEW: Wasted 24/7 – Eight Equals Greater Than

Wasted 24/7 – Eight Equals Greater Than
CD 2016 DIY

A few months ago Belgium rock outfit Wasted 24/7 released their second album Eight Equals Greater Than. It is September now and I finally found some time to give the record a proper spin.

When I came in touch with wasted 24/7 a few years ago, they were a punk rock band but now punk rock does not cover it any more. On ‘Eight Equals Greater Than’ you get a variety of songs going from straight forward rock and poppy ‘The Rocket (RIP)’ alike punk rock to strong power pop songs. It is all well produced and arranged but sometimes it all sound a bid to clean and to polished. It can use some grease and unpolished roughness (to my taste), but hey … maybe I expected more dirtiness with a band name as Wasted 24/7😉.

Nevertheless ‘Eight Equals Greater Than’ is a decent rock album, something they certainly can be proud of. 8/10

Track list:
1. The gift
2. Nothing Left
3. Boys
4. Sinkhole
5. Liquid Cocaine
6. Person That I Want To Be
7. 42
8. Lost And Found
9. Disconnected
10. N,N-Dimethyltryptamine
11. Jetlags
12. Wide Awake
13. IOU

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/thehottestbandonearth/

REVIEW: Stealers – Street Law

Stealers – Street Law
LP/CD 2016 Rebellion Records / 2 Life Sentences / Stolen Recordings.

Stealers from Rotterdam (NL) are back with a new album called Street Law. With its 10 songs it is your daily dose of rock and roll vitamins. The power that comes from the album just grabs you by the throat and will not let go until it is over. You will be grasping for air while banging your head on this hotter than hell, mean, lean rocking machine. Street Law is the must have rock album of 2016. 9/10

Track List:
1. Blitz Bomber
2. Swept Away
3. Don’t Look Back
4. Fast And Lose
5. Break Out
6. Back At it
7. What I Want
8. Run You Down
9. Knife Point
10. Born To Steal

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/stealers010

REVIEW: Hard Wax – Kings Of The Weekend

Hard Wax – Kings Of The Weekend
7” 2016 Rebellion Records

Hard Way is a project by Tom from Hostile Minds. Their latest release, ‘Kings Of The Weekend’, contain two tracks that are musically some kind of heavier form of 70s glam rock with some Oi! influences. So catchy, danceable and very enjoyable retro music with a punk vibe and before you know it you are just spinning it over and over again to keep that beat going. 8/10

Track List:
A. Kings Of The Weekend
B. Unstoppable

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/HardWaxuk

REVIEW: The Thingz – Troubles Begin

The Thingz – Troubles Begin
LP 2016 Coffee Addict Records

The thingz are a Long Beach California, USA based trio who are jamming around since the late 90’s. ‘Troubles Begin’ is their latest release. Influenced by bands as The Drags, The Clash, The Sonics, Billy Childish and many others The Thingz play garage rock with a high dose of punk. They only need one guitar, a bass and some drums to spread their rock’n’roll and also in case of ‘The Thingz’ the simple ones are often the best ones … less is more you know. ‘Troubles Begin’ is full of songs with a good rock’n’roll beat, nice rhythms, and dual male/female vocals which gives the sound that something extra. Maybe it is not all that extraordinary but it’s a more then decent release if you love garage punk rock. 7,5/10

Track list:
1. Shadows
2. Serpent’s Tooth
3. Dead Time
4. Dead Mountain Rock
5. Trouble
6. Stumbling Blues
7. Tell Me Why

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheThingz

REVIEW: Die My Demon – Same World Different Eyes

Die My Demon – Same World Different Eyes
7” EP 2016 Demons Run Amok

Well Belgium’s hardcore band Die My Demon is back on track. The band started back in 1999 but after recording a first demo and playing some local shows the band was put on hold. In 2001 they came back but called it quits 5 years later. In 2008 they did some reunion shows. In 2014 they did another reunion show, found their groove again and started to rock and roll more alive than ever.

In August Demons Run Amok re-released their 4 song EP ‘Same World Different Eyes’ as a 7” (originally released als MCD on FWH Records) giving it the vinyl release it deserves. A must have for every old school hardcore fan who likes rough, pissed off, mid-tempo and groovy hardcore. 8/10

Track list:
1. My Escape
2. Substance
3. Nothing Left
4. Bagging for Mercy

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/diemydemon/?fref=ts