So at thé beginning of 2018 the Out Of Step fanzine as you knew it is over. I can’t find thé time anymore to give this thé full 100 percent. I’ll keep posting news about releases, shows, … on thé facebook Page but no actual reviews and interviews.
Thanks all bands, labels and followers involved. It’s been a Fun ride.
2003 -2018
Over but not totally out.
Charlie Bit My Finger – Third Time’s A Farm
CD 2017 Bearded Punk Records / Thousand Islands Records
This 5-piece Belgian band released its first album in 2015 and recently the follower ‘Third Time’s A Farm’ saw the day of light. It is a co-release by Bearded Punk Records (B) and Thousand Islands Records (Can).
‘Third Time’s A Farm’ is a twelve track album for the fans of straightforward 90s inspired melodic punk rock with good variations in tempo, nice riffs, clean vocals, singalongs and a twist of Millencolin. Added some humor to the mix and you have it. It might all sound familiar but its done in style. Charlie Bit My Finger is another band from our homeland who released a pretty fine album making us proud to be part of this scene. 8/10
Track list:
1. Leap Of Faith
2. Part Of The Plan
3. Act like You Care
4. Coming Home
5. Move On Alone
6. The Gril Next Door
7. Cow A Bunga
8. Questionmark With a ‘K’
9. Strong
10. This Is Who I Am
11. Mr. Brown
12. Mindset. GO!
Saturdays Heroes – Pineroad
CD 2017 Lövely Records
Pineroad is the third release by this Swedish outfit that goes by the name ‘Saturdays Heroes’.
This band has in one way a very familiar sound but that’s not really a surprise when you come from the land of ‘Satanic Surfers’, ‘No Fun At All’ and ‘Randy’ and play punk rock. So expect melodic punkrock in a Swedish tradition but spiced up with some good old fashioned American punk with a rock and roll attitude known from bands as Social Distortion and Streetdogs. If you add some Bob Dylan alike folky elements than you have a pretty good idea what Pineroad by Saturdays Heroes is all about.
Opening track ‘Celebrate Nothing’ sets a nice standard but unfortunately not all songs are equal in quality but overall this is a more than decent album. 8/10
Track list:
1. Celebrate nothing
2. Rebel
3. Lizzie
4. My Fight
5. Declaration of Youth
6. Pineroad
7. The Shame
8. Back For You
9. Demons
10. The Storm
11. When We Fight
12. Long Live The King
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/saturdaysheroes
FORGE – demo
Cassette/digital 2017 Lost Youth Records
Forge is a new Belgian punk rock band formed out off scene veterans from ‘Outline’ and ‘Off the Charts’. In september of this year they released a 3 track demo through bandcamp and a few weeks later it got a physical release on cassette through Lost Youth Records.
This demo burst with short, fast and midtempo rough around the edges melodic punk that has a taste for more. Not because it is amazing but because it is nothing fancy, complicated or out of the ordinary. And because it is just good punk music with a familiar sound. So nothing groundbraking but straighforward plain and simple punk rock. 7/10
Track list:
1. Forge
2. Baron
3.Ignorant
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/forgepunk/
Steel Justice – Neonlight Blues
CD 2017 Bearded Punk Records
Steel Justice is a Belgian punkrock/hardcore band formed in 2015 out of members of ‘Rabid Wolves’, ‘Violent City’, ‘Get Out’ and ‘Not Allowed’. These Genksters are one of my 2017 discoveries and play the kind of punk music I mostly grew up with during the 90s.
So Neonlight Blues bulks with 90s melodic hardcore, skatepunk and old school hardcore. These punk rockers can’t hide their hardcore roots. Musically its a pleasant en very enjoyable nostalgic trip to the mid and late 90s. Lyrically it sometimes even is a trip back to my childhood in the late 80s and early 90s with its references to the Goonies, Arcade games, …. Although it all sounds familiar, Steel Justice can certainly stand their ground nowadays. It might not be all that innovative but I rather have some good familiar sounding music instead of some innovating bagger.
Neonlight Blues even comes with a nice Spandou Ballet (Gold) cover. 8.5/10
Track list:
1. Send In The Clowns
2. Arcade Summer
3. Caudron Point
4. Donna
5. Crucified For A Slice
6. My Friends Need Killing
7. KMS Anthem
8. Neonlight Blues
9. Jamie
10. #Bringmerope
11. This Is Not A Love Song
12. Gold
13. Petit Mal
14. Antics
The Geraldines – Fluff
CD 2017 Thanks But No Thanks Records
The Geraldines are a indie rock band from Mechelen (B) who were part of the ‘de nieuwe lichting’ selection from Studio Brussels in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Now, with Fluff, they released a new EP (their third so far) on Thanks but no Thanks records.
Fluff is an EP that takes you on a nostalgic trip to the late 80s and early 90s when the Pixies were around but their blend of fine melodies, 90s alternative guitarrock with a punky edge and indie tunes certainly has some modern touches giving it enough relevance ano today. Fluff has an overall very modest sound with melancholic meandering songs that suits autumn at his best. It certainly rocks at times altough its more rock with a small capital R. 8/10
Track list:
1. Liar
2. Cue
3. Pinprick
4. Interlude
5. Parilz
6. Fluff
7. Fit
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheGeraldines/
Drum drum dance dance – Panda
CD 2017 Thanks But No Thanks Records
A few weeks ago the Antwerp (B) power trio Drum Drum Dance Dance released their first full-lenght ‘Panda’ through Thanks But No Thanks Records. With the stylistic panda on the cover it just begs to be played. When you do … you won’t regret it if you like a solid rock sound build up by grunge, noise, indie, post-punk and garage.
From the first notes Drum Drum Dance Dance grabs you by the throat with their pounding, catchy and rocking sound. They submerge you into their world of sex, drugs and rock and roll and they can easily stand their ground next to the likes of Nirvana, Triggerfinger, Equal Idiots, Queens Of The Stone Age, …
Panda is whitout a doubt a great Belgian rock album by a band we all should embrace. 9/10
Track list:
1. Holiday
2. Discotheque
3. Fight Club
4. A Far Place
5. Breaking Bones
6. Swed
7. Thin Sharp Razorblades
8. Forty Man
9. We Might Delight
