True Liberty - Marked For Life

All genres of music in some form have enjoyed mainstream success in varying degrees. But it seems like true punk has always avoided the mainstream eye. Yes, The Ramones and The Clash were big acts and Blag Flag had some minor mainstream success. And yes, we can't forget about Green Day. But pop punk has been the mainstream punk of choice. All the while, aggressive, fast, melodic punk hasn't gotten it's due.

And I don't expect True Liberty to get any either.

That's not a slight on True Liberty. The band is one of the best new punk bands I've heard in years and that fact will probably keep the band from major mainstream success. It's the man's fault.

Marked For Life is a fantastic punk record that smacks you around and is unapologetic about it. Right from the start with the proclamation "It's A Fist Fight in the Dirt" on the album's opener as the song swings into full on circle pit mode. Hell No doesn't hit with as furious a pace but the song ooze's punk attitude. Marked For Life is a great East Coast punk anthem that lyrically reminds me of the early 90's hardcore classics. Put It To Death is great declaration of freedom. Storm ends the record on a nice light acoustic vibe.

From top to bottom, Marked For Life is one of the best punk records I've heard in a couple years. Fans of Face to Face, Social Distortion, and Rancid will love this album

Sigur Ros - Valtari

There are bands and albums we love and there are songs that hold special meaning in our lives but I believe that there are only a few albums that truly have an impact on us. Albums that shapes who we are or change how we view music. Albums that speak to our lives at the right time and become records we can't live without.

Sigur Ros' ( ) is one of those albums in my life. I remember hearing that record for first time. I don't know what makes a record stick with us that it impacts us each and every listen but there is something very moving and spiritual about ( ). The way the album moves and builds to a crescendo is beautiful and complicated and interesting. It's a great soundtrack.

The band followed ( ) with the incredible Takk. Takk had more flare and movement within the songs. It was like listening to a great marching band play beautiful music. Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaus was the follow up to Takk and honestly was a little disappointing. The record had great songs and beautiful instrumentation but there was something missing. The songs didn't move and the emotional connection that the band's previous two records had was void on Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaus. 


Valtari isn't a grand record. And I mean, it's not grand in terms of scope or sound. Sigur Ros scaled back their sound and it works in in the favor. While the rich instrumentation is gone, the band recaptured the lushness and subtle beauty that the opening tracks on ( ) had. The builds and crescendos never reach a full breaking point but flow and peak perfectly. Where ( ) crescendoed into utter chaos and madness for 70 minutes, Valtari takes each song as it's own.


The real focal point of Valtari seems to be Jonsi's vocals. And they should be. I think where Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaus really missed the mark was having Jonsi's vocals as vocals. Sigur Ros desires a lot of credit for doing something new and fresh and taking a chance and actually writing songs on Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaus. And the band did it well. But what really made Sigur Ros a compelling band was the nature that Jonsi's vocals were just another instrument and layer to the songs and Valtari gets back to that. 


Valtari is scaled back instrumentation but it's still rich and lush in sound. Sigur Ros has simplified themselves and it works to the bands benefit. Valtari is a beautiful record that hits on a lot of the same musical themes that the first couple of tracks on ( ) did. Ambient, slow moving, beautiful. A great record from Sigur Ros. 

The Meltdown 80

New music from For Today, Tongue & Pen, True Liberty, mewithoutYou, and more.

For Today - Immortal

If it's not broke, don't fix it. But sometimes a fresh coat of paint or new handles is needed. It's not a fix, just something new to freshen up what works.

That's how I would describe For Today's fourth full-legnth, Immortal. It's not really anything new and the band isn't treading new ground, just giving their sound a fresh perspective. It's 100% For Today but with a new coat of paint.

The intro, The King, has hints of the great spoken word pieces on Breaker. It's a great melodic instrumental piece with sermon clips cut in throughout. The track blends seamlessly into Fearless, the album's first single. Fearless picks up right where Breaker left off. The track is heavy and assaulting. The clean vocals on the chorus aren't really new ground for For Today but it feels like a fresh step for the band. Stand Defiant is probably the best example of the band expanding their sound. The track is heavy and feels like For Today but the hook of the song has a strong melodic hardcore feel to it. The guitar riff adds that extra element that makes it feel new and shows growth. Open Eyes is another track that showcases the band's melodic guitar side.

Under God is the most assaulting track on the album. The opening riff hits your like a motorcycle passing by and the back and forth vocals between vocalist Mattie Montgomery and Sleeping Giant's Tommy Green is great. The Only Name features Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D. on the hook and it's a nice vocal line that's a killer sing-a-long.

Immortal looses the bass drops that were all over Breaker. The album is still brutal and just as heavy as Breaker. So on that side, it's a better record. But... It's not. Immortal is a great record but Breaker just had something special and compelling about it that Immortal is missing. Immortal is a great record but it's missing that it factor that Breaker had to make it one of my favorites.

Again, Immortal is a great record and the musical progression from Breaker keeps For Today fresh and puts a great new perspective on their sound. For Today keeps getting better.

Tongue & Pen - The Likeness EP

You know it when you're listening to something heartfelt. To music so pure and emotionally and passionately charged that you can't help but be drawn in. And that's exactly what you get on Tongue & Pen's debut ep, The Likeness.

The three song worship ep from one of Come and Live's newest acts is a raw and passionate album that draws the listener in. It's compelling and heartfelt worship. Rescue is a great opening track that draws you in and Likeness of a Peaceful City, the instrumental closer, still carries the passion. Even without words or singing, you can feel something deeply moving in the track. But it's Sons and Daughters that's the crowning song on this ep. The 6 minute track works on every level. Musically it moves and breaks, rises and falls in all the right place. And lyrically, it's a great worship tune, proclaiming "We are orphans no more."

Tongue & Pen have released a great worship ep and I wish there was more music from the band. This is the best record Come and Live has released this year.

You can download The Likeness EP for free at http://comeandlive.com/downloads/

True Liberty Signs with Thumper Punk Records

Punk veterans True Liberty announce their latest and best release “Marked for Life” on Thumper Punk Records.  “Marked for Life” stands firmly on the broad shoulders of their past releases, positively blasting classic punk and oi! sounds in True Liberty’s unique and uncompromising style. Firmly committed, spiritually driven, pedal-to-the-metal music overflowing with hooks, chords and thunder.


“Marked for Life” was produced by True Liberty and Todd Corvin, with digital mastering by Stephen Edgerton (Descendents/All).  Cover art was provided courtesy of Dave Besanson Originals.  Stout enough for fans of The Business, The Clash and The Ramones, but musically strong enough to be enjoyed by music lovers everywhere.


"Marked for Life " is available now for digital download from iTunes and all the usual suspects. CD pre-orders are available through Thumper Punk Records: www.thumperpunkrecords.com

Jump Ship Quick - Where Thieves Cannot Tread

Punk rock should be fun right? Well... Sometimes it should be fun. The latest band on the Thumper Punk roster, Jump Ship Quick, have found a balance of creating fun punk rock with politically and spiritually charged lyrics.

Musically Jump Ship Quick reminds me of Off the Record, The Smiley Kids, and Side Walk Slam. It's fun, upbeat, fast, just solid punk. But lyrically the band uses their platform to tackle issues like abortion, bullying, and church corruption. While punk rock as a platform to speak out isn't a new idea by any stretch, the Christian scene has never fully embraced using punk rock as a platform to tackle touch issues. It makes Jump Ship Quick standout.

It's a solid punk record and like everything Thumper Punk puts out, it puts me right back to junior high and high school watching G-Rock and skateboarding. Fans of Craig's Brother, Rise Against, and old school Tooth and Nail/Screaming Giant punk will love this record.