Bleach Party, USA – Get Stoked
Release Date: 5th May 2017
Label: Mystic Records
Let’s start from the last lyric, “I don’t really care”. This pretty much explains this 12 minute EP, of a skate punk band who just do stuff for the hell of it. Hailing from Tuscon, AZ, the band has tried to create a new subgenre of punk called “Clorox ‘n’ Roll”, hailing from their name. It’s a mix of loud instrumentals, incoherent screams and mosh-pit choruses that brings out the best part of punk – the DIY attitude.
The instrumentals are rough, the vocals are harsh, but that works well with the image and the sense of humour the band somehow manages to pull off. The first song ‘Drink Bleach‘ showcases all this in just over 2 minutes – with the vocals shouting the title for most of the song. Track 2, ‘Jeff’s Weenie’, has a very pirate metal sound, with mutiple vocals shouting in an almost Alestorm way. The fun continues on to ‘Turbulent Juice‘, with more of the same loud screaming, but the instrumentals improve, even pulling off some impressive guitar work.
‘Crust Fund‘ sounds completely different right from the start, with some amazing instrumental work on the guitar. The vocals kick in, and it’s back to the same skate punk as before, with a few instrumental breaks inbetween. I would have loved it if it kept the same pace as the intro, but the verses don’t completely throw off the song.
The final track ‘Party Buster‘ once again starts differently with an almost pop punk guitar intro and calmer, but almost inaudible lyrics. The chorus is alright, with some good harmonising, and the instrumental is the best on the album.
It’s not my type of music, but I can see that the band had fun while doing it, and I’m sure a punk fan would enjoy. Not to say there aren’t any redeeming features – the guitarist was great, and the final two songs were pretty good, but I’ll pass on the bleach thanks!
Recommended Track: Crust Fund
Rating: 4/10