ANTI-FLAG – ‘American Spring’ (Spinefarm) [7]

“Passion is a young man’s game. Older people gotta be more wise,” said Bob Dylan recently. Now into their third decade together, Anti-Flag’s tenth album actually displays both passion and wisdom. Their lyrics remain politically charged, but the focus is more societal than idealistic, and while you could say they’ve mellowed musically, they’ve actually just opened their ears to more forms of what constitutes ‘punk’. So for every pop-punk standard, there’s a Sky Is Falling or Song For Your Enemy recalling Billy Talent and Jonah Matranga respectively, and American Spring is the best the Pittsburgh quartet have sounded in years.

FOR FANS OF: Green Day, Billy Talent, Far

www.anti-flag.com/news

(this review was originally published in rock sound magazine issue 200 Jun 2015)

RECKLESS LOVE – ‘Spirit’ (Spinefarm) [6]

So many Northern European bands take influence from Hollywood metal’s ‘80s heyday, that its most successful exports need a standout take on the genre to avoid being mere imitators. Turbonegro use outrageous humour and a leather fetish, The 69 Eyes add a dose of gothic gloom, but, sadly, even by album number three, it remains unclear what Reckless Love’s unique selling point is. Too earnest to feel tongue-in-cheek, but too silly to be taken seriously, they’re huge in their native Finland, but it’ll take a little more self-definition to achieve the genuine crossover success briefly enjoyed by The Darkness ten years ago.

 

FOR FANS OF: Lordi, HIM, Hanoi Rocks, The 69 Eyes

www.recklesslove.com

(this review was originally published in rock sound magazine issue 179 Oct 2013)