Montana - Necessita

Labels: Crapoulet Records/Smelly Cat Records/Sonatine Produzioni/To Lose La Track/1a0

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 17 Dec 2021

Tracklist: 

1. Allerta

2. Posto

3. Tonsille

4. Decompressione

5. Ribalta

6. Contesa

7. Altitudine

8. Brombo

9. Perimetro

10. Offendicula

11. Scienza

I can't remember the last Italian fast/hardcore punk band I featured here. I've fallen further and further out of touch with the newer wave of punk bands coming through (which, to this day, I still blame on the demise of the MRR print zine). Are there any alternatives to MMR still in print and available? Let me know if so.

Anyway, as alluded to in the opening sentence above, Italian band Montana is my focus for this evening. I only learned about the band in June 2022 thanks to a newsletter e-mail from French label Crapoulet Records. Montana's latest album Necessita was originally released digitally by the band in late 2021 before being released on vinyl in June 2022 via the aforementioned Crapoulet Records, as well as Italian labels Smelly Cat Records, Sonatine Produzioni, To Lose La Track and 1a0. To date Montana has released four full-lengths, one EP and a split record.

I need a decent injection of loudness this evening and Necessita’s opener ‘Allerta’ is exactly that. More punk than noise but really enjoyable all the same with hints to bands like Dark Thoughts and AFI (in places). Those are both US comparisons obviously because my European punk band vocabulary is somewhat lacking at the moment (aside from Sweet Empire and Irish Handcuffs). What’s immediately noticeable here is the crispness of the production, mixing and mastering on the album. ‘Posto’ sounds very crisp instrumentally while the vocal grittiness works really well too.

There’s no meandering going on with Montana’s music and the driving guitars of ‘Tonsille’ sound even better when laid up against the band’s Italian lyrical delivery. The rhythm section of bass and drums keep the tempo in check and bouncing too. ‘Decompressione’ is a more than solid instrumental punk song that’s catchy and to-the-point. There’s a definite pop-punk vibe about it as well!

‘Ribalta’ sees Montana jump straight back into it with raucous punk that contains some killer shouty vocals that sound remarkably clean. Things get a teensy bit more artsy on ‘Contesa’ but only during it’s intro, which has a great off-kilter feel. The rest of the song is pure unadulterated punk in all it’s glory. Loving it! The pause between ‘Contesa’ and ‘Altitudine’ seems almost unnecessary, except for the sample that opens the latter. ‘Altitudine’ follows in completely the same vein as it’s predecessor, keeping the heart racing and the blood pumping.

You might be thinking that ‘Brombo’ is another interlude/instrumental but it’s not. Instead it’s a song filled to the brim with urgency and one that exemplifies Montana’s quality as a punk force to be reckoned with. ‘Perimetro’ gathers that same attitude and injects it with plenty of melodic riffs and a lengthier playing time, which is also characteristic of the album’s closing numbers.

Penultimate banger ‘Offendicula’ channels Montana’s AFI vibes without taking things too far. Such a good song filled with excellent bass lines that propel their way to the forefront of the instrumentation. Album closer ’Scienza’ begins with piano that’s oddly broody before that mood is quickly erased by Montana’s up-tempo punk for one last time. 

This album goes by way too quickly. Montana combine’s subtle heaviness with catchy punk that writes itself really. Musical exploration for the win! Give this a go while you’re heading into the weekend, it’ll sort you right out. Brilliant stuff.

You can stream Necessita and purchase it on both digital, and vinyl formats below:-

Montana - https://www.facebook.com/montanapunkrock

Physical copies can also be purchased from the below labels:-

Crapoulet Records - https://crapouletrecords.limitedrun.com/categories/crapoulet-records

Sonatine Produzioni - https://sonatineproduzioni.bandcamp.com/merch

To Lose La Track - http://www.toloselatrack.org/categories/vinile

Crapoulet Records - https://www.facebook.com/Crapouletrecords

Smelly Cat Records - https://www.facebook.com/smellycatrec

Sonatine Produzioni - https://www.facebook.com/SonatineProduzioni

To Lose La Track - https://www.facebook.com/toloselatrack

Bobby Singer - Salvation

Labels: APB Records/Crapoulet Records/En Soiree Je Danse Pas/Fresh Outbreak Records/Wacky Cats

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 26 Jun 2020

Tracklist: 

1. Demain

2. L'apogee De La Mediocrite

3. Pour Avancer

4. Qu'importe Les Autres

5. Nouse Sommes

6. Leurs Regardes

7, Morne

8. Une Indecene Resplendissante

9. En Cedres

This review focuses on another band that featured on my 10th anniversary compilation. Bobby Singer is a French solo hardcore punk project and Salvation is the band's debut full-length, following the release of the EP Casse in 2018. It was released via a whole heap of labels, who're listed above and will be linked below.

Album opener ‘Demain’ was the song that featured on my compilation. While initially it comes across a bit like a Jimmy Eat World song, it suddenly builds into something more akin to the cinematic and energetic post-hardcore of bands like Snapcase and even fellow countrymen Kazan. For a solo project this is remarkably delivered. ‘L’apogee De La Medioctrite’ takes that whole old-school hardcore sound and adds in melodic guitars and high-tempo drumming. The vocals are shouted but also layered so it sounds like there are more than one vocalist on the recording, which is pretty crafty and it works really well.

Bobby Singer does throw some down-tempo songs onto Salvation and ‘Pour Avancer’ is one such number. It’s only down-tempo because of it’s slower pace and low-end melodies but it’s got plenty of bite in the right areas. The album gets darker still as the opening bars of ‘Qu’importe Les Autres’ come into view. The musical ability and the way in which Bobby Singer weaves and builds atmosphere during the lengthy instrumental passages is something to behold. The song is nearly five-minutes in length and it’s not till midway through that the vocals kick in again. Now I know where the Snapcase comparison truly fits in!

Before you know it ‘Nous Sommes’ is dragging you to the second half of Salvation with lumbering and sorrow-filled post-hardcore. When held up alongside the native vocal delivery (as on the rest of the album), it comes to life even more. This is a really enjoyable release, filled with subtle twists and turns so far. As if Bobby Singer knew and indeed felt that it was needed, the album’s second half truly comes alive with ‘Leurs Regards’ thanks to it’s urgent disposition. It’s still dark in places but it doesn’t stay that way for too long.

Despite it’s title, ‘Morne’ isn’t the slab of misery you’d expect. Expertly played bass is prominent in places on here and adds extra groove to the music, while the now familiar sound is as listenable as  it was during the album’s first bars. Added trebly guitar-work helps build drama towards the song’s close as well. From that to a straight-up hardcore-punk rager in the form of ‘Une Indecence Resplendissante’ and it couldn’t be more danceable. Even with things coming to a close, the sudden burst of energy you get from this song is just what the doctor ordered. 

It’s down to album closer ‘En Cendres’ to bring those energy levels back down, at least for a minute before melodic, slightly metallic guitars and authoritative percussion take over. It rounds things out perfectly. Salvation is an impressive album. It’s not too heavy and has enough melody to appeal to both old and new-school fans of the genre. It gives a great first impression if this is the first time you hear Bobby Singer.

You can stream and buy Salvation on all formats below:-

Bobby Singer - https://www.facebook.com/bobbysinger666/

You can also pick copies up from the below labels:-

APB Records - https://apb-records.limitedrun.com/

Crapoulet Records - http://crapoulet.fr/

Fresh Outbreak Records - https://freshoutbreak.bandcamp.com/album/salvation

APB Records - https://www.facebook.com/apbrecords63/

Crapoulet Records - https://www.facebook.com/Crapouletrecords/

Fresh Outbreak Records - https://www.facebook.com/freshoutbreakrecords/