The Changing of the Guard is the weakest effort during the last nine years. But even a less-than average Starflyer 59 record is bestowed with highlights.
A record that smashes conventions and just rocks out. Not Sunset Strip “rocking out,” but more groove-based than one would realistically expect from the genre.
Nothing sounds labored or painstakingly tweaked, just lively and aggressive. It’s an enviable trait, to sound like you just plugged in and went with it.
I thought the new Exodus record would be unmatched in 2010 for pure, condensed hatred, but Goner has it beat by a mile. It’s gnarly, ugly, and ferocious.
Their sound is close to the technical insanity that is in vogue, but it’s performed with a clarity that puts it far above the dregs of show-off wankery.
There’s good-hearted hamminess to be found in most any power metal band, desperate as so many of those bands are to emulate Iron Maiden’s battle anthems.
Garage punk has meant different things over the years. There are plenty of mall punk teens who don’t know who the Dead Boys were and think Iggy Pop is an actor.