D.O.A. - NORTHERN AVENGER CD

D.O.A. - NORTHERN AVENGER CD (SDR-0079)
I was pretty nervous about playing this CD, due to Joey Keithley being one of my all time favourite singer/songwriters to ever set foot on stage (or record in a studio) under the banner of hardcore punk. But as soon as the first chord rang out, a smile beamed across my face and I thought to myself - hell D.O.A. are still as fucking great as ever and even more so as I've been listening to them for the past 25 years. Even Randy Rampage is back on bass too, oh man, this fan boy (well old fart really) is a happy one. There's quite a lot of variety of styles herein; be it the ska/reggae/dub of 'Poor Poor Boy' (what an incredible song) and 'Set The Free'; to more punky 'Mountains That We Climbed' (how many bands going in America etc remember the debt owed to bands like D.O.A. etc and their hardcore working ethic that lead the path for many to follow), 'Still A Punk' (hey Joey, I hear ya man); the folky 'This Machine Kills' that leads straight into the mighty 'How Long Till The Day'. There's even light hearted stuff such as 'Donnybrook' and a John Fogarty cover. I can understand the disdain for California in 'Golden State', but don't get 'California Hardcore Last Chance'. The CD is just bursting with so many incredible songs and D.O.A. are one of those bands that have created their own sound and what's even more incredible some 30 years after they first started they are still creating such a standard of quality songs, full of melodic hooks and memorable riffs - they are still as important as ever. They are still doing things their way, they are still singing about injustice. TALK MINUS ACTION STILL MEANS NOTHING. You better fucking believe it.

SUDDEN DEATH RECORDS, CASCADES, PO BOX 43001, BURNABY, BC CANADA V5G 3HO.
www.suddendeath.com