Band:
Pontus Snibb – Guitar & Lead Vocals
Mikael Fässberg – Guitar & Bgr Vocals
Micke Nilsson – Bass & Bgr Vocals
Niklas Mattsson – Drums
Discography:
Bonafide (2007)
Somethings dripping (2009)
Guests:
Info
Chip Kiesbye (prod 1-3)
Henryk Lipp (engineer 1-3)
Bonafide (prod 4-6)
Conny Wall (engineer 4-6)
Released 28/1-2011
Reviewed 16/1-2011
Links:
bonafiderocks.com
myspace
black lodge
Before I get to the music I can also state that this as I said is an EP with six songs and two video tracks on the CD, I can also readily admit that I have not looked at any of the videos more than a few seconds of the one that we have attached to this review. But the music consist of two songs from prior album that was reviewed by us as I said, the third track is from that era (I think) and is unreleased and then there are three cover songs on the album, of whom is stated in the info to the left so I will not repeat.
Musically it is back towards the roots kind of rock’n’roll with a sense of gasoline and engines which this kind of rock music seem to give. It is down and dirty and pure as some probably would say and the production is quite dirty but still with the modern touch to allow for more attention to come towards the songs and their structures and content.
It is there, when attention come to the songs, I loose my interest and starts looking for the off switch. Instrumentally it is not that bad to be honest but it is when the singer opens his mouth for the first time he ruins the EP immediately. What strikes me first with his voice is that he has to be really, really old, like retired some hundred years ago as his voice is sounding really old with lots of old arthritic man’s defects to it. I almost, or really do, get the feeling that he is lying in his deathbed a hundred and twelve years old just wanting to record one last EP and sings in the songs while in complete pain, that is how I feel his voice sounds and that is very tiring for me to hear.
Sure, the band’s fans will now hate me and put up dartboards with my face on them but honestly, I do not like this band’s idols either so why on earth would I all of a sudden like something that sounds exactly like them, albeit somewhat more modern? I wouldn’t, that’s the answer and it is also that there are differences in what we like and a review can never be really objective no matter how much we as reviewers try. Therefore my opinion weighs heavily on what I say and also, it is not like the band is on trial and if my review is negative they will be executed by firing squad, or is it? Nonetheless, I acknowledge that there are many fans to this band and this kind of music which is why my rating is higher than I really would have put, I can also see that they do what they do well even if I care little about what they do.
I Think that to maximise the validity of this EP, they should really have gone more for something that would be on an upcoming album since there is quite some time since the last one was released. I think the use of unreleased music and covers is a good thing since that adds value and also an insight to a bands influences. So all in all there is some point to this album, it could have been bigger with a better choice of songs and less laziness.
So if you like the old rock music of the past like Motörhead or AC/DC or what have you, this is clearly something that will appeal to you, there is no doubt in my mind to that. Me on the other hand cannot shake that the singer sounds like a Lemmy on morphine. For you who are clueless about old rock, Lemmy is the singer of Motörhead, it is just too annoying for me. I also like his voice with a muskrat screaming for mercy when it is being tortured and killed, something like that is not really that interesting to listen to.
So in the end the decision is that this EP is somewhat justified but not particularly much and should only really appeal to the fans anyway, as for the quality of it I am quite sure fans of the genre will really enjoy what is on this one as well. I on the other hand has decided to flush it down the toilet.
HHHHHHH
