Title: Mandrake
Format Reviewed: MP3
Format Release: 25th February 2014
Reviewed By: Millie Manders
The Shell Corporation, hailing from Burbank, California release their second full length effort on the 25th February.I'd never heard any of The Shell Corporation’s music before today and my opening statement is this: I instantly liked it.
Appetite for Destraction is the opening track and it reminds me of bands like A, Alien Ant Farm, Papa Roach and Linkin Park… I can tell I am going to want to listen to this ‘til my ears bleed… “Take it all away! Take it all away!”
I want to be at the front of a show, my ribs being crushed at the barriers by the thousands of seething people behind me creating a circle pit to be proud of.
Mandrake is the second single: it’s short and totally sweet in an “oh my God I love this and want to rock harder than a granite slab in my face to it” kind of way.
This album is slick, polished, melodic and fuelled with fist-pumping energy. Jan Drees has a great vocal range and gritty delivery, which keeps the listener interested. So some of the tracks that also grabbed me by the head are…
The Death Of Us: Slightly folky lend to the vocals. Great harmonies. Awesome rolling drums and classic fills: this is the sort of album you want to have on repeat to learn all the words to so you can sing along with the band when you go to watch. Glorious, anthemic pop-punk. It’s delicious.
Trust Us: Solid, driving punk. Catchy chorus, good change of pace in the bridge: this is probably one of my favourite tracks. Just good old foot stomping goodness.
Even Bob Villa Couldn't Fix This House: If anyone knows me,
they know that if you put a little ska in your punk, you've got me hooked. I’M
HOOKED! This song has it all. Bouncy riffs, ska backbone, minor key vocals with
sick harmonies… Not many vocalists can nail harmonies this well in this style.
This will be on my house party playlist without a doubt.
This album is engaging, filled with pop-punk at its best with
inflections of folk, ska and gypsy slid in for good measure. It’s beautifully
produced and well executed. I would have
liked to hear a touch more lead… Not a single real solo throughout the album
and I do love a bit of embellishment… Hardly a huge complaint in the face of a
seriously good collection of tracks though!
PS… Perfect World is a perfect finish. An acoustic warm down from a party pulse
extravaganza. Well done indeed. 9/10
Check The Shell Corporation's tour dates here: http://www.fucktheshellcorporation.com/tscm
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