Review Summary: UK82 pioneers realeased a straight up Street Punk record. Oi Oi Oi!
I wasn't born in time to witness the Punk waves hit England but I surely don't need that to enjoy a good Punk CD. G.B.H is one of those few bands that didn't evolve into some kind of metal in the late 1980s. They are often referred as true UK82s and were pioneers of the Street Punk genre. Four years after their release of
City Baby Attacked By Rats (seen as one of the finest street punk albums) G.B.H released their fourth record “
Midnight Madness And Beyond”. The main difference would be the production. While early releases sounded kind of raw, this record sounds a little more produced.
Yes Punk is pretty minimalist, usually using four chords throughout the whole song but when you listen to a good Punk record, you'll feel some kind of energy that makes you want to destroy everything around you while singing along the choruses. Well this album does it!
Too Much is the perfect example, and so are most of the songs. The traditional four snare drum pattern and Colin Abrahall screaming vocals on
Limpwristed will make you headbang for a long time throughout the album. The solos in
Future Fugitives and
Too Much fit perfectly in the song, bringing more energy to you listening experience.
This record isn't perfect though, mainly because it lacks in stand outs. While
Too Much is probably the best song off this record, most songs sound a little the same and it will eventually bore you if you're not that much into the Punk sound. The change of pace in
Horror Story is usually enough. The song feels out of place in a straight up fast paced record. Even though it's a good “experimental” punk song, it doesn't go with the flow.
Although the closer
Blood is pretty average, the five minutes gives you enough time to enjoy one last time the Punk sound before ending the record. G.B.H is surely a legend in the Punk music and this album is a fine example of why. Although most of the time the absence of changes in the sound of a new record is seen as a lack of creativity, here it gives you the same energy you got from previous G.B.H record, and that is a good thing.
