Maypole "Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame" CD
[Gangstyle]
Not bad. Fast, energetic hardcore from The Netherlands with two vocalists, both of whom yell/scream or sing in gruff voices that are pretty similar to one another. This is actually a re-release of the band's second record, originally released on Buttkick Records. There's really a significant pop punk type of influence going on here, but not in a cheesy way, in more of an early Pennywise sort of way or something... it's got that really melodic and upbeat pop punk edge, but the foundation is old school style hardcore. I like it. You've got shorter, faster tracks like "Golden Shell" that have a crossover sort of vibe somewhat akin to later D.R.I. at times, you've got heavier tracks like "Soap Opera Scene" that apply melody to the NYHC type of sound, and then you've got some songs that combine all of those influences with some metallic dual guitar harmonies (such as "Family Now"). For some strange reason they cover "Date Rape" by Sublime, and even though they make it a tolerable song, Sublime is still a fucking stupid band. But whatever... The recording's not bad. I'd mess with the mix a bit, but I can deal with it. The drums are sort of rigid, but they do have some density, it's just that they stand out from the guitars and vocals. The bass is hard to hear, so I'd turn that up a bit. But really, just mixing everything tighter and evenly is the only minor suggestion I have. The guitars and vocals sound fine as they are. The layout's alright. The cover art has a distinct look to it, and I enjoy the colorized high contrast imagery inside the booklet (granted the bright yellow can get to me), though the fonts are a bit much as far as being somewhat busy against the background panels. The lyrics don't do much for me, tending to deal with personal issues and often relating directly to the hardcore scene, so it's really nothing new. But this is an enjoyable disc for sure. I had never heard of this band before, and this is a lot different than the other hardcore I've heard out of The Netherlands in recent years, so that's a plus. (7/10)
Running time - 32:53, Tracks: 12
[Notable tracks: Take it Away, Golden Shell, I Know My Destiny, Family Now]
Gangstyle Records - http://www.gangstylerecords.com

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