This week our International Spotlight returns to Italy. Here's the scoop from Tim Krysko from Punk International:
Aim come from Italy and a label called Inconsapevole Records. The band is comprised of three brothers and a fourth member, all residing in Milan. Their debut album Limit of Sight is on sale now: nine tracks of intensely melodic emocore.
Aim - Skyscrapers And Cathedrals (MP3)
Recent Spotlights: Stepson / Suffer (Czech Republic), Oni Epik (Switzerland)
We're off to the Czech Republic this week with Tim Krysko from Punk International:
A double shot of Czech pop punk is on tap this week. First of all, meet Stepson, a band on Pohoda Records that's influenced by the Misfits but plays really catchy pop punk. It's not unlike Goblins, from Spain, who were featured a few weeks back. As well, we have Suffer, courtesy of Samuel Records. This band takes me back to the pop punk of the mid-90s, before emo was part of the equation. It's pretty juvenile stuff, but it's got its place.
Stepson - Die Vampire Die (MP3)
Suffer - That Night (MP3)
Recent Spotlights: Oni Epik (Switzerland), Turtlehead (Scotland)
Tim Krysko from Punk International brings us to Switzerland this week:
Once upon a time it would have been heretical to push a hip hop artist on a punk medium. But since most of us are more enlightened than that now, here's an independent, bilingual group from the French-speaking part of Switzerland, called Oni Epik. They're on the label Condor Records, known for their hardcore bands Fullstop, Blown, and Kandyss. Fonetik is the new album from Oni Epik; about half of it is in French and half English. Here's one of the Anglophonic tracks, "The Tom, Dick, and Harry Show".
Oni Epik - The Tom, Dick, and Harry Show (MP3)
Recent Spotlights: Turtlehead (Scotland), Scalping Screen (Finland)
This week out International Spotlight visits Scotland. Here's more from Tim Krysko at Punk International:
Turtlehead is a band from Scotland that used to be on Bad Taste Records (the Swedish one, not the Icelandic one). That's where they released two albums and an EP, not to mention where they built up a solid following across Europe. Now they're independent and have a self-released album called Bleeding Hearts and Burnouts (on their own makeshift record label Leatherback Records). It's got lots catchy, melodic punk rock, like this tune "Pro Choice".
Turtlehead - Pro Choice (MP3)
Recent Spotlights: Scalping Screen (Finland), Tarakany (Russia)
For our second International Spotlight of `04 we return to Europe. Here's more from Tim Krysko at Punk International:
I've never been able to toss around names of good bands from Finland off the top of my head, but this is a good start. Scalping Screen found its way to me from, of all places, Hong Kong, where the band is signed to a label called Godschild Music. This label has bands from a bunch of different countries, none of which are Hong Kong or China. The track "No Way Out" comes from their latest album 13 Revolting Strains, full of brutal metallic hardcore like this.
Scalping Screen ~ No Way Out (MP3)
MP3 Online!
Recent Spotlights: Tarakany (Russia), Raimundos (Brazil)
We're back to Russia with this week's International Spotlight. Here's more from Tim Krysko at Punk International:
The brand new Tarakany studio album Freedom Street has been released in Russia and will be distributed in Europe through Zurich Chainsaw Massacre early in 2004. Look for Tarakany back on this page in the new year.
Tarakany ~ Reason For Hate (MP3)
Recent Spotlights: Raimundos (Brazil), Sun Eats Hours (Italy)
Our International Spotlight this week looks back nearly a decade to Brazil. Here's more from Tim Krysko from Punk International:
Raimundos ~ Nega Jurema (MP3)
Raimundos ~ Bicharada (MP3)
Recent Spotlights: Sun Eats Hours (Italy), Goblins (Spain)
Another feature I've neglected this week is our International Spotlight. This week we're headed to Italy. Here's more from Tim Krysko over at Punk International:
Sun Eats Hours ~ Tour All Over (MP3)
Recent Spotlights: Goblins (Spain), Sobut (Japan)
"Goblins are one of Spain's fine offerings to the world of punk rock, and they recently released their second album for Slide Chorus Records, called Nightmares & Landscapes. They've adopted their own custom-made Misfits-gone-pop-punk sound and they're running with it." - Tim Krysko of Punk International Goblins - Beetlejuice (MP3)
"This week I'm pleased to present my other favorite band from Japan of all-time. A few weeks ago I delivered a song from the excellent Husking Bee (check the archives for that), and planned to follow it up with the track you see below, but the Kemuri tribute took priority and I decided to give Japan a rest from the spotlight. Well now is as good a week as any. So check out SOBUT , one of the tightest straight-forward punk bands I have ever heard. This is a single from their album "Maximum Culture" that came out about two years ago. Go to Japan and buy this CD, and their newer albums "Road of Impulse" and "Sound Stupid". Buy one for me too; I'll pay you back." - Tim Krysko of Punk International
Sobut - We Go (MP3)