 Throttle - www.throttlemusic.com
Discharge (released 2005)
Collision Course Records - PO Box 865, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
This is the first release on indie label Collision Course Records, whom I am not sure is still in business or not. Their website, www.collisioncourse.com, is just a logo and copyright(?). So I poked around on Throttle's website, see above for the link, and I see news from 2006...again(?). But in the 2006 news, the band was to be working on a new release, although there is no update as to what has happened since. I noticed they have a myspace page, user name throttleland, but I have yet to make my way to find out what's new with them. Check it out for yourself when you find the time. As for this release, it was recorded and roduced all the way back in 2005, and I suppose after listening to it a few times, it could still fit in with today's rock and punk scene. There is a distinct metal and California punk rock influence in here. In fact, the band is said to have influences like The Distillers (i.e. the bouncy shredding guitar work) and The Ramones (who isn't influeced by these guys), but I think that there is even some metal influences that are spoken of. On a few solos, and within a few of the backing music throughout the album, you can find soaring and searing guitar medleys that are clearly metal tinged. The album features twelve tracks of three minute punk rock meets west coast rock n roll, that I think fits well within the surfer metality of not quite punk, but not quite popular music. I can see these guys really tearing up some tiny club on the boardwalk, attracting an audience that is just milling down the beach. There are a couple of tracks that really jump out at me as being more punk than rock, although there are hints of punk throughout. "Taken Hostage", the first track of the album, has the lead singer emulating(?) or maybe he really does sound a bit English, or maybe Australian. Nothing wrong with it, it gives the fast paced track a bit of edge. The second track, "Lost" sounds as though it could be a Pennywise track. On "Blown" you get a lot of fuzzed out vocals and a solid pounding from the bass and drums throughout the heavy parts of the song. For an album that's now three or so years old, this is great material. "Discharge" is bouncy in parts and absoluely driving fast at the same time, the dichotomy happens on nearly every song. Fans of west coast punk n roll will dig this albumm, even if it is a couple of years on. I hope that we can find out more about Throttle for you, if not check out their MySpace page when you get the chance. -MG |
