Seek Out Your Foes,
Phinius Gage
OK< let's get down to business. This is the best record Phinius Gage have ever written - by a distance - and is one of the best UK punk rock records released this year. It's fast, frenetic, melodic...all that good stuff. It's basically everything the band have done previously but better. And believe me, if the outro guitar solo on the album's title track doesn't make you giggle like a schoolgirl then you're reading the wrong website.
If you're yet to come across the delights of Phinius Gage, they're a Brighton-based melodic hardcore-cross-skate punk band that mix the best bits of a Rise Against with the best bits of a Lagwagon, all done with strong British accents. Previously the band wrote consistently good songs and put out good albums, but this takes things up a notch on every level. It's faster, more melodic and includes some amazing metal-influenced guitar solos. the great songs outweigh the good ones - don't even start looking for a bad song here kids - with 'Stop Looking Up' and 'Seek Out Your Foes' possibly the best two PG songs ever written. Ade's vocals sound a little Dexter Holland-esque at times too.
The production is better than ever, the riffs sound hard and heavy and overall this is just a fantastic record from start to finish. I consider Phinius Gage to be friends. They're one of those bands that have supported Punktastic from day one and it's fantastic to see a band develop and mature. This is their crowning glory - a record that shows the UK can do melodic punk rock as well as anyone.
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