Hails from Tenerife isn’t something you get to write on Punktastic every day. Well, This Drama hails from Tenerife, but you wouldn’t know it. This isn’t sunshine soaked, tourist music. This is dirty, punk rock laced with hardcore tinges and a sense of the late 80’s gutter. It’s the type of music you see described as punk ‘n’ roll on gig flyers. And, in short, it’s quality.
‘San Diego XIII’ (named for the street the band rehearses at) was originally put out by Spanish label KTC in 2008 but has been picked up by Deep Elm Records for wider release. It’s a no nonsense affair; 9 tracks in less than 25 minutes (that’s the review copy at least; it appears there’s an extra track on the digital release) but it sets the band up nicely. It’s all guitars and drums, no artificial additives here.
This Drama comes at you with some big rock sounds (“Six Pack”), Rocket From The Crypt-esque riffs (“She Had A Knife”) and some venom-spitting vocals (“Hungry Eyes”, a song that sounds like it burned itself out). The aptly named “Panic Attack” roars by with urgency and a feel of Guns N’ Roses circa 1987, all dirty and gnarly. Comparisons to the likes of The Bronx prove fair (word has it Joby Ford, guitarist of said Bronx, will produce the band’s upcoming album), and in a UK setting you can throw this quintet in with the likes of The Smoking Hearts and maybe even The Plight (although you’d have to remove the really metal bits from that particular band).
As a long EP/short album, ‘San Diego XIII’ is a very good introductory piece. There are a few ropey moments on there (in particular, the vocals on “Strictly Dishonourable” have a tendency to gratingly become a little drama schoolish) but as a whole this record works. The very fact that it’s ‘simple’ works wonders. This Drama is clearly a band that doesn’t get distracted by the shiny twinkling of unnecessary instruments or arrangements. It’s just good ol’ rock music and bodes well for the future.
Alex