Snapcase
Bright Flashes
Victory
Snapcase is so damn good that I almost feel bad for them; it must be awkward to be so good at everything you try. Case in point: Bright Flashes, their latest “project,” contains a few remixes that I figured would be total crap. I stand corrected. The entire album is strong, including the remixes.
Bright Flashes opens with a remix of “Believe/Revolt,” which sounds like the original, but with some cool new drums added. The drums give the song more spunk than toughness, yet it is still a rather enjoyable remix. The remix of “Ten AM” is a lot spacier, but it still finds a way to rock out, in a Shape of Punk…-era Refused kind of way. The remix of “Exile Etiquette” is easily forgettable, however.
The rest of the album is made up of covers and songs that didn’t make it onto the band’s last full-length, End Transmission. Of these outtakes, “Dress Rehearsal” is probably the best. It has Refused-sounding guitars, without compromising that staple Snapcase driving feel to which fans have become accustomed. Their cover of Helmet’s “Blacktop” is pretty true to the original. It reminds me how long it’s been since I last listened to a Helmet album. They also cover Devo, but it’s forgettable.
Point is, Bright Flashes is a must for the diehard fan.
Victory Records: http://www.victoryrecords.com/
