TOUGH – Obey The Ramones EP

Tough EPItalian punks Tough [not to be confused with Poison wannabes, glam rockers Tuff] first appeared in the mid-noughties from which point they kept themselves busy knocking out material on various DIY labels.  In addition to various split 7”s, by 2013 they had four albums under their collective belt and had increased their following with each passing year.  Their 2014 EP ‘Obey The Ramones’ might just be their best to date, its four high energy numbers presenting the best in melodic punk.

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THE NUTS – EP

the nutsItaly isn’t short of great punk rock bands.  The Manges have gained a big cult following with their Ramones-obsessed schtick, enough to secure them a US released split with the legendary Queers; Killtime do almost as good a job at being Screeching Weasel than the Weasel themselves; then in addition to those who’ve broken through to the US, there’s a whole scene of hardcore bands…   Hailing from Piacenza, The Nuts are another Italian band on which to keep a very close eye.  The three piece band are yet another outfit that take four chords and an unhealthy obsession with Joey & Johnny, but like so many others borrowing from such a timeless source, the results are absolutely first rate.  On their 2014 EP they capture four lightning bolts of punk guaranteed to please.

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HUNGRYHEART – One Ticket To Paradise

booklet completoFollowing line-up changes after the release of their 2008 debut, it took Italian melodic rockers Hungryheart three years to return with their second release. While the gap between releases was a bit longer than ideal, the Tanzan Records label stood by them and the band, in turn, clearly spent their time wisely. For those who like their melodic rock with a slightly Euro bent, ‘One Ticket To Paradise’ is more than worth a listen.

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