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I had a listen to some of the songs last night lads (not had chance to listen to a full playthrough). But I've got to say, what I heard was absolutely brilliant and right up my street. You guys have really pushed on from that first ep (which was good) but this is next level. It perfectly mixes a 77 punk sound with splash of modern day power. So refreshing to hear a current punk band doing proper tuneful punk songs as opposed to just street punk or hardcore which seems to be the case these days on the current UK scene. Great stuff lads. Keep up the good work.

 

Jason Kernohan - Punk By Nature. (Promoter and reviewer

 

Fucking love the album mate not a bad track on it…my fave at the moment..Details, Trauma doll and Midnight Picture show but that could change tmrw …. Just been sat on my drive finishing off listening to it !

Proper old school punk sound love it…..

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Herbie Hare – Year Zero Follower

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5 STAR BRACE FOR IMPACT ALBUM REVIEW BY MARK CARTWRIGHT, THE PUNK SITE.

This debut album from Year Zero somehow passed us by on release, but this is the time to put this album right where it belongs, in the Punk Site’s sights (or ears would be a little more useful).

Being a debut, I’m as sure as I am that the world is spherical that the bands nerves were at breaking point just before release, now the wait is over, they need to sit back and revel in the applauds.  Since dropping into my mail, this album has been blasting out from every corner of my home and shaking the windows of the car, the problem with listening to something that excites you as much as release that is so simply punk and never pretends to be anything else, is actually finding time to sit down and write this review and not just listening to it.

Finally we have a band that hangs all its influences out of the window and let  them around in the wind for a while until they comes back all fresh and new, you could easily say that there are flashes of 70’s punk with the likes of The Adverts, Chelsea, Pistols and just about everything else you could think of, but then moving more up to date with the likes of Cyanide Pills or Kopek Millionaires, yet Year Zero have still managed to create an, of its time sound.

Throwing yourself headlong into the first track ‘Ruin My Town’ what is immediately apparent is the use of simple no nonsense chorus lines that sit at the heart of the majority of the songs, this angry song is given a sing-a-long feel, this style flows out of this album like a steady stream of alcohol.  The uncomplicated nature of the songs make it easy to see why they are also so infectious, ‘Details’ shows how this is achieved, with some canny riffs and hooks all wrapped around a message that pairs down the need to not bother with “the details, it won’t matter anyway”.

The tempo of this album is one of its winning traits, you have melodic punk that doesn’t try to shred the hell out of your ears, lyrics that are given consideration throughout, from ‘Secret Suburbia’ with its stories of suburban 50 Shades Of Grey, to ‘Trauma Doll’ a heavy addiction filled sassy little number, both take life from your? Town and thread them into what seem uncomplicated music, yet are filled with wonderful rhythms and hooks.

Slotted into the middle of the album is Cat Stevens social commentary song ‘Mathew & Son’ which at first seems a little of an odd choice, but being a song that covers workers slavery, is actually very poignant and relevant in todays times of modern slavery.

Altogether Year Zero have thrown together a debut album that not only should be listened to, but could well be up near the top of the pile for years to come.

Raucous Punk Rock with Rocktastic splashes of old and new sounds.

Don’t just take my word for it, go grab yourself a copy from HERE and tell me if I’m wrong! 

Grab some social time with the band too on their FACEBOOK

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BRACE FOR IMPACT ALBUM REVIEW BY MANIC MARX. 

Gloria in excelsior! Guess what the postie popped through my letterbox today? Yes, that’s right, it’s the debut album by those poptastic punksters Year Zero! Titled Brace Yourself For Impact it’s chock full of great songs, with more hooks than a stripper’s corset, played with verve and conviction and most of all it’s fun! So have you braced yourself? Let’s begin…

• Straight into the blistering Ruin My Town, some great riffin’ from guitarist Rob Stokes with poignant and angry lyrics by bassist Chris Hodgkins, reflecting on the sad demise of Chris’ home town. Vocalist Mick Kelleher spits out the verses and whilst the chorus is catchy its intent is that of anger.

• Next track Human Condition has Pistols/Sham overtones and the superb production by Alan Bell allows Mick’s righteous lyrics to shine through. Again this track is catchy as hell highlighting the band’s acute pop sensibilities.

• Details starts with Mick in crooning mode before it explodes into an angry acclamation for civil liberty. The guitar is spiteful, the bass rumbles and the drums explode, drilling the message home. A great live track, which has lost none of its venom in the studio.

• Tricky Mickey is a tight rock n roll tune. Rob’s guitar break is both melodic and in your face, whilst Mick intones some savage put down of a nefarious character (wonder who it might be?)

• Secret Suburbia has Mick in journalistic mode, uncovering the sordid goings on of Mr & Mrs Everyman, is it your neighbours he’s singing about or is it you? The track itself has a melodic pace and a slightly melancholic feel – and I bloody love it!!!!

• No Thrills is brilliant, hard driving punk n roll, with a catchy as fuck chorus that drives its way into your brain – and stays there. Ace bit of soloing from Rob, with skinsman Tim Johnson beating the living hell out of his kit a la Moonie.

• Matthew & Son is a cover of the Cat Stevens’ classic and the band, who are clearly having the time of their lives, attack it with gusto. If I say this is the weakest track on the album this is purely a tribute to the superlative song-writing displayed throughout this collection.

• Trauma Doll is a sassy, clever slice of power pop, with influences such as Generation X and The Pleasers shining through. Bitter as hell on the lyric front, this track once again showcases the rhythm section, who are tight as nuns’ knickers throughout.

• The next track is my personal fave. Hand Grenade Heart would have been a Top 30 hit in the halcyon days of punk. It’s as good as anything The Boys or Buzzcocks committed to vinyl – once you hear it you just can’t stop singing it!!

• Midnight Picture Show has Mick paying homage to the classis horror films of yore (or should that be gore?) A very Diggleish guitar sound from Rob that spits and snarls, this guy is a GUITAR HERO!!

• Closing track Tonight has a glam feel with a Pistolish whip to the guitar sound, with backing vocals that are a further paean to the bands’ glam rock influences. It fades with tumbling drums and a terrace-like chant and….that’s it.

So that’s all folks, debut album of the year? Definitely! A collection of songs that jump out of your music machine and charm, pummel and rock your sensibilities while putting a big, soppy grin on your face. You’ll be singing these tunes over Christmas and into the New Year.

Catch these boys live, I promise you’ll be converted from the first chord. Rebellion, are you out there? Book em now for 2022!!

So buy this album and give yourself a Christmas treat, buy one for your mom, she’ll rock around the Christmas tree and get one for the Adele fan in your life – it’ll cheer the dreary fucker up…

Manic Marx, December 2021

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ORDER THE ALBUM HERE. 

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STEVE BRAIN FROM MAXIMUM VOLUME MUSIC'S REVIEW OF OUR GIG WITH RUTS DC. 

First up tonight are midlands based old style punk band Year Zero. As far as I understand this is their first time out since the departure of drummer Tim Johnson with new drummer also called Tim. They showcase tracks from their forthcoming album and kick off their set with ‘Ruin My Town’ with its rocking tom beat and chugging rhythm, steady bass and great guitar lines, a story many of us can probably relate to

Next up is the excellent ‘Heart Shaped Bullets’ from their 2019 EP, with eerie opening, banging chorus and great lead solo (Great TShirt by the way). This is followed by Micky crooning the opening to ‘Details’ which as it progresses reminds me of early Chelsea.

They sing about their own life experiences in ‘Tricky Micky’ (about the singer himself) and ‘Secret Suburbia’ a wonderful slower tempo number about what goes on behind closed doors, which the Kinks would be proud of.

‘Nostalgia’ with its great opening and mid song drum attacks and singalong chorus probably sums up how many of us in the room feel about music. They move through their catchy album tracks with ease such as ‘Human Condition’, ‘No Thrills’, ‘Trauma Doll’ and ‘Midnight Picture Show’, a real bopper with authentic scary laughter, about watching Hammer Horror films as a kid.

They conclude their set with ‘Hand Grenade Heart’, which has an SLFesque feel, a great rendition of Cat Stevens ‘Matthew and Son’ and the stomping ‘Tonight’ which they take down and build in equal measure with a singalong chorus of ‘tonight is our time’ – a great ending to a great set.

I look forward to the album.

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