Various Artists
“Punk-O-Rama 7”
(Epitaph Records)
Life is sooooo good! When I find the new Punk-O-Rama’s coming out I am always excited like a fat kid in a candy store. Epitaph never disappoints me with their amazing compilations at a dirt-cheap price (so the true punk rock kids can afford it!) Not only that but Epitaph houses the world’s greatest bands! The Punk-O-Rama compilation is a powerhouse of amazing acts such as Bad Religion, Pennywise, The Bouncing Souls, Millencolin, Rancid, Death By Stereo, The Dropkick Murphy’s and more.
Starting off the comp with Swedish punkers, Millencolin’s “Fingers Crossed,” off their new album “Home Sweet Home” only makes you wanna rush and buy the whole album because it’s so fantastic. As if any true Pennywise fan wouldn’t have “Land Of the Free” already memorized forward and backward, “The World” is added into the mix. Even tracks from the BYO Records “NOFX/Rancid” split album, where the bands play each other’s songs, are arranged appropriately with NOFX doing “Olympia, WA,” and Rancid answering back with “Bob.”
Listening a little further into the album and there’s one of my personal favorite Epitaph bands, Bouncing Souls with “The Something Special.” You can’t have an Epitaph compilation without throwing in the best, Bad Religion and “The Defense.” I never really cared much for the Deviates, they sound too much like The Offspring, but they’re on here too. My hometown favorites, Death By Stereo and all their Death Punk glory do “Wasted Words.”
Also making their dent in Punk-O-Rama pleasure, Agnostic Front, 1208, 98 Mute, Beatsteaks, Division of Laura, The International Noise Conspiracy, Hot Water Music, Randy, Pulley, and last but certainly not least, the hilarious Guttermouth.
I have one complaint, the past Punk-O-Rama’s have been 22 plus tracks, this one cuts it short at 19 tracks. You can never have too much of a good thing!
