Album Review: Bare Bones - 'Villains'

Bare Bones' debut EP 'Villains' is an absolute gem in the Sydney hardcore scene. This is one of the most top quality releases from a local hardcore band we've heard, period. With a fantastic mixture of hardcore punk and southern hard rock influences (a la Maylene and the Sons of Disaster), combined with amazing recording quality, Bare Bones have struck a ridiculously tasty vibe that sets the bar for independent rock as a whole.

From the very beginning to end, 'Villains' is a deliciously gritty experience, unapologetic in its ferocity. This is music with attitude. Music that gets all up in your grill. Music that chugs a bottle of whisky before lighting a cigar and head-butting you in the face. This is hardcore with so much 'tude, that the band could be singing about wearing sunglasses and starting bar fights and we wouldn't have cared. In fact, they probably are and it's just so awesome that the listener doesn't notice.

Musically, everything is spot-on. The guitars sound gloriously chuggy and biting. The vocals are startlingly confronting and perfectly implemented. At times, vocalist Tom Kennedy sounds awfully close to Every Time I Die frontman Keith Buckley, which is definitely not a bad thing. Most of the time though, his sound is always uniquely his own. And every aspect of this has been recorded beautifully.

Every riff on this EP is a winner, lending each track a vibe of their own. It is best enjoyed though as a collection; each track continues into the next really well and makes for an excellent progression. You'll definitely want to listen to it over and over again anyway.

There's just so much to love here. If you consider yourself a fan of the genre you have to get this EP. That's it.

The boys from Bare Bones ought to be extremely proud of themselves for producing an EP of such high calibre. If you're a fan of hardcore punk you have absolutely no excuse for not listening to 'Villains'. There's little else that needs to be said, just that you're guaranteed to love it.

1. The Ambush

2. Snake City

3. The New Breed

4. Revolt (ft. Dre Faivre)

5. Death Valley Blues

6. Villains