Do you think there will ever come a time when there won’t be a band in the UK playing this style of melodic punk? I hope not. Zapiain follow in the footsteps of bands such as Hooton 3 Car and Southport, although ironically the band this reminds me most of is Caustic Soda who were from Australia. Even the main guys vocals sound a bit Australian which is peculiar. Zapiain set their stall out from the word go on this album, with “Last Chance (Get It Right)” storming out of the gates, replete with tight, hefty riftage. There are two singers, one booming, the other offering contrast with occasional words and “woaaaaaaaaaah”s. This is my favourite track on the record, and a tough act to follow as the opener. The album doesn’t quite live up to it, but for the following half hour Zapiain blast out a highly competent UK melodic punk record that has found the perfect home on veteran 😉 label Bombed Out Records, and a Yankee cousin in the spectactularly solid label Unsane Asylum (no surprise to me, the guy who runs this label was responsible for a string of excellent websites focusing on this style of music for a fair old while). The songs tend to stick to the formula, as is typical for the style, which can lead to the mind wandering, but any time you choose to return your focus to the track currently playing you’ll be greeted with a familiar robustness and pick up where you left off in no time at all. Unless you zone out and come back for the last song “By All Means”, with its strums and strings, you might wonder if someone swapped the CD on you.
Good album all told.