Bokassa – All Out Of Dreams
Bokassa – All Out Of Dreams
Indie Recordings
Release Date: 16/02/2024
Running Time: 33:00
Review by Rory Bentley
8/10
Lockdown was a real pisser for most bands and pretty much the whole world apart from a few anti-social perma-grouches like myself, but for the band that Lars Ulrich called his new favourite band on their debut, it was a particularly cruel momentum killer. Now on their third release, Norwegian riff-machine power trio Bokassa are ready to take the world on all over again.
The Bokassa formula is simple in theory, though difficult in practice- namely meld world class Metal riffs into the template of rousing, anthemic Power Pop. Opener ‘The Ending Starts Today’ is a great example of this, coming across like Motörhead channelling Jimmy Eat World along with some smoothe Goth crooning in the chorus. It all melds together beautifully, and the Thrash middle 8 before the last chorus is like peak modern day Metallica if they had the capacity to self-edit. Big Rock songs are the order of the day and Bokassa have got as many of those as you can handle.
Take the BIlly Talent meets Testament groovefest of ‘Garden Of Heathen’, featuring Sick Of It All legend Lou Koller, which traverses the realms of catchy and pit-worthy with a deftness bordering on sorcery. Or the Hardcore banger ‘Straight Edgelord’ which somehow crowbars in an acapella Gospel section after a swaggering Rock chorus and beatdowns designed to line the pockets of chiropractors the world over. The band may pull from a plethora of sub genres but the objective of every song is to have fists and beers raised by the time the main hook comes in.
The sheer quality of riffage condensed into the record’s modest runtime is frankly nuts, whether it be the lurching biker boogie of ‘Bradford Death Squad’ and its proclamation that “The Brontë sisters would agree, we’ve outgrown this wool city” (you have to know about Yorkshire and classic English literature to catch that one) or the sleazy slide guitar and Glam stomp of ‘Gung Ho’, there are infectious licks and stink-face inducing chug sections that many a legacy Metal band wishes they were still capable of. But it is the melding of these riffs with a raw Punk approach and an ear for skyscraper melodies that makes this record so impressive.
After having the wind taken out of their sails by cruel events beyond their control it’s great to have Bokassa back. Even better is that it feels like they’re just getting started, and the thought of another cocktail of guitar heroics and scream-along hooks is too exciting to handle. Welcome back lads, give us all the Bokassa you’ve got!
TRACKLISTING:
01. The Ending Starts Today
02. Garden of Heathen
03. Straight Edgelord
04. All Out Of Dreams
05. Bradford Death Squadron
06. Lets Storm The Capitol
07. Everyone Fails In The End
08. Gung Ho
09. No More Good Days
10. Crush (All Heretics)
LINE-UP:
Jørn Kaarstad – Lead Vocals,Guitar
Bård Linga – Bass, Vocals
Olav Dowkes – Drums, Vocals
LINKS:
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