I admit I am not very fond of Punk Rock. You know, there is a long history of bad blood between Metal and Punk Rock, but that is not exactly it. First of all, my problem is that Punk Rock does not attract me in terms of music the way Metal music does. Second of all, in the late 1970s and late 1980s Punk Rock was the trend, and, I, philosophically speaking do not like or follow trends. However, every now and then, we receive some Punk Rock and Hardcore bands here and I give them the same treatment I give to Metal bands, that is, I listen them carefully and decide to review them or not. On the other hand, Hardcore receives the best from me due to all the connections it has with Metal music.
As a personal rule, I usually like bands that try to get away from the normal sonancies of their styles. Of course, this depends on the music the band delivers. Here with “Confrere,” Poison Ruïn go very far from the standart Punk Rock, leaving only the vocals and the very particular way of drumming as the recognizable features. By the way, it has been a long time since I have been trying to understand Punk Rock drumming. I dare to say it is a very distinguishable way of playing the drums. Very different from Rock and, at the same time, very different from Metal music. Though it sounds simple, it is not that simple. Even the fastest songs as “Laid Waste” there is this feeling.
To some extent, after listening to the album a few times, as I always do, I felt some 1970s reminiscences with “Intro,” which, by the way, has nothing to do at all with standard Punk Rock, and then album tittle “Confrere.” Now I see Poison Ruïn owe a lot to The Clash early years, to some extent, their most famous era. Even though the track does not go uptempo, its cadence is contagious. The fan will feel an urge to pogue, I bet. Going on the opposite direction of Punk Rock guitarists, the band’s axeman Nao Demand shows to be very skilled using techniques that are not so common among his fellows, but keeping the characteristic simple sound of Punk Rock guitar. Then, to my excitement, and surprise, there is “Interlude,” the most different track from the album showing all the band’s resources using some medieval sonancies with a clean acoustic guitar. The track is the chery of the cake, if you know what I mean. It is very interesting the break from “Interlude” to the blasting “Execute.” I used the term break because that is how it sounds. It has such an abrupt end and then comes the blast.
“Confrere” is an album that will surprise my dear child of the night who has some sympathies for Punk Rock. and its most weird verves. Definitely Poison Ruïn are not a standard Punk Rock band.
Poison Ruïn “Confrere” was released on August 05th via Relapse Records.
Track Listing:
01. Intro
02. Confrere
03. Attrition
04. Interlude
05. Execute
06. Laid Waste
07. Sanctuary
Watch “Confrere” official lyric video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!