Prison – Come, Annihilation

It’s the second punk band in a role this year which is an uncommon thing to happen due to the scarce quantity of punk bands alive. As I said before, it’s such a funny thing because punk was kind of the apple of the eye of the specialized media and academics. Punk saved rock as they say. Maybe so, maybe not. The question is what kind of rock punk saved, and why this surviving rock is struggling to keep it alive. On the other hand, Metal has always been the pariah, the outcast. Bottomline, the movement that was supposed to be the rebellion of the rebellion to attack and make the system fall down turned out to be one more fashion to full someone else’s pockets. Yeah, punk was very profitable. Millions of records were sold, memorabilia and other stuff. Not bad for a movement that was supposed to be against the system.

Well, this ship has sailed for a long while. Now we have Prison with “Come  Annihilation,” a punk rock band with some dashes of Californian hardcore, Sex Pistols, 1990s fashionable punk, among others. As a matter of fact, “Come  Annihilation” is an EP with only six songs the way punk rockers like: really short – around one minute or so – and straight ahead. Very first thing that comes to eye is the prominent bass in a Motörheadesque way which is a slight distortion, heavy-handed playing, and root note based. Listen to “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Cares” and you’ll get what I’m saying. Root note played extensively using up and down pick technique. “I Do Not Value Life” also does it best with nihilistic short lyrics only to make sure you get the message. Punk lyrics never were the kind to use in and English literature class, as some Metal are even though punk was the dearest to academics.

Prison try, and achieve in a way, to recreate what punk had best. But if you’re expecting a 1970ish kind of punk, you’ll be disappointed. Only “The Smell of Flesh” sounds more 1970s with a strong dash of Sex Pistols on vocals and instrumental with a strong chorus. This is the album if you have your sympathy to Green Days and their peers. To be frank, I’d rather listen to Prison. At least they sound more honest.

Prison “Come  Annihilation” was released on March 29th.

Track Listing:

1. Into the Pit
2. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Cares
3. I Do Not Value Life
4. I Welcome Death
5. We Live in Filth
6. The Smell of Flesh

Watch “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Cares” official video here: