Okay, I admit it – I was mainly drawn to this album thanks to its rather wonderful title, and the accompanying artwork is absolutely stellar as well. But what about the music itself?
It’s perhaps fair to say that you won’t really be faced with any surprises when it comes to this album, as it follows a similar format to a lot of other punk bands out there but it is a solid and well-rounded slab of some excellent punk, so I shouldn’t complain too much. In particular, the vocals throughout the piece are something to behold, featuring an emotive and seriously powerful delivery from start to finish, and the versatility of frontman Dan is great to hear, with him effortlessly switching between clean vocals, bellows and harsh vocals at the mere drop of a hat – I can only imagine that he must be a force to reckon with in a live environment!
The energy throughout is tremendous, with the whole band giving a lively performance as a whole, and doesn’t lose any momentum as the band progresses from one song to the next, even with the slower inclusion The Chernobyl Effect, which serves as an interlude between the two halves of the album – it’s a nice little breather before the band goes all out once more!
As a whole, Darko have created a rather great album with Bonsai Mammoth. Make sure you check them out live at a show near you!
8/10
