Epitaph Records
June 2
For more than three decades now American punk outfit Rancid has epitomized the word punk in music.
Led by vocalist/guitarist Tim Armstrong, Rancid have released album after album of anarchic punk rock in the truest sense of the word.
But thirty years in the music industry is a long time, especially when you assault every one of your senses in the way Rancid continually do.
Can the mighty Rancid fend off Father time on their eleventh album Tomorrow Never Comes?
It would take a brave person to bet against them.
Opening with the title track Rancid hit the ground running, the twin guitars of Armstrong and Lars Frederiksen squealing loud and proud before Armstrong gets everything off his chest as he launches into a vocal tirade.
This track is fast, frenetic and urgent. Just as it should be. I’m already finding it hard to sit still in my chair, so it’s fair to say in the live arena this song would have everyone bouncing from the front of stage to the back of the room.
Mud, Blood & Gold sizzles up next with a menacing guitar riff spiralling out of control before drummer Branden Steineckert starts pounding his kit and off we go again.
This is pure musical aggression, complete with gang vocals and venomous intent and with a running time of just over one minute the song finishes before I have a chance to complete my first pogo…
A quick glance through the album and things become clearer. No song comes in at over 2 minutes 37 seconds, with the shortest just 58 seconds! Short, sharp, fast and uncompromising as per usual.
Devil In Disguise offers the first curveball with a spoken intro over stuttering bass from Matt Freeman.
This is more of a rollicking, beer-swilling song that you could easily sing around the campfire – as long as you made sure you didn’t jump or fall into the flames.
This track is almost rockabilly in parts and a whole lot of fun.
New American is the longest track on the album and from the start I feel much of that is courtesy of the extended intro by Rancid’s standards.
This is another more measured slab of punk goodness, a feel-good and joyous tune that could well be a pirate rum-swilling favourite amongst the lords of the sea.
The pace is frenetic throughout, but the restrained vocals pull things back a little without losing the essence of the music.
Somebody pass me an ale, will ya?
Bloody & Violent History starts with the gentle sounds of rain and thunder before the drums kick in and Armstrong eases back into his role, bouncing rather than spitting lyrics with controlled contempt.
A few sing-along bits abound before a sizzling guitar solo mid-way through gets the body jerking enough to shake off the cobwebs.
Don’t Make Me Do It breathes life courtesy of some hazy guitar riffs before Armstrong jumps over the top with more of a traditional punk style vocal delivery spat at a rapid pace. Clever use of gang vocals add another layer to this, the shortest song on the album, and before even having time to work up a sweat it’s over, and we move on to It’s A Road To Righteousness.
This is another upbeat, fast-tempo number that makes it impossible to sit still. Swirling guitars continue throughout providing the beat with a rapid drum pace and layered vocals that are almost easy to listen to.
Live Forever starts that quickly that it would be impossible to do as the title says if you are listening to music of this ilk for too long.
It is yet another catchy, easy to move to number with an infectious chorus that is already stuck in my head.
Drop Dead Inn dishes up more of the same, albeit slightly less aggressive.
Only slightly.
From the outset it sounds like another drinking song, but who would dare complain about that?
Rancid have a knack of producing songs that are impossible to shake from your head. Maybe it’s the short running time but more likely it’s the quality of their material.
Every song so far has the sound of a band who are genuinely enjoying themselves, which translates in spades to the music.
Prisoner’s Song starts awash with guitar and an instant head-banging drum pattern despite the more friendly nature of the vocals.
Armstrong still has a few different gears to vocally wade through, and he uses each to maximum effect at various stages on this album. Age shalt not weary…
Magnificent Rogue fires up next with an urgent tone that only accentuates when Armstrong joins in. I think even people who aren’t a fan of punk music would be hard-pressed to resist songs like this.
But they probably still would.
A cool guitar solo towards the end promises an extra dimension but just as it seems to be looming the song suddenly cuts off and veers into One Way Ticket.
This is another track with roots in rockabilly and even mentions the Gold Coast so gets extra bonus points for that!
A nicely placed musical pause three parts through is a nice touch before One Way Ticket once more finds its departure point and runs off into the sunset.
Hellbound Train takes off with a rush of guitars that summon Armstrong into action with more layered vocals adding a sense of depth to proceedings without impacting the urgency.
This song is sung in more of a Western-type drawl over the top of fast-paced punk and roll and offers up yet another subtle musical variance that only a seasoned band comfortable in their music can pull off.
Eddie The Butcher swings his blade with a bass-led intro that leads into gang-style vocals which are cut short by a megaphone-sounding vocal attack that fades in and out with the chorus. And then it, too, is done, and we are down to the last two songs just like that.
Hear Us Out jumps out of the box before pulling back once Armstrong starts singing.
This is a sporadic and tempered track that moves up and down through the gears showcasing all that is good about Rancid.
They are in full control of their musical personality and unafraid to experiment casually within what is generally a formulaic genre.
And for this they must be congratulated.
Final track When The Smoke Clears starts off a little more restrained than expected and doesn’t quicken a great deal.
But that’s not to say it’s not entertaining. It is another sing-along track that should become part of the live repertoire if not just to incite crowd interaction.
And then, just like that, Tomorrow Never Comes has came and went.
And emphatically proved that Rancid are still just as relevant in the music world as they have ever been.
Bless their cotton socks.
*All reviews in HEAVY are just one person’s opinion of the album. We encourage honesty in reviews but just because our reviewer may or may not like/appreciate an album, that doesn’t mean their opinion is right! We encourage you to have a listen for yourself and make up your own minds!*
