Out Of The Ashes: Paper Champ and The 2016 Debut.

Paper Champ – Ipswich, England, United Kingdom.

Fast and melodic Skate Punk is not something that comes to mind when on the thought-train of UK Punk. Yet in recent incarnations of the scene and it’s contemporary form this facet of Punk-Rock is just as blistering as it is else where in the US, Canada and beyond.

Out of the ashes of fellow Ipswich Skate Punkers The 4130s, a rising phoenix has emerged defiant, fast, and visceral in its frantic British Skate Punk.

If the UK Punk scene is something you are invested in, the likes of The 4130s, Phinius Gage, The Human Project and countless more may well have pricked your interest in the past and with those names in mind, as well as the clear name drops on the album cover, you should have some idea on what you’re about to hear…

Now as this is a demo you have to take into account the recording and mixing quality. However, having seen the anticipation and excitement of the band to simply get something recorded and released you find this less of an issue, rather a telling dedication.

‘Can’t Stand Up’ flirts with old school Melodic Hardcore and follows the anthemic road of fist-in-the air Skate Punk simultaneously with a surprising nod to Matt Freeman of Rancid found at the mid point.

The bands’ eponymous track continues with the melodic guitar lines but with a drop in tempo. The rattle of that Matt Freeman bass is still present, adding to a far more discordant track that lyrically comments on the discordance of living itself.

‘Modus Operandi’ actually reminded me of the darker side of Skate Punk legends Pulley to an extent but then that comparison drifted to Pennywise, with sharp Fletch Dragge-esque shredding prevalently throughout.

‘Many different places create many different sounds, wanna keep on moving but my legs are slowing down […]‘ greets you in Punk-pessimism but with an upbeat and lightening stylistic more akin to Pulley once more in ‘Medicate Myself’. ‘A one man struggle everyday and I’m the one to blame […]’

‘No Sense & Insensibility’ finds the band and their most melodic once more with the US’ best export remoulded into cynical British Punk. Lyrically its far more honest and beset with simpler language and with this British-ism this beaten-down and emotionally down-trodden anthem hits hard.

One of the strengths of this EP despite its marginally sloppy technical aspects is the strength of the band as a unit. The pooled experience is clear, the knowledge of the genre past and present is worn on the sleeve of the four-piece along with the heart of the lyricisms – and that humans, is Punk-Rock.

Find the band below:

• For updates, head to Facebook and Twitter.
• Paper Champ are currently writing their full-length so until then you can find this Demo on bandcamp.

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