DROPTHIS – ‘Culture To Criticise’ The Debut Full-Length.

DROPTHIS – Kent, England, United Kingdom.

Photo Credit – Kimbo.

Stuck somewhere between British wit, anthemic Skate Punk and old-school Hardcore, DROPTHIS formed in Kent in the fateful year of 2013. A year important for two reasons, the first being that it’s a full year after the world was supposed to end in 2012 and the second importance being the formation of the Punk-Rock band DROPTHIS.

The band have just release their debut full-length entitled, Culture To Criticise via independent Punk record labels 13 Stitches and Bad Granola Records. The release is their third to date, so if you haven’t had the chance hear 2013’s Start Smoking and 2014’s Spitting Feathers, then skip to the end of the page and follow the links provided.

\\Culture To Criticise//

‘Escape From The Old Boy Network’ is the perfect title and an open tongue-in-cheek confirmation and declaration of the five-pieces political gripes. It’s obvious, serious but also playful, with the native sense of humour standing strong in it’s distaste, ploughed home on the back of scrappy 90’s Punk.

‘Smoke Me A Ukipper (I’ll Be Back For Breakfast)’ is another reference to UK politics, one very close to home at the time this review will be posted. Stylistically it’s not far from a UK version of Pennywise but with more that melodic Skate Punk conditioning and ‘Woah-oahs’ to boot.

The heavier sound more prominent on the previous two EPs is less obvious so far and that’s an uncertain criticism as we’re only on track three of twelve. That said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the classic Punk composition of ‘The Colony’, the guitar melodies are strong and the predominately melodic vocal style welcome, even closing with Bad Religion-esque three-part harmonies.

‘No Hard Feelings’ is another 90’s Punk banger. The tempo is charged, the vocals flipping from harsh to melodic and the overall sound boasting something somewhat resurgent in the contemporary UK Punk scene, no bullshit from the heart fast and melodic Punk-Rock.

‘Transmission Terminated’ is ridden a lot lower, in a welcome ode to veterans Strung Out. The predominately light hearted, faster approach has taken a side-line for the slower, with a thickly riffed and anthemic warning against the availability of information and control it can exercise on us subliminally. – ‘So switch it off and burn your papers, cos’ the need for informations misconstrued’.

I’m an avid George Orwell reader so track seven and it’s title of ‘Doublethink’ set a smile strongly on my face and further highlighted the appeal of this band on both a subjective and objective level. ‘Double Think’ also stands out as strong point on this release with the band’s Hardcore heart pushing through with defiant and weighted screams in perfect contrast with the as always well executed guitar melodies.

‘Lethargy Effigy’ shows more tell-tell signs of a heavier band and ‘Nothing’ takes the tempo down for another sing-a-long that sadly sticks out more than it should. It’s not a matter of the track or it’s composition, more it’s placement between a series of musically more aggressive and more intense Punk & Hardcore blasts.

‘DDDPP’ is that pointless loveable Punk track doesn’t really do anything but would still leave an eight-second hole if it was amiss. ‘Tree On Fire’ heads down the melancholic and melodic-Punk avenue, sat somewhere between latter Rise Against and 90’s approachability, it’s very much a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtrack banger though, so it’s time to get nostalgic.

‘Fameandshitarebothfourletterwords’ is another reason why this band are appealing, they take themselves seriously as much as they don’t, the points are heard but are not trying to indoctrinate or preach to the point of banality. The track is actually a re-hash of an earlier recording from 2013’s Start Smoking and a more than welcome addition to the debut full-length.

‘Attack of The Great White Shark’ is the longest on the album, with one more blast of fast and raspy Punk and thoughtful lyrics in a song that seems as if it was as fun to record as this album was to listen too.

Find all things DROPTHIS below:

• Head to Facebook and Twitter for updates.
• For videos and streaming, head to SoundCloud and their Youtube Channel.
• For even more streaming because technology is wonderful, head to bandcamp where all of the bands music and this release are available to download.
• For physical copies catch the band live or check out 13 Stitches – Here and Bad Granola Records – Here.

#StayFresh