{"id":3138,"date":"2017-02-02T13:33:54","date_gmt":"2017-02-02T13:33:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/review-darko-bonsai-mammoth\/"},"modified":"2018-03-21T22:11:03","modified_gmt":"2018-03-21T22:11:03","slug":"review-darko-bonsai-mammoth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/review-darko-bonsai-mammoth\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Darko –\u00a0Bonsai Mammoth"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/figure>\n

The jaded cynic might take a look at the UK\u2019s current crop of punk bands and ask what it actually has to do with “punk”? There\u2019s pace and melody but not a lot of provocative lyrics addressing the world at large. The optimist may call it self-expression, surely a definitive feature of punk rock. What\u2019s needed is an album to unite cynics and optimists, and Guildford quintet Darko<\/b> might have made it with \u2018Bonsai Mammoth\u2019<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Certainly, pace and melody is not lacking in here by any stretch. Once the dueling guitar charge is set into motion on opener \u2018Life Forms\u2019<\/i>, the album is a non-stop ride of razor wire adrenaline recalling a lifetime listening to NOFX and A Wilhelm Scream records. More striking is the intricacy of the lead guitar work found in songs like \u2018Set in Our Ways\u2019<\/i>, containing a bridge that reveals cues from Canadian tech-wizards Protest the Hero.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Above the scuzzy delivery, frontman Dan Smith is a lyrical observer whose weathered vocals add conviction to his delivery. Offering an unease with an ignorant population and a ferocious ruling class, songs like \u2018In the Company of Wolves\u2019<\/i> is a warning to the public of being used and deprived of their “right to survive.”<\/i> However, Smith often holds out a helping hand to loved ones, asking “Will you tell me if there\u2019s something wrong, will you tell me if there\u2019s something getting you down?”<\/i> on \u2018Just a Short Line\u2019<\/i>.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s enough reasons why \u2018Bonsai Mammoth\u2019<\/i> could unite legions of punk fanatics. It may not be a revolutionary record, and it wears most of its influences proudly on it\u2019s sleeve, but there\u2019s a believability and urgency with Darko<\/b> that shines through constantly. And any good punk record should always have that upfront.<\/p>\n

3.5\/5<\/p>\n

‘Bonsai Mammoth’<\/i> by Darko<\/b> is released on February 3rd on Lockjaw Records<\/b> (UK) \/ Bird Attack<\/b> (US).<\/p>\n

Darko<\/b> links: Website<\/a>|Facebook<\/a>|Twitter<\/a>|Bandcamp<\/a><\/p>\n

Words by Andy Davidson (@AndyrfDavidson<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The jaded cynic might take a look at the UK\u2019s current crop of punk bands and ask what it actually has to do with “punk”? There\u2019s pace and melody but not a lot of provocative lyrics addressing the world at large. The optimist may call it self-expression, surely a definitive feature of punk rock. What\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":16085,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[15033,15021,1454,2300,2291,1364],"class_list":["post-3138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-album-reviews","tag-andrew-davidson","tag-andy-davidson","tag-bird-attack-records","tag-bonsai-mammoth","tag-darko","tag-lockjaw-records"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nReview: Darko -\u00a0Bonsai Mammoth - Already Heard Staging<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The jaded cynic might take a look at the UK\u2019s current crop of punk bands and ask what it actually has to do with “punk”? 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