Hard Evidence – Last Gasp

Rebellion Records / LSM Vinyl

 

For some bands it’s perfectly normal to have a two year gap between a split EP and a full-length album before coming up with something completely new. Although Hard Evidence called this gap a hiatus, some - including me at one point - made the assumption the band had called it a day… Fake news, because St. Louis’ finest have returned with yet another mini-LP! And despite that the title of this release might be a bit worrying, the music on “Last Gasp” definitely is nothing to worry about!

 

Now whether you want to call Hard Evidence’s sound sugar Oi!, melodic streetpunk/punk rock or maybe – just maybe – power pop, it doesn’t matter, because you’re getting the point - these guys are catchy as hell! True, they’ve been so since their debut “Last One Standing” and yes, after that same debut the Hard Evidence’s sound became even more accessible, but that this doesn’t always have to be a bad thing – as displayed on the band’s latest 12” for Rebellion Records and LSM Vinyl!

 

Kicking down the door with “Blaze Of Glory”, these three-striped goons make it perfectly clear that they ain’t going out without a fight! Front man Ryan’s vocals are superb, the melodies are killer and the chorus is stuck in your head for the rest of the day – exactly what you were hoping for and exactly what you are getting on “Last Gasp” from front to back! Filled with energy and excellent hooks, Hard Evidence cranks out one earworm after another with “Something To Believe”, “Can’t Take It”, “On My Block” and an excellent (though not the first) take on Slade’s stomper “When I’m Dancing I Ain’t Fightin’” – making this one of those records I just can’t stop listening to!

 

Now let’s just hope we don’t have to take the album-title too seriously, because this band is just too good to call it a day! Fans of Vanilla Muffins, The Crack, The Vibrators, Slaughter And The Dogs and Buzzcocks take note, because you’ll be in for a treat with “Last Gasp”!