Make Your Mark - What We Believe

Crowd Control Media

 

From the streets of Des Moines, Iowa hails Make Your Mark, a four-piece Oi! / street punk outfit named after a track by the almighty Templars. Make Your Mark kicked off early 2012 and already recorded and released their debut, “What We Believe”, a year later through the digital channels in the fall of 2013.

 

Now this can get a bit confusing, because their upcoming release is entitled “What We Believe” as well and to make it even more confusing… it’s not the same album! Yes the track list doesn’t differ ‘that much’ in comparison to the digital album from 2013, but the line-up, the (re-)recordings and revised artwork certainly do! So consider their past release an ‘online demo’ and get ready for the real deal with Make Your Mark’s debut LP for Crowd Control Media!

 

Make Your Mark’s blend of fast paced street punk and melodic sing-alongs barely seems to be influenced by the band who inspired them to their band name. No, for Make Your Mark’s musical influences you have to look more into the direction of bands like The Authority, Noi!se, The Brassknuckle Boys and early Hudson Falcons. Lots of heart, street wisdom and both working class and subcultural pride you’ll hear back in songs like the title track “What We Believe”, “New Radio”, “False Pride”, “Where’s The Youth”, “Working Class” and my two favorites, “Franciscan” and the ‘hit-single’ “Turn It Up”! Both excellent songs filled with melody and strong choruses to sing loud and proudly along with!

 

Personally I prefer those mid-tempo, or more melodic, Oi! songs over the tracks where Make Your Mark puts the pedal to the metal, but overall these guys delivered a more than solid debut LP. And that is what ‘I believe’.