OFF! - OFF!

Released: 7^th May 2012

Label: Vice Records

Punk [I would say supergroup but I hate that word.] collection of guys who are super band OFF! Return to the scene after the success of First Four EPs with their debut self titled album, on major label Vice Records. If you’ve never heard of OFF! Before, they are a group comprised of successful punk artists from huge hardcore bands such as Burning Brides, Red Kross, Rocket From The Crypt, and is fronted by Keith Morris, a well respected and highly talented member of Circle Jerks and Black Flag.

They certainly have the credentials to be a fantastic band, but also were in the running to suffer from the dreaded “supergroup curse” that has taken away the potential of many supergroups that have formed in the past. But fortunately, OFF!’s First Four EPs was full of the brash, chaotic energy which helped the sterling guitar riffs melt my face off in awe and head banging-ness that made it one of my favourite releases of it’s year.

OFF!’s debut LP only offers more of the same formula, which while sounding great on paper, doesn’t really meet the expectations it’s predecessor set. Keith Morris’ vocals are great, and I only hope I can be only half as enthusiastic as he is when I reach his age of fifty six. However, in some songs his vocals appear much louder than the instrumentation, as if the band set out to rush this release rather than completely perfecting the mixing. I should stop myself from complaining about the mixing on a hardcore/punk record.

Everything’s good, but for some reason it just doesn’t have the impact First Four EPs had and left on me. While I didn’t expect OFF! To suddenly change up their sound, hearing this formula the second time around hasn’t exactly blown me away either.