Reviewed on Feb 21, 2008 by Tom

Gob may not be quite as well-known as should rightfully be their due around these parts of Europe, but I’ve been following these Canucks ever since they released “Too Late, No Friends”, way back in the day (96 to be exact), and just like all of their previous offerings, “Muertos Vivos” is another album that doesn’t hit far off the mark for those into melodic punk.

Now Gob have evolved quite a bit since their fast melodic punk roots in the mid nineties, leading up to the very poppy ‘Foot In Mouth Disease’ from 2003, and “Muertos Vivos” is no stranger to the evolution of Gob, as it sounds way different from its predecessor just as goes with all of Gob’s albums. If anything, it’s more of a return to the bands heydays, with more of a crunchy punk bite than most of their previous offerings. Throughout the record, the band race through an assortment of tunes with a heavy, hard-hitting base, fronted by a dual vocal approach that works its magic almost relentlessly, and aided by a series of catchy hooks set in an anthemic jacket that is pretty hard to deny. And even then, it’s the more subdued tracks, like “Still Feel Nothing” and “Dead End Love”, that give me the goose bumps every time again, proving that Gob are no one trick wonder and that they got a lot of baggage upon their sleeves! It’s all killer, no filler here, and it’s clear that with ‘Muertos Vivos’, Gob have delivered their most potent album to date, and as such it wouldn’t surprise me if Gob became the new Sum41.

There’s just something about the energy, intensity and aggression on this record that hits the mark each and every time again. For fans of melodic punk, this is just one of those releases that cannot miss from the CD collection. In an era where most of the new bands are carbon copies of each other, and where old foxes are looking to fulfil their own musical desires by heading in uncharted musical directions, “Muertos Vivos” is simply intoxicating to listen to. Even though it is clear that the album ultimately lacks some staying power, I’ve been listening to this one non-stop for the better part of two months, so that’s saying …

Related Links:

• www.gobfans.com

1. We're All Dying
2. War Is a Cemetery
3. Dead End Love
4. Prescription
5. Underground
6. Still Feel Nothing
7. Banshee Song
8. 18
9. About My Summer
10. Face the Ashes
11. Open Wounds
12. Wake Up

Album Reviews

Muertos Vivos Oct 30, 2007