Card Box Colony – S/T 7″

There are several subgenres of punk rock that are continuously fighting for dominance on the underground scene. Most of these subgenres are having their ups, downs, but somehow they always receive a well-deserved revival. However, it seems pop-punk has always been on the top, claiming all the glory, while the other subgenres were somewhere in the middle or at the very bottom. There’s no wonder why this subgenre still dominates the scene. The crowd loves soft, cheerful, punkish love songs with a touch of dirtiness and aggression. Today, I would like to introduce one of the bands that caught my attention a while ago. Card Box Colony is a relatively new band that roams the pop-punk scene for a couple of years. Since its inception, Card Box Colony has released several singles, such as Pathetic, Headstone, and a recent one called Have A Bad Day. However, I would like to talk a bit more about their self-titled 7″ record that recently popped up in my mailbox.

This particular material carries four ear-appealing pop-punk numbers. It seems the group has used previously released singles like Pathetic and Headstone to promote this material since they’re included in this recording as well. If this was the case, then the group wisely promoted this material since both of these songs are equally brilliant. Card Box Colony takes the road less traveled, mainly because the group doesn’t rely upon moderate tempos only. Quite the contrary, the group incorporates faster beats in their compositions, so instead of keeping in slightly slower pop-punk waters, Card Box Colony carries a dosage of skate punk sound in their tunes. Nevertheless, you may also stumble upon some classic maneuvers and acrobatics, entirely characteristic for the modern pop-punk scene. The group keeps their numbers melodic, harmonious, polyphonic, and dynamic as much as possible, and this particular style suits them well.

The guitars continuously duel for dominance through nearly melancholic themes on one side and robust chord progressions on the other side. Card Box Colony keeps these tunes as entertaining as possible, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by their perfect sense of balance between mellowness and aggression. The overwhelming dosage of various melodies, harmonies, themes, octaves, and other sonic delicacies delivered by guitar will blow you away. Thoughtfully arranged basslines and exceptional drumming performance are mainly responsible for compactness, massiveness, and dynamics. The catchy lead vocals are contributing to this polyphonous amalgam with another layer of melodies and harmonies. This band will unquestionably melt your heart with brilliant ideas and tremendous musicianship. Do not miss this powerful EP by any chance. Head over to their Bandcamp page and grab your copy of this beautiful splatter 7″ vinyl record.