V/A – Continent Tapes Vol. I (Dr. Skap Records)

Even remotely thinking about any music project in these times when buying physical releases is almost a pure rarity is often considered madness, but imagine planning an international various artists compilation just several months before the covid pandemic. Who would thought it could happen, right? Dr. Skap Records managed to fully stack a cassette tape with nearly 50 bands in 2019. The record labels capable of maintaining sanity and healthy nerves while working on projects like these are rare nowadays, so Dr. Skap Records deserves the utmost respect for doing this. Just wait until you open the cassette shell and unveil the cover artwork. Dr. Skap even thought about classifying the bands on the tracklist by putting the flags of the countries they’re coming from. It’s a rad move that looks eye-peeling on a royal blue background.

The list of the bands who participated on this international various artist compilation is also impressive. You will solely enjoy in music of Pinkmetal, Headgranades, Windover, Corbillard, Nervni Slom, Bright Sight, Sick Crap, Spoiled, Peshata, Mighty Midgets, Rattlecan Paintjob, Last Shot At Fame, PO Box, DuckTape, Tourette’s, Bandage, Bankrupt, Chewing On Tinfoil, Leftovers, Cacophonics, Raas, Good Fxxxking Time, Versus You, The Beginnings, BILA, Walk Alone, I.M.O.D.I.U.M., Punkreas, Antillectual, Freedumb, The Thinners, ContraSenso, TBA, Kerosin, Atheist Rap, Konflikt, Real Life Version, Main Life 10, Kept, Hathors, Evden Uzakta, Knifeman, and The Cut Ups. It’s also good to mention that this is the first edition of a compilation, and it’s dedicated to the European punk bands only.

The range of music genres is also satisfying. You will stumble upon a melodic punk rock, classic punk rock, pop-punk, skate punk, melodic hardcore, hardcore punk, ska, ska-punk, so there’s something for everyone. The entire tracklist is flawlessly compiled, so you won’t get bored by listening to this tape. Quite the contrary, there’s a good ratio of faster, mid, and moderate tracks that burst with melodies, harmonies, aggression, energy, and dynamics. Maybe this compilation lacks some other subgenres of punk rock, such as crust punk, d-beat, anarcho, powerviolence, etc. Still, this compilation primarily focuses on the melodic aspect, so the absence of the beforementioned subgenres doesn’t spoil all the fun.

If you’re into compilations, samplers, or any other form of gathering multiple bands on one release, Continent Tapes Vol. 1. (Europe) will satisfy all your needs for international punk rock music. You can grab the cassette release at Dr. Skap Records.