S.K.W.A.D. - The Dead Still Dance
Casket Records

file under punk / hardcore

Jasper: The Welsh band S.K.W.A.D. names a gigantic list of influences in their biography going from Type O Negative to Blink 182, and from Life Of Agony through Ben Folds to Kiss. After listening a couple of times to their record I feel like the band is in denial about their style; it is poppy punkrock, pure and simple. Not that that matters in this case.

The somewhat melancholic voice of singer Todd Campbell reminds in the distance of Andy Cairns of Therapy? which is not at all a nasty name to be compared to. There are also a couple of quite nice songs on the album and another positive aspect is the lack of annoying attempts to be funny or quasi emotional like many other bands in the genre. All in all I believe ‘The Dead Still Dance’ is far from another English sensational record, but if you are not a demanding punkrock fan there is enough to enjoy.

Rating: 65/100 (details)

http://www.skwadrock.com