Pennywise – Never Gonna Die

I have a confession.  Despite being a lifelong Pennywise fan, I don’t own every Pennywise album.  I’ve always been a huge fan, but between all the lineup shifts and Jim Lindberg side projects like Black Pacific and Wraths, it’s easy to get distracted from the feature presentation.  That being said, the announcement that Jim Lindberg would finally head back to the studio under the Pennywise flag for an entire new full length was enough to make me dig through streaming services to listen to the back catalogue in preparation for their anticipated new album, Never Gonna Die.  

During my trip through memory lane, I was reminded of how greatly I was influenced by the politically fuelled anthems of Land of the Free, fast furious beats of Full Circle, and tick tick boom tempo of About Time.  Nearly two decades later, Never Gonna Die serves as a fresh reminder as to why no punk compilation in the 90’s was complete without Pennywise.

Never Gonna Die is a back to basics return for Lindberg and the crew, showing more in common with their most steady and rambunctious material.  The title track opens at a breakneck pace paired with a chorus of vocal harmonies sure to remind fans why this band shared tours and stages with Face To Face, Good Riddance, and a slew of other EpiFat bands.  The band’s political message immediately shines in the lines about truth, lies, and resistance.  “I’ve got a timebomb ticking in my head” shouts the band on “Live While You Can,” against a message spelling an impending doomsday.  The riffs are as tough and unforgiving as always, serving as a backdrop for encouraging listeners to look past society’s rhetoric and challenge the status quo.

The album tempo is blisteringly fast, with songs like “American Lies,” “Can’t Save You Now,” and “Keep Moving On” meshing pounding drum beats with a whirlwind of vocal harmonies and toe tapping choruses.  One interesting tangent lies in the very Bad Religion-esque “Can I Get A Little Love,” which channels a clean melodic chorus that sonically feels like a speedy reimagining of The Empire Strikes First track, “God’s Love.”  

Pennywise is back, and if Never Gonna Die is any indication, they’re here to stay.  Think of Never Gonna Die as the Pennywise renaissance the band has gunning for.  After a decade of false starts, it’s finally here.  Embrace it.