Slalom D – Happy Skies

Slalom D are a punk band in the truest sense of the word, a band that never shy away from any cause worth speaking up for, a band that have always given their all to fight prejudice of any shape or form.  So here it is, a debut full album, a long awaited piece of history in the making, and what a way to kick it off, Happy Skies hits you like a pile driver, a powerhouse of an album!

What hits you square in the eyes with this album, is the moving on this band have made since the sad loss of their original lead singer Craig, never the less staying true to what the band set out to do, this is a far more polished a fuller band than their early beginnings, with the addition of Fe Duncan on vocal, the dynamic has shifted slightly, what your getting is the same punk angst, the same onslaught on the senses, but with an added melodic soft centre that is of the now, it harks back to 1977 in its soul, yet stands out on its own two feet as a sound of now.

Punk rock has never been about standing still, some bands find the need to throw out Ramones style speed or Clash politics, but Slalom D have taken this and thrown a beating heart of thought and compassion into it.  ‘588’ kicks us off in style, a song about an all female Russian bomber Squadron called “Night Witches” who showed so much strength and determination against all the prejudices of the time, even though females were not allowed to fight on the front lines they still managed to form and be a huge part of the effort in fighting the fascists, and all this backed up by a crescendo of ridiculously powerful drums, a bass that speaks to you, and an explosive guitar that just carries the vocals up in its arms.

Throughout the eleven tracks that explode all over the place like firecrackers, your bombarded with emotional gems of wisdom, factual observations of life that you cannot help but find yourself nodding your head to knowingly and a whole world of social wrongs being lambasted in a passionate way.

‘Altar’ hangs the lie that is religion out to dry with a melodic overcoat of a tune, then there is ‘Images Of Joy’ a reminiscence of how times of joy have been reduced to memories and how the system has failed the many, this whole album is littered with sadness, yet it has a core to it that will always fight, a place where injustices are shouted out and never side stepped, ‘Step Out Of Line’ with the lines “There’s babies washed up on the shore line” , “The only enemy is in your head”  hit the heart and mind with a crushing blow, it has the ability to bring the tears flowing, yet still fuels the need to fight against prejudices.

‘Final Girl’ and ‘War’ finish an album of that at the very least should be at the top of your to buy list, a fest of thunderous exhaustive drum beats from Iain Murray, bass lines from Tony Linstedt that live in the songs, guitar riffs that soar from Gary Christopher and then a vocal that belies the fact that Fe Duncan had never picked up a mic before Slalom D.  

Punk music, played with passion, compassion and loud!

Check out the band and how to get your hands on this top album on thier FACEBOOK

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