Mute
Thunderblast

One of the best Punkrock albums of this 2011 comes from a highly underestimated band from Quebec City, Canada, the Mute.

"Thunderblast" is an album capable of setting the rules for making melodic Punk. Fast and melodic, you won’t get it out of your head, also thanks to excellent technique. There are excellent solos, already in the first track "Bates Motel" we find one, but not solos that can seem boring to those not fond of technicalities (I would say I am indeed one of those, an occasional solo is welcome but in the long run, they bore me), rather catchy and melodic solos, accessible to everyone. Not only in the solos but the technique is excellent in every riff, a technique that has nothing to envy to that of fellow Canadians This Is A Standoff.

Another element in favor of the album is the backing vocals, quite frequent but never out of place. The fourth track "Homesick & Tired" features a similar characteristic, intertwining two voices, one male and one female, resulting in one of the best songs on the album. For the following "Nevermore", no particularly original characteristic comes to mind, I just know I absolutely love it. "Strangers Back Again" has, by contrast, the best drums on the album, supported as always by a very good melodic riff that gives rise to a truly excellent solo in the bridge. Other absolutely noteworthy tracks are: "Neon Valley", "Wolf's Den", "The Tempest", and the last one "Shadow Of Doubt" (in its 10 minutes a ghost track is included), and I'll stop here otherwise I'll mention them all. I conclude by saying that if you don’t want to listen to this album, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Why these Mute are so unknown is a mystery to me.