The Victims
All Loud On The Western Front

What I'm about to review is one of the many unknown bands from the Australian continent, an energetic punk band, an example of coexistence between punk and melody. The Victims were born from the nucleus of another local band: the Geeks, drawing from them an initial repertoire. With the final lineup, the Victims, composed of Dave Flick, James Baker, and Rudolph V, released an excellent single, "Television Addict," and a good EP titled "The Victims." In 2005, "All Loud On The Western Front" came out, a good compilation containing all the tracks produced by the band, and there are few, giving everyone the chance to listen to this little-known Australian band.

The compilation opens with the single "Television Addict", very ahead of its time, characterized by a frenetic rhythm and vocals almost akin to Oasis, with choruses that are war cries, and a bass like a distorted machine gun handled by a novice. It is definitely the band's best and most representative piece, hard but polished. "Flipped Out Over You" is a little over a minute-long shard, very much like Pink Flag by Wire, characterized by guitar noises and a repetitive and obsessive chorus that keeps repeating the song's title. "High School Girls" is almost a Rock n Roll, the very drawn-out vocals remind of the more current Indie bands (what crap bands...) but the Kinks-like guitar riffs make the piece nice and pleasant to listen to, perhaps the band's least Punk track. The CD continues with "T.V Freak" (they seem to have a thing against television!!!), a song featured in the EP and typically Punk, one minute and 26 seconds of guitar shards and drum "bells." "I Understand" almost sounds like a song by the Only Ones, very well-crafted in terms of melody, for me quite saccharine, and for the many times overdubbed guitar parts. "Open Your Eyes" opens with a tribal rhythm dictated by precise drumming and a distorted guitar that paves the way for a very engaging and fitting chorus. "Perth Is A Culture Shock" is a very short track trying to mimic the best Ramones, leaving only bitterness in the mouth and disappointment. To close the CD is "Disco Junkies", the band's longest track and less Punk, here indeed dominates a much more vintage atmosphere and rougher vocals than the rest of the album. And perhaps it’s precisely for this reason that I like the track much more than the others, which honestly, apart from a few, are very disappointing and mimic the true Punk from overseas.

The band is definitely a group that every Punk lover should know, just for the two or three noteworthy tracks, while non-lovers of the genre can easily steer clear of this immature and simple trio and listen to the true milestones of the genre that you all know, or even better, explore completely different genres.

With this, I wish everyone a happy new year.