Thumper Punk Records and In Presence Records (UK) bring together punk rock bands Peter 118 and No Lost Cause for an ep filled with catchy hooks, driving punk rhythms and even some praise.
Peter 118 started out as a solo project by Peter Field, formerly of Senseless and Ambassadors of Shalom and featured Peter’s wife Janine on bass and friend Sam on drums. In 2016 the band’s Need You More ep caught the ear of legendary KROQ DJ Rodney Bingenheimer and band’s video started seeding mainstream airplay. Alisha Palmer was added on rhythm guitar and the band has lined up some tour dates for late 2017 including the Rainbow Rock Festival in Stockholm. Last year, Peter 118 shared the stage with the band No Lost Cause in Nashville and the band members hit it off so well, they decided to release a split ep…and you have In Stereo.
The ep kicks off with Peter 118 taking control and immediately you get that punk rock vibe with a guitar being plugged in right before the opening riff in “Seven” . Guitar-driven punk rock is the story here and lyrically, the band’s Christian beliefs come through loud and clear. Nice, melodic punk rock track if it does run a bit too long. Guitars and vocals dominate but the bass and drum rhythm section does carry things along and their presence is felt. “Wasting changes the punk styles up a bit and shifts to the frantic, caffeine-powered feel of early Descendents (Bonus Fat era), which also happens to shorten the song quite a bit. “Follow Him” with its guitar line and gang vocals brings me back for some reason to “Rock Lobster” by the B-52’s although a bit more edgy in overall tone. So, first half of the ep is filled with catchy songs and strong performances, showing the proper mix of restraint and roughness for melodic punk rock.
No Lost Cause kick off their section of the ep with “I Stand Amazed” which comes across much like something False Idle might have done for their Hymn of Punk Rock Praise album as this song is an actual hymn from early 1900s. So, fast punk rock guitars but maybe a bit too much emphasis on the vocals for my liking. “Outcasts” speeds things up a bit and ventures toward an initial sound reminding one of Rise Against but vocally, would be closer to NOFX in terms of tone and approach and speaks to those who normally don’t fit the profile of a churchgoer. Cool riff, good drum sound on the track. “The Crowd” starts out a bit more subdued but the jumps into a poppy punk rhythm like you’d expect to hear from your Blink-182, Good Charlotte, etc. The breakdown and mini-sermon in toward the end of the track seems a bit forced for my liking but I’m an old-timer so this may speak to others, i.e., it’s just my opinion and the overall message about really being punk rock and not just following the crowd, focusing on friends who might be a bad influence and trying to be like the popular kids. Solid message, good tune.
Rating: 8/10
Written by John Jackson
Tracklist
1. Seven – Peter118
2. Wasting – Peter118
3. Follow Him – Peter118
4. I Stand Amazed – No Lost Cause
5. Outcasts – No Lost Cause
6. The Crowd – No Lost Cause
Peter 118
Peter Field – vocals, guitars
Janine – bass, vocals
Sam – drums
Alisha Palmer – rhythm guitar
No Lost Cause
Rob Jensen – vocals, guitar
Nick Povilonis – Drums
Record Label: Thumper Punk Records/In Presence Records (UK), Sept. 2017
Weblinks: Bandcamp
Peter118 Facebook / No Lost Cause Facebook
Video for ‘Wasting’ (Peter 118)