Millencolin - The Melancholy Connection (08/06/2012)
For the last 20 years, the Swedish band Millencolinhave been rocking out on stages across the world with their high energy live shows and classic punk-rock sound. Their newest album, The Melancholy Connection (not to be confused with The Melancholy Collection of 1999), delivers a 14-track mix of brand new songs, B-sides and rarities dating back to their fourth album Pennybridge Pioneers (2000). The album also includes a DVD jam-packed with archival footage from Pennybridge Pioneers recording sessions, interviews and live shows over the last 10 years.
Opening with the two new tracks, Carry You and Out From Nowhere, starts the album off on an explosive note. Overall the tracks feature a level of polish (and perhaps even a shade of maturity) rather atypical compared to their earlier albums. On Carry You, Nikola Sarcevic’s signature snarly vocals shine through the power of the instruments. Despite the polished production, this track exemplifies the style of Millencolin’s recent albums. Out From Nowhere features a heavier style, with a Bad Religion-esque sound developed especially through the force of the drums. Despite deviating from their classic sound, the strength of Sarcevic’s vocals and the blend of driving drum beat and heavy guitar riffs keep the track fitting with the rest of the album.
Following the new songs is a 12-track medley of B-side and bonus tracks from the last 10 years. Kicking off with Absolute Zero (B-side from Home From Home), a classic punk-rock song that highlights the electrifying skills of Mathias Farm and Erik Ohlsson on guitar. The following tracks, Mind The Mice (iTunes bonus track from Machine 15) and The Downhill Walk (B-side from Home From Home)continue the high-octane style with heavy guitar riffs and driving drums.
The 6th track, E20 Norr, is strikingly familiar and leaves you questioning exactly where you’ve heard it before. Once the vocals start, with Sarcevic singing in Swedish this time around, it becomes clear that the track is B-side of Battery Check (from House From Home) and is in fact, the same song but in their natural tongue rather than English. The following track Bull By The Horns departs from the typical punk-rock music of Millencolin with heavy distortion on the base track and a dramatic style change on the guitar. Even with such a noticeable change in the musical styling, the drum line and Sarcevic’s vocals keep the track in tone with the rest of the album.
Continuing on with Junkie For Success (from Machine 15 vinyl B-side) followed by Dinner Dog (B-side from Pennybridge Pioneers) sees Millencolinhead back to their typical style, with the on-point guitar riffs and driving baseline fitting into the heavy drums under the growl of Scarveic’s vocals. The 10th track, Ratboy’s Masterplan, (B-side on Kingwood) recalls the earlier albums with a raw edge to the finished production. The final four tracks, Phony Tony (B-side from Kingwood), Queen’s Gambit (B-side from Pennybridge Pioneers), Bowmore and Into The Maze (both B-sides from Home From Home) continue with Millencolin’spunk-rock attitude, building up to a high-powered conclusion to this album, and the last 10 years of the band.
Bethany Williams
Opening with the two new tracks, Carry You and Out From Nowhere, starts the album off on an explosive note. Overall the tracks feature a level of polish (and perhaps even a shade of maturity) rather atypical compared to their earlier albums. On Carry You, Nikola Sarcevic’s signature snarly vocals shine through the power of the instruments. Despite the polished production, this track exemplifies the style of Millencolin’s recent albums. Out From Nowhere features a heavier style, with a Bad Religion-esque sound developed especially through the force of the drums. Despite deviating from their classic sound, the strength of Sarcevic’s vocals and the blend of driving drum beat and heavy guitar riffs keep the track fitting with the rest of the album.
Following the new songs is a 12-track medley of B-side and bonus tracks from the last 10 years. Kicking off with Absolute Zero (B-side from Home From Home), a classic punk-rock song that highlights the electrifying skills of Mathias Farm and Erik Ohlsson on guitar. The following tracks, Mind The Mice (iTunes bonus track from Machine 15) and The Downhill Walk (B-side from Home From Home)continue the high-octane style with heavy guitar riffs and driving drums.
The 6th track, E20 Norr, is strikingly familiar and leaves you questioning exactly where you’ve heard it before. Once the vocals start, with Sarcevic singing in Swedish this time around, it becomes clear that the track is B-side of Battery Check (from House From Home) and is in fact, the same song but in their natural tongue rather than English. The following track Bull By The Horns departs from the typical punk-rock music of Millencolin with heavy distortion on the base track and a dramatic style change on the guitar. Even with such a noticeable change in the musical styling, the drum line and Sarcevic’s vocals keep the track in tone with the rest of the album.
Continuing on with Junkie For Success (from Machine 15 vinyl B-side) followed by Dinner Dog (B-side from Pennybridge Pioneers) sees Millencolinhead back to their typical style, with the on-point guitar riffs and driving baseline fitting into the heavy drums under the growl of Scarveic’s vocals. The 10th track, Ratboy’s Masterplan, (B-side on Kingwood) recalls the earlier albums with a raw edge to the finished production. The final four tracks, Phony Tony (B-side from Kingwood), Queen’s Gambit (B-side from Pennybridge Pioneers), Bowmore and Into The Maze (both B-sides from Home From Home) continue with Millencolin’spunk-rock attitude, building up to a high-powered conclusion to this album, and the last 10 years of the band.
Bethany Williams