Founded in 2004 by Kevin Sharp, frontman of New York Grindcore band Brutal Truth, and legendary Napalm Death bassist Shane Embury, joined on their 5th full length album by guitarist John Cooke (Napalm Death’s touring guitarist) and drummer Carl Stokes (ex-Cancer). Embracing their love of 80’s punk bands, even going as far as naming themselves in homage to Poison Idea, Venomous Concept combine the all out hardcore fury their members are known for with catchy hooks and chunky power chords.
Naming a hardcore punk album The Good Ship Lollipop sounds like something from a Hard Times article, Venomous Concept not only sincerely pull making it punk but go as far as sampling Shirley Temple’s sickly sweet song of the same name in the title track. The track starts with a distorted recording of the 1934 song from the film Bright Eyes before launching into machine gun drums and a pounding bass riff alongside beefy guitar chords with a fast tremolo effect. The album’s introduction to Sharp’s vocals come in the form of a vicious growl on this track with a power reminiscent of Mastodon’s Troy Sanders and thunderous gang vocals in the chorus. The title intro track is a fantastic statement of intent for a band determined not to take themselves too seriously but still deliver crushing brutality.
The album’s second track ‘Time Line’ is a firm standout with a real late 80s metal feel. Featuring some truly impressive shredding from guitarist John Cooke throughout the verses on top of a groove metal riff, ‘Time Line; shines with a surprisingly melodic, singalong chorus begging to be the soundtrack to an action movie bar brawl. At just over two and a half minutes this track is refreshingly succinct in a hardcore scene that’s all too confident with long songs that repeat themselves, exploring all of its musical ideas and moving on.
Another highlight of the album is the track ‘Clinical’, returning the use of samples and classic hardcore ethos. Beginning and ending with muffled samples of children at play alongside haunting violins, the track takes a slightly more subdued and ominous tone with chugging riffs, extended growls, omitting the flashy solos of other tracks with much more emphasis placed on the harmonies between the gang vocals and the more complex guitar chords. As one of the longer tracks on the album, ‘Clinical’ strives to earn its time in the spotlight, building layer upon layer of saturated vocals in the extended, almost ethereal outro.
“"One of the strengths of The Good Ship Lollipop is the ability to not only emulate its hardcore punk forefathers but to build upon their legacies"”
One of the strengths of The Good Ship Lollipop is the ability to not only emulate its hardcore punk forefathers but to build upon their legacies, this is clearest on the track ‘Voices’. With a chorus that evokes the best of Black Flag and old school lo-fi production, the track authentically pays tribute to those who came before but explores territory from modern hardcore with a vocal delivery reminiscent of Damien Abraham of Fucked Up and a more polished, layered guitar sound. This meeting of new and old pays respects to the genre’s storied past but doesn’t get bogged down in trying to rip off bands from the 80’s.
Venomous Concept fully understand that punk and hardcore don’t have to rigidly adhere to the edgy, dark aesthetics that they get pigeonholed into and that beauty and tenderness can be punk too, this is a theme explored throughout the album but is most prevalent on the track ‘Flowers Bloom’. Melting between brutality and sentimentality, ‘Flowers Bloom’ incorporates open, crunchy guitar chords, punchy rock drums and vocals that blur the line between snarling and crooning. Despite all the members sharing a fearsome past and savage back catalogue Venomous Concept show real heart and drop their defences for a track to give a glimpse of the real, emotional people behind the music.
The album’s closer ‘Life’s Winter’ acts as a perfect cap to a varied and fascinating album. Combining a catchy, chugging guitar riff, punishing drums and contemplative lyrical content reflecting on a good life lived and looking to a long and positive future. It’s impressive that a track that, on a first listen, sounds so aggressive could be so full of beauty and optimism. Life’s Winter is such an elegant and bright end to an album that explores so many different themes and subgenres of punk and hardcore, leaving a warm, pleasant feeling after an album of such ferocious, heavy energy.
Overall The Good Ship Lollipop is a surprising combination of classic punk ethos, modern hardcore values and explorations of positivity in heavy music that proudly wears its influences as a badge of honour. A unique and refreshing album that could’ve easily phoned it in on the pedigree of the supergroup’s members or copied its inspirations, Venomous Concept have created a colourful, effortlessly heavy and deep album to stand proudly among their back catalogue.