Before having read the info and pressed play on the cd player for the first time I was expecting the good old Fat Wreck sound of melodic punk rock with a lotta hooks. How would a d-beat drummer fit in here? Well, probably by adjusting his style a little so it fits into the band’s overall sound… At least that’s what has happened here. The drums are hitting hard and have an enormous presence. There is even some slight dischargesque moments in the drumming whenever the band is getting faster.

In my eyes it is exactly these songs or moments that the band reaches its peak. The midtempo songs are far worse. This band lives of its energetic presence and its melodies delivered both by lead guitars and vocal lines. Maybe it is just that I like fast punk a lot more than not so fast punk…

Imagine The Lawrence Arms with very tight drumming and early Get Up Kids compatible melodies and vocals. But whatever the writer of the info wanted to express with “Americana” and “Bruce Springsteen” I strongly disagree. Don’t misuse the Boss’ name! Whatever, this is a solid record that will find a lot of friends hopefully. Smoke Or Fire are better than most of the crap dubbed melodic punk nowadays as well as in the last ten or so years. Check out the song “i’ll be gone”!  [jan]

www.smokeorfire.com