AMULET – Danger! Danger!

I’m not at all what you could call a punk rock authority. Actually, I really don’t know very much about the genre at all. I know I like some Sex Pistols songs, and the intro music to “Pacific Blue”, and that Green Day made the soundtrack for more than a few pre-teen parties back then. I know that Motörhead likes punk, and that my grandparents don’t, but that’s also about it.

I also know that I’m sitting here with the latest offering from Norwegian hotshot Punk/Hardcore outfit Amulet. They’ve been in the front row of the new breed of Norwegian Rock bands, alongside bands like Turbonegro, Gluecifer and Surferosa (and of course Dimmu Borgir and Satyricon, for Christ’s sake), but this is my first meeting with the band. And maybe that’s not so bad after all, because, to be honest, I’m not really very fond of this album.

In my opinion (just my naïve and unknowing point of view, can‘t help it …), music such as this should be catchy. It should get your attention after very few listens, and make you jump around crazy on your living room floor (if that’s where you’re listening). It should make you throw your head like a catapult through the roof of your car if that’s where you’re listening (provided your car’s not a Cabriolet. And, it should make you leave your girlfriend alone in your bed if the neighbor plays the record. Lastly, it should make you activate the fire alarm if a record shop plays the record (so you can snatch it, duh!)This is definitely one of those records that is better stolen than bought, because the creators should by all means be left poor so they don’t lose their true, heartfelt anger.

Anyway, my point (before the squabbling) was that this style of music should be well grounded in the ear after just very few spins. (At least in my ears) This album isn’t that. Actually, I have listened through it quite a few times and still I can’t remember much of the songs. Although there are some exceptions – both “Billboards in the Sky,” the aggressive and in-your-face “Money to Burn” and “Nine Lives,” and especially “Fast Times Flow, which I find to be the highlight of the album (especially the part towards the end where the chorus is repeated is magnificent). Those all are nice enough tunes, but overall, there’s not too much here which grabs my attention. Singer Torgny Amdam has a good voice, which is very good for this style of music. The guitarists are OK too (some nice lead work in between, and the band seems tight enough (I miss the little “extra” in the drumming though, of course he keeps the beat up and does most of what you would expect, but IMO he loses some of that sparkle, like that which separates sparkling water from just water, chicks from girls, and the jokes in my other reviews from the jokes in this one – I‘m tired).

This goes for the music too, I guess. They are onto something, and maybe someday I will regret these words, but for now, I feel that the amulet still needs some polish. OK?

1. Breaking News
2. Danger Danger
3. Billboards in the Sky
4. We are Thunders
5. Fast Times Flow
6. Money to Burn
7. Revengeful…
8. Nine Lives
9. Fascination Inn
10. Vanishing (ENTERING GHOSTS)
11. Friday Night Forever