Adjusted

Defected Sequence

Written by: PP on 27/05/2008 19:29:18

Finally it's here, the moment all punk rock fans in Scandinavia have been waiting for, the release of Adjusted's debut album "Defected Sequence". Their self-titled debut EP already showed what the band was capable of, and now the album surpasses the EP in every dimension imaginable, as everything that you thought was great about the band on the EP has been amplified, improved, and fine-tuned. The end result? An early Christmas x 10 for a punk rock fan.

Considering most readers won't yet be familiar with the band, I'm gonna relate Adjusted to something you'll know almost certainly: are you a No Use For A Name fan by any chance? Yes? Well, meet Adjusted, your new favorite band. No? You're in the wrong review, mate. "Defected Sequence" is melodicore/skatepunk all the way, complete with the fast punk rock drumbeat in every song - for someone like me who idolizes that particular rhythm, all of "Defected Sequence" is like entering seventh heaven. Adjusted's vocalist sounds nearly identical to Tony Sly (NUFAN), and which punk rock fan could complain about that? That he adds his own harmonious vocal melodies to distinguish himself is great, and places him evenly among our favorite punk rock vocalists. A great example of the latter can be heard in "Survive The Storm", arguably the band's best song to date, where his extended vocal melodies are flawlessly beautiful, and the small changes in pitch/tone make the song infectiously catchy.

And catchy is what "Defected Sequence" is all about.

The songs are all brutally fast, racing at breakneck speeds so far beyond the speed limit that the drivers can expect to lose their license forever. But that doesn't happen at the cost of unforgettable melodies, both in the riff and vocal department. You'll be singing along to songs like "Seize The Day" or "Never Knew" from the first listen, and banging your head ultra fast to "Freedom Or Fate". If you're more into the NOFX-like fun-vibe in your guitars, have a quick listen to "Escaping The Rat Race".

Lyrically, you can tell that Adjusted aren't an American punk rock band, where social/political commentary is often directed at the current administration. "God Vs Gold", for instance, tackles the problem of global warming internationally, where the vocalist sings "tell me leaders of the world / what are you going to do about global warmth?" before asking the central question "can we save us from ourselves?" "Letters to '99" is a touching song about growing apart from your best friend from your youth, and the way the band describes it is nothing short of brilliant. I'm listening to this song damn near with tears in my eyes because the band has nailed the issue spot on, but also because it's so easy to relate to, and it's a topic almost everyone will surely find relevant: "I remember how it used to be, a different time, a different place, a different you and me [...] the memories still last". This isn't the only time the band's lyrical work is worth mentioning, either.

So in summary, "Defected Sequence" confirms my expectations for the band since the release of their great self-titled EP: Adjusted are now indisputably the new flagship of melodicore in Sweden if not Europe. They are the band I'd play to punk rock fans from the genre's motherland across the pond to demonstrate that Europe, too, can write amazing punk rock. You heard it here first: given the right label support, Adjusted has potential to be the biggest punk rock band in Europe.

9

Download: Letters To '99, Survive The Storm, God Vs Gold
For the fans of: No Use For A Name, NOFX, Satanic Surfers
Listen: Myspace

Release date 16.04.2008
Precore Productions

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