With a new album on the horizon, the love-hate relationship between Billy Talent and myself continues. On the one hand they seemed so edgy when I was in high school and a small part of the nostalgia of that time remains; no one could freak out on stage like Ben Kowalewicz. On the other hand, what had made them interesting in years passed has not changed or re-developed since, rendering much of the music produced by this band stale to the ear.
The song “Hanging by a Thread”, a track on the band’s new album Dead Silence, said it perfectly; some things never change. Billy Talent created a market for itself long ago; the music has almost become classic and the band has not stopped milking their gimmick-like sounds since.
San Diego street punks Rat City Riot will be releasing a new album titled “Highway Hymns” through Knock Out Records on July 6th and to give you a taste of what’s to come the band is streaming “Sons Of The Republic,” a new song from the album right here.
Rat City Riot will soon be kicking off the “Highway Hymns Tour 2012? in Europe which will include a return to Rebellion Fest, 4 dates opening for Rancid, and a first visit to Mighty Sounds festival in the Czech Republic, Back to Future Fest, and Endless Summer Fest. The full schedule can be seen here.
For those of you in So Cal, the U.S. CD release party will be Saturday, June 30th at Til Two club in San Diego.
01. Sons of the Republic
02. Highway Hymns
03. Open Road
04. The Age
05. Cut Short
06. Signs of Distress
07. When we Come Back
08. Rat Race
09. Break Us Down
10. I Feel Like Hank Williams Tonight (Jerry Jeff Walker Cover)
11. So Sick
12. Time
13. One of the Living (Tina Turner Cover)
14. Open Road - Rat City Quiet
