Collaps is a band from Germany’s Ruhr area made up of people who have more than enough experience from other projects. Among other things, they have been involved in bands such as Gewohnheitstrinker, Brutal Bravo, Complete Loss, Urban Void and several others. The record contains an intro and twelve proper songs. Some of them hit me more than others, but as a whole this is exactly what I imagine when someone says streetpunk. In this case it’s slightly cut with Oi! and hardcore – which actually makes it even better.
The punk dirt and attitude pour out of this record like fog rolling out of black forests. At the same time, Collaps firmly stick to a classic punk line and only lightly flirt with other styles. That kind of genre focus is actually what makes the record so strong. The muffled vocals and the garage-style lo-fi production connect to a style of expression that I already loved in Brutal Bravo. The vocals fit perfectly here – it probably couldn’t have been done better, because the right dose of roughness simply belongs to this style. Among contemporary bands, I would compare Collaps to projects like No Time or Nowitschok, but I’d also say they must have listened a lot to bands like Peter And The Test Tube Babies, Camera Silence or Loikaemie. The fact that the band sings in English also opens the door to the whole world, because there are plenty of fanatics out there who understand this musical language.
The album kicks off with When The Boots Go Marching In, a dirty punk banger that immediately drags you into the action. We Made You reminds me of Crown Court – not only because of the song title, but also because the band works much more with gang vocals in the chorus here. In a distant way it even reminds me of a much tougher version of The Templars. The band does a great job of squeezing every bit of potential out of a basic three-piece lineup and a lo-fi sound. They clearly chose the path where you expose every imperfection in the sound and turn it into an advantage. Collaps knows that sometimes it’s better to forget about sound engineers and complex arrangements and instead focus on energy and drive – and the result is much stronger. In some places the guitar takes the spotlight, like in Nowitschok Exposure, while elsewhere the melodic potential of the songs shines through, as in Executor. On Ultra Violence the band unleashes a pure street anthem built on violence, guitar solos and shouted aggression.
I like bands that play with lo-fi sound and let energy and commitment bulldoze over any technical shortcomings. At the same time, it’s obvious that this group already has serious experience with their instruments. The band maintains a high level throughout the whole record, and I’d say there’s no filler here. Lyrically, Collaps mixes classic working-class themes with ironic observations about everyday life. The album is full of small stories from five working days and two days of free time – the rhythm of life shaped by the so-called achievements of the modern world. The irony stands out especially in I’m Back and We Made You, while a more serious tone appears in songs like Born And Raised and Caught In A Trap. The modern world is also addressed in Poseur, while the unavoidable subcultural statement comes with He’s A Skin, which even flirts with hardcore in places.
An excellent record. I wanted to get a review of this three-year-old album out before the band releases their next one. In my opinion, it belongs among the best streetpunk records of the past few years, so this is another strong recommendation for streetpunk fanatics. But I have a feeling you’re probably already listening to it anyway. Mendeku Diskak has once again put out something excellent.
TOP TRACKS: When The Boots Go Marching In, Ultra Violence, Caught In A Trap
