Fast, stripped down hardcore from Belgium. This four-piece barrel through eight politically charged tunes that touch on such topics like war, class struggle and capitalism. And of course no record is complete without the ever so popular Orwellian-themed song titled "Total Control". This is not completely original, but it's still very musically competent - [Maximum Rock'N Roll nr 252 - May 2004]
That is not the best name, I know... sounds like hippy cult stuff but these belgian kids play some really tight fast hardcore. Definitely rooted in early 80's US hardcore/punk, these 8 songs are done very well utilizing their sheer punk momentum to create quick and short memorable hardcore songs. I'm pretty impressed with these chaps, this is a good start for sure!! [Short, Fast + Loud zine - spring 2004 issue]
Ces belges jouent un punk hardcore politis� rappelant le d�but des ann�es 80 (Minor threat, Youth Brigade�). Ca joue � fond la caisse, ralentissant rarement : pas vraiment de mosh parts ici que de la vitesse grisante et de l��nergie qui reste au maximum tout au long de ce vinyl. Les textes sont une mixture d��criture personelle assez d�sesp�r�e( � loneliness �) et de politique : l��change de s�curit� contre la libert� (� total control �), les guerres �conomiques (� wartrade �). Certaines rhythmiques sont tr�s bien trouv�es et change de l�habituel rentre dedans de ce style. Tout est carr� et en place� Rien � redire. En tout cas moi j�ai h�te de les voir en live ! Recommand� � tous punkers ou hardcoreux - [ThanxForNothing zine]
Sunpower recorded this 'Total Control' 7" somewhere in October 2003. It's released by 'Still Holding On'-records. The cover art- work is done by Spoiler and fits this whole release perfectly. 'Total Control' is in every aspect better than 'Back To Basics', their previous release. The songs are more balanced, structured and have a nice fast pace. The artwork and lay-out are cooler too. Now, this release contains 8 tracks of fast and furious 80's hardcore, that will probably remind you of bands like 'Minor Threat', 'Bad Brains'... without being a rip-off. I often got to hear Sunpower's just a copy of MT but they are so much more if you just want to listen to it, without any prejudices. All these songs just keep wandering around in your head after you heard them. Mike, the singer of the band does a great job: he can sing really, really fast and he can also sing more melodic and he can scream his lungs out if you want to. He also writes the guitar riffs and the lyrics, which deal about politics and personal opions, feelings and emotions. I would recommand this 7" to you if you like 80's hardcore and bands like MT, 'Black Flag', 'Dead Kennedy's'... [Keep It Alive Webzine]
Nouvel ep de ce groupe old school belge. Nouvel ep sortis sur le tr�s bon label li�geois SHO Rec. Bon donc deuxi�me ep pour SUNPOWER et �a latte. J'adore...je dirais m�me que SUNPOWER est LE meilleur groupe old school belge. Et puis ce que j'aime dans SUNPOWER c'est leur style. Super proche des vieux groupes des ann�es 80, et donc non moins proche de MINOR THREAT...fabuleux. J'en reveux un peu plus � chaque fois. Les shows live du groupe sont un pure instant de bonheur expressif et �nergique. 8 tubes de musique rapide pour vous mesdames et messieurs. Une plaque IMPARABLE !!!...Trop dommage que je n'ai pu participer � la sortie de cet ep...peut-�tre la prochaine fois! Y'a quand m�me un h�k pour moi...j'aime pas la pochette h�las - [Shoot Me Again Webzine]
i dont think this band needs anny more introduction but for the people who live on uranus(nothing personal): a little information.
Sunpower is a no-shit-straight-to-the-point hardcore band, in the vein of 80's hardcore legend Minor Threat!
This is already the band's second EP, and in my humble opinion, its the best they have ever put on tape (or vinyl, if you like to nag). The sound quality overal is waaaay better than on Back to basics! They have their own unique sound, that can be recognized immideatly! The EP has 8 songs on it, and these 8 songs get fired at you in less then 15 minutes! the lyrics are strongly against war, (war trade), against royals (fuck your royalty), against the rich (working class attack)...to put it short, its pretty much against everything that puts some people above other! They even have their own suicide song!(lonliness) how emo! One of my favorite songs: They've lost their souls! Now, Ive heard a lot of music, and Ive heard a lot of vocals from heavy deathmetal grunts to screaching screams, in al kinds of rythmes, but this is really unique! The lines just fly out of singer Mike's mouth, while he doesnt even have the opportunity to breathe! But annyway the songs about people who change over the years, and who lose all their ideals to guess what...money! Annyway, I've had a lot of fun listening to it, its the perfect music if your feeling pissed, and it also suits those i-want-to-smash-your-head-against-the-wall-with-a-ten-ton-hammer moods perfectly! The artwork on the EP is pretty cool too! |diypunk.tk 2005|
This record is so 1984, that they even sing in the title song �It�s 1984� - while in fact this record was recorded 19 years later. Fast, straightforward, simple but powerful hardcore like it was played by tons of European bands in the first half of the 1980s. Sometimes I hear some small Seein Red influences (that can also be due to the accent of the singer of this Belgian band), but that�s the only contemporary influence I can find in this record. Lyrics are political (Wartrade, Total Control), personal (Growing Up, Loneliness � a suicide song, now how 1980s is that!) and scene-related (They�ve lost their souls). I grew up with this kind of music, so you can guess I like this 7�.
|Commitment records |
"That is not the best name, I know... sounds like hippy cult stuff but these belgian kids play some really tight fast hardcore. Definitely rooted in early 80's US hardcore/punk, these 8 songs are done very well utilizing their sheer punk momentum to create quick and short memorable hardcore songs. I'm pretty impressed with these chaps, this is a good start for sure!!" |sixweekrecords|