Review:
It’s rare that we hear about anything other than “The Strip” or CSI in regards to Las Vegas but Folsom, the junkyard dogs of Sin City, are back with their 4th release entitled Hammer Lane. It’s nice to see that Las Vegas has something more to offer than taking my money every time I’m out there.
When Folsom first started to make waves with their EP, If You’re A Viper, they were known more for their breakdowns than anything else. To me there was nothing wrong with that. They performed their craft with taste. Singalongs galore about topics that any hardcore kid can relate to. Terrible neighbors, touring hardships, and kicking it on your back porch listening to Ringworm all afternoon; the stuff we can identify with. Instead of being content with growing stale they decided to mix it up a bit for their EP Neon Light Nights and focused on writing a more straightforward hardcore record. There was more melody and less mosh. Even the lyrics were more thought out this time around. If Folsom were to breakup right now, singer Stu could easily start a blues band with his ability to convey a story of sorrow and hardships. He’d just need to work on his singing voice.
For Hammer Lane it seems that the band has taken the best of both worlds. They’ve returned to structuring songs for dancefloor destruction but they’ve also put a lot more focus on what happens between the breakdowns as well. We get some of that straight up punk influence hardcore as well as some Slayer tribute riffs as well. Blended throughout is a nice melodic tone. No Folsom record would be complete without a plethora of singalongs and they don’t hold back on this record as well. What I find funny is that they tend to sound like a bunch of alcoholics doing karaoke. It sounds bad but it really isn’t. And since most of us are tone-deaf anyway, that’s probably a good example of what they sound like live anyway.
Much like all the band’s previous releases, this is a fun record. You’ll be able to mosh, singalong, or just bob your head. It’s simplistic in nature and that’s a good thing. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel it seems that Folsom is more about having a good time. And judging from the lyrics, that’s something they could use a lot of. Next time these guys are in your area check them out. They are equally impressive live.
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