So, it turns out bands with stupid names can still be quite good. (Album Review)

Only Fumes And Corpses
Who Really Cares, What Really Lasts
Lockjaw Records
Released Sept. 13, 2010

OFAC are quite possibly doing something special. For starters they have a truly ludicrous name, they wear their influences VERY proudly on their sleeves; everything from At The Drive-In to early Green Day makes an appearance, and it's not like Ireland is famous for its hardcore scene. But, despite all of that, they really do sound pretty unique, and there's some definite quality here.

The fact that I can actually say that with a straight face is testament to what they're actually doing, I really want to take the piss, but I can't because they're music is really fucking good, and even though their influences are clear as day, early track september, with it's super-addictive bassline, could easily be an outtake from Green Day's Dookie, albeit with hoarse vocals and a nicely heavy outro, and the blood of bands like Hot Water Music and even Leatherface runs right through almost every song, mainly down to Momme Reibisch's coarse, grainy vocals and Benny McKeon's destinct pop-punk drums speeding through the entire album.

This is an album far closer to it's influence of pop-punk than it is to hardcore, but man I'd be hard-pushed not to recommend those into hardcore to give it a shout. If anything is holding it back, it's the slight feeling of repetition; something that does come often, but, fortunately, every time I actually had that feeling of "I think I've heard enough of this" a track like Apathy Resumes turns up, that quite literally pulls out the huge surprise of a big, skater thrash breakdown, and just as the aptly titled Flogging A Dead Horse got me thinking about the other stuff I could be listening to, I Need To get Out More Often follows, bringing out more of the thrash again, with riffs that wouldn't be out of place on a Trash Talk or Cruel Hand album. And I shit you not when I say there's even a touch of Ska kicking about in there too.

So, while it sails closer to hardcore influenced pop-punk that it does actual hardcore, it's definitely worth a shot. For those into breakdowns and gang-vocals it's gonna offer you a fun & refreshing take on what you're into, but how long before you start pining for those serious breakdowns is debateable, though. The real longevity of this album is for anyone at the other end of the spectrum; if you're into pop & gruff punk and are looking for something heavier to dip your toe into, you really should pick this up, it'll offer you a hell of a lot more.