Lipona

Atlas

Written by: PP on 26/02/2009 00:36:29

Tallahassee, Florida based melodic punk rockers Lipona play a tight brand of technical punk rock much reminiscent of bands like Daggermouth and Bigwig on their debut album "Atlas" that was released in Spring last year. For those who aren't familiar with said two bands, that basically means these guys play reasonably high-octane punk rock where the verses are often known to contain technical guitar licks that break out into solid three chord riffing and memorable, singalongable choruses just about every song.

There's the odd gang shout here and there, even a scream in a few places, and occasionally when the pace slows down a bit Lipona sound a little more like a pop punk band than a band rooted in melodic hardcore. There are even a few moments where they have me thinking Taking Back Sunday, most evidently on "Success Stories", which has a chorus that's almost straight off "Tell All Your Friends". At the same time, the opening yells of "Ron Mexico" have me thinking the first The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus record, but that's only for a short moment of post-hardcore before the band breaks back into the punk rock drumbeat and technical guitars. There are actually quite a few such moments on the record where Lipona actually dances on a thin line between melodicore and post-hardcore. Personally I find it fitting, but you should listen to it and decide for yourself. Then there are the references to a softer-sounding A Wilhelm Scream apparent, even if I'm perhaps pushing it a bit comparing these two acts together, but the idea is definitely the same for both bands, Lipona just doesn't seem to like rough edges.

Most songs are instantly catchy on the record thanks to the melodic clean vox, but if there's one point of criticism I should make about them, it's that the choruses aren't very lasting. Each time I'm listening to "Atlas" it has me thinking "this is really good stuff", but give me twenty minutes break from listening to it, and the only thing I can remember from it is the "This could make or break us" bit from "The Citadel", which happens to also be the best song on the record. That being said, if you're into melodic punk rock with a touch of technicality and a bit of genre experimentation in between, Lipona should be your next go to band right now.

Download: The Citadel, Success Stories
For the fans of: Daggermouth, A Wilhelm Scream, early Taking Back Sunday
Listen: Myspace

Release date 02.04.2008
UNSIGNED BAND

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