Black Chrome Album Review

Sometimes, bands get swept up in trying to break new musical ground, experiment with new sounds, express some high-brow socio-political message. All to often, such lofty aims means the resulting music is unlistenable or sober wank. Black Chrome is one band who have not forgotten that, above all, music should be fun.

The Palmerston North three-piece kick off their debut album with their finest song, the uproarious My Band, which features the incredibly infectious shout-along chorus, “My band/Is a front for an Internet porn ring”. It perfectly summarises the tongue-in-cheek, no-fucking-about nature of the group. Black Chrome may be their debut under the Chrome moniker, but all three members have extensive histories in other acts. And that experience leads to stripped-down, rhythm-and-melody bursts of pure rock ‘n’ roll, off-key vocals and all.

They sound like a cross between Motorhead and The Ramones, with the ability to absolutely soar on big choruses like Peeps From The Gutter (about the view of Liks from outside Valve), Centurion of Hardcore and Daphne Is A Punk. The only drawback of the streamlined approach is that the songs do tend to stand or fall on the strength of their catchiness, and a few tracks don’t quite make the grade.

But that is a tiny nitpick at best. There are more than enough quality tunes on Black Chrome to warrant the asking price – ANY asking price – and showcase what no-bullshit, back-to-basics punk rock ‘n’ roll is all about. Great stuff.