These guys never fail to deliver, having had the pleasure of reviewing their last album “Molotov Rocktail”, I can tell you that consistency is most definitely the key for them and they have done it again on this one, “All Out Of Dreams”, hard rock with a cutting edge, some stoner rock and a sprinkling of hardcore, all you need to keep you satisfied.
“The Ending Starts Today” gets the album off to a really strong start with its chugging beat and killer riffs, a seriously catchy chorus will have you chanting along to it thanks in most part to the enthralling combo of Kaarstad and drummer Dowkes’ vocals, a great start to the album. They keep the foot down on “Garden Of Heathen” with a hardcore/punk vibe, a steady drum beat and cutting riffs drive the track with a booming bass running underneath it all, the great Lou Koller of Sick Of It All lends his inimitable voice to this one but regardless of his part this is a banger track. The slower “Straight Edgelord” is one of my favourite tracks, the groove is relentless but it’s the hook of the chorus that drags you in and gets stuck in your brain, I can promise you you will be singing this in your head for days, it’s brilliant.
The title track “All Out Of Dreams” starts with a quirky intro that is quickly replaced by a killer drum and bass beat that will reverberate through you speaker begging to be played at 10, the stoner rock groove is there in spades and goddamn these guys know how to create a hook because the chorus is another that will have you singing along to it, you can only love this. Bringing the heavy is “Bradford Death Squadron” a thundering track that smashes you in the face and then beats you relentlessly just for fun, driven by a massive drum beat and bass line and Kaarstad’s gravelly vocals this would be my pick of the album, a blistering track with Aaron Beam of Red Fang on it. “Let’s Storm The Capital” has a kicking beat with a monster bass line and crunching riffs that give a harder edge to the track, heavier than most others on the album, this one blows away any remaining cobwebs.
“Everyone Fails” is a 45-second blitz that is over before it even begins and leads nicely in the slower “Gung HO”; a track that has a kinda of bluesy riff a lá ZZ Top, this one is a grower and it’s only after multiple plays that you appreciate how good it is, one of the best on the album. “No More Good Days” kicks it up a notch with a monster thrasher that will whip you into a frenzy, the riffs are gritty with a drum and bass combo to die for, and this will go down a treat live. The album closes with “Crush (All Heretics)” a slowed-down doom track that will rattle the teeth from your head, a real grinder that is phenomenal; the rhythm is once again catchy as hell and the vocal harmonies around the chorus play nicely off Kaarstad’s gravelly vocals, as the adage says they kept the best till last.
Review: Conor
“All Out Of Dreams” is available Friday, February 16th.
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The album is available to pre-order in multiple formats including digipack CD, magenta vinyl, black vinyl, and purple with blue jay splatter vinyl, as well as digitally. Pre-order here (from Indie Recordings) or here (from Plastichead).
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BOKASSA conclude, “All Out Of Dreams is an album where the feeling of resignation is present on several of the album’s tracks. Whether it deals with one’s own failures, maybe you feel the system failed you, perhaps because of failed government policies, or that you’ve just given up on it all. The common denominator is that everyone you encounter, or hear from in the lyrics have lost hope, which is something the album’s title – All Out Of Dreams – alludes to. The name of the album could also be seen as direct reference to our own career, and the dream of owning our own private island in the Pacific. Unfortunately the masses have yet to develop good taste in music, so that dream is rather non-existent at this time.”
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ABOUT BOKASSA
BOKASSA have made a name for themselves with their brand of hard-hitting, melodic, catchy punk and stoner rock, right from their attention-getting, first full length, Divide & Conquer (2017). During the Worldwired tour with METALLICA (for which they were handpicked by Lars Ulrich), the band released the critically acclaimed Crimson Riders (2019). In 2020, they followed up by releasing a digital EP, Live At The BBC, from their BBC Radio 1 live session at London’s legendary Maida Vale studio, and were nominated for a Norwegian Grammy as “Breakthrough Of The Year”. In 2021, BOKASSA won the Norwegian “Bendiksprisen” award and released their explosive third album Molotov Rocktail. The record shot immediately to #18 on the Norwegian chart, their highest spot to date. The album was met with critical acclaim from Kerrang, Rock Hard, Adresseavisen, and Metal Hammer among others, with the latter boldly declaring, “With such eminent replayability, Molotov Rocktail threatens to burst the bubble separating ‘classic – sounding’ records and straight – up classics, easily delivering the most fun stoner record since Monster Magnet’s Powertrip in the process.”
With extensive further touring under their belt with the likes of Mastodon, Baroness, Therapy?, and Judas Priest, not to mention performing at some of the world’s biggest festivals (Wacken, Hellfest, Download, Rockfest, Øya, Stavern, Tons of Rock and more), BOKASSA have continued to capture the hearts and minds of thousands across the world. With the new album only set to further cement the band’s enviable reputation, BOKASSA are taking no prisoners.
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BOKASSA are:
Jørn Kaarstad – Lead Vocals,Guitar
Bård Linga – Bass, Vocals
Olav Dowkes – Drums, Vocals
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