Punk fans, rejoice! Meat For Dogs has been shredding since 1993 and are showing no signs of slowing down. Hailing from Catanzaro, Italy, they’ve taken their high-energy show on the road across the globe including a US tour. Now, they’re back with their first studio album in over a decade: Dr. Jekyll e i suoi guai. Buckle up!
They have remained loyal to their distinctive blend of raw energy, speed, and melody for over a decade and a half. Maybe it’s similar to how fine wine or cheese ages, because each track on this record is truly remarkable.
“In the past we had never dealt with subjects related to horror/gothic imagery, but this song with its dynamism and its
changes of time, inspired us from the beginning. The lyrics, in fact, while being linked to the story of Stevenson, brings it all
to nowadays, showing how the incoherence and arrogance of men towards one another is still a problem today.” stated the band.
I don’t understand Italian well, but I identified a dominant theme of darkness in the music, characterized by palm-muted guitars, prolonged solos, heavy bass, and lively cymbals. The lyrics seem to address men’s dismay with one another except a majestic cover of Addicted To My Girl by Real Swinger.
The album cover, designed by Lucio Parrillo who has a history of collaboration with the band, effectively captures the essence of the album’s theme.
This song L’Argonauta was stuck in my head immediately after listening to it. It reminds me of ’90s punk. My first thought was Pennywise or JFA. It has a California, skate punk sound with melodic guitars, fast drums, and killer bass lines over it. It even has the early punk vibes intertwined.
The introduction to II Dr. Jekyll is so fun. It brings me back to my childhood windup toys. It is very much a heavy comparison to Danny Elfman. There’s a pause and then it breaks out into an upbeat, punk tune. I love the distorted vocals and how it goes into a hardcore breakdown straight into a guitar solo. This would be wicked to see live!
With its mix of melodic and anthemic elements, Vento Addosso is evocative of the 1977 punk rock movement. The complementary background vocals and hooking chorus complete the piece.
I have only covered a selection of tracks from the album. There are still 7 more to discover. I believe this album is exceptional due to the band’s dedication to their unique sound, ability to maintain my attention span with diverse tracks and each song surpassing the previous one in quality. I highly recommend it for fans of 90 skatepunk & older punk genres as there’s something for everyone here – a creative bass/drum driven journey symbolized by incredible baselines alongside harmonizing vocals filled with impressive guitar solos.
