Detailed Reviews [Bonebag - 2007 - "Noli Me Tangere"]

Prolusion. BONEBAG is a band based in the Netherlands, with Arno Menses of Sieges Even as its most prominent member. "Noli Me Tangere" is their debut album, and was released on the Quixote label in September 2007.

Analysis. On this release we're taken for a ride into the world of melodic hard rock. Slightly staccato but highly melodic guitars dominate the soundscapes, the vocals are melodic, harmony vocals are used to good effect and there's catchy choruses with a high singalong feel from start to finish. Many tracks remind me of Manic Street Preachers from the mid-‘90s musically, highly melodic tunes with a radio-friendly approach. Some tunes explore a slightly grittier musical landscape, with similarities to the slightly psychedelic stoner rock of a band like We. For the dedicated listener, there are some nice details to the tunes here to discover: some jazz-inspired drumming inserted, slight insertions of avant-garde / RIO guitar licks, brief sections with psychedelic-tinged moods, but what dominates this album from start to finish is melodic hard rock. It's a good release; the songs are brief thus never overextending the moods explored; production and performance are high class, and the tunes come across as interesting and varied. All tracks are above average, with Oliver Sudden as a clear personal favorite.

Conclusion. If Manic Street Preachers is to your liking, this is a release worth checking out. Fans of the lighter side of stoner rock may also find this release interesting, as well as people enjoying high quality melodic hard rock in general.

OMB=Olav M Bjornsen: February 24, 2008