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Tracklist
1. Farewell My Hell
2. Birdie
3. Cash Or Clash
4. Shut You Out
5. Biftek Supernova
6. My Name Is Golden
7. Ray
8. Novo
9. Simple Twist Of Hate
10. Stalemate
11. Mooseman's Jukebox
12. Hard Times
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Millencolin's sound has certainly gotten slicker over the years, but at the same time, on 'Kingwood', they deliver some of the most aggressive songwriting of their career. The band mixes hardcore beats and pop-punk harmonies on 'Farewell My Hell' to a decent outcome. On 'Birdie', you'll find the band pulling off their best 'Stranger Than Fiction' era Bad Religion guise. 'Biftek Supernova' kicks in with a decidedly core rhythm, but the production here is what gives the music a punk vibe. The fact that the band sings so cleanly is ultimately what gives this music a commercial appeal. If the group fuzzed out their distortion a bit and sang with just a touch more edge, they would sound much heavier than they actually come across. The rhythm guitars certainly could stand to beefed up a bit, but the chaotic refrain of 'My Name Is Golden' makes up for the thin nature of the axes, because when the chorus kicks in, it's still a wall of sound, just one that is not as bassy as most metalheads are accustomed to. When the band rips into 'Simple Twist Of Hate' they rip through some old school hardcore, but with a modern twist. It is here that Millencolin show they can rip instrumentally with the best of them. You'll find the band putting forth some edgy, solid rock on the album's closer 'Hard Times' that proves that these guys have the ability to genre jump without losing their integrity. Millencolin certainly aren't straight up hardcore by any stretch of the imagination, but their ability to meld influences from that style and others is commendable. 'Kingwood' is a decent effort from a band that certainly pulls influences from many angles, resulting in a mixed bag of tracks that enjoy a degree of identity and focus that place the band near the top of the punk rock pack.
Review by: Erin Fox
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