ALBUM REVIEW: Lessons In Giving Up – The Mansters

After seven years in the waiting, Norwegian self-proclaimed “audio terrorists” THE MANSTERS have finally put out their second full-length album Lessons In Giving Up. Heavily influenced by the hardcore and punk scenes of the 80s and 90s, the group have decided to follow the well-known formula of short but sweet tracks filled with nothing but guitar riffs, rowdy vocals, and lyrics that you’re ready to scream back.

As the album opens with Welcome To Hell, listeners are greeted by an anthemic rock intro that leaves you feeling pumped and ready for whatever is yet to come next. And it comes with fury. Suddenly everything switches into a fast punk rhythm complete with harsh vocals, tied together nicely with an epic guitar solo and drum rolls; you can’t help but find yourself headbanging along.

Throughout the album the tracks mostly fall just under the two-minute mark; three of the tracks only last between 40 and 50 seconds, yet there’s no doubt that they make their mark. The three songs in question, Panic Boy, Underdogs and Give Up, all fall into a fast and aggressive punk/hardcore hybrid complete with harsh vocals and lyrics that one can easily imagine being sung – or rather shouted – back at the band.

And along with loud, intense tracks, we do have songs that fall more under the bouncy punk genre that make you want to get up and dance. Walls, for example, sounds like the love child of GREEN DAY, SUGARCULT and THE OFFSPIRING and will have you wanting to bounce around the room; Dead End, meanwhile, is a song that gets you pumped, excited and ready for anything. It’s hard not to listen to this record without wanting to find the nearest mosh pit to jump around in as you scream the lyrics.  

Ultimately, Lessons In Giving Up is a short but sweet album that gets straight to the point and gives you little time to breathe in between; this is a fantastic collection of punk/hardcore tracks that get you pumped and ready for whatever is thrown at you next. And can you imagine the absolute scenes at a live gig?! In short, just brilliant.

Rating: 9/10

Lessons In Giving Up is out now via Loyal Blood Records.

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