This album is fantastic and needs to be re-reviewed. Zoli's vocals are fantastic, there is such an energy present on this album that isn't there in albums like "the fuse".

Oh my goodness

One star?

Too bad Jim is back, Zoli makes this album.

This album is really good. It has a lot of energy and just sounds good. I find it to be the most enjoyable since Full Circle. Sometimes the lyrics do get fairly cheesy, but I think that happens when you try to write positive.

This review is pretty bad. The last sentence of the first paragraph completely contradicts the majority of the second paragraph. I agree that at some parts, there is a Offspring feeling vibe. That is if Offspring focused and writing good, straightforward songs with less bumpin' in the trunk.

Fuck the dude that wrote this review. He obviously has never liked Pennywise and was a bad choice to write this in the first place. All my friends myself included love the new album, although I am sad as fuck that Jim is no longer with Pennywise, I fully stand behind this album and hope they continue to put out quality punk rock! And all this shit about NoFx not putting out good music these day is fucking dumb, they still kick ass as well and I'll be seeing them in September!

It's okay, lyrics are crap on many of the songs but Teglas is good as usual. Their best in a while, but that's not saying all that much.

Pennywise did what they've always done and that in a pretty great way. What did you expect? Super-fast tech-punk with metal riffs at least once in every song? Or folky slow-tempo stuff with deep and melancholic lyrics? How ridiculous...
Would have been cool if some had reviewed this album who is able to judge it regarding the band's context and who doesn't feel too cool to like Pennywise.
But this review is an embarrassment for a site called PUNKnews...

A review for an F- record.

Ignite was never my cup of tea but I do feel he's a grate replacement singer for this band and who cares if it sounds like old pennywise

mmmm maybe you are really young. it was hard to ignore ignite in the 90s, early ignite is great, check out the Past our means EP and Call on my brothers LP

embrace:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_Grzy9BDtc

ONE STAR???? seriously??? fagggot!!!

This is an amazing album.... and anyone who isn't "familiar with Ignite" has no right to be reviewing punk rock albums, PERIOD!! I agree.... you ARE in fact, a TOOL!!!!

"Seriously, can we have this review deleted and get an at least 4 star review submitted?"

You're a tool. "I disagree with this opinion, therefore it should be removed and replaced with one that I find more agreeable."

Seriously, can we have this review deleted and get an at least 4 star review submitted? I don't even know how something like this makes it onto this site. It's unbelievable. I used to respect the reviewer's opinion but not anymore. You could stuff shit in this persons ears and it would get a better review than this record.

" "get a vagina like your idol and fuck off"

I'll admit it, i laughed. that's pretty good man."

Yeah, dude. That guy's a regular Carlos Mencia.

I think it's great that Pennywise put out an album that was just more of what they are known for. They are a band that has a particular sound and stick to it. That's not always a abad thing and it's nice to hear a new record by them that still sounds like good old classic pennywise. It's a great record.

Terrible review.

What a shit review...

who lets these kids write this crap?

"get a vagina like your idol and fuck off"

I'll admit it, i laughed. that's pretty good man.

and Coaster was a good NOFX album. damn these bands are all like 45 years old now (PW, Souls, NOFX, BR), i'm just stoked that almost every punk band i was stoked on in '98 is still together, touring and putting out albums. No shit, even Lagwagon is touring this Fall. I hear NUFAN is making a new album for 2013.

if i went back in time and told 1998 me this news, he would damn near shit hisself. and would be pleased the older version of me still listens to skate epi-fat punk.

This review is so fucking ignorant. If you are any type of Punk rock connoisseur, you know that PW just dropped a kick ass record. This review is dripping with it's disdain of punk. And to say that Bad Religion AND NOFX are still spitting out killer records? Bad Religion, yes. NOFX? Are you fucking kidding me? NOFX hasn't put out anything worth listening to in a while. Wolves in Wolves Clothing was okay. But great? Coaster was a fucking waste. This review is whats wrong with the entire "punknews.org" world. Why isn't this site called weloveemonews.org? Gimme a fucking break.

Great album! Not for an boring wird orgaypunker that's for sure. Get a vagina like your idol and fuck off.

What if Jim sang for the next Ignite album???

Musically, this album is a typical Pennywise album, you know what you're gonna get. Great album for the summer, nothing groundbreaking, just skate punk/melodic hardcore. Zoli brings a more straightforward singing style that's a little different than how he sounds in Ignite. Pennywise with Ignite-lite vocals.

Some people grow out of being a fan of the skate punk sound, some don't. Agree to disagree, I guess!

@ greg0rb wasn't looking for an argument either. I just think it's stupid a "punk" news writer wouldn't be aware of such a well known "punk" band.
I hope you do a better job of reviewing NOFX.
I still don't care that you don't like Ignite. I don't like Arcade Fire. Thing is I listened to their albums before coming to that conclusion and don't have to be a condescending prick about it.

At the end of the day I'm at work wasting time, I'm here for the comments and this is fun.
Oh yeah, just one piece of info...Why not try picking up your game instead of being a smartarse? No one appreciates a clever dick.

Though I agree that this is a lame album, even with Zoli (Ignite is much better, much more dynamic, I say this as someone who has listened to Pennywise since 1994, so don't flame on me)...........how is it that the reviewer is writing for this site and is not familiar with Ignite? It's not as if they are from 30 years ago, cmon.

Anyone who has ever liked Pennywise in the past knows this is an amazing album that we've all been waiting for since Straight Ahead. Everything since then was always good songs, not good albums. This I feel is a complete album from beginning to end (meaning I don't skip any songs). Also for anyone who works out nothing will keep you motivated and moving like PW. If you want music that's going to be daring and try something new go discover a new band, there's millions out there. If you want a fast in your face, hate authority, sing along that you can rock out to, pick up the new PW.

@Dante3000: I don't think these guys are capable of writing songs that would take advantage of Zoli's range. I get the feeling Fletcher's pretty much a one-trick pony.

The only decent song Pennywise ever wrote is "Alien."

Dante3000; i think they reigned in Zoli's vocals for that very reason...the PW brand is > any one member.
plus, could be a bit shocking to long-term fans to go from 9 albums with Jim to an album that has a guy that sounds NOTHING like Jim. Instead, he sounds like a cleaner, higher-pitched yet still agressive Jim hybrid of some sort. Maybe on the next album, if there is one, he can branch out.
I'm sure it was a tedious studio experience with recording vocals, i mean, Fletcher is in this band, keep that in mind.
I for one am actually glad Zoli doesn't really let his vocals loose. It still feels like PW and not Ignite, and one of my concerns before listening, was not only "this will be weird without Jim singing", but "please I hope Zoli isn't doing that opera shit on this album"

i appreciate his vocal talent, this just isn't the venue to show it off. he just has to hold it down like Jim and compliment the music and hold his own and be a suitable and non-shocking replcacement, and he does so admirably i think.

this surely isn't a 9, but sure as hell not a 2 either. the reviewer's quite the tool.

The thing that kills me is that Zoli is, without a doubt, a better vocalist than Jim. Yet, instead of reaching into a bold new territory with Zoli they basically had him half ass it to keep his range and tone more in Jim's range. Though, I can understand the argument for such use proving that the Pennywise "brand" is more important than any member, that's a frustrating misuse of talent to me.

A review is usually one person's opinion. You don't have to agree with it. He has stated what he thinks. If you don't agree, fine, then say why you think it's great, but the review makes sense to me and some agree there are valid points made. Nobody takes one review as law. It's a free site with volunteers helping out so I'm grateful that someone took the time to post this.

@ hayman - I'm not gonna argue with you on the boards, I got over that in 2003. Just one piece of info: I grew up on the EpiFat sound. I'm about to review the new NOFX 7". Even back in the mid 90s, I always thought Pennywise were horrible. I still own Unknown Road and About Time. Not sure why, even those are pretty awful. Yeah, I listen to a lot of indie rock these days, but I still pop in what you would call "punk" quite often.

Still don't care about Ignite. I heard 'em somewhere once... weren't they on Cinema Beer Nuts back in the day? Yeah, that was enough.

Every time I listen to the album the more this review makes me mad! Fuck this reviewer!!

@ greg0rb - You don't know them and you don't care to?
I assume you're sitting behind a computer, it'd take less effort for you to listen to Ignite and learn something new than say you couldn't be bothered.
I don't particularly care if the album got 1 star, I care about the lazy review and the fact the staff including yourself are obviously pretentious hipsters.

Who let this dude write the review? Look at his fav bands...he doesn't even like punk rock!

The new Pennywise record is rad. One of its best attributes is the lyrics because of the emphasis on self reliance. "Let Us Hear Your Voice" is unreal. The band totally ripped at Punk Rock Bowling!

I've been listening to PW since '94 and won't complain that they keep putting out the same record! I love Rancid, but wish they still sounded like 1994!

In about 10 minutes of looking, I couldn't find more than two sequential phrases in the lyrics that weren't cliche/lazy/stupid. Zoli can sing, but since "A Place Called Home" he doesn't seem to have anything left to sing about. Really disappointed in this one.

Pennywise's return to the fast style of the early 90's has paid off with their new lead singer. Who although being very different from their old singer, has quite a bit more range. He sounds a bit more like Trever Keith (Face to Face) to me. The album while somewhat lacking lyrically has some classic punk rockin music that has stayed on my playlist for weeks. Also, "Let Us Hear Your Voice" is the best song they've written. Just my opinion now, that's all.

Where's Matt Toka?

This album rips. I grew up listening to Epi-Fat bands in the late 90's. It's the sound that got me into punk, and it's a sound I still love. I think everyone can agree that "The Fuse" and "From The Ashes" are easily forgetable albums by this band, but just because a band makes two mediocore albums is no reason to write them off forever. This album is great, I really can't get enough of it. There is such a presence of a band that has been re-energized on this album, that it's impossible to deny how good this is. If you like skatepunk/melodic hardcore, you owe it to yourself to buy/steal/listen the shit out of this album. It's fucking good.

Solid album. Saw them at Punk Rock Bowling. It was weird seeing Pennywise with another singer, but I liked it.

I feel sorry for anyone calling this the album of the year. This album is boring. It's not terrible, it's not unlistenable (well, the lyrics are), it's just boring. It's the same thing they've always done, and that's been boring for about 10 years now. When a band doesn't grow or change, they hit a point of diminishing returns with each album. These returns are diminished. There is really no good reason to listen to this instead of Full Circle or Unknown Road. It seems like even the album's defenders recognize this, as they admit it sounds pretty much like their old stuff. I'm just not sure how that's a defense of this record. This is the same album they've always put out. That doesn't mean it's terrible by any stretch, but I have those old records, give me something new.

4/10 for mediocrity.

Thumbs up.

- "Guy who likes orgcore bullshit hates Pennywise album."

I agree with this, and I agree that orgcore bullshit > Pennywise.

Guy who likes orgcore bullshit hates Pennywise album. Film at 11.

I haven't heard this album nor am I big on anything Pennywise outside of (I think) Full Circle, but I have to play devil's advocate with the reviewer. Just because you display competence does not mean you did well.

I actually like it. I think Zoli breathed fresh air into a flat/stale band (I mean 'the fuse' and 'from the ashes' were both really redundant and flat albums and i pretty much wrote the band off by 2006), but the new vocalist is indeed better and gives them a different vibe once you get past the fact that it isn't Jim anymore. And yea it sounds like Pennywise but that's what they do. Not all bands have to reinvent themselves to stay relevent. if your forumla isn't broke, don't fix it. obviously enough fans are OK with them not changing up their sound or they woulnd't have a new album out 20 years after their debut. track 8 is a dud and there's some filler for sure, but some of the songs are on par with their best work and the production sounds awesome. i can dig it for what it is; a new PW album with a new singer. results are what you'd expect. if you didn't like their sound over the past 20 years, you won't like it now. and they've never been known for their lyrics, it's more the passion behind the lyrics, they're a band that gives you a feeling more than a specific message.i never listened to them for the lyrics, i listened to them for the energy and tight fills/riffing and speed.

Oh Tori, thanks for doing this. These comments take me back about ten years to when this site had anonymous posting. "Fire this guy!" ok, but no one makes any money off this site so no one ever gets "fired". "How can you be staff if you don't know Ignite?" I don't know them either, bro, and I don't care to. "Clearly he's a hater and had his mind made up before he even pressed play" Yeah, well it's Pennywise, so they earned it with 20 years of crap music.

AWESOME REVIEW!

This reviewer sound like a pennywise hater, he never liked them and never will. This album was condamned before he even pressed the play button. But he got a point: The lyrics could have been written by a 15 year's old kid who has just gotten into politics, and is angry without really knowing why.Ths is definately a weakness on this record. They can do better and i'm sure they will. But for the rest of the album, everything that i like about pennywise is there : Fast drums, hard guitar, great chorus.. the songs ares catchy as hell : This is a 100% pure pennywise album. I really like the energy that come out of it. Of course this sound like all others albums : This is pennywise! Like someone else said on another discussion : ''Good old pennywise always sound the same''.. and that's what i like about them! In overall, i really enjoyed this record, zoli's voice is great and fit well with pennysise.

I was pleasantly surprised as to how good this record is, definitely better than the last couple records. Shame that the reviewer seens havehad already made up his mind about knocking this.

Aw come on guy, it's really not that bad... Am I the only one who thinks "Let Us Hear Your Voice" is catchy as shit? It might be the best Sum 41 song that Pennywise have ever written!

Do you like Pennywise?
Yes.
Do you mind that they have a new singer?
Not really.
Do you care that this sounds exactly like everything else they've done before?
Nope.
Ok good, now understand that even though this doesn't break any new ground at all, Pennywise does this kind of thing better than most anyone out there.
Understood.
Great, you'll like this just fine.

I love this honest review. This album should have been for after 4 years and trying to introduce a new singer. I was hugeley dissapointed, and the songs that I even liked on the album wern't that hard and fast ones which is unusual. I wanted to love this, but this is nothing like it should have been.

The songs on this album have a lot of potential, but whoever mixed and mastered it should never be allowed to work in music ever again.

Overcompressed, flat, loud shit.

Pennywise were one of the bands that got me into Punkrock when I was a kid... but sadly, I Totally agree with reviewer in every aspect. The review is spot on.

You are an idiot and I hope this is the last review your ever do. I am sick of people like you coming on this site and bashing anything and erything this band does no matter how good it is just because their name is "pennywise" and it's the cool thing to do around here. This is easily one of the best records so far this year and definitely one of the best pennywise records they have ever put out. Every other site has a raving review on this album. 4.5 stars from me. Classic melodic punk record from a revitalized legendary punk band.

Well, what do ya know. Pennywise are only just releasing an song called "Revolution".

Still, I'm interested in hearing this.

The music, while exactly what you'd expect from Pennywise, does sound really big and loud on this album. That's not a bad thing. However, I expected WAY more from the addition of Zoli to this band. I always thought he was a quality vocalist in Ignite. Feels like he didn't really put his stamp on this album. The lyrics on some songs like "Revolution" are truly cringe-worthy.

Lovin this album. And I like it better than anything NOFX or Bad Religion have released in at least 10-15 years.

Not an amazing album, but pretty much exactly what I expected from Pennywise with Zoli on vocals. Definitely not a 1 and once i read the reviewer was not familiar with Ignite I could care less about his opinion anyway. Basicaly if you are or have ever been a fan of Pennywise this is definitely their best work since FCS, or if you are dying for ignite to make a new album and just want to hear what Zoli has been up to, worth a listen. Another point is if you want to comment on a vocalist's range, be familiar with their work before making nonsensical comments like "just barely more range than Jim," seeing as Zoli has been one of the best vocalists with a wide range for quite some time now.

Not blown away by the album. But did you hear let us hear your voice? Song is insane.

Decent album. Horrible review. The fact that punknews would let a reviewer give a 1 to a strong sign of life from a band like Pennywise is quite a shame.

I haven't heard the album, but I have heard every other Pennywise album, so I'm going to agree with the review. I don't think it was too harsh at all. Pennywise ran out of decent material a long time ago.

This album sounds like it was written by Authority Zero

In the risk of repeating myself, Zoli sounds like the dude from Sum41 on this record...

Other than that, it's a decent record and it definitely doesn't deserve a 1...

First off, this record is not groundbreaking at all. With that out of the way, I was really expecting to just play it once and let it take up space on my hard drive. Zoli sounds great. Only bad thing about the album are the cliche lyrics, but I have a soft spot for bands that make me get off my ass. This is easily their best since Full Circle and they do sound full of life again. This is the first Pennywise album I've actually enjoyed in a decade. If you ever had a soft spot for Pennywise, this is worth your time.

Punknews didn't rate Matt Toka higher than Pennywise. John Gentile rated Matt Toka higher than I rated Pennywise. There's a difference. I've never listened to Matt Toka, I can't speak to his merits, or lack thereof.

This album isn't something I enjoyed. Getting through it once was a chore, let alone listening to it enough to do a review on it.

But to be fair it's their first album with a new lineup. Things can be a little shaky. Hopefully the next one will be better. I'd love for them to put out a kickass record and put me in my place.

What world are we living in where (yes) Pennywise gets a lower rating than Matt Toka?

@ thepopeofchili-town - the review is a little harsh?
You say NOFX and Bad Religion still release good albums but this isn't?
Sounds like mindless bashing if I've ever heard it.

pretty sure the reviewer is 17 years old and bases his opinions on pennywise from what he reads on orgsummit. i guarantee he has listened to probably 1 other pennywise album MAX

Pennywise is one of the bands that got me into punk. I'm not just mindlessly bashing them for no reason. This is a bad album. The review might be a little harsh, but I stand by it.

How could you be staff if you don't know who Ignite is?
This is the best Pennywise in years, to say they release the same album over and over is lazy.
Zoli sounds like Zoli, to even relate him to Dexter or Jim is an insult.
Bad form Punknews.

*16 year old me would've given it 4.5 . NO JOKES!

i wouldn't have been as harsh on the review, but it almost hits the nail on the head. Have Pennywise written some great songs? Yes. Am I bored with Pennywise? Absolutely. I used to love Pennywise: About Time, Straight Ahead, Full Circle; those are all great albums and they each stand on their own, yet Pennywise has managed to drown themselves in their own music. Those are 8* albums yet i don't really care to revisit them. This album stands on it's own just like the afore albums mentioned, and is a return to form from albums such as "from the ashes" and my least favorite Pennywise album the "fuse." The problem is, as great as an album this is, it fails to excite me because I've heard it before. Is this the album a new Pennywise fan should go to? Yes. Is it a Staple in their catalogue? Perhaps, It wouldn't be very tough to argue yes. As a Pennywise veteran whose already been there and enjoyed the ride; it's not for me. I will however keep going to their live shows.

Three jaded stars from me. The 16 year old in me gives it 4.5

this reviewer makes cocksucking renaldo69 look good

Wait, this is the same reviewer who gave the bland, safe, ultra-derivative Exister an 8. Way to be a hypocrite, douchebag.

This crap was creatively vacant even back in 1992.

Really? A 1? That's super harsh. I rather enjoy this newest Pennywise joint. Some good SoCal skatepunk!

Ignite's pretty good, you should go listen to them.

fire this guy, 4.5/5

either you really hated the album...or you need to rub one out