Review / 200 Words Or Less
Charged
Summer 2008

Melotov Cocktail (2009) Campbell

Charged – Summer 2008 cover artwork
Charged – Summer 2008 — Melotov Cocktail, 2009

Charged is a hardcore band from southern California, playing a pretty straightforward style. The vocals are probably the strongest part of this band, reminding me a little bit of Verse or even Cut the Shit. The music ranges from fast-paced punk beats to slower breakdowns, and brings in a decent amount of melodic and singing parts, akin to Stay Gold. In their second release, Charged still sounds a bit confused in how they want their band to sound. Each part or song could be pretty solid on its own, but something gets lost in the transition between progressions. Sometimes the melodic side of the band seems misplaced, simply because the other parts don't fit as well as I'd like them to. The guitar sweeps in the last track, "Braveheart," show that this band is trying really hard to do something different. But it's not always best to try something different, because you can end up sacrificing solid parts for failed attempts at original riffs. This isn't bad, it just needs to know what it's trying to do, and not try to appeal to such a wide range of sub-styles.

5.0 / 10Campbell • May 27, 2009

Charged – Summer 2008 cover artwork
Charged – Summer 2008 — Melotov Cocktail, 2009

Related news

Come Together Recharged 2018

Posted in Shows on May 12, 2018

New politically charged Bouncing Souls song

Posted in MP3s on January 27, 2017

Recently-posted album reviews

The Library Is On Fire

Degeneration Elegies
The Abyss, Ltd. (2026)

There’s a certain kind of band that never quite fits the moment they arrive in. Sometimes too jagged for one scene, too melodic for another. The Library Is On Fire were one of those bands in the early 2000s, hovering somewhere between indie-punk urgency and power-pop instinct without fully settling into either. On Degeneration Elegies, their first full-length in over … Read more

Nicole Alexis

Mirrors & Smoke
Independent (2026)

There’s a fine line between stripped down music and so stripped back that is sounds empty. On Mirrors and Smoke, Nicole Alexis lands comfortably on the right side of that line, delivering a debut EP that leans into simplicity without losing its emotional weight. Built around acoustic arrangements and minimal production, the EP feels intentionally close. It feels like these … Read more

The Remote Controls

Too Tough
Fail Harmonic Records, Mom’s Basement Records (2025)

There’s a certain kind of punk band that doesn’t overthink things. No reinvention, no genre-bending manifesto, just fast songs, big hooks, and enough attitude to carry it all. Indianapolis’ The Remote Controls lean hard into that tradition on Too Tough, a record that feels less like a statement and more like a well-earned victory lap. Built on a steady diet … Read more