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Fastlane - New Start

I've been meaning to review this CD for quite some time. Here goes...

From start to finish, this record is nothing short of amazing. Admittedly, it isn't groundbreaking; the likes of New Found Glory and, to a certain extent, Fall Out Boy have been doing this kind of thing for years. But, for me, it's the way Fastlane approach each song with such passion, enthusiasm and energy that it makes them stand out.

These guys are probably the best UK band I've heard. This record is choc-full of catchy hooks, vocal harmonies and more melodies than you could ever begin to imagine. Fastlane mix catchy pop-punk with a harsher, more metal sound and the results speak for themselves. 'Virus' is a cracking way to start off the album and along with 'Eyes Closed' is pop-punk perfection, while the vocal harmonies on 'Summer Falls' stick out like a sore thumb.

If 'Dreaming' fails to have you singing along like a giddy schoolgirl at a Busted (RIP) concert, then 'Elevator' will find it's way into your bloodstream and infect you until you submit. Although the vocals are spot-on throughout, the guitar work really adds an edge and sets Fastlane out from many other bands that peddle pop-punk. Guitar solos are thrown out at will and as a rule of thumb, every song ever written from now on should have one. There's a real metallic edge at times, making the songs sound thick and crunchy.


I can't find a track on this album that I don't like. It's just that good. Unlike most albums having a few 'killer' tracks, every track on 'New Start' is your new favourite song. The stand-out for me being 'Million Times' (the part after the guitar solo ends, and it goes "that don't mean i'll try-Try-TRY" never fails to make me spazz out).

Awesome.

Track Listing:
1. Virus
2. Eyes Closed
3. Summer Falls
4. Dreaming
5. Elevator
6. Comfortable Silence
7. A New Start
8. 3rd Degree
9. Forget What We Were
10. Million Times
11. When It's Over


Rating 5/5
Stand out tracks: 'Million Times', 'A New Start', 'Summer Falls'