All Hope Remains

All Hope Remains are apparently based in Australia, but I'm finding that hard to believe. Everything from the Euro-English stylings of their name, to the slightly metallic, melancholy-tinged sound screams 'Alienated European punks who grew up listening to Epi/Fat' to me. This isn't the type of Aussie punk that conjures images of board shorts, beers and 'barbies, it's something deeper and more brooding than that. Their latest single 'Hit Rewind' is sure to tickle the fancy of skate punks across the world; the opening snare roll and subsequent harmonic-laden guitar riff rolling back the years to when Ten Foot Pole and Pennywise were hotter than an ill-prepared British tourist walking in the Australian sun. What sets these guys apart is their knack for melody and the clarity of the vocals. Plenty of bands are tight and technical, but few also have hooks that stand out over the flurry of riffs and drums fills that skate punk is heaving with. Check them out here.