A relentlessly driving album, Adicción, Tradición, Revolución could've used a couple more tracks like the lighter "Smile Now, Cry Later." As that track proves, Voodoo Glow Skulls are as good at subtlety as they are at creating exciting volatility. The horns are Spanish-tinged for the hardcore rant "Día de los Muertos," while "We Represent" and "Musical Pollution" are later-album standouts in the same propulsive vein. "Ghettoblaster" stutters into its upbeat, classicist skacore groove after a Clockwork Orange vamp, while "Mayhem and Murder" and "Smile Now, Cry Later" ably present two sides of the band's sound, the former unleashing a steely guitar line, while the latter is flavored with an easygoing Studio One lilt. But none of that matters to their fans, and there's more than enough here to please. Yes, Voodoo Glow Skulls still have a bit of trouble filling out a whole album. When it comes to Voodoo, the biggest change was the departure of the band’s original lead singer in 2017. Yes, there are limitations to the skacore sound. A lot has happened in the world and with Voodoo Glow Skulls since the release of their last full-length in 2012.
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While other groups have added increased elements of pop to update their sound. Theyve also continued chasing the same muse, as Southern California Street Music delivers the same punky punch as its seven predecessors. "We did not use protools or any other computer programs to record this album," the liners state, and the stance is another illustration of the band's proud, almost defiant aesthetic stance. After 10 years of accenting Voodoo Glow Skulls ska-influenced punk-rock with occasional four-letter words, Casillas kept it clean on the bands fourth album, The Band Geek Mafia. Enter Voodoo Glow Skulls, whove soldiered through the decades with most of their original lineup (and original energy) intact. The guitars are thick and gritty, the drum sound is way past live, and the horns tingle with treble. Whereas 2002's Steady as She Goes suffered from weak production, VGS get it right with Adicción. The longstanding Inland Empire combo returns to Victory Records for Adicción, Tradición, Revolución, their seventh album and latest blast of hardcore-derived chording smashing into punchy horn charts and the raucous, often bilingual vocal chants of Frank. They might not innovate, but they always entertain. While the aggressive, energetic, sometimes sophomoric hybrid of skacore is limited by the very traits that make it great, Voodoo Glow Skulls continue to make strong albums. You have to respect a band for sticking with it.