Live albums in the area of punk rock can be quite a gamble. I can’t tell you how many live records I’ve bought from legendary punk bands that came with horrible sound quality, drunken performances and beyond sloppy playing.
This first live record from Seattle’s The Drowns is nothing like that. Captured at the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, UK, these 12 tracks are full of charged energy, raw power and a sort of meticulousness that’s hard to find in the circles they travel. 
The thundering, hard hitting “Black Lung” leads with Jake Margolis’ pounding drums guiding the furious and melodic punk delivery, where frontman Aaron “Rev” Peters’ gruff voice is still tuneful and invite singing-along.
Deeper into the set, “Ketamine & Cola” uses swirling guitars and some retro rock’n’roll spirit that’s suitable for the pit or a dance floor. “Hold Fast” then comes with a darker climate, where Andy Wylie’s precise bass is met with Christian Martucci’s blistering guitar licks.
Halfway through, the wild “Live Like Yer Dyin’” comes with an anthemic quality that could incite a brawl, while “Blacked Out” is just so gritty yet harmonic in an old school punk sort of way.
“Demons” is closer to the end, and offers a scrappy, dare I say “pop-punk” moment, and “Ballroom Blitz,” the lone cover, puts a very fun twist on a classic tune. “Them Rats” closes out the evening, where Peters and Martucci’s driving guitar are complemented by the razor-sharp rhythm section.
Amazingly, this was just the second show with their new guitarist, Martucci, who learned the songs in a couple of weeks. Whether you’re a fan or this is your first time with The Drowns, you’re going to appreciate the catchiness of their street punk, rock’n’roll and intense formula.