Here’s me doubting using the phrase “traditional punk rock,” because wouldn’t punk castoff anything deemed traditional? Yet I feel the term punk is loosely thrown about these days, compared to its original ethos. Much of the sneaker and drainpipe crowd-surfing youngsters barely relates to the sound and attitude of the Pistols or Ramones.
While I’m a little behind, and smell like one too, Svart Records released Snake Pit Therapy on 17th of September, legendary NYC rocker Sonny Vincent is something we have to mention, because it’s loud, dangerous and pretty much nails the aforementioned oxymoron, “traditional punk rock.”

Born in New York City and raised on its streets and in its clubs, Sonny Vincent is infamous from NYC punk early fire-starters Testors, who from ‘75 to ’79 were attitude-laden fixtures on the CBGB and Max’s Kansas City scenes. An extraordinarily prolific artist, active since the late 60s, Sonny has released numerous albums collaborating with members of the Stooges, Dead Boys, The Damned, Husker Du, The Replacements, Rocket From The Crypt and releasing four albums with the Velvet Underground’s Moe Tucker. He recently collaborated with Pentagram’s Bobby Liebling in the new supergroup The Limit, whose Caveman Logic album was released in the spring.
Snake Pit Therapy maintains the rawness of real-deal blazing protopunk with heaps of psychedelia and hard rock, all taken to the edge with Vincent’s naked aggression, passionate voice and his trademark caustic guitar. Yet scrupulousness rides this razor-sharp rock n roll testament, because Vincent’s life and antics are more than legend; they are real, as documented in his recent memoirs, bearing the same title as this very album.
In and out of homes for bad kids, committed to the psych ward for observation and forcibly conscripted into a tour of duty in Vietnam courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corp, Vincent’s experience of wild and tough living has awarded his songs hardness with humanity. Sincerity without mawkishness, Snake Pit Therapy is glorious rock ‘n’ roll with an edge that’ll slice your finger clean off.
For this, I’ll say, at first it was a hard pill to swallow, blasting it straight in your face when I was in somewhat of a laidback mood, rather Snake Pit Therapy grows on me like a wart with each listen, and if you’re looking for rage without cliché or irrationality, you’ve come to right album.
It was ten tracks into this fifteen-track indestructible primal scream when I was smitten, Japan Mofo, has the start stop of blues-riffed rock n roll, while retaining the ferociousness of previous tracks. Yet it’s the earlier driving rock tune, The End of Light which is the first single released, Never Tired follows, which a heart-ripped-open chorus, is having it.

Note, if you’re expecting it calm down, you’ll be disappointed until the final song, Forest offers a slightly mellowed psychedelic tenet, in comparison with the rest, still though this is verging on metal at times, inline with his recently formed heavy punk-metal band The Limit, featuring Bobby Liebling of Pentagram, and garnering glowing reviews worldwide.
So yeah, while a tad weighty for me, I still see it’s quality and know there’s a lot of people who are going locally who’ll love this, and I do too, when I’m in the raging like of mood, which has been known to happen for anything as long as thirty seconds! In the past, I reached for Iggy Pop, he now will have competition.


Trending…..

REVIEW – Devizes Arts Festival 2022
A Great Festival – Now What About The Future? Andy Fawthrop Well, the 2022 Devizes Arts Festival has now drawn to its successful close. Thanks … Continue reading “REVIEW – Devizes Arts Festival 2022”

Timid Deer; back with more Melodies for the Nocturnal
Salisbury may be a grey area for us, we don’t get to hear a great deal about the music scene there. I guess they have … Continue reading “Timid Deer; back with more Melodies for the Nocturnal”

Weekend Roundup: 30th June – 3rd July 2022
Full throttle into July, then; here’s what the weekend looks like around these parts. These parts of cultural void, so it’s claimed, we say otherwise…. … Continue reading “Weekend Roundup: 30th June – 3rd July 2022”

REVIEW – Tamsin Quin & Vince Bell @ The Southgate, Devizes – Sunday 26th June 2022
300 and still counting! Andy Fawthrop Is it really (not that) long? Debs suddenly realised over the weekend that this was the 300th gig that … Continue reading “REVIEW – Tamsin Quin & Vince Bell @ The Southgate, Devizes – Sunday 26th June 2022”

REVIEW – Fulltone Strings @ Town Hall, Devizes – Sunday 26th June 2022
Four Seasons In One Day Andy Fawthrop There’s no respite if you’re into your culture in D-Town these days. Fresh off the back of the … Continue reading “REVIEW – Fulltone Strings @ Town Hall, Devizes – Sunday 26th June 2022”

Miracle at MantonFest!
Ah yeah, Paul McCartney whisked Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl out of his hat at Glasto, and no one can top that, no one dare … Continue reading “Miracle at MantonFest!”

REVIEW – Sarah C Ryan Band @ The Southgate, Devizes – Saturday 25th June 2022
Another Great Find Andy Fawthrop Ah – you never know what life is going to throw up at you till it smacks you right in … Continue reading “REVIEW – Sarah C Ryan Band @ The Southgate, Devizes – Saturday 25th June 2022”

Inspire Warminster; Free Live Music on Sunday
Skewered, the adverse replies to my Facebook post a month ago, asking for suggestions on how to kill a few hours in Warminster; it was … Continue reading “Inspire Warminster; Free Live Music on Sunday”

REVIEW – Devizes Arts Festival – Alfie Moore’s Fair Cop Unleashed @ Corn Exchange 24th June 2022
Criminal Humour Andy Fawthrop The Devizes Arts Festival left it late in their programme to unleash one of its comedy big guns Friday night, but … Continue reading “REVIEW – Devizes Arts Festival – Alfie Moore’s Fair Cop Unleashed @ Corn Exchange 24th June 2022”

REVIEW – Devizes Arts Festival – The Second Best Bed @ The Merchant Suite 23rd June 2022
The Plays What She Wrote Andy Fawthrop The Devizes Arts Festival’s presentation last night was a right little gem.… Alright, it definitely helped if you … Continue reading “REVIEW – Devizes Arts Festival – The Second Best Bed @ The Merchant Suite 23rd June 2022”