SICKWALT "Maxxed" EP

By Dr. Abner Mality

SICKWALT is Walt Novak, a rock and roller from Queens, New York who's whipped up this 5 track injection of modern hard rock, While Walt provides the vocals, everything else is done by Max Capshaw, whose impressive resume includes SICK OF IT ALL, MURPHY'S LAW and H20. Capshaw has since moved on from the project, which is quite a bit more mainstream than the New York Hardcore of his past.

This is not gonna change the world or even make much of a dent in things, but there's an upbeat and happy tone to the simple music which is sorely needed in the miserable times in which we live. I do have to say the record has a superb production, with each instrument coming across crystal clear. Opening track "Oh Weh Ha" captures the cheerful vibe right away and has a sound that to me has a more commercial 90's grunge feel without the gloom. "Truth Trader" is another fast, peppy cut before "Heart of A Buffalo" calms things down with a low key blues rock approach that reaches back to the 70's. "Your Lies" is like rockabilly boosted up a notch with some great guitar soloing while "My Street" caps things off with a punky song where Capshaw's roots are a bit more obvious.

This is a modest but entertaining effort designed to get your brain off the war in Ukraine and endless social media bitching for a few minutes...nothing wrong with that!

SICKWALT