The fusion of folk and punk has always been an explosive combination, and no more so than in the measures that Ferocious Dog mix. Fuelled by a sense of indignity and injustice, the band have been setting venues aflame for many years have left a trail of stellar albums in their wake. In a scene where insincerity can be a band’s death knell, Ferocious Dog have not only survived, but gone from strength to strength. Kleptocracy finds the group at the peak of their powers delivering a career-defining album, and one that will withstand the ravages of time.
If there was any doubt as to the band’s urgency and vigour then they are immediately put to rest by opening shot ‘Witch Hunt’. It gets straight down to business with a nifty jig, and then the band are off; doing what they do best to deliver a rabble-rousing anthem that threatens to blow the backs off my speakers. It’s the musical equivalent of a primed bomb; the taper has been lit and when the guitar and drums kick in, the song explodes and sends shards of sonics spraying in every direction. It sets the tone for the rest of the album as the band send all needles towards the red, yet there’s also a moment of calm, a slightly surreal interlude of what I can only describe as “folk dub” to inject light, a few seconds for the listener to take stock, before the band step back on the pedal for more explosive punk. It’s a juxtaposition that works rather well and signposts an interesting listen that’s full of surprises.
For some bands a constantly rotating line-up can have a destabilising effect, but for Ferocious Dog it has had a galvanising impact, a rejuvenation that ensures things remain fresh. While it’s true that the band aren’t reinventing the wheel, to call them generic would be highly disrespectful. Each of the band’s albums has its own unique feel, and Kleptocracy is no exception. It’s a record more in tune with their live show, and it swings as such. You get the feeling that these songs are going to go down a storm when performed on their upcoming tour, but moreover, there’s an excitement to these tracks that only comes from a rowdy gig and Kleptocracy is probably the closest you’ll come to having Ferocious Dog playing in your living room.
From Celtic folk to hardcore punk, Kleptocracy is an album that pulls all of the constituent parts that make up a Ferocious Dog album and pulls them into a cohesive whole. Despite the often harrowing lyricism that comprises this album, the overarching feeling which this album generates is uplifting. There’s a kind of defiant rage that bursts from the grooves, and cuts such as ‘Darker Side Of Town’ position Ferocious Dog as a kind of vigilante superhero. With it’s cool bass run, ‘Matty Groves’ gives more than a nod to Rancid, but on the whole Ferocious Dog come across like no one but themselves. Kleptocracy is the sound of the mob with its back to the wall, but if you’re going down, at least go down fighting.
Kleptocracy proves that there’s plenty of life in the old (Ferocious) Dog.
- Kleptocracy is released via Graphite Records on 17th May 2024 (available here).
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Track List:
- Witch Hunt
- SUS Laws
- Kleptocracy
- Iron Mike Malloy
- Merthyr Rising
- A Place We Call Home
- Blood Soaked Shores
- Darker Side Of Town
- Matty Groves
- Running With The Hounds
- Moby Dick
- Anger On The Streets
