Antillectual

Damn, did we have a blast at the Rise Against show, or what? Hope tomorrow is gonna be as good as that.

We have some really amazing news to announce. After a lot of requests from people from the USA for the record we can promise you that "Testimony" will be released in the USA, through Jump Start Records. Release date is set on September 23. It will be released on LP only and all copies will include a free digital download of the record. We are "Stoked" to say the least. And it's always nice to get new family members like A Wilhelm Scream, Belvedere, Astpai, Jena Berlin, Stockyard Stoics, One Win Choice, Giving Chase and many more. We will keep you updated on any more details around this release.

Speaking of "Testimony"; we got another nice review in from the respectable punknews.org. check it at their site or on this website. Great to read someone really captured the vibe of the record the way we tried to write it.

By the way, we're still looking for some shows for our July tour. Please help us out if you can! Anything will do.

So long and thanks for all the comments! 

Source

Antillectual, Testimony
2008, No Reason / Fond of Life / Rise or Rust / Infected / Shield / Youth Way

Review by: ThomPunkAheaddotcom

9/10

This album proves why this band are one of Europe's leading punk bands, but it also has me questioning whether or not the best? Personally, though, I can't label one band as the best because Europe's got too many good bands, but this release is certainly one of the best. Among the message carried, the power and superlative passion, they deserve a medal for the effort put in.

Antillectual's always been a keen advocate of bringing along book distros on tours — a regular thing, be sure to see if they're in your area anytime. The booklet included with the CD offers explanations on each song's meaning and helps you realise the strength of lyrics, each providing commentary on political issues, clichés in societies, personal philosophies… It's as if you've been handed a book you want more of with a CD that couldn't be more fitting. Perhaps a stereotypical pessimistic young outlook? Personally, I disagree.

Now, musically (as i'm not writing a review of a book) it seems everything couldn't be more fitting. Their previous full-length Silencing Civilization was good — however, a touch repetitive. Testimony solves that issue offering incredible variation whilst within the boundaries of the unique sound Antillectual have created themselves. Each song provides a different tone whilst portraying a message with a fitting sound be it positive, agressive or even heartfelt passion.

The production also has to be complimented hitting the nail on the head perfectly; having its own unique sound aiding the progression of their passion onto the individual listening, the CD mentions three people involved with mastering and production — I'm not sure who was ultimately responsible — and either way this couldn't have come out sounding better.

Kicking off with the album titled track "Testimony" exploding around you, you're pleasantly decieved with a slow-down a little over halfway through, something you'd expect at the end of an album. The contrast of the piano part to the gruff yet highly melodic and aggressive part, Antillectual provide a stark contrast to their message: 9/11 versus the fall of the Iron Curtain; the beginning of 'an ideological vacuum.'

The explosive "bodies slashed apart, into pieces" introduction of "Friendly Fire" demands answers. The passion held within holds similarities to Propagandhi, as mentioned with their previous full-length; however, the approach is a more melodic European sounding one. Adhesive were loved by many, considered one of the best punk rock bands out of Europe and the comparisons between Antillectual and Adhesive are high – compare the intro of "The Dog Ate It" to Adhesive's "Dividing Lines"; spooky.

I imagine Antillectual are still pretty unknown to many, which is why I feel like I have to mention an overall comparison. Previously I compared Antillectual to "a cross between Propagandhi, Hot Water Music and finally Rise Against" and some others mentioned Strike Anywhere. This isn't really like any other band, which is why it's so damn good. Testimony certainly likens the band to Propagandhi and Hot Water Music.

For me, this release has solidified their sound and uniqueness. It's not like so and so from USA and so and so from Canada — this is Antillectual from Nijmegen, Netherlands playing fucking awesome punk rock and I could happily listen to this album a million times.

The title can mean only one thing, right? And yes indeed, we will be playing the only Dutch show Rise Against does on this tour! Initially they were booked for a gig at the Fields of Rock festival, but since that got cancelled a show was booked at the Oosterpoort in Groningen on June 20. We've double checked our to do list and we're clueless of what's next. Amazing! Stoked! Siked!

And that too, you can interpret in two ways. Because first we would like to thank everybody that showed their support after we had to cancel a part of our upcoming tour in june. Thanks for all warm words in emails, myspace messages and comments. It seems everybody understands our decision and has no hard feelings and that’s good to know. We’ll make it up soon. Promise.

And second of all (you can all stop feeling sorry for us here) we heard we will do the support for Propagandhi, Anti-Flag and Death by Stereo in the upcoming months. If that doesn’t compensate any hurt …

This month we have played with great bands like Strike Anywhere, A Wilhelm Scream and Story of the Year who are big influences on us. But the one band that is our biggest influence ever (plagiarism, anyone?) was still on our “to do list” though, and now finally we will play a show with the almighty Propagandhi. Right now we’re looking for a new number 1 on our to do list. Maybe it is not being sued by those guys after they heard us play? On top of that the show with Anti-Flag will be in the Melkweg, a venue where we visited a shit load of shows ourselves. It’s really great to play there with our own band now.

Anyhow:
With Anti-Flag: June 26; Melkweg in Amsterdam
With Death by Stereo: July 20; Dynamo in Zurich (Switzerland)
With Propagandhi: August 5; JOC De Nartist in Temse (Belgium)

Furthermore, we have done some interviews while we were at the Give It A Name Fest in Milano, Italy and you can find some of that footage here (there’s a report for the Give It A Name Fest too) and here. All in Italian I’m afraid. We also did an interview with La Nariz Roja, a Spanish zine. They will release a sampler with one of our songs on it together with the newest issue. So in case you’re from Spain and interested …

As Riekus already mentioned before we have some new, Testimony-inspired, T-shirts. Check the merchandise section for the design and how to order one. To be complete: you can get our newest album for 5 extra euros if you order a shirt.

And last we found a new review of our Waves 7” in an American zine. Check it out here.

By the way, feel also free to leave a comment on this very website!

Source

The New Scheme issue 17

Antillectual
Waves 7”

Antillectual are from Nijmegen, Netherlands. Waves was released to coincide with their US tour this past summer. They pack six songs onto this 7”, three new songs on the A-side and three from their last full length on side B. The first song especially sounds like the second Propagandhi record, with angry vocals and melodic guitars. The second song, “Sponsorship For Life” is downright catchy, without being repetitive or obvious. It’s probably my favorite here, with gruff (but still on key) vocal lines that are well written and delivered energetically. The rest of the songs find a middleground between the two sounds, collecting influences from mid-90’s anthemic punk and more recent melodic hardcore. All six songs are well constructed, leaning heavily on familiar influences without ever sounding too much like any one band.
Part of me sees this record as naïve, quaint or novel. In reality, it’s none of the above. It’s a genuinely heartfelt collection of six engaging punk rock songs. They are packed onto the record in a way that makes the vinyl sound a bit like the 50th listen on the second time through. And for Antillectual, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

[Anderson]
Square Of Opposition