Indie Focus: Counter Reset’s self-titled album figures to please fans of punk

It’s crazy to think that Counter Reset‘s self-titled album is their fourth full-length effort. When I initially heard about them, I thought they were a newer punk band, but looking at their discography, they’ve actually been around since 2003. Better late than never.

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The best thing about ‘Counter Reset‘ is the ageless tone that comes across from the release. It’s classic punk rock. The tempos are fast, rhythms never feel the need to slow down, and the vocals fit each verse perfectly.

“Tomorrow” sounds fresh, but also sounds like it could have been released in the early 2000s. Counter Reset are seasoned, talented, and know how to make each song engaging and addictive, and “Everything Is You” features the style’s somewhat signature backing call-out chorus. The song moves from the verse to the chorus quickly, but even though the vocals are sung slower than the instrumentals, it never feels lagging.

Counter Reset don’t feel the need to give the listener any time to catch their breath and quickly move forward. Like many punk bands in South Korea, songs are in English, which always provide a distinct international flavor to the music. The band’s not copying the punk genre or even translating it for South Korea, they’re just presenting the same elements. If anything I hear both American and Japanese punk rock elements in the music. With American punk, the songs are pretty direct, and the Japanese punk influence is through the intricate rhythms that flow from each instrument. It’s tight and each instrument plays an important part for the melody.

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There isn’t anything to dislike for punk rock fans on ‘Counter Reset’ — a hefty album even though it has only 11 tracks and runs 34 minutes — but melodic and pop punk fans will likely enjoy the effort even more. The energy is great and it’s easy to listen to the whole album in one sitting. The strength of Counter Reset is that they know exactly what each song needs and they add no fat.

Most people will likely find Counter Reset from this album and it’s a perfect place to begin.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqW5ItJMyvo

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‘Counter Reset’ Album

“Tomorrow” Song