THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?

Perth melodic punk quartet The Decline’s album “Are You Gonna Eat That?” follows its predecessor with their signature punk sound and social awareness, delving deeper into the evolution of relationships and the life of a touring band. Drawing their influences from such bands as Frenzal Rhomb, Lagwagon, Less Than Jake and many more of the 90s skate punk bands, “Are You Gonna Eat That?” is another melodic punk gem from The Decline. facebook.com/thedeclinemusic
Pressing:
1000 x CDs
250 x Frosted Clear Vinyl w/ Splatter – SOLD OUT

<a href="https://peerecords.bandcamp.com/album/are-you-gonna-eat-that">Are You Gonna Eat That? by THE DECLINE</a>

REVIEWS:
BLUNT Issue #106
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
This is the second full-length from Perth’s The Decline, and the second to have the word “Gonna” in it’s title. To begin with, this has the best album cover of the year. No question. And the disc inside isn’t bad either; near-non-stop 90’s So Cal pop punk with an Aussie accent. It’s completely unoriginal (think Lagwagon, Propagandhi before they went prog etc.) but it’s expertly beaten out, and done with a sense of humour as well as lyrics that ouldn’t be out of place in a PETA pamphlet. The sense of melody on Are You Gonna Eat That reminds of No Use For A Name (e.g. “Showertime In The Slammer”), and Jason Livermore’s done a fantastic job with the mix (of course…). This album is solid but run-of-the-mill pop punk, but the album cover alone raises it quite a bit.
Rating: 3.5/5 – Review by: Brett Balinski

Some Will Never Know [UK]
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
I see this band has a ‘Nate Dawg’ in their ranks. UK hardcore anoraks may recall a UK band called The Decline that were around for 37 seconds in 2003 and also had a similarly named member. Anyhow, this ‘The Decline’ are Bad Religion style pop punk from Perth, Australia, who also give more than a casual nod to the frantic pace and immaculate songwriting of Lagwagon. As you’d expect then, they crank out the perfect soundtrack for a summer spent skateboarding and hanging out in the sun. Twelve hook ridden pop punk anthems reside on this CD, some smooth and slick, some fidgety and erratic, all of them solid. ‘Shit Yeah’ is my particular favorite. What is also encouraging is that despite the boundless youthful energy captured in these tracks, the inlay card depicts a band that look completely fucking knackered and in the throes of some serious sleep depravation, quite possibly so that they could bring you this CD in the first place.
Rating: 75/100 – Review by: McKee

ThePunkSite.com [Canada]
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
Controversial artwork pushed The Decline’ Are You Gonna Eat That? out in front of the pile of CDs I had to review and I quickly threw it in to see what this unknown band from Australia could deliver. It turns out that they were well worth the attention the artwork garnered them as Are You Gonna Eat That? immediately brought me back to when I first started getting into the whole punk rock game. For at that time, Epitaph were the kings of the punk world. Their brand of melodic skate-punk was unmatched and each album was created with great anticipation. The Decline reminds me of those days, as they stick to the melodic skate-punk mold perfectly. It’s a modern day No Fun At All mixed with an Australian accent akin to Frenzhal Rhomb. Their breakneck drumming points towards that of Lagwagon or early Millencolin while more than just their name reminds me of NOFX. On Excuse Me they pull in some modern references with a verse that would fit nicely in a Set Your Goals album but otherwise, they stick mostly to the balls-to-the-walls skate-punk. Harsh vocals on tracks like Human Exports sound like Antillectual while harmonies on Worlds Apart II make you instantly want to sing along with the politically driven lyrical message. A tight bass line opens up The Financial Equivalent Of A Complete Rectal Exam nicely before they jump into one of the more fun tracks on the album, with layered vocals mocking bands like Farewell in a ever so subtle way; while the bass intro to Rooftops is pulled directly from 88 Finger Louie. 66B is NOFX mixed with Strung Out with the catchiest bridge of the album. Even the slow acoustic ballad 2006 throws back to Yellowcard with the violin and female vocals. While the musical structure of the album is by far the highlight here – they’re socio-political message comes through in a rather positive way as well. Touching on animal rights, immigration and child labour, Are You Gonna Eat That? entices the listener to open up the lyric booklet and read a little deeper (like One Win Choice) and that adds yet another facet to the album. The Decline sing about touchy subjects in a well written manner and wrap those lyrics in a energetic punk rock package that deserves to heard by anyone who calls themselves a fan of the mid-nineties skate-punk scene.
Rating: 3.5/5 – Review by: Bobby Gorman

Idle and the Bear [USA]
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
The Decline, in short, rock out. They play melodic punk with a powerful backbone and clever lyrics. Oh, and I love Australian accents. It’s pretty much just a winning situation across the board. This album was released in September on Pee Records. RIYL Frenzal Rhomb, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, Millencolin. This is a great album. How have I not heard this earlier, seriously? It’s awesome. Every time I think a record that gets sent to me is the BEST THING EVER, something else comes along… And I realize that maybe it wasn’t the best thing ever. And maybe this is the best thing ever. But I have a feeling this CD will end up playing in the car for a while…. It’s great. It’s like the Aussie DC Fallout. The first song hooks me right away with the pounding bass, strong vocals, and creative guitar patterns. And then, I found out that all the songs were like that. Woah, right? The lyrics are a great mix of extremely well educated, clever, thought provoking, and sometimes, just FUN. I’m a sucker for social awareness and accents… Have I mentioned that already? There are songs like “The Financial Equivalent of a Complete Rectal Exam,” “A Crash Course in Emotional English,” and “Showertime in the Slammer” that we can all find something to relate to in it. Speaking of “Showertime…”, it’s one of the many songs on this album that includes some audio clips. That I don’t recognize, which is strange. I will give my first child to the first person to cite all of these things for me. “Worlds Apart II” says my name in it. That’s my favorite part. Granted, it’s only the first half of my name, which is really only used by a little less than half of the people in my life, but still, it made me giggle. The song itself is also badass. It’s one of those songs that makes you think, watch out. The rest of the songs are pretty much either A) Really sweet and clearly for someone special, like “Addison.” or B) politically charged awesome magic-glitter. And by that, I mean these are some really intelligent guys trying to get a great point across through punk rock and a little bit of fun. Idle and I want to cover “2006” more than anything. That’s all I have to say about that. Overall, if you’re wondering if you should buy this album, the answer is: hell yes.

PunkRockTheory.com [Belgium]
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
I never heard of these guys before, but The Decline is an Australian punkrock band who have just released their second full-length. “Are You Gonna Eat That?” comes with a controversial yet funny cover which pretty much tells you exactly what the band is about. The tuneage on here is fun enough yet always comes with a message about how we’re fucking up our society when we’re not too busy fucking up another relationship. It’s all very fast, very tight and very melodic and it would’ve made perfect sense on the 90s roster of Fat Wreck. So yeah, hardly original but you just don’t hear this kind of straight-forward punk rock enough these days. So kudos to them!
Review by: Thomas – Score: 7 out of 10

Lights Go Out Zine [UK]
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
Bloody awesome melodic punk rock from Australia. Skate punk in style with some damn hard hitting tunes. Tight and melodic with some real big, catchy choruses chucked in for good measure. There’s massive hints of Frenzal Rhomb, NoFx and No Use For A Name, fans of those bands will really love this record. Luckily for The Decline, I do indeed fall into this category and therefore I totally dig this album. Their sound is very full, the guitars just right at that fast paced skate feel. I’d be well keen to check them out live. More proof that Australia really does have some damn sweet bands kicking about. Maybe I need to head over there sometime…seriously though, check this album out, it’s a stonker!

Chucking A Mosh
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
There are a few types of people that we really enjoy in Australia. First of all we love an underdog, its in our nature to back the biggest looser I the hope that they will get up and have a win. Second, we love the larrikin. It doesn’t matter what your social standing is, if you can make people laugh, the public will love you. Look at Dave Hughes, absolutely talentless human being, but, because he can make people laugh at how bad he is, the general public love him. While being funny and adding music can’t always work, musicians that are funny are amazing and Perth’s The Decline have that down with their new album. Ripping their way out of the sun soaked city of Perth, The Decline are this generations version of the comical, yet tight as a fishes asshole, punk rock experience. This genre has been comfortably covered by a band that a few of you may have experienced in the past, they go by the name Frenzal Rhomb. The band has been around for a while now and after playing alongside some of the countries best punk bands, its now time to unleash another album upon the masses. Are You Going To Eat That? Doesn’t mess around racing straight into ‘A Crash Course in Emotional English’ with a pretty little vocal harmonies. This is backed straight up by a racing punk smashed together with a flurry of riffs driving towards the ever catchy choruses where vocal melodies set in and things get exciting. This is a solid formula for the band with most tracks ending up stuck in your head for a few hours after one listen through. Good song structuring and a series of comedic audio samples smattered throughout the album keep things from getting monotonous and are sure to incite many a drunken circle pit in listeners lounge rooms this summer. While this record is fresh and modern sounding, the band has gone about this album by leading back towards some of the now older style fast punk bands for tones. Everything has such high clarity but in a driving fashion. The clarity on the guitars works well on tracks that are slightly more technical, such as ‘Showertime in the Slammer’ and ‘66B’, but this also works well as the vocal melodies shine through so much more in the verses. Vocally this record is very impressive. The duelling vocals between Pat and Daniel are a treat to be able to listen too. Their styles compliment each other perfectly and when the harmonies do kick in your kidding yourself if your mot trying to sing along with them. To be honest I wasn’t really sure what I was going to be getting when I received this album, but after a week in my car, Are You Going To Eat That? Was high on my CD rotation. Where comical punk bands can often go a bit to far, or be a bit shit musically, The Decline have hit the mark as much as you can hit it, and have managed to put together one of the best punk albums I’ve heard this year. Rating: 24/28 days

BlackMunk
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
Melodic punk is a genre of music that appeals to all types of music fans. From the likes of The Offspring, Unwritten Law, and our home grown favourites Frenzal Rhomb, melodic punk’s reach is massive. That is why album number two from Perth’s The Decline, ‘Are You Gonna Eat That?’ has every chance of success. Did we forget to mention how much fun the album is to listen to? Do you enjoy sing-alongs? Better question, who doesn’t enjoy sing-alongs? Exactly no one. The Decline pack every corner of every song with harmonies and melodies. Second track off the album, ‘Showertime In The Slammer’, is the standout track and will win over all punk fans. The tag team vocals of bassist Dan Cribb and guitarist Pat Decline ensure that the songs never get boring or lose energy. The Decline prove with songs such as ‘Worlds Apart II’ and ‘Human Exports’, that they have a serious side and want to sing songs about real world issues. One thing is for certain, album number two from these Perth punks does not disappoint. ‘Are You Gonna Eat That?’ is out now through Pee Records. Ask yourself these questions: Do you enjoy fun music? Sing-alongs with mates? Music with a message? And finally…what is stopping you from buying this CD? Rating: 7/10

Bombshellzine.com
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
It took me a while to get into these guys last album, it’s since become a favourite, so was keen to see what this new full length from these Perth guys was like. Pleased to report that this one takes no time to get into. It’s a bit less novelty (not lost altogether though!) and a slightly more mature album, usually that’d sound like a a bad thing, but it still contains the fun filled brand of punk rock they’ve made themselves known for. Musically they’ve stepped it up too, everything seems a lot tighter and the vocals stronger. Plenty of highlights, a few familiar guests and the end result is one high quality album from start to finish. If you like your fast, catchy punk rock, sung without a forced American accent and some sharp lyrics that make memorable choruses, then you probably already know of these guys, but if not, then get onto this one, it’s a ripper.

Kill Your Stereo
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
I don’t think there has been a more hilariously controversial album cover released this year than the one for Perth band The Decline’s second record, ‘Are You Gonna Eat That?’ Upon listening to the album however, the cover seems fitting as The Decline’s brand of punk rock is fun and light hearted but with an underlying message which you can take or leave. The Decline have been doing some heavy touring around the country in support of their debut full length ‘I’m Not Gonna Lie To You’ topping it all off with the new release which should cement them as one of the finer DIY punk bands in the country. The record kicks off with the fast paced A Crash Course In Emotional English, and to be fair the pace never really slows down for the duration of the album. The rhythm section is locked in, playing with the prowess of a band who have spent a fair bit of time together with the dirty guitars busting power chords a plenty in true punk fashion. This is followed by Showertime In The Slammer which has an old school Offspring feel to it thanks to the direct guitar riffs and darker tones. The dual vocal work of Dan Cribb and Pat Decline creates a form of aggression and strength that make the vocals more of a feature than they usually are in skate punk such as this. The lyrical content is surprisingly serious touching on topics such as society, relationships and touring life, which has obviously been the band’s main reality of late. The pace and structures of the songs tend not to change up too much which makes the mid-section of the record blend into itself a little but the ears will prick back up again when the melodies of Worlds Apart II kick in. The album ends with Addison another speedy number with long soaring melodies and great harmonies. CONCLUSION: The Decline have the ability to deliver important messages in a super fun way and ‘Are You Gonna Eat That?’ is full of well written, and recorded, punk rock tracks that deserve to be heard, and seen, when the band comes to a venue near you, probably soon.
KYS Rating. 80 – Review by: LukeC

News Hit
THE DECLINE – Are You Gonna Eat That?
After releasing one of the best records of 2010, Perth based punk rockers The Decline has already assembled another batch of top notch tracks to unleash upon the world. Playing a style of hard hitting skatepunk which is as powerful lyrically as it is musically, the group’s sophomore album Are You Gonna Eat That? proves The Decline are far more than one-trick ponies. From a musical perspective, The Decline have picked up pretty much where they last left off with I’m Not Gonna Lie To You. Fast tempos, galloping drums and blistering guitar leads are all the norm throughout Are You Gonna Eat That?, with the group happily showing off the influence that established acts like Frenzal Rhomb and Lagwagon have had on their sound over the years. Whilst some of the more oddball moments of I’m Not Gonna Lie To You, such as the weird tempo changes in “Refujesus” and the cowbell in “Putain De Chaine Alimentaire”, seem to have disappeared from The Decline’s repertoire, the group’s vocal performance truly shines throughout this latest record. Taking on an almost No Use For A Name level of melodicism, the band’s message is thrust to the fore by the commanding performance of co-vocalists Pat and Dan. Lyrically, Are You Gonna Eat That? sees The Decline continue to touch upon socio-political topics like animal rights, immigration and child labour. The latter in particular serves as the muse to the record’s highlight, “Worlds Apart II”, a protest song that segues back and forth between heartfelt and fiery. Other standouts include the hard hitting pair of “Excuse Me” and “Showertime In The Slammer”, as well as the fittingly titled “The Financial Equivalent of a Complete Rectal Exam”. The group has also done a fairly impressive effort on the folk-tinged ballad “2006”, a song made all the more powerful by the inclusion of female backing vocals and a violin. On the whole, Are You Gonna Eat That? is another top shelf effort from The Decline. The instrumentation is tight and engaging, and the group’s vocal work has somehow become even more compelling over the past year. If you are a fan of 90s era skatepunk, this is an essential record. If you are just a fan of good Australian music, this is still an essential record. Verdict: No second album blues in sight for Perth punks The Decline.
9/10 – Review by: Matthew Woodward