On July 31, 2012, punk rock changed forever. For the uninitiated, that’s the day No Use For a Name lead singer Tony Sly died in his sleep. He was arguably one of the best songwriters and vocalists in punk rock. Between his solo music, and music with No Use, Sly helped me navigate through my awkward teens and 20s. To this day, the fact that we’ll never hear new music from Tony Sly gets to me. For a time, I thought The Swellers would pick up where No Use left off, but alas, they broke up.
Now, in 2021, with their new album Dreamers, I feel confident calling melodic skate punk band Chaser the new heir to Tony Sly’s throne.
That declaration holds a lot of weight. I don’t want it to sound like Chaser is just a No Use clone either. They’ve definitely carved out their own sound, but after listening to their new album Dreamers on repeat all week, I get the same goosebumps that I used to get when I heard a No Use For a Name album for the first time.
Having grown up in the epicenter of melodic skate punk, it’s expected for bands forming in Southern California in the early aughts to share some commonalities with Epitaph and Fat Wreck’s heavy hitters. That statement holds true for Chaser as well. If you didn’t know this album came out this year, it would be easy to mistake it as an album that came out alongside some of the best of that era. I’d have no problem putting it up against Pennywise, Bad Religion, Lagwagon, or No Use For a Name. Dreamers holds its own.
Each song on Dreamers feels like a welcome visit from an old friend.
Even when they’re touching on some tougher topics, there’s a sense of hope intertwined within each song. Heavy on the melodies, anthems, and energy, Dreamers will become the album that gives you hope and the power to keep going – no matter how tough things get. If you don’t believe that, just listen to “Always With You,” because the best is yet to come.
Chaser doesn’t feel like a nostalgia act though. Instead, they move the skate punk sound forward in a way that satisfies the purists and brings new fans along for the ride as well.
Just like No Use For a Name, those bands of yesteryear won’t be around forever. As much as you don’t want to hear it, those bands that made punk rock so special in the ’80s and ’90s are getting closer to being done.
On the title track of their Indestructible album, Rancid seems to have it figured out when they said Joe Strummer would live forever through his music. That’s an idea Chaser takes head on with “See You At The Show.” The song touches on the exact scenario I spelled out above. It asks what we’ll all do when our favorite bands call it quits.
“And still we go on our way and we must carry on that torch
That was set ablaze with passion and hard work
This is our time. This is our place. There’s no slowing pace.”
Chaser is poised to lead the charge for the next generation of punk rock. It feels like they’re also ready to take on that challenge head on. After listening to Dreamers, I’m sure you’ll draw the same conclusions I have.
Dreamers is an album that will stick with me for a long time. It’ll also definitely hold a spot in my Top Ten of 2021. Its message of hope and perseverance is one I think will resonate with everyone these days too. Whether you’re trying to find sanity in an infected world, or chasing your dreams, Dreamers offers up hope in times of despair and hardship. It packs everything I love about melodic skate punk into its 38 minute runtime. If you grew up on Epitaph and Fat Wreck Chords, you owe it to yourself to listen to Dreamers. I haven’t felt this energized by a punk band in a very long time. It feels good.
When it’s all said and done, the story of Chaser will be that of one of the premiere punk bands of this generation.