VITAMIN X is a Hardcore Punk band from Amsterdam in The Netherlands. They were formed in 1997 and thus far have produced 6 studio albums and seven EPs. Now it is time for album number seven to rear its ugly head, and they have named it "Ride The Apocalypse". And as far as being confused is concerned, there is no chance for that, as the Hardcore Punk sounds start coming out of your speakers as soon as you start playing the album. Seventeen fast, furious, direct, short and very obviously to the point songs is what VITAMIN X is giving you in 28:05 minutes. This does mean that you have to stay with the program, because if you forget to pay attention you might just miss a whole song or two. And that would be a tragedy of sorts. But hey, thankfully most players have a repeat button, so you can catch up the next time around.

What I didn't expect from a Hardcore Punk album like "Ride The Apocalypse" is for the sound to be so full, almost Metal to my ears. I'm not complaining, but I had envisaged VITAMIN X to have a higher and lighter sound, giving the inner annoyances that any instrument has in them to be able to show itself. No, this album has a rich and mature sound. And what that does is give me as a Metalhead to enjoy this just as much as a bonafide Punker would do, and in this case, probably does. Because if there is one thing that is sure is that the hardcore Punk on "Ride The Apocalypse" is of a high standard when it comes to entertainment and intensity. These men are going for the throat, from the first second until the last.

As the songs on "Ride The Apocalypse" are rather short, you might assume that they are lacking a good start, a solid body and a proper ending. Well, think again. VITAMIN X doesn't only know how to give you a good time, they also have mastered the writing of good songs that have something to say in the short time they last. And yes, that goes for the musical side as well as the lyrical side. "Genetic Mutation" is a good example of this. The band doesn't need a lot of words to get their message across. "Ride The Apocalypse" might not make it onto my list of the year 2026, what they have done is reignited my interest in Hardcore Punk, and that is simply said due to VITAMIN X being a bloody good band. Nothing more, nothing less.