Sunderland's finest bring out their third album on Serial Bowl Records
I’ve managed to catch Slalom D in a live scenario once, and that was on the Empress Ballroom stage at Rebellion Festival in 2025. It was no mean feat having to open that stage, and they did a sterling job. This Sunderland-based band formed in 2017, and it was soon very evident that this band could write a good tune. Fiona Duncan puts over their socio-political lyrics brilliantly, as only the best front person in a band can. I look forward to catching them again, but in the meantime, I have their brand-new album ‘I Choose My Own Way To Burn‘ to listen to, which makes this the third long-player release from the band.
‘I Choose My Own Way To Burn‘ is being released by Serial Bowl Records, who have a reputation for putting out top quality records. Fiona Duncan also designed the album’s front cover art, and the image of a solitary white rose immediately draws you in. The songs encompass a healthy balance of social commentary, history and politics, and the title of the album was inspired by Sophie Scholl, which reflects Slalom D’s “long-standing commitment to inclusion, fairness and freedom.”
Slalom D consists of:
Fiona Duncan – Vocals
Tony Lindstedt – Bass
Iain Murray – Drums
Antony Bircham – Guitar
Lisa Lindstedt – Keyboards
‘I Choose My Own Way To Burn‘ starts off strong with an almost post-punk sounding song called, ‘Fascist Epidemic‘, and let’s face it, there is a worldwide epidemic of those going on at the moment. It’s a song about resistance and hope, in a world where misguided hate and manipulation by so-called politicians and the media are currently dividing us. The song begins with a chant and the sound of keyboards, as the band urge us to “protect ourselves from the fascist epidemic.” The vocals are tuneful and come over loud and clear. I’m happy to say Slalom D have a gigantic sound on this album!
Lisa Lindstedt‘s keyboards really set this band apart, giving an additional depth to their sound, and that is exemplified on the next track, ‘Varla‘. This song is an ode to a leather-clad female film character who features in Russ Meyer’s cult movie classic, ‘Faster, Pussycat! Kill! KIill!’ She’s an iconic character who was played by Tura Satana, and this song is a cool tribute to a formidable female force in the movies. “Varla’s death on wheels!”
Speaking of powerful female figures, the next song is called ‘Medusa‘. This tune has a brighter feel, with a chugging guitar in the verses before its catchy, sing-along chorus hits. A chorus that a band like The Skids would be happy with.
Up next is one of my favourites on the album, ‘Harbour Walls‘. This song is a slightly poppier proposition and would make a great next single. It’s about having pride in the place you were brought up in, and the chorus is extremely heartfelt. Fiona sings, “It’s not always pretty”, but it is also essentially “a harbour in the storm.” It even has a break towards the end that reminds me of New Model Army with the dramatic heights it reaches for:
‘Same Refrain‘ is a song that always gets me. It’s another melodic, heartfelt song, which I believe is about giving your elders and close ones your time of day. As we know, life can be fleeting, and those people won’t be there forever. It’s a reminder to value those moments. “Hold my hand. Take me with you,” they sing. This song will tug at your heartstrings, and it’s another album highlight for me:
‘White Rose‘ is up next, and it’s the song where the album title gets a mention towards the end. “I Choose My Own Way To Burn” is actually a quote from Sophie Scholl, a young German anti-fascist during World War II, who was put to death in her early 20’s for peacefully protesting against the Nazi regime. She and her friends formed a non-violent resistance group called White Rose, which is of course what this song refers to. A gentle keyboard introduces this song, and there’s a prominent bassline that runs through it. It gives ‘White Rose‘ an almost gothic-rock feel, complete with chiming guitars courtesy of Antony Bircham. “We will not be silenced,” Fiona sings, “We will not be still.”
‘Bloody Mary‘ begins eerily with the sound of rain and distant ships. Violins inhabit this folk-tinged song, which is based on local folklore, and possibly the first known female serial killer in England. As Fiona says, “Mary Ann Cotton was possibly Britain’s first known serial killer, and she’s said to haunt our local pub. We were brought up singing rhymes about her and being scared of her ghost. Ha, ha!” It’s a great little song that’s full of atmosphere, where the refrain, “Mary, she wanders through cobbled streets”, will haunt your mind until the next song comes along.
‘Cosmic Light‘ is another great number, and one I remember from the band’s live set. It’s an uplifting song which gives a big nod to the trans community, as the band urge you to “be yourself in the cosmic light”. It’s also a wake-up call to the ignorant and stubborn, where they sing, “Isn’t it time you caught up?” A distinctive keyboard sound runs through this tune, as well as a nice bass break, which literally gets a bit.. well, ‘cosmic’..
‘Eagle High‘ reminds me of a more modern-day Killing Joke, with its bass line played high up the fretboard by Tony Lindstedt. ‘Merci Madame‘ has a more mellow gothic feel, and its sentiment and lyrics are in solidarity with Gisèle Pelicot who bravely stood up in court to ensure that her husband and his fellow abusers were brought to justice (“Head held high, you ignore the circus”). It’s another poignant song where the lyrics say it all – “You handled yourself with pride. The shame has changed its side”:
We are now getting to the end of the album, but not before we’re hit with two more songs. The first one is called ‘Get In The Van‘, which is about the trials and tribulations of being in a band, and the waiting around it entails. The last song is titled ‘Jerusalem‘, and it is melancholic in an almost Joy Division manner. Some male vocals feature on this song too, before the song gets rowdy, creating a fitting end to a great album. Slalom D have succeeded in writing a brilliant set of songs with plenty to say, all put across in an intelligent way.
‘I Choose My Own Way To Burn‘ comes on white vinyl, with lavish cover artwork, and also includes a nicely printed, heavy-duty lyric booklet. A CD version and download are also available. Do yourselves a favour and grab your copy from HERE
Main Photo Credit: RUTH RAE
- Fascist Epidemic
- Varla
- Medusa
- Harbour Walls
- Same Refrain
- White Rose
- Bloody Mary
- Cosmic Light
- Eagle High
- Merci Madame
- In The Van
- Jerusalem
Follow Slalom D on Their Socials:
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Album Review: Slalom D release ‘I Choose My Own Way To Burn’, giving us a lesson in melodic punk rock with a heart
Slalom D, Sunderland’s finest, bring out their third album on Serial Bowl Records. Tilte ‘I Choose My Own Way To Burn’ comes from a quote
EP Review: mirabelle. remind us it’s OK to not be OK in new 4-track ‘LOSERS’
This September, heavy pop punks mirabelle. are dropping their new four-track EP ‘LOSERS’ via French label BANSHIES, and they’re calling it their “most ambitious release
Exclusive interview: Ruts DC’s Segs on new EP ‘Bound In Blood’
Yes, Ruts DC are about to release their first ever EP, ‘Bound In Blood’ – read what Segs has to say about the songwriting, the
Live review: Hot Flushes/High Voltage gig – fun and fundraising for The Menopause Charity!
Eastfield, The Duel, Cherry & Peesh, Marie and the Meltdownz, and Dinosaur Skull do MoonPunx proud at their end-of-season show at Camden’s Fiddler’s Elbow, raising
Album review: Stabbitha & The Knifey Wifeys sharpen up with brand new release!
What a tantalizing name for a band! Stabbitha & The Knifey Wifeys have just released a brand-new album, ‘Disgust’, and my attention was well and
Live review: Chelsea / Desperate Measures / Rage DC at Facebar, Reading 28/08/26
Tonight, the indomitable Mannie of Shake Some Acton heads west to bring together local, national and international Punk bands to entertain us; Rage DC, Desperate
I have been writing reviews for Brighton & Hove News, and more recently Vive Le Rock magazine for a few years now. Previously, I could be spotted playing drums for many a band over the decades. A noisy habit developed whilst wearing short trousers at school, and one that has had me touring around the UK and Europe. Punk rock is my life, but I am also quite eclectic. I am an avid gig go-er and music devourer, and can feel out of sorts if a gig date is not on the horizon. I have also been known to put gigs on myself in order to fill those gaps.
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
