Janus Stark – Great Adventure Cigar (1998)

Great Adventure Cigar may be Janus Stark's debut, yet one can't help but notice the authentic punk sounds and instantly memorable vocal melodies on display throughout. The reason is obvious -- Janus Stark is not a "new" band. The trio paid their dues as the cult band English Dogs in the '80s, and after a hiatus, decided to give it another go in the late '90s under a new name. Although guitarist Gizz Butt is familiar to fans of Prodigy (he recorded and toured with the band for their breakthrough Fat of the Land release), there is absolutely nothing in common musically between Prodigy and Janus Stark. Janus picks up where English Dogs left off, and the first four tracks are classic slabs of pop-punk at its finest -- "Enemy Lines," "Panic Attack," "Every Little Thing Counts," and "Floyd, What Are You On?" The rest of the album is enjoyable as well, and highly recommended to fans of such '90s punk revivalists Green Day, Rancid, and the Offspring.