Cleveland’s underground skate scene just dropped its most electrifying soundtrack yet: This is Skate Rock, the debut full-length concept album from Violet Ray—a band made up of skateboarders, playing music about skateboarding, for skateboarders. It’s a loud, fast, no-holds-barred tribute to the roots of skate rock, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
The album delivers 12 adrenaline-charged tracks that feel straight out of a concrete bowl in 1986, but with just enough of a modern edge to keep things sharp. Violet Ray taps into that classic 80s skate rock sound—think blazing guitar riffs, breakneck drum hits, and choruses built for shouting mid-air during a kickflip.
From the opening riff to the last cymbal crash, the energy is relentless. Songs burst with a gritty, DIY vibe that captures the spirit of old-school skate videos and zine culture. There’s no over-polishing here, and that’s exactly what makes the album hit so hard. You can practically hear the scuffed decks and busted knuckles in every note.
Standout moments include lightning-speed riffs that’ll get you hyped to drop in, and gang vocals that echo the mantra: Skate army never dies. It’s clear these tracks weren’t written in a studio—they were born on blacktop, refined at backyard ramps, and perfected mid-session.
Violet Ray isn’t just reviving a genre—they’re reminding us that skateboarding and punk have always gone hand-in-hand. Raw, loud, and full of heart, This is Skate Rock is more than an album—it’s a battle cry for the new generation of skaters keeping the flame alive.
If you’re a skater, crank it up. If you’re not, well… maybe it’s time you learned how to push.
By skaters, for skaters. Period.
Violet Ray memebres:
Mike Layton, lead guitar, and backup vocals.
Rich Kaufman, bass.
Billy Somerville, rhythm guitar and lead vocals.
Eric Riehm, Drums.
Violet Ray social media:
Punk Rock Mag 
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