During the preparing of new Live by the Sword album, which will be called The Pagan Pantheon, found Wouter (guitar and vocals) this project with people from LBTS (Freek on bass) and God Dethroned (Frank on drums) in line up. Who missed in LBTS songs Wouter´s brutal vocal and who is not satisfied with his “guest” vocals in Voyage to Constantinople from the last album this is directly for him. BUT. This is perfect combination of Razorblade hardness and black/death metal riffs. These riffs can be heard in songs like Allegiance, Throne of Betray (about self proclaimed king who is proud on stolen wealth and fake gold) or in Reborn in Power. Together you may check eight songs including instrumental intro called Preludium. Song Inevitable Fall is originally from Exploring Soldiers Rise album from LBTS but here it with different refrain and whole sound is filthy blackened. There is song called To Ride the Nightsky which is inspired by poem Wild Hunt from Johannes Carsten Hauch. Some songs are more into Razorblade style, just check the first one called Civilisation Ends Here...which is about Saxon resistance against Franks and Romans or To Ride the Nightsky. There is also slower piece – the last one called Saxon Wars with acoustic guitar at the beginning and end which is about united Saxon armies who are resurrected from rivers and forrest and who are going to fight crusaders with the gods of war on their side – for me the best piece from the LP. Album will be out as six panel digipack CD limited to 250 copies or LP on black vinyl with woven patch, also limited to 250 copies. These mixteures of metal and Oi!/streetpunku were there and you may know the bans like Cuero, Plakkaggio HC or Lion´s Pride and I know that this mixture is not everyone´s cup of tea. BUT this is perfect…brutal, straightforward, non-cliché and balls-tearing! Check some songs on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEnyKjCtVk7ZimiykUhAbzg.

Retribution is the title of complete discography of Swedish band Sabotage which is mapping their career between the years 2014 – 2024 and which is out on Nonkonform Media. This is really good news for those who haven´t got record player because almost all of their previously released stuff (except Faderskap I Gråzonen) was just EP´s or LP´s. On CD´s are together 26 songs and 25 are in Swedish (only one English song is When Odin Calls which is English version of Blå Linjen Blues). There are also three covers and two of them are translated from English to Swedish - Kanske Ljuset from Templars and Skitgata from The Rogues. Third one is Stolt och Stark from Ultima Thule. On CD´s are all songs since the first EP Betraktelser Från Staketet to the last one Alla Uppgifter Om Att Motståndet Skall Upphöra Är Falska. The band has really consistent sound through the years and their mother tongue really fits them well. Middle rhythm, nice vocals where you can hear everything, guitars with light booster and solos and playful bass (just check it on Stolt och Stark for example) and last but not least the lyrics which are openly critisizng nowadays society and who are not afraid to call the things with right name (even the mainstream society will not like it)….big thumbs up. Booklet has sixteen pages with all lyrics, many band photos, information about the albums and band ex-members and cheers to all friends, bands and zines (thanks for personal and zine shout ou boys)! I will not rate it because it is just complete discography but it got stuck in my player for quite a few days.

Sabotage from Stockholm are playing for more than ten years and this is their debut full length album. They have already released 5 EP´s plut 2 splits with Codi de Silenci and No Heart. Their comolete discography will be reviewed soon. Album contains nine songs in Swedish (each has playtime more then 3 minutes and total playing time is around about 36 minutes) and the title can be translated like Ancient Memory (cover respects the album title – Valkyrie riding on griffin). Album is out on Nonkonform Media which has many interesting stuff in pipeline (like compilation Sverige I Brand or book about Swedish scene since 1980 for example). Compared to previous stuff you may hear classic piano (Lydig Slav – Obedient Slave), keyboards (first piece Bättre Sent Än Aldrig – Better Late Than Never or Jag är inte rädd – I am not Afraid) and saxophone (Färval och Tack – Farewell and Thanks). Robban is not playing guitar now but he just sings and from the first to the last tune of the album you will hear how he can work with his voice (just check Gryning – Dawn for all, which begins like acoustic ballad and which has perfect refrain and which is by the way the longest song from the LP). Sabotage plays with two guitars now and you will really hear and feel it just check solos in Jag är inte rädd, Under Attack, end of Tänder Inga Ljus (something with teeth and light :)) or Chiswick/rock´n´roll tunes Slödder (Riffraff) or the last one Som En Man (I´m Man) with light booster. Bass is also perfect and it can be clearly heard in all songs. Everything fits well together. Album will be out at the beginning of December 2024 so I don´t have details about the inside graphics and booklet but this is really top of the tops.

After few split albums came Day Drinker with their debut with 11 songs including one in German (Wohin du Gehst or one strophe from Child of Generation X) and Bruisers cover (These Two Boots of Mine). As I wrote in review before, in band are members from The Reapers, Nations on Fire, Crown Court or Malad and on guitar plays Jane who is also helping strongly in vocals. Most of the songs are really melodic streetpunk. Hardest piece from LP is called No Sobriety which is more shouted vocals and with perfect bass in the background. Musically everything fits well – guitar riffs/solos and mainly changing in male and female which is one of the best things from the album. Most of all I like songs Child of Generation X (about growing up in 80´s in some shitty place and how to find your own way) which is sung by Jane, then Rock Bottom (which reminds me songs from Burning Streets from Is It In Black And White? album), Away Days with perfect singalong or 28 Days. This album is perfect from the beginning to the end. Album is out in gatefold sleeve with dark comix drawings.

Third EP from this French project is out again on Combate Brutal (which released also their debout, second mai EP was released on Nouvelle Aube Production) in two versions (grey and white cover, each limited to 100 copies). On EP, or better to say on side A you will find three songs called Couers Vaillants (Valiant Hearts), Le Trajet Extraordinaire D'un Loser (The Extraordinary Journey of a Loser) and J'irai te revoir au Paradis (We See Each Other in Paradise) which is cover from L’infanterie Sauvage J’irai revoir ma Normandie and it is dedicated to friend Alex (who used to play in Oeil Pour Oeil or Crane de Fer) and who died in 2021. To him is dedicated whole EP and inside is his short story from bass guitarist Jibého plus his photos. Songs were recorded back in 2021/2022. First one contains nice guitar solo and it is dark and gloomy anthem of all street warriors who are rising cans instead of swords to drink their sadness away and whose honor can not be sold. Second one is about melancholy/romantic time in underground and short rapprochement of two people. It is faster than first piece and it has nice choirs. As I wrote before third song is tribute to friend Alex. Album has very nice cover – pictures from Gusatv Doré – on the front side is archangel Michael who leads crusaders to Jerusalem (if you remember well this arcahgel with flag was in logo of Banner of Thugs) on back side is picture called Destruction of Leviathan. Inside is A2 paper with short story about Alex, thankslist, lyrics and few photos. Their first EP had really impact on me, second also (I didn´t have it physicaly but I heard it) and this third piece is perfect also – lyrics (even there is no historical topic as on previous releases) and music are top. I hope that this project did not end and we can look forward to some other songs in this format. Perfect! Check it on https://coeur-vaillant.bandcamp.com/album/c-urs-vaillants.