This EP of an American band from Washington was released just for Europe in 300 limited copies on Finnish label Bruised Knuckles. You may know the band from their split with The Barons or from their debut CD from 2008 called Hope and Fortitude. On this EP take the mic new singer Ryan for the first time. On EP which has oldschool extruded middle you will find 4 songs: Make a Change and Down the Pub on side A and Failed You and Damage Done (which I like most of all) on B side. Band has old sound with dominated bass and nonboostered guitar which change slower opening (and ending) rhythm with faster main passages…together really nostalgic sound which kick you few years to the past. To the EP is added no paper with lyrics and photos so I don´t know too much about the songs except the fact that who likes Templars, Legionaires or some Swedish bands which play that sound will like also Aires and Graces. Who loves bands with more modern sound will not be satisfied too much.

Here we have the first CD review from 2011 and I am glad that it is product which was released on Czech label 4 4subculture Records. It is Australian Oi!core band from Canberra city which released one demo CD with 4 songs before and the CD wasn´t too long. These 4 songs you´ll find also on this CD but they are re-recorded plus 10 other songs to them (including two covers - Can´t Tell No One from Negative Approach and Blood Red Violence from 86 Mentality). Playing time is under 20 minutes isn´t too much but the band goes straight forward and it kick your balls in sharp way. Music is angry faster Oi!core which I recommend to listen in fitness or in training of some fight sport because it really kicks you and force you to put your aggressiveness out from you. Band isn´t afraid to say what they think so you´ll find lyrics about misunderstanding of skinheads and punks in society, rising crime in streets and releasing the criminals from the jail before the end of their punishment, scumbag parents who didn´t care about their parents, trendy punk rockers and emo kids, etc… In booklet you´ll find all lyrics except covers and on the backside of the cover you´ll find band photo. People who like harder and faster music and music of the above mentioned US bands will like the AIB also. Really ass kicking music and another point for Michal. Possible to buy for 8€ on the link bellow.

This is strictly limited EP (150 hand-numbered copies) of underground music from Middle-Germany and its second part (the first was sold out split of Rien ne va plus and Last Riot). On EP you´ll find band called Anti Clockwise from Magdeburg which has released just demo EP (from which are these songs I suppose because I don´t know too much about this band) and Open Violence which is band founded on the ruins of Kampfzone with Last Riot singer (so it means the first line-up of Kampfzone) Anti Clockwise has here songs Skinheads and TV, Open Violence songs are Pseudodemokratie and Alle gegen alle. Anti Clockwise are playing really melodic style which is pretty unusual by Oi! bands from Germany which are mainly rough. But this isn´t, it has rock´n´roll guitar with natural vocal of the singer. Songs are about the cult and joy from chosen way of life and the second is about mob of brainless sheep who adore TV as their god. Both songs have great melodic refrain. Open Violence fits to the box called German Oi! more, they are harder and more straightforward (somewhere in history of BB you would find their demo review and in the near future there will be review on their mini CD/LP which doesn´t contain these two songs), and they should be like that because their Kampfzone experience. First song is classic one about corrupt politics and the fact that people in government are allowed to do what they want, second song is about fighting. Cover is in oldschool way, just folded paper with lyrics to all 4 songs. Good EP for all collectors which will be sold out very quick for sure (maybe it is already sold out, I don´t know).

Limited EP of two German three pieces Oi! bands from Magdeburg city. On side A you will find Anti Clockwise which you may know from their six song demo and split EP with Open Violence, on side B are Rien ne vas Plus (which phrase from roulette – No Further Bets) which have also demo and split EP with Last Riot. Both bands have here two songs – Anti Clockwise has there Schicksalstage (about routine of common life which is crumbled by some fatal events) and Sklave der Flasche (how can men become slave of drinking and about the fact how many so called friendships in scene are based just on drinking – true fact i think), Rien ne vas Plus has Halte Durch (honor of their friend who is far far away – army maybe, don´t really know and wish for him to hold on) and Was wir sind (ironical song about people who read everything about skinheads and judging them without even knowing any). Rien ne vas Plus is band which is harder then Anti Clockwise, their sound is more depressive and dark with significant bass and I like them more. By Anti Clockwise I like the lyrics which are really long and which deal with more serious topics. EP is done in style of Mittlerdeutscher Untergrund EP´s – cover with lyrics and few photos plus short comments to the lyrics (but just in German language). Cover is modified Magdeburg coat of arms and famous Magdeburg hemispheres (which stands for the title of the EP and demonstrate coherence). EP is limited to 320 pieces. These bands will never play on big festivals I think but they are doing music which they like and they are spreading it to the people which deserve respect for sure.

After the Sleepless EP (which featured also as a bonus songs on last full length album Frågor som rör almänna) is out another EP of Swedish streetpunk band Antipati, now with Italian pizza title Quattro Stagioni (Four Seasons). In band is vocalist Roban who you may know from The Righteous and the other members play also in reunited Agent Bulldogg. Band has two guitars and in two songs keyboards were used. On EP you will find four songs which are in relationship with the title of the EP so on A side there is Sommarpsalm (Summer Psalm) and Hösten (Autumn) and on B side Vinterhymn (Winter Anthem) and Våren (Spring). Antipati is based on melodiousness of their songs which is reflected in refrains and vocals time to time sang without musical instruments (like in summer song for example) but also on guitar solos (the good one is in autumn song and at the end of the spring song). I winter song you can hear a melody taken from refrain part of summer song. It reminds me little bit Booze and Glory in some ways. All songs are played with amazing ease which shine from the whole music. To EP is no paper with lyrics which is pitty because I want to know what can streetpunk band sing about four seasons. Cover is done as a gatefold with thankslist and band line up on the back side. The cover has very original graphic design and it is done by Sergio from BSOi! Records. EP is limited to 500 copies like other EP´s from Swedish Streetpunk Collective Series. It´s a pitty, that on cover is no band photo. Instead of this EP band has released also this year 10´´ split with Last Rough Cause on Randale Records and I have to buy it somewhere and you, who like quality and melodic stuff, you should do it also.

After the single Dead End Street is out on Razorwire Records full length CD of songstress and guitarist Antonella who was introduced in single review with other band members. On CD called Phoenix (with cover which reminds me logo of web browser Mozilla) you´ll find 12 songs of punkrock, mod beat and glam rock with typical female vocal which was time to time too high for me. And after first hearing I was really angry about it but I am editor so I´ll try to listen to it again and again but some songs didn´t really fit to me. Another think is that sometimes the voice is drowned against other instruments but it is maybe the fact of its height. What is really great is lyrics which reflects personal feelings and no clichés like football, fights and Clockwork Orange. Songs are about true heroes which you meet on the streets – normal people who work and take care about their kids not trendy faces from magazines, about the fact that people keep on calling you names but we aren´t those who rape, murder and steal, about trendy punkrock built up by record companies, about identity which didn´t belong to disco kids, about the fact that people always hurts those who love, etc... Songs which catch me are Only the Fake Survive (which you may know from youtube), Coz I Luv You, Rock Gods and Daily Propaganda. In booklet are all lyrics but almost no photos. Good music, great lyrics, untypical voice which I have to adapt on but it is possible that you´ll like it from the first time just check youtube or myspace and listen to the free songs.

Split EP of Englishmen Argy Bargy and Aussies Oi!rockers THUG where plays ex-bassist of Rose Tattoo Steve King. Argy Bargy has there two songs – Be Somebody and All the Lessons (which is cover from Rose Tattoo). Be Somebody is song about the society which want you to stand in line, and play by their rules and to be somebody...so be somebody...be loud and proud and do anything you wanna do. All the Lessons is song from 1981 and I can say that it really kicks ass nowadays after the 30 years from its release! THUG has there also two songs - Dog and Never Change. First is about the treachery of the friend on whom everyone from the pack depends and the second is about the fact that you can´t explain to woman that you will never change and you will still have the boy soul even if you will be old... Argy Bargy represents melodic but roug-vocal coloured streetrock while THUG is simply Aussie Rock´n´Roll of the best quality with slide guitar and I am really looking forward to see them in Europe. Unfortunately this EP is last which was recorded with their guitarist Billy Hughes who died in motorcycle accident on 18thJune not too long after EP release. To EP is added paper with lyrics as usual on Randale Records stuff. Who likes good music with touch of classic rock will surely find it on both sides of this EP.

After the FAVL debut album is this another pieces which is out thanks to cooperation of Strength Thru Oi! Records and Skins Rules Records with Italian crews like Tuscia Clan, Ladia Provencia Crew or Still Standing Army. It is split CD of two bands - Assedio and Cruel Revenge (which has RIP in brackets behind their name so they are probably disbanded) and due to cover I think that it will be little bit harder stuff (but little bit harder means not so much especially in Italian music). Each band has here 7 songs. Assedio has everything completely in Italian, Cruel Revenge has one song in English and also live cover from Agnostic Front – Gotta Go. Assedio has typical Italian coloured melody with changes into slower HC rhythm which let the singer to preach the lyrics. Cruel Revenge is strict HC with fas oldschool drums, more singalong and also better solo guitar then Assedio. But I think that their part is shorter compared to Assedio. To Italian lyrics I can´t tell anything but you can read them in black and white booklet. But you can´t see any band photos there which is a pitty but thankslist is there with bands like Plakkaggio HC, Gli Ultimi, Automatica Aggregazione and many more. Try to listen them on their myspace and give´em a chance…maybe you will like it.

This is completion of whole discography of German band Backstreet Firm which were active during tzhe years 2011 – 2004. On CD you will find 9 songs – first 4 from studio (including cover Strength thru Oi! from Public Enemy) and 5 other taken from demo (which is reviewed on older version of BB) including cover Docteur Skinhead from Evil Skins. In band used to play guitarist Schlick whose you may know from later bands like Brachial, Rampage or Insidious Skins. Three studio songs were released also on limited split EP with Rampage which will be reviewed in near future. Sound of the demo songs is worse than studio songs but it isn´t too tragic. Songs are in English (except Docteur Skinhead), music is straight forward in faster rhythm but there are also slower passages like parts of the song Today or whole song called Made in Germany. CD is limited to 500 pieces and hand-numbered. Cover and the CD itself has great graphic and band has cool logo. In two pages booklet you will find band photos, their discography (demo, de Kastelein compilation and some German compilation o the tape) and list of played gigs (10 I think). Pitty is that there is no lyrics. Good summary of all stuff recorded by the band which did honest piece of work and their members are still active in other bands or in labels for example. To this band fits great Rampage motto - 100% aggro culture, 0% mainstream Oi!

Third volume of split EP´s from German Oi! bands is out and this time it split of disbanded Backstreet Firm (which released complete discography CD through Skinhead Beat Records) and their colleagues from Rampage (where plays guitarist Schlick who used to play also in Backstreet Firm but you surely know this because you read carefully my reviews). Each band has three songs (quite a lot on EP) on this limited and hand numbered EP (150 copies). Backstreet Firm has here 3 songs from their 4 studio recordings - Today, Not a Fashion and Strength Thru Oi! (original is from Public Enemy), Rampage also 3 songs (previously unreleased I think) Der Skinhead von heute, Für die Freiheit and Wir sind noch Skins. Backstreet Firm and their style were described in review on their discography so I will go straight to their younger colleagures from Rampage. They have released last year album called On Attack. First song is about mainstream Oi! bands which let other dictate to them with whom they should play and they are even excusing for this, second is about freedom but I don´t know too many details because I can´t speak German so much and the third is paraphrase on song Wir sind die Skins from Loikaemie about the fact that we are still skinheads and where and who are you know? Music is faster German Oi! but compared to the first album they get better and the second guitar can be heard with some solos. Second song is chopped with dominant bass guitar. In cover you will find photos and lyrics from Rampage and just photo from Backstreet Firm. Fine piece for collectors.

This is split CD of two band from Portugal which I didn´t hear about. After looking into the booklet which is made just from two pages without lyrics containing just band infos and contact I found that in Albert Fish plays on bass Rattus who also plays in Faccao Opposta which I really like. After searching on internet I found that Albert Fish are no freshmen because they have played since 1995. Every band has six pieces on the CD, Blind Alley Dogs sings in English and Albert Fish has something also in Portuguese. Blind Alley Dogs played in middle rhythm, voice is melancholic and calm like their music which reminds me the sound of Badlands (especially guitars). From them I like song One Day. Albert Fish has on the album two songs from split CD with Garotos Podres, then one song from EP´s Undeground Anthems and Punkarte and two new songs (one is cover Drinking and Driving from Business but in Portuguese). On these songs you may see the evolution of the band and different voices of different singers which were in the band. Most of all I like song called Sorto ou Agar which is middle rhythm and the first one Puto da Rua which is similar to Soultamer music style. Both bands plays in classics line up with one guitar. Who likes not so hard not shouted stuff in middle or slower rhythm will like this CD. Good thing for knowing Portugal scene which isn´t too known for me.

Bombardiers is four piece band from Bordeaux and I think you might see them few years ago here in CZ on the tour with their colleagues from La Rochelle – The Janitors. No to well done LP, you can open the cover as a book and inside you´ll find lyrics and see some pictures. To the LP is added CD as a bonus with all songs from the LP plus 2 covers - Semaine Rouge from Camera Silens and You Decide from The Templars with French lyrics. Lyrics are just in French but to every piece you have some thematic picture so you will recognize the topic. It is classical stuff like tattoos (Une autre image), meating with friends (Rendez-vous), kids whoch were born in 70´s growing up in not too much better 80´s (Son of Brixton), but also other not so typical lyrics like feelings of kamikadze pilot before his last flight (title song Saraba Nakama) or osong about the culture of far east which I don´t know what it is about (Chim Nhan) or about War (song Fusillés). Music is fresh streetpunk/punk rock with light touches of two tone (song Pour elle for example) similar to their colleagues from Charge 69. Most of all I like last song from A side Son of Brixton then first from B side Pour elle and Chim Nhan. After Bordeaux 83 and Souviens Toi (reviews on both albums you can find on old version of BB) is this their third album and I should say that graphic and music are absolutely brilliant, add bonus CD which is good idea (radio in car, parties…). Maybe I want some more band photos….but all together…GREAT.

After the debut album of this English-Polish band called Always on the Wrong Side whic threw them into elite of European Oi!/streetpunku were released few split EP´s (with The Warriors and Harrington Saints) and now you can enjoy their second full length release with 12 new songs, 2 bonuses from singles (We´re the Boys and Swinging Fuckin´ Hammers) and 2 bonuses from Polish band Horror Show with the vocals from Booze and Glory lads (Alex Go! and Online Generation). Band is four piece but they have two guitars. The band sound is from the melodic barrel of streetpunk/oi! so if you like Dropkick Murphys (like the song Trouble Free with banjo or mandolin) or The Agitators which are the closest in description of Booze and Glory sound. First song starts with intro - tuning of skinhead reggae radio and from the refrain you´ll know that passion of the band is football, reggae and skinhead fashion. Other songs which I will like to speak about are surely Trouble Free about the life on the wrong side of the barred window, Never Returned is about young boy who joined the army but from the war he returned as a different empty man, Hooligan which is about the fact that in eyes of the family of your girl you can be hooligan and thug but you are hooligan and thug who stand at the side of the girl even it is wrong on right and she will waits on you when you end in the place described in Trouble Free song. In this way I can speak about every song because it is really flawless so I will choose some... Plastic Skinheads (about the guys who are stuck in 1969 even when they didn´t remember it...surely know someone like that), Weekend in Karlskrona (about the great weekend in Sweden), Come on You Irons! and Swinging Fuckin´ Hammers (guess what are they about) or Until the End. Common denominator is easy remembered melodies and singalong refrains done by the whole band. Booklet is also flawless with lyrics and detailed photos of band members in some brick street and great collage of photos in the middle with thankslist. Another point (or full points) for current British scene. If you like more vinyl then CD, wait till July...it will be out on Contra Records.

After longer break this English-basque band from London released second album. You may know singer Phil from his previous band Intensive Care. Their first album was called You and Whose Army and it was out as a CD and LP also and here comes the second album after 7 years called Take it on the Chin on for me unknown label from France – Casual Records. Band plays in classic four piece line up and who likes typical Oi! sound with no hurrying will like them also. On their first CD was video to the song Wastelanders. Also on this CD is video to the first song Who´s your Mate (check youtube). CD is packed in digipack and it contains 11 songs. Lyrics are similar to Oppressed in Music for Hooligans era or Angelic Upstarts in era of 2 000 000 Voices mainly in songs which criticize system and its behavior to workers and values of modern society based on greed and money (Thin End of The Wedge, Our Future, Kingdom of the Blind or Power, Corruption and Lies). Other songs are about crime in the area which the band comes from (Welcome to Hackney) or even if you think that you haven´t got anything to hide the police still keep on watching you (Nothing to Hide). From lyrics you can feel big hate against the system and people above us who just pulling the strings. Most of all I like the third song called Thin End of the Wedge then Poison and Our Life (all three pieces are slower and more melodic). For me it is above average but give´em chance and try to listen to them.

Breakout is four piece Oi! band which comes from English city Newcastle upon Thyne. You may know guitarist and singer from RAC band called Strikeforce UK which released two albums and which isn´t active anymore. On this album called Hitting the Canvas you will find 8 songs. Music is more simple but melodic and I can compare them to other British bands like Loyalty (but with more sense of melody or to Anglo Saxon project. And this is for the music and also the lyrics side which are about classical themes like bringing back the death penalty (Bring back the Rope), the lw to protect your home against thieves and violators (Tony Martin), being watched by cops and state (The State´s Watching You or Fuck the Law), losing the friend due to treachery (You Turned Traitor), country (England) etc…I was surprised by guitar solos in some songs, because the main vocal is sung by guitarist Dodge and the singer without musical instrument is just for backing vocals...which is not so common but why not. Most of all I like songs Live my Life, Bring back the Rope and You Turned Traitor. The booklet is just two pages with no background with lyrics but in other parts of cover you will find some band photos and cheers to friends. I was pleasantly surprised with the sound quality (everything is pure and clear) and I will lok forward to the future production of the band. Fans of British Oi! and classic sound will be completely satisfied with that band.

Label Odin Producitons is specialist on releasing brand new Viking rock bands (like Eldgrim) and also on re-editions of Ultima Thule albums. I received around about one year old split CD of Enhärjarna and band called Brokk, which I never heard about. I also don´t understand Enhärjarna because I thought that everything from Bisson will come out under the Bisson and the Vikings project but now also Steelcapped Strength released new album called Freedom of Speech so I don´t how it will be (maybe Bisson and the Vikings are just for live playing, but I really don´t know). Enhärjarna´s songs were recorded also by Puncc from Battle Scarred (vocal, bass and drums) and by girl called Pip (vocal and bass in song called Smärta). Both Brokk (first half of the CD) and Enhärjarna have here six songs in Swedish (Brokk covered Suburban Rebels from The Business and renamed it Vikingafärd). Some song titles can be translated as Runes, Carved in Stone, Viking Expeddition, Proud, Friday, Pain or In the Shadow. Brokk are playing in three piece line-up and you receive from them exactly what you expect from Viking rock music – northern guitar solos plus straightforwardness of oi!/streetpunk. Enhärjarna is based on Bisson´s voice which is unchangeable. On this album are some of their songs more in to r´n´r sound which is known from other Bisson´s bands. In song Stolta you will hear tunes from Swedish national anthem Du gamla du fria which is well known to all fans of Viking rock music. Also Enhärjarna has there cover song – Fredag from Mörbyligan which I didn´t hear about. Booklet contains lyrics (again just in Swedish) and some profile photos of the bands (Brokk has there some pictures of trolls or something like that). A must have album for all fans of Viking rock genre.

Eighth piece released by German label Shout Proud Records which is specialized on releasing limited editions (maximum 150 copies). This time it is split EP of two Brazilian bands from Sao Paulo area - Bronco Army (which you may know from later threesplit released on Skinhead Beat Records but also from interview on our pages) and their colleagues Bulldroogs. Bronco Army has there two songs in Portuguese (recorded in 2010) - Olho po olho (Eye for an Eye) and Vadia (Whore). Bulldroogs have there songs called Bom dia chelsea (Good Morning Chelesea) and Hot City Like Hell. Bronco Army sounds more aggressive in their native language, the first song is about revenge and the second is about whores who spread therir legs and then they used it for rumors and manipulation. Songs from Bulldroogs are about the city which they live in and the fact that it is not so good as media said and there are many violent places without law. Bom dia chelsea is about so called skinhead girls who become skingirl and after some days they change the image again and leave the scene (in band is playing guitar one skingirl). EP is orange with black splatters and big hole in the middle. To the EP is added paper with English and Portuguese lyrics. Good collectors stuff.

R.I.P. is debut but also the last album from Prague band Chlastarbeiter which will be disbanded. CD is released by the band and it contains 17 song (12 from studio and 5 live songs from Motoraj Club). Live songs contain also covers from Orlík (Čech), Fistbois (A.C.A.B.) and Valašská liga (Gastarbeiter). Band plays in five pieces (it means two guitars) and after some line-up changes the CD was recorded in the older line-up. Lyrics are very patriotic and speak about Czechoslovakian legions, ancestors and the city of Prague, drugs, crime, prostitution, corruption, media and system which wants to destroy your brain and press you to the wall with stereotype and bad work. Plus add some topics like beer and backstreet rock´n´roll. CD was recorded in one day and in spite of this it has quite good faster streetpunk sound (I was surprised with the sound of solo guitar because I didn´t recognize it on the gig but it is maybe that I have some alcohol in my veins) and also booklet is well done in spite of DIY (some photos in the middle, thankslist and lyrics). I really like songs like Lžimedia (Lying Media), Rozhlédni se (Have a Look around) or Chlast a práce (Booze and Work). Last from the studio songs is from band called Bad Luck and has name Rock for Rebels. Sound of the live song is also OK and the songs aren´t on CD in studio versions which is good. You can order the CD from the band on www.bandzone.cz/chlastarbeiter for 140 CZK or on their release party and the farewell gig on 3/12/2011 in Motoráj Club.

This is the third album of this Oi!/streetpunk band from UK called Citizen Keyne (and I have to say that I didn´t hear the previous albums) consisted of (as usual by British bands) by older people. Band plays in five pieces line up (but no two guitars but two vocalists...really unusual in this streetpunk genre). On CD is 12 songs of melodic streetpunk which I can compare with The Warriors with more touch of punk or with Menace with more touch oi Oi! plus one bonus song – cover Breaking the Law from Judas Priest. I was really surprised with the sound and melody and calm style because I was expecting something more rough and simple. You will find cool guitar solos there (like in songs Friends or What´s Going On). Lyrics aren´t surprise for me, punk and Oi! without political bullshit as a way of life and not as a fashion (Punk not Fashion, Oi! for England, I´m Punk, Unity or Leave me Alone), friends (Friends), weekend fun (Weekend Riot), corrupt politicians (We Know What We Want) or stupid cops who are annoying normal people and leaving the real gangsters alone (Police State). In booklet are lyrics and many band photos and also posters (they played with Peter and Test Tube Babies or Cockney Rejects for example), thankslist, contacts and also fuck off to all lefties PC cunts who see politics on every gig and spreading lies about the bands. Whole CD is pleasant surprise for me and I recommend it to all people who likes street music and don´t care about bald head or Mohawk.

På Svenska is re-edition of the album which was released in 2003 on CD through Bandworm Records. Current version has 7 songs more and 4 of them are previously unreleased (Sug Min Kuk, Nowhere to Go, Middleclass Entertainment from Major Accident and Cretin Hop from Ramones), alternative version to song Death of an Official and songs Militant Vegan and Dirty Harry from 1996 demo (the band has different line up except two members). Between seven songs from previous version of the album are covers from classic band Ebba Grön (Sno Från Dom Říká), then from Moderat Likvidation which was older punk band from Malmö (song Sprängd) and song Pappas Pojkar form GBG Sound (again some older punk band but now from Göteborgu). The title of the album means “In Swedish” and really most of the songs are in their mother tongue. Swedish bands, which songs were covered aren´t known to me (except Ebba Grön) and if there was not written the fact that the songs are covers, I didn´t recognize it. Band plays faster and more punk style in which you can find pleasant simple melodies (like older stuff from Major Accident from example). LP is limited to 500 copies and hand numbered. The vinyl is heavy (180 g) and paper with lyrics contains also the comments to the lyrics which are bilingual so you can recognize the topics of the songs (ACAB, lying TV, fucking, etc…). Mostly nothing serious. Also you will find some photos on the paper. Design was done again by Sergio from BSOi!. Well done repress for the fans of simpler sound.

Dim Records is focusing in last time on re-editions of their sold out releases (like albums from Ultima Thule for example) and this is one of them. It is the last and musically the best album from Close Shave called Lone Riders which was at first released in 1992 as CD/LP. The band broke up after this album (but they are reunited again now but I am sure that you know this) and their guitarist Dirk kept on playing just in Razors Edge. Close Shave music is moved from Oi! Punk more to the classic rock on this album and you may recognise this from the length of the songs (10 songs which is circa 5 minutes on one song but the longest are the slower one Alfred the Great with keyboards - 6 minutes about the king who defend England from the Vikings and the last one Lone Riders about the judgement day – circa 8 minutes). Fluffy also tries to sing in higher tunes in in some sonfs (like in Magic Box or in Wedding Bells – which is about the fact how marriage ruined your life). Some songs are still in streetpunk tunes like Insomnia (about sleepless nights), faster one War (about the nonsense of wars) or Remember You (with melodic refrain about the dying in wars). Cover and booklet is similar to the version from 92, booklet has two pages with lyrics (not all) which are sorted little bit chaotically so I have to think about them little bit. Thewre is also some photos of the band which you surely know. This album really needs the re-edition and when I count with the reunion of the band I have to say that it will be sold out really soon for sure. What about the re-edition of LP version?

This is really great piece! It is EP set in 3 different packages which contain 5 vinyls and on every piece you will find 2 songs from this Sparrer album (together 10 songs). Strongly limited edition with great graphic desig (made by Jen and Muna from J.M. Design who you may know from different albums of different bands) and for the lovers of Cock Sparrer this is really a must have thing! Now some info for those who didn´t know this album…it was recorded in different line up with two different guitarists - Brazilian Chris Skipis and Scotsman Shugs O´Nail which you surely recognize on the sound of the album. The album contains more softer and more into power pop songs like Run with the Blind or Is Anybody There. But you´ll also find Sparrer classics like song about British gutter press The Sun Says. Together 8 studio songs plus 2 live recordings of Chip on My Choulder and Runnin´ Riot. On every cover are lyrics, few photos and inside the first cover is some short story of Cock Sparrer from designer Muna. Interesting is that you can buy the whole set (containing all 3 covers) or you can buy it separately but I really don´t know who will this because this worth to have it at home completely even this isn´t the top album from Sparrer…maybe that´s why Randale chose to distribute it in this way and make some ad to it.

There are albums you looking forward to hear them and twice as many on the albums of bands which aren´t releasing them too often (like On file and their Breaking Rules). Twice as many on the albums of the bands which stood by the cradle of Oi! scene, never split up and never made just reunion shows (like Cock Sparrer) and twice as many of the bands which has same aggressiveness, intransigence, and sincerity. And one of the few bands which respect this are English legend Condemned 84 and their new album which we have been waiting for long 7 years. Yes there was some taste EP called The Real oi! but you can´t compare this to the whole album. Album was released on US label Haunted Town Records on CD but also on LP (in black, yellow and red/black colour). The release date was late little bit than expected and also the transportation to the Europe before the Christmas was problem but now you can have it in your hands. Album was recorded in five piece line up with two guitars but the last gigs, including the one which we organised in Vyskov, was played with one guitar. So back to the music...besides of intro and outro you can hear 11 songs which started on the place where the previous No One Likes Us We don´t Care ends and there is no place to speak about the details of Condemned 84 music, because you surely know it.The first song is called Clockwork Hooligan with classic clockwork theme but I like it at least from whole album (this song was opening song on their gig in CZ). Then came total killers in their old good style so - Don´t Let Them Get the Better of You (about the fact when you face the superiority and kick down the leader the rest may turn their backs and run away), Forever (ho Joe Hawkins name become a legend even the person didn´t ever existed and how everyone wants to be like him because also him is part of us) Too Old to Fight Too Old to Run (you have to face the problem and stand up and fight even if you are old because instead you will be beaten), We are What we Are (the skins fashion stays the same but the faces who wear it is changing from time to time), What the Fuck You Looking At? (about wankers who flirt with your lady even if you are near her with great guitar riff which surprised me because it is more into hard core but with the sound of C84 – it means no big booster metal effect on guitar), Hear the Call (which started with acoustic guitar about how we carry Oi! in our hearts and if you join us you didn´t regret it), I just Wanna Be Famous (which you know from EP but it is remastered and recorded in normal classic way not like and live studio song), Intimidated (about the band and how people hate them but they won´t be intimidated...great one especially after the trouble with some US Oi! festival where MAD intimidated with cancelling their bands when the C84 will play but some other bands refused to play without C84 so whe whole festival was cancelled – bad for the people but cool to see that someone still have balls), England (classic about the fact that England is not the same as was before the years) and the last one We stand Alone (how 30 years of playing didn´t change the position of the band and they still keep the things real which could be seen also on our gig when band act like normal earlier born bois with no pussies manners). In booklet are lyrics and photos with thankslist where is also speaker of our crew which warms the heart. Next Condemned 84 gig here in CZ will be in June so don´t hesitate and buy the album because they will play more new songs for sure. Totally must have album!

After the debut album called Hooligan Rock´n´Roll, split EP with Marching Orders, Business and EP Trouble on the Streets is here second album from this British lads called Punk Rock Ruined My Life (with subtitle but I wouldn´t Change a Thing). Also they get little bit famous with the song Keep the Home Fires Burning from Green Street Hooligans 2. On this album you´ll find 15 songs which mean circa 3 minutes on one song. Instead of classic instruments like guitar, bass and drums you´ll hear also banjo and trumpet (No Help for Heroes). On first album I like the fact that the band knows how to make a song about the problem in society which isn´t too talked by government and politicians. So if you want to hear some lyrics which criticize UK system, choose Control. CD is opened with apocalyptic intro called Thrown To the Wolves which is dedication to UK government which turns away from the people. Second song is Punk Rock Ruined my Life really catch me with their aggressive sound (mainly bass and guitar solos and changing of the rough and soft vocal in refrain) and it is about how can punk rock band you play in change your life – you can see other places because of gigs but it can ruin your work and paying the bills. Second song is more melodic similar to older Dropkick Murphys stuff mainly thanks to its great singalong refrain. It is called High Time I Hung my Boots and it is about the feeling which everyone surely had to piss on everything but also that you always come back because it is great and we only have one life. Another song which I like is called No Help for Heroes with great refrain. In this song you can hear the trumpet and form me it is the best song from the album. It is about nonsense wars for the people above us. Then also great singalong masterpiece Rebellion in my Blood (which reminds me Agnostic Front stuff) and mainly song called Ian Huntley who is man (if you can say man about him) who has life imprisonment for murder of two 10 year girls (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fc/Sohamchapmanandwells.jpg). This song is tied together with the next one called Job to Do which starts with acoustic guitar and it is about the state without justice for murderers and dangerous criminals with vigilante who took justice in his hands. Other songs are about the increasing criminality of teenagers when every teenager carries knife or gun (Another Mother´s Son), media that knows everything about skinheads (He´s a Skinhead – see official video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbBc49qQxO8), clever idea from British law to send mentally unstable free into normal society (Chaos in Community) or about the victims of war propaganda which draws war like holiday (Soliders of Misfortune). Great is also the short description to the lyrics (which is cool for people who doesn´t know every law which approved and you can´t understand it from the song- like Chaos in Community). As I wrote before it has really aggressive sound and you can´t rest while listening to that album…you will probably get angrier then before. Control is band which opens and pours salt into wounds which government tries to tape but leave without treatment to die. Really recommended and full points for Control (by the way this week I have to review only British bands so it looks like that we have 4th wave of British Oi! after several years).

I have been waiting for this DVD for three years and I already lost hope that it will see the light of day. This pack contains DVD and also CD but in review will be only DVD because CD is the same but without video. Who was on the Československo 2008 tour know that it was great and DVD will be great for memories and who wasn´t there will cry when he see the atmosphere og the gig. DVD is divided into three pieces – gig, film about the gig and vox populi. I didn´t want to write about every single song because you already know them and you can listen to them on regular albums. Most important is atmosphere and form and it it top class. Dan Landa move his presentation one step forward. The gig is more colourful, fancy and bigger with many lights, fires and 20 musicians and artists. In any case you really watch on something especially three girls who make vocals. The gig is fuelled by positive energy and authenticity like forgetting the lyrics, thug gestures etc... You will see that Dan is more sure in new songs then in older hits. From the new one I miss „Malá díra v hlavě“ and „Nigredo“ which were sung on the gig. The bonus film is full of interviews with people who prepared the tour. Also whole document is inset with interview with Dan who speak about the new album Nigredo, opinions on current society etc....I will end the review with his words from the interview about the current situation of European civilization: “In present times we haven´t got own culture, we didn´t care about any and make any. We have only the imported culture – consume...”

Dead On´s is streetpunk band from Finland and this is streetpunk band from Finland and this is their debut CD released on German label Street Beat Records. Band plays in classic line up but they have female vocal. Mini CD contains 7 songs in English in middle rhythm and instead of perfect vocal (Hanna really knows how to sing) dominates guitar with no booster effect and good solos and bass in the background. It really reminds me The Veros (surely because of the Hannah´s voice which is similar to Vero´s voical) or Dims Rebellion (because of calm and captivating melodies and surely because of the lyrics with no clichés – band says in thankslist that they inspiration is hate and love). There are also some slower more rock tunes like Goodbye or Lost Cause (with keyboards). Next thing which isn´t cliché is the cover because it really doesn´t look like streetpunk cover. First song When (it is about never ending fight between your head and your heart) and it shows you atmosphere of the whole album and the scond one Hey Boy (in style of Skrewdriver´s I don´t like you or Antisocial) proves that fact. In other songs Goodbye or ShamRock Hanna will show you her voice qualities. Whole CD is very heterogeneous but it has one thing in common – great composition and I am really looking forward to other future records of the band. CD is limited to 500 pieces (400 normal and 100 in metal box with poster and two buttons) and hand numbered. Booklet is simple but with all stuff you want to know about the band. Really great surprise from not (yet) so well known band which will be surely heard about in the future.

As a second disc from the Rebellion Collectors Series is re-edition of second Discharger album called Our Hate is Justified again in digipack form with all the stuff described in Razorblade – The Early Years review. I don´t understand the fact why is released again this album and not the first one called Born Immortal which isn´t so easy to buy but it doesn´t matter. There is one bonus song on the CD which isn´t on the first version from 2006 and it is extended version of A Heroic Story song from 2011. I have the band in my top bands and also they have good relationship to Czech skins because they have played two gigs and from one there were releasedsome DVD. I like the band because the fact that they know very well how to combine great music with rock/metal influences (song Freedom is fuckin´ great) wit half or complete acoustic songs like When the Wounds are Healed or A Heroic Story. The band titled their style as a “Battlefield Rock” which really fits to their music. Again there is no doubt about the rating also because the fact that I give the 10 to the first version of this album and this isn´t really worse.

Split album of Dutch band Discharger and Canadian songstress and guitarist Jenny Woo (with some “normal” songs with bass, guitar and drums). On album is together 12 songs (6 and 6) and it is made in the way that bands are changing song by song. I will start with description of Discharger…they are really experienced musicians with 3 solo albums. They have here 3 brand new songs - I Belive, Never Surrender and acoustic Death before Dishonor then cover from The Oppressed (Riot) and 2 re-recorded songs from previous albums – Heroic Story and Born Immortal. They have also some change in line up – they have new drummer. Their music is melodic but hard streetrock and I like them because they know how to play fast and hard songs (it can be seen in song Born Immortal which becomes very harder with perfect double pedal at the beginning) but also mistake-free acoustic songs like new one called Death before Dishonor and also new version of older song Heroic Story. I like lyrics to the song I Belive which is about the fact that people believe that everyone gets what he deserves so corrupt politicians and criminals will be punished by life itself. Never Surrender is about us who aren´t afraid to show another check to society which spits on you each day. Death before Dishonor is an acoustic ballad and it tells you that you can´t sell your soul but keep your honor and loyalty. Great is the piece of the lyrics that „honesty and loneliness go hand in hand“. Jenny Woo has released one profi album called Alberta Rose and DIY album called Acoustic Oi! There is no pure acoustic song – in each of them is bass and drums but i tis still on calmer and slower side of music like Badlands for example. Great is the first song named Sound of the Scene which is about the fact that people with same hobbies and attitude don´t need to have common language because they understand each other. This song is one from two with classic streetpunk sound. Faster is also Blue Collar Hands – we are dressing the same but we are different under it. More acoustic songs are Kids on the Streets (we want to be ourselves and also want to live our lives by our rules) Stronger (I put a video to this song on BB before – what doesn´t kill us make us stronger and we will always be better than others…really good piece), Vultures (about cowards who are waiting for your mistake) and Your Name (always be yourself). Whole CD is done as a great digipack with great booklet where you´ll find everything you need about the bands. Randale proved with that album that they belong to the top record companies who are releasing skinhead music!

This is 4th split from the Looking for Trouble series and it is football special with Disturbed Mother Fucker (for Leicester City football club) and Hammered Mother Fucker (guitarist Ciaran from The London Diehards for West Ham United FC). First 6 songs are from Disturbed Mother Fucker and it is covers from Oi!punk bands but with the “hate to other football teams” like Chelsea, Nottingham Forrest, Derby County, Coventry, Aston Villa, Cardiff, Arsenal, Porthsmouth or Manchester United lyrics. You will find there remake of I Hate People from Anti-Nowhere League, Pretty Vacant from Pistols, G.L.C. from Menace, Beat up the Brat from Ramones, ACAB from 4 skins or If the kids…from Sham 69. Second half (other 6 songs) are original songs dedicated to the legendary player from West Ham - Billy Bonds, brotherhood of Hammers fans, club colours and loyalty to them in every cause and how it is important to belive in your club even if the results are not so good, about the pub before and after the match and atmosphere during the match on the Upton Park, and the last but for me the best lyrics that You are the ones who are going to support the team in every weather and in every situation and the ticket prize and seats and other stuff around modern football is killing the soul of the game and thanks to that the working men who are loyal supporters of the team are becoming outlaws in public eyes. Music is similar to the first album of The London Diehards which is split with TMF - Looking for Trouble Volume 1 so I think that is Ciaran who is responsible for the TLD music. Booklet is done as usual – 16 pages with lyrics and black and white photos of famous players of both teams and the fans and thankslist. Who likes DMF project from Jonesy will like also this piece which is similar for me with Dutch football band Foienoord. Second half is 6 original songs in style of the first album from TLD with great music and even greater lyrics.

Downlow NYHC is according to the name hardcore band founded in 1994 and this is re-release of their debut album (I am not counting previous songs which featured on compilations) from 1998 (it was released by Eyeball Records for the first time). In 1998 they were disbanded but they regroup in 2003 and they are playing live time to time. Their members play or used to play in bands like Cause for Alarm, New Faith or Kill Your Idols. CD/EP contains 6 songs (No more Pain, Change of Pace, Wall of Anger, Diseased, Blindfolded and Refrain) of angry HC in style of Warzone, Agnostic Front, Breakdown, Sheer Terror or Cro Mags. I can describe it as pure old school sound with no touches of metal core or nu metal. Lyrics are about HC themes like sticking together, anger, pain, hate, talking behind someone´s back or emotions in general. All songs are on same level and I really like them (I was little bit afraid when I heard beginning of song called Blindfolded which is really fast and little bit strange for me but after 20 seconds you will hear expected HC) CD is dedicated to Raybeez (band played benefit show for his family in 1998), to Javi Savage (owner of Big City Records, which released many HC and punk albums and who passed away in 1994) and to others who aren´t with us anymore. Thankslist contains many well known bands and persons from HC and punk scene. Booklet has two pages with live photos and lyrics. Graphics is done again by JM Designs (United Riot Records maybe have some kind of closer cooperation with them). Limited again to 300 copies so really clear choice for fans of old school HC.

Dr. Martins comes from Brazilian city called Porto Alegre, which is harbour near Atlantic ocean and it belongs to Rio Grande do Sul province. Dr. Martins are fuckin´ proud on their origin which is proved by this CD stylized into green-red-yellow colours which stand for colours of Riograndese Republic and they are supporting its independence (booklet is full of flags, coat of arms and many posters and support to the Pampa Livre movement – the first song which is dedicated to this movement which wants independence on Brazil). CD was released through US label Hostile Class Productions which is run by Witek who is Polish native (I think that this is the key to often cooperation with Olifant Records). Dr.Martins are as many other bands (like Bandeira de Combate, Bronco Army, The Skulls or Voluntarios) strong nationalists (which I spoke about before and instead the first song this topics is in second one called Porto Alegre é Nossa – Our Porto Alegre for example). The band is 100% pro working class (songs like Sangue Operário – Workers Blood) and some classic topics like tattoos (Marcas de Caim), beer (Slava which is their favourite mark I suppose), pride on their women (Mulher Sulista – Women from the South) and also carecas (Rock Careca) etc. Together there is 13 songs in Portugese with touches of classic rock and also rock´n´roll and I would characterise them like melodic skinhead rock. Vocal in native language is natural and fits well to the singer. The band has also good quality sound which is sometimes problem of the bands from this area especially on the older records. Great songs are Porto Alegre e Nossa, Sangue Operário, slower Mulher Sulista with great drawn out refrain and the last one called Bons Tempos for sure. Booklet is completely on chalk paper with lyrics, band photos, thankslist and above mentioned pictures about Riograndese Republic. Debut album of the band and really pleasant surprise for me.

F.A.V.L. is brand new band from Italian city Viterbo (with connections on Viterbo Skinheads Crew) and album Cemento e Follia (Concrete and madness) is their debut which is out due to cooperation of many labels like Strength Thru Oi!, Pull the Trigger, Tuscia Clan, Laida Provencia Crew, Rudeness Records, Still Standing Army, Skins Rules, Ragazzi dei Quartieri or British Mother Fuckin´ Sounds. Name of the band is something dealing with the history of the region – something like connection of the villages which form the city (with initials Fanum, Arbanum, Vetulonia Longulo). Album contains 9 songs sang in their native language with tags and names in English. Italian bands have disadvantage that they have similar sound but on the other hand they are playing catchy and melodic streetpunk. F.A.V.L. stands out little bit because I find their music little bit harder but they kept all melodic attributes of Italian Oi! sound. Lyrics are about pride in yourself, modern times which put global values before your own identity, Your world which was created by you, memories on the time when you bought your first punk album, life in concrete jungle, Oi! music, etc... Great is the first and second song – Sempre te stesso and Fino all´ultima goccia which show how will sound the rest of the album. Booklet is well done with lyrics plus many photos of the band members and their droogs, English explanation to the lyrics and thankslist including bands like Plakkaggio HC, Brutti e Ignoranti or Razzaparte. Maybe you will find this album too short – just 20 minutes but it is accurate time on these 9 songs and the band didn´t become boring. Who likes melodic streetpunk will like also this debut of F.A.V.L.!

Faccao Opposta is four piece skinhead band from capital of Portugal – Lisbon. They released their debut in 2010 and it was split CD with Brazilian band Mao de Ferro, then came limited single EP called singlem Skinheads, which was also the first released thing on Ediciones Limitadas. Uma Só Voz is fourth EP which the label released and again it is strongly limited stuff ((42 blue, 60 red, 90 black and 20 test pressings, together 192 pieces). In band is playing Rattus who is veteran of Portugal skinhead scene and you mayknow him also from other band called Albert Fish. On EP (red vinyl in my cause) you will find two songs – title one called Uma Só Voz (One Voice) and Procuro (Searching) which is cover from old Portugal band Crise Total, which is reunited now with Rattus on the bass. First song is great Oi! starting with guitar which is sharp as razor and great solo at the end. Great sound from vinyl. Song is about the fact that we still stand united, hated and proud against the pressure of society. Second song is faster and it corresponds more with the 80´s sound to which it belongs. EP cover can be opened, EP is done with big hole in the middle and you have to play it on 45 rpm. Inside are lyrics, band photo and passport photos of all members. EP´s for collectors with good music – this is what Editiones Limitadas offering and I will look forward to their other releases (the same with Faccao Opposta).

Flatfoot 56 is Celtic punk rock band from Chicaga and its core insists of three Bawinkel brothers. This CD was released last year for United States but European version was out in February 2011 (with bonus song Distortions). Band has five pieces line-up with folk musical instruments like mandolin or bagpipes. Together is on CD 14 songs in calm rhythm with big use of folk instruments mentioned before (and also you can hear to one acoustic song called Shiny Eyes). On CD is one top song for me - Courage – about ordinary people who have to work hard to feed their family and taking care about their natives. To this song is also great video (http://youtu.be/8k5zO06PyVM). I have really freezing in the back from this song. As I said the music is calm and it bring great melancholic mood on you. Instead of Courage I like also the first one Black Thorn, The Hourglass and the last but one smasher Hot Head (about that sometimes you have to act your age even if you have hot head). Lyrics aren´t cliché and you´ll find also two love songs there (Shiny Eyes and You Won me Over). For sure you have to compare this band to bands like DKM or Flogging Molly. Whole CD is done as a digipack with graphic similar to the cover. For the fans of Celtic punk rock great think and for others who likes calm music which has soul and meaningful lyrics I have to recommend this album also.

Freigänger is four piece band from Germany and this is their first demo record (but limited to 500 pieces and hand numbered). Band plays in four but they have two guitars. Interesting is that their guitarist is just 14 years old so the band is really through-generation. On CD you will find 8 songs, from which are 3 covers - Rapist and Barry Prudom from Combat 84 plus Bite it from GG Allina (which is favorite singer of bassist Metezen) so it means they have 5 own songs (Keine Engel, Our Life, Du…, Ohne Dich and Tätowiert). Their songs are in German (except Our Life), covers are in English. CD is marked as a demo but the sound of the record is OK and everything can be heard clearly. Songs are in middle rhythm (but you will hear also two tone parts like in song Ohne dich…), solo guitar plays simple solos which complete the other musical instruments. Whole band seems very well coordinated and compact and I have to say that I like their sound. Check the link below where you will find some videos of the songs from the band (http://www.freigaenger.org/freigaenger/videos.html). Booklet contains just the band photo and short thankslist but it is just a demo for 4 € which is very fair prize for this. Lyrics which I heard are skinhead classics like tattoos, way of life, etc…but you should think about band´s attitude just from the choice of covers. I like very much song called Du… with nice refrain. I hope that band will release some official album in the future because it worth it and this demo is more than good.

Frontline Soldiers was band from New York City founded in 2000 and it was disbanded in 2004 when their members went to different musical projects (like Offensive Weapon, Skin Disorder or The Infiltrators for example). But they have reunion nowadays and they played gig together with Battle Cry, Fed Up, Offensive Weapon and Sons of Liberty. Band recorded ssix songs in 2004 and one of them (Reclaim Strength) featured on Streets of America compilation. Five others (American Boot Squad, World War 3, Warrior Rising, Oath of Loyalty and Frontline Soldiers) are on this EP released this year. It is typical American Oi! sound (like other bands from reunion gig) which means faster music (spiced up with HC) with significant bass line and pro-US lyrics without PC bullshit like Red, White & Blue for example. And you can really hear this from the first song. Joe´s vocal reminds me vocalist from The Barons (mainly in the first song). EP is packed in well done cover from JM Design – Muna, who wrote also a few words about the band on the paper which is added to the EP (sadly without lyrics but with band photo). EP was released in limited edition to 300 copies on coloured vinyl (I have beige one with spots and I don´t know if there any different combinations). Record label said that this is the music for fans of Oxblood, YDL, Combat 84, Snix or Boot Party and I have no reason to disagree. This is fine EP for collectors and fans of not so well known bands.

Gatans Lag (or in English “Law of the Street”) is seven members band from Swedish city Boras. They have already released two full-length (both were released on Kjell Hell Records aand one is given for free download I think). On the back side of the cover you may see all seven members of the band so I guess after listening that it consists of two guitars, bass, drums, saxophone and male and female vocal but I am just guessing. EP is in orange color and it contais 4 songs in Swedish named Andra lång, Det är fint nu (It is all right), Jag kommer dö ung (I will die young) and Snutbil. As I said before the band has saxophone which I really like and from the first song (which I can´t translate) is perfectly used to the guitars with no booster effect and brings to the music great compact sound with cool atmosphere which forced you to open the bottle of wine and lie down under the sun and enjoy this mood. Second song all this proves again. Next great thing is hidden in refrains which are sung together with male and female…really great. Second side of the EP is in the same line as the A side…Yes there is an analogy to Stomper 98 but I find this music more melancholy (like my favourite band Dims Rebellion). Cover is wll done but there is no paper with lyrics. EP is limited to 500 copies It´s a pitty that it is too short so if you open the bottle of wine as I write above you have to turn the EP at least for 5 times to drink it but it forced you to search for the previous albums of the band (which I will surely do). EP is under the header of Swedish Streetpunk Collectible Series (like The Clichés – Bottom of the Barrel, or brand new 7´´ from Antipati which will be reviewed in the future for example). Great thing and point for Pretty Shitty Town Records.

Third regular (mini) album and again three piece French band (guitar and drums were recorded by guy called Gun) and their 6 songs in their mother tongue. Album is called Timebomb and songs have names like Premiere ligne, Nostalgie, Reconquete, Nos peines, nos fiertes, Timebomb and L´Appel. Band is playing really hard hitting style which kicks you from the beginning (slower is the last one called L´Appel which begins and ends with acoustic guitar). I will compare their music to Canadian band Legitime Violence. Enforce is put on doubled vocals and time to time guitar solo. Also there are passages with change in rhythm and also passages with just drums, bass and vocals. As I wrote before all songs are in French but you catch the message from the title of the song or from the pictures near the lyrics – memories, pride which sometimes causes pain, about the repeating history and waiting for some new Charles Martel or main song Timebomb about the anger which you can keep inside when you look around you, etc… Best songs are Reconquete for sure and the last one called L´Appel with great choral background in the refrain. Booklet is well done except the fact that it is completely in French so I can describe everything clearly (cool will be some descriptions to the songs) and other negative thing is the playing time of the CD because you will have to listen the CD for many times (but on the other hand the CD isn´t boring). “Just” 7+ because of the length.

This split EP of british-polish band from London and US band from California was released in 4 colored versions –claret, blue, their combination and transparent one with claret/blue splatters (I have this one but I can´t find any photo so I put there different). All proceeds from that sale will go to memorial fund of Bruce Roehrs who was llong time reviewer for magazine Maximum Rock´n´Roll and who passed out in 2010. And now to the EP itself. It is EP…7´´…BUT together with the disc is pressed also hammers (look at the picture) so the real dimension of the plate is 10´´. Great idea and realization because both bands have here songs dedicated to London club West Ham United. Booze and Glory has song called Swingin´ Fuckin´ Hammers. Melodic song which didn´t surprise you if you know the band and great taste before their new album Trouble Free which will be out very soon. Band Harrington Saints has there song called Claret and Blue and it is on the same level as their colleagues but I think that they play little bit more good because they aren´t afraid to play solos. Booze and Glory has harder sound then Saints but their melodic refrain was clear to remember. What is better than go to match with couple of friends on Saturday´s afternoon to look how claret and blue play. To the EP is no cover and no paper but it doesn´t matter in this case because design and songs also are great. Cool think which will have honorary position in your collection and doesn´t matter which of 4 versions you will have.

Heroes - the band which have played under this name since 1996 (before they were WP band called Heroes in the Snow) and under the name Heroes this is their 7th album (but I am not sure). Band plays in four with one guitar but you can hear also other musical instruments like mandolin, accordion, keyboards, kazoo or flute. Together you can hear 14 songs in English (which is perfect). Music is rock or hard rock in middle rhythm with heavy guitars and covert voice of the singer. On CD are also songs which are half acoustic ballads (like song called Hope) or country (Hey Johnny) or just instrumental songs (New Dawn). Lyrics are about how politicians control our lives, loose of identity, how man feels strange in the city streets where he grow up, pride, about believing in yourself, etc... together more serious topics which are against mainstream society and consumer way of life. Whole booklet is done like TV magazine with photo of the band members in the middle and lyrics (instead of Hey Johnny which was recorder at home and here is as a bonus song). Songs are well balanced and instead of the ballad and the country song they are on the same level and similar (but it doesn´t mean that they are weak). I like songs Who Dare Wins and Moderinty is Overated. On album you can see the musical experience of the band members especially on guitar solos, sound compactness and effects which are used to modify vocals – together it is really professional but I think this is also the biggest weakness because many people from streetpunk/Oi! scene will like such kind of the music. Check them on www.myspace.com/heroessweden. I like it but this album is too long for me.

Horrorshow is ska/oi! band from Polish city Sosnowiec and people here in CZ know them very well because they have often played on Streetkids festival in Brno or in Slovakia. This is their brand new album after several years and it really worth hearing. When I compare this one to previous albums there is no ska sound – just pure streetpunk and Oi! which is proved by the cover Garageland from The Clash. On album are 7 songs plus 2 bonuses (songs Alex Go! and Online Generation which are sung by vocalist from Booze and Glory and you will find them also as a bonus songs on last Booze and Glory full length Trouble Free). In the 7 songs are 3 in English (these two plus the Clash cover) and the rest is in Polish. Another song which you may know is Czy warto jeszcze which was released on EP (on Olifant Records) with Online Generation in 2010. I have to say that the Polish language fits more to this band (you may hear it in the cover Garageland where English is not so good but maybe it is done deliberately). The voice of Mark from Booze and Glory fits great to their music and the bonus songs are fuckin´ great. I think it is because the fresh music of both bands is similar and people who saw their gigs which they played in common in Poland or in England have to prove it. Band knows how to play also slower songs (like Czy warto jescze about the hard aspects of life or song Ulica). Greatest hits of this CD are surely songs like Zawsze Wierni which is football anthem about their team Zaglebie Sosnowiec with great refrain which finds the way into your mind very fast, then Online Generation (about people who just chating with their internet friends and they aren´t going outside and having fun anymore) or the title song Alex Go!. Great songs, really. Album is done as a digipack which is done as a gatefold. Lyrics and big thankslist are on background which is done as a photo collage. Who likes melodic Oi! bands will have to surely put Horrorshow in his playlist (if he hasn´t do it yet).

So this is third album of this rockabilly/psychobilly project of members from Ultima Thule. I really like their second album Lost in Lynchland so I was looking forward to hear this piece. Little bit disappointment was that this album contains just covers from different bands (except re-recorded song Alone in the Woods which is from them). You will find here cover songs which you may know also from Ultima Thule (like Little Red Ridinghood or Summerwine) then punk rock classics like First Time from The Boys, Pet Cemetary from Ramones or Sunday Stripper from Cock Sparrer (great cover with even greater double bass). You will find there also covers from 60´s classics like Johnny Remember Me from Johna Leytona, Summer Wine from Frank Sinatra´s daughter Nancy but also many covers from nowadays country/rockabilly/psychobilly bands like Bad Things from Jace Everetta, Walkin´ throug the Desert(with a crow) from Texas hillbilly band Ghoultown, Uprising from Muse, Remember Me from Jamese Intvelda, Money Always Takes the Place of Life from Danish D-A-D or 3 Shades of Black from Hanka Williamse III. In booklet is just band photo stylized into Frankenstein or Uncle Fester from Addams Family. Because it is just cover CD I will leave it without rating but the music is good and who likes Janne Thörnblom´s vocal (spiced up with female vocal in some parts) and who likes cover songs from Ultima Thule will surely like this album too.

Keine Reue (or Without Regrets) is debut album of four piece Oi! band from Thüringen called I don´t Like You (but they have demo CD which you can download with their permission onthis link http://www.mediafire.com/?bgbyeqwlwtba881). Band has 11 songs including two Skrewdriver covers (I Don´t Like You and first version of Streetfightu) and also song called Thüringen which is cover from Perkele with different lyrics. All other songs (but Thüringen also) are in German language. Music is combination like Skrewdriver, Perkele, Templars and for example their colleagues from Brachial or Rampage (like in first song Keine Reue), but the band use also booster and they know how to compose melodic songs (like song about their land Hand in Hand or Feinde der Freiheit which is about minorities who make the rules for majorities) but they also have hard songs with no compromise (100 Millionen – which is number of victims during communism which was also in Thüringen – part of DDR and it is the best song from the album which is slow at the beginning but it get faster after while). Other songs are about skinhead cult (Ein Salut) about police which took care about the gigs and other crimes are left without punishment (Nur Musik) but also about the atmosphere on the gigs (Danke). Booklet is done well with lyrics and many photos and pictures and also with collage in the middle and thankslist at the end…and also the cover is well done. Fans of bands mentioned before and the production of Oi! ain´t Red Records will be surely satisfied!

Insidious Skins is new international band. In the band play two German guys - guitarist Schlick (you may know him from bands like Brachial or Rampage) and bassist and vocalist in one person Pippi and one Italian guy - drummer Federico. Also they have some help in vocals (which are completely in English) by the tattooed girl Michi who has similar voice as Rianne from Les Villains. I have to say that the rest of the band is also covered in tattoos (even the head and faces). EP contains four expressive named songs with titles like Skinheads, Oi!, Keep the Faith and We don´t Like You. Lyrics are about skinhead cult, way of life, love to oi! and ska music, infiltration of the scene and hate of politicians and cops as a symbols of rotten society. Music is base on classic slower 80´s sound and from Schlick guitar you can hear the touch of his other bands. Most of all I like the opening song Skinheads. Sympathetic is that the whole EP (500 pieces, 20 hand numbered) is produced by the band itself and inside you will paper with lyrics and band photos. Band doesn´t use facebook or myspace so if you want to contact them, do it across http://www.skinheadbeat.com (but on EP is written that if you contact the band you will regret it). This is more for the fans of classic simpler sound (which is underlined by vinyl version only), but the music is straight from the heart and I have no reason for not believing them their attitude.

Jenny Woo comes from Canada and she released a demo in 2009 called Acoustic Oi! which was accepted with quite good success. This is her debut album released two years later on Randale Records. It is regularly pressed and it contains 12 songs (four of them you may know from demo - Alberta Rose, What I am, I´ll Rise Again and Sorry). Besides acoustic guitar you will find there also regular instruments (bass, drums but also banko – in the first song Alberta Rose, cello – in I´ll Rise Again, mandolin in Sacrifice and Sorry or keyboards in the last song Working Class Gospel) which are recorded by their colleagues from her regular band called Birds of Prey. So from this you should recognize that this is not just an acoustic Oi!. You won´t get hard and heavy music but if you look on bands such as Badlands, Paris Violence etc… you receive sound out of the borders of conventional Oi! sound….and I like it. The songs are about the love to the place where you were born and where you want to die (Alberta Rose), about the life you live and not everyone understands it (What I Am and We Don´t Need Their Respect), self-sacrifice for the idea or a better thing (Sacrifice) about the fact that you should rise again after you were betrayed (I´ll Rise Again), glory and pride of the cult (Our Kind and Yesterday´s Glory), working class (Working Class Gospel), etc…In some songs you can listen to great guitar parts (like in The Evil Within), mandolin solos (Sacrifice which can be surely put straight in to radio or to film soundtrack) or great sing-along (Our Kind). Booklet is done well and graphically is OK also – lyrics, photos, thankslist and a few words about Jenny´s biography. Calm music on which you should have to have mood but if you have it will please you for sure.

Debut LP of Spanish band from Valencia which is area of great bands like Glory Boys or Mercancias and this LP is out on Crowbar Records, which means that there is some relationship between the bands (it was released also by Actua Records which I didn´t even heard about). And they sing in their mother tongue like Mercancias do. LP contains six songs including intro with titles like Juzgados, Conservant - se en alkohol, Maldita realidad, Aun te queda la dignidad and Viejas glorias and thanks to the translator you can guess that they are about justice, hard reality of everyday life or booze. Band has two guitars (in songs Aun te queda la dignidad and Maldita realidad are grat solos) and they have great singalong refrains. Graphics of the LP is simple just black and white photo, no paper inside and bulldog drawing on the back. Greatest hits are Conservant-se alcohol which has beginning which I like with guitar playing alone and with singalongs of the rest of the band which are answering to the main vocals – and it is booze song so I think this is the way it used to be. The whole LP has mainly oldschool sound similar to 4Skins. Other great pieces are songs like Maldita Realita which is faster song with solo guitar on full playtime and then the last one Viejas Gloria which is the best song from the album for me. I miss the lyrics but instead of this fact this is great album and I have to recommend it to all fans of Spanish bands.

Fourth album of Ari´s band Kalevalan Viikingit is out now on US label Hostile Class Productions as mini LP (7songs including Intro and Outro) and it is limited to 500 copies. Ari has also solo project called Kareliaani and he also plays in Skinboiss. On LP is 5 songs in Finnish and two instrumentals – one is March of Karelia Brigade and the second one is also some traditional military song. The songs are called Hail Norden, Oi! Finland, Krenatööri (Grenadier), M/35 Rock and Kansalaissota (Civil War). From the titles you can feel Ari´s pleasure of history which is more striking in his solo project. Music is middle rhythm with time to time solo (Ari used to play in some metal bands before) but sometimes it is also without booster and also Ari´s vocal is very dominating. Also it is great to hear songs in their native language, I find it quite interesting and most of all I like song Oi! Finland. Most of all I like the cover which is done by Muna and Jen from JM Design ant it is really great – runes, ravens, battle rage, Nordic symbols, Finland coat of arms, …in similar way is done also paper with lyrics and big photo of the band (where are depicted four members but under the picture are text about just three of them so I don´t know) and the middle of the LP. All is done just in black and white or in greyscale but it fits well to the band. Good stuff with nice cover so I recommend it to all vinyl junkies!

Kids of the Streets is streetpunk band from Russian Moscow and in history of BB review you can find their CD Under Attack. Now we have here their EP called Get Off!. On the cover is caricature of the blind Justice which is tattooed of NOW logos and with Square and Compasses which are attributes of freemasons (conspiracy rules). On EP itself are 4 songs in English - A Good Day and One of Us on side A and Get Off and Moutain River on side B. I have to say that I didn´t know too many Russian bands so I can´t compare them to their home bands but this is streetpunk as fuck with great sound with melody and going ahead (which is characterized by song Mountain River, about our fast way of life). I would compare them to Swedish Saturdays Heroes (the song One of Us? especially with great folk punk start about the fact that everywhere you meet friends who will have the same attitude as you and who help you). Song A Good Day is about the journey on the gig with band and their friends and Get Off!!! is about politicians and other high class persons who makes pricks from us. Engine of the all songs is solo guitar with great sound. EP is limited to 500 pieces (circa 100 is in colored versions – I have the red one) with chalk paper insert with lyrics, band and label contacts and thankslist. Cool surprise and recommended to all!

Split 10 inch vinyl of two German bands - (great name for the band…something like Labpuke :)) and Gewohnheitstrinker (which means Habitual Drunkard). On 1st side you can find three songs from Gewohnheitstrinker - Pop Cafe, Ohne Mich and Way of Life. Pop Café is song about your pub, which you like most and where everyone knows you and after few beers you talk with bartender about several things like life and death. Ohne mich is about the fact that we don´t want toi stand in crowd with other sheep and listening someone above us. And the last is called Way of Life and I shouldn´t describe it. Band is playing great punk rock with extra melodic refrains (especially in the first and the las song) similar to Booze and Glory or The Agitators…nothing aggressive but really cool music thanks to two guitars and singalong. Lammkotze are playing just in three pieces line up which means that the music is much more straightforward but with same singalong chorals. On side 2 they have songs like Zug der Übertreibung, Grenzsoldat and Trinkerlied. The first song is about classical know-it-alls who are telling you about all the places where they were and where they didn´t were they want to go…you surely know some people of this kind. Second is about border patrol on Berlin wall during last regime and the third one – it is about booze and the fact that time to time man needs his drink. Both bands playing similar kind of music and it really fits together. To the vinyl is added paper with lyrics, photos and thankslist. Randale really put out many stuff these days and I have to admire that none of them is bad.

Last Riot is one of many other bands from Sachsen-Anhalt area and this is their second solo album which was released as a debut record on Aggressive Zone Records. Album was released as a normal CD, digipack (999 hand numbered copies) or as a LP (555 pieces in black or red). Last Riot plays in three pieces line up and guitarist and vocalist Schultze records also keybards in some songs. Music (and lyrics also) is typical rougher German Oi! with most songs in middle rhythm but you will also find a ballad song there (with these keyboard instruments and also with acoustic guitar). In spite of the fact that they play in three pieces line up music has its quality and you can find some guitar solos there (I really want to see them on the gig playing live). You will see the music quality in instrumental song Heroj which is really great. Lyrics are about skinhead themes like enjoying the gigs, streetlife and weekend drinking (Aufruhr), memories on old times (Alte Zeiten), tattoos (Tätowiert), skinheads in the eyes society (Lügner), friendship (great played ballad called Ein guter Freund), etc… Best songs for me are Alte Zeiten, Ärger, Lügner or slower one Ein guter Freund. Booklet is transparent with lyrics but I will put there more band photos. This the music which goat straight to the core of the problem with no compromises, has always something to say and it is sincere. Who likes German bands will like also Last Riot but surely other people will like them to…so give them a chance and listen to them.

Last Seen Laughing is band coming from Denmark. Well...Denmark...I know just few Oi! bands from this country and really don´t know too much about scene there...but I know band Hoolies which change the name on Outfit and the band called Guv´nors and that´s all. In Last Seen Laughing you will find members of The Outfit and also from the bands like Dayli Kaos or The Zero Point which are the bands I never heard about. Band is three members and the sound is similar to bands from 80´s (mainly thanks to guitar without booster and middle rhythm). I will compare them with the early era of Section 5 or from the newer bands to Perkele from Voice of Anger era and to The Templars. Together you´ll find there 13 songs full of skinhead rock´n´roll and two of them are in Danish...cool I never heard song in Danis (it is song Taesk which is cover from Cockney Rejects and song Ingen Fejl) and the rest is English. Songs are dealing with classic themes like being guilty in the society eyes from the first sight, about no Oi! gigs in the area of the band and travelling abroad to see the bands, about the fact how politicians stole whole country which was proud and now it is on her knees, about the fact that it is always better to keep your mind then bend your spine and do what others do but also song about envy and jealousy or about beuauty of fuck :). Songs are similar to each other but the playing time is OK so you won´t get bored and the song No Turning Back is heartbreaker similar to old version of Victym of Poverty or Be a Rebel from mentioned Section 5. On similar level is also song This Old Country and great is also song I am. Booklet is all right with everything necessary. You don´t hear anything special or modern from Last Seen Laughing but you surely hear honest piece of Oi! music from earlier born lads and there is no reason of not believing in their attitudes.

Legitime Violence is French singing band which comes from Canadian province Quebec. This is their first full length album but they already released EP on Shout Proud Records (label which is interested in strongly limited releases). Band plays in four pieces in classical line up – vocal, guitar, bass and drums. CD contains 11 songs (as I said all in French except refrain in Stomper Rock´n´Roll) including two covers - Un Amour Perdu from Evil Skins and Plus Fort Que Tout from Komintern Sect. Sound of the band is without any compromises similar to the bands from the Quebec area like Bootprint or Section de Guerre. The last mentioned band is with other ones (likeTailgunner, Hais&Fiers, The Business or Coup de Masse, etc...) in thankslist. It is typical French Oi! in middle rhythm which is little bit harder and spiced with guitar solos (like the great one in song Quebec), rough vocal and brutal drive. Lyrics are about the pride on the area which they live in (Quebec), legitimate violence against pedophiles and other criminals (Legitime Violence), courage of US and Canadian troops during Normandy invasion (Courage et Sacrifice, which starts and ends like ballad) and also about classical fun during Friday night (Stomper Rock´n´Roll – check their video to the song http://youtu.be/xgkuxWruqwg) and other skinheads topics like celebrating Quebec Stomper Crew (Glorieux, NFSH). Booklet and also cover is done very well, with many photos and picures mixed with black and white comix graphic with red splatters like Frank Miller´s Sin City. Lyrics (just in French) and thankslist is there also. Really well done album in all and those who like rough Oi! will surely like it!

Maraboots is pretty new band from Paris and this is their debut record (but they have also demo from 2010). The title of the band is mutilation of the name of bird marabou which is drawn on the back side of the cover. On EP are three songs called A Genoux, Souvenirs and La Scupe Aux Chouss. Band is based on tradition of French Oi! bands from 80´s and 90´s and they use also saxophone. First song A Genoux is fine piece similar to songs from the last West Side Boys album, second Souvenirs is faster and more singalong and the third is the best one with guitar solo similar to some middle age instrument. To the well done cover is added paper with lyrics but all is written just in French so I didn´t understand a word. Band released also split EP with Stomper 98 (the music of both bands really fits together) and they also done video which you may check on http://youtu.be/_nSwKQ4x-G0. Band is surely for those who like not so hard music and also for the fans of EP´s.

Marching Orders comes from Australian city Melbourne and they released many albums/EP´s but many of them are also sold out. Maybe that’s why they put all their sold out discography on one CD and they pick up also fitting name of the album. So you can find here songs from CD-EP Last Drinks (6 songs), songs from split EP with Alternate Action (2 songs) than songs from CD-EP/10´´ Dead End Street (7 song, review on this CD is on older version of the web) and from 10´´Last Train Home (5 songs). CD is done as a digipack where you can read few words about each album and you´ll find there also page with photo collage. The artwork to the album was done by singer and guitarist of Evil Conduct, Han. As I said to every album is there written few words with line up, format of the album and record company which release it plus picture of the album. Together there are 20 songs (Nihilistic is there in EP version and also from album version). For those who don´t know the band I will try to describe them. Australian bands are influenced by classic Oi! and streetpunk bands but also by r´n´r – why not if they have there kings like AC/DC, Rose Tattoo or The Angels. So for example slide guitar from that style you will hear on this album (like in song Australian Made). Other great songs on this album are for example Weekend Hooligans, Spirit of the Anzacs (first song ever written by the band- by singer Al and passed out bass guitarist Gavin Ovensem in 2002), Last Train Home or Voice of Ignorance. Great band which will hit the Europe and I think they will play also in Prague, so buy this because it is cool to have almost all of their stuff (except Days Gone By and Nation of Ghosts) on one CD and I can really say that the CD worth it!

Third piece from Rebellion Collectors Series is re-edition of only one (yet) full length album from Aussies Marching Orders which was released also on LP (2 pressings and almost sold out). Band prefers singles, 10´´ or split EP´s. Nowadays they are working on second full length and they released single Songs of Yesterday as a taste. Australian Oi! bands were always special because their inspiration from well known bands like AC/DC, Rose Tattoo (there is cover Assault and Batterry – from Rose Tattoo) or The Angels and also because of using slide effect on guitar. Next think which I like is combination of melancholic songs (like the title one Days Gone By, Weight of the World or Years Pass Me By) with faster songs (Moment of Clarity, Mass Hysteria nebo No Escape). I have this album on LP and now on CD and I have to say that this really well done and I have no reason to not believe them what they are singing about. Also they are great when playing live. Brilliant is also the last song Pride of Melbourne which convince you about the band qualities. Next piece from Rebellion which you have to have it at home.

After the review on best off CD of this Australian band here comes another one on their new EP called Nation of Ghosts and in couple of weeks I will receive their older LP Days Gone By so be prepared also for this one. EP was released in classic cooperation of US label Longshot Music and German Contra in black, grey and orange/gray splattered version (which I have) in 600 pieces. On EP are 4 songs - Nation of Ghosts and To This Day on A side and Epidemic and Stuck in a Rut on B side. First describes the cover of the album – how the factories are closing because their owner sells them overseas where the manufacturing is cheaper and he build mansion on the hill for earned money and watch dying country under. Great song with atmospheric guitar which describes well the gloom of the lyrics. In songs are passages with silent drums with more space for guitars and vocals. Second is about how man realizes that his life is fading between his fingers but it is too late to change it. Song has great catchy refrain. Side B is opened with songs about diseases of modern world like Swine flu which make people panic and close cities and suburbs into quarantine. This is the fastest song of the EP. The last is about never ending story where man drinks and wasn´t doing job which fulfils him, he shouts on his wife, she doesn´t like it but on the other side she needs a man. It is same like with her father who jade himself without earning some money for his family. Really vicious circle with no escape. Cool song which starts slower but ends in faster rhythm. To the EP with great cover is added paper with lyrics and production of Longshot and Contra. Really looking forward to their Europe tour because I like them more and more and if you don´t know them give´em chance and listen it for sure!

Mercancias is the band which comes from Spanish city Valencia and in their line up is guitarist Nestor who may be known from Glory Boys. This is second EP from the band. First one with four songs was released in strongly limited edition through Shout Proud Records. This EP is also self-titled and it contains 3 songs called Golpea and Bastardo de Ciudad on side A and Rateros on side B. The titles of the songs are saying that their sing in their mother tongue. Band has five members. The first song is slower, but hard with shouted vocal and great guitar solo at the end. Second is also hard but more into rock or hard rock stuff with deeper and more tinged vocal. The last one called Rateros is total singalong hit with classic catchy refrain and I am sure that its words „Son rateros de la noche, pateando da ciudad, son rateros de la noche, rockeando sin parar“ will be soon in your mind. This song reminds me little bit Mi sento Strano from Italian identity band DDT (but it is without keyboards and it is harder for sure). I don´t know too much about the lyrics but I can say that one is about city bastards and their street life. Songs from both EP´s are on their http://www.myspace.com/mercanciaspeligrosas. EP is released in cooperation of Spanish label Crowbar and US label Hostile Class in 500 copies (I have violet version and I don´t know if there is any other colour combinations), inside are lyrics and on the front and back are band photos. This is pleasant stuff for those, who like different rhythms of the music, because each song here is different. I really like it.

„Municia – this is oi!“, „Municia – this is crust!“ This claims a young band from Bratislava about themeselves. I don´t know what oi!crust means, so I expect what music will play… After the first songs I hear HC-Punk. So oi!crust means HC-Punk, probably… Angry, agression and violence is everywhere. Songs are not so quick, but they are very hard thanks to very hard sound of guitars and very hard vocal. There are very hard and aggressive songs like „Agresia“, „V troskách“, or „Skurvené socky“. But there are also much more melodic songs like „Deň zúčtovania“, „Nenávisť“ and „Obluda“. All songs are militant to everything and everybody… This is music for everyone who likes angry HC-Punk and for everyone who wants live with hatred… :-) Nevertheless, I still don´t know the reason why we should unite oi! and crust. We already have HC-Punk…

Noi!se is the band which was founded by Matt from the broke up Aires and Graces. Other members came from bands like Shield your Eyes, Whiskey Dicks and Forced Life which I didn´t hear about. They came from Tacoma city from Washington. 10 ´´ which was released due to the cooperation between Contra, Durty Mick and Longshot contains 7 songs (one of them is notoriously well known cover from Cock Sparrer – Take´em All). Others are Living for Today, Brothers in Arms, Warrior Down, This Is Who We Are, On the Outside and What Happened to the Kids?. Last two you may know from Aires and Graces EP from 2009 (What Happened to the Kids? was also on the demo from 2010). LP is black/blue splattered in gatefold cover with lyrics and photos of band members plus also paper with many photos and thankslist (including mane great US bands). Design is made again by Jen and Muna…so it means high quality guaranteed. Band has four members but two guitars...and the vocals are made by guitarist Nate and bassist Matt. The first song Living for Today has great refrain and it is about memories of older people in scene when they see the younger. They remind them themselves growing up. Another good one is This is Who We Are about the fact that we refuse to be a victims of other people who doesn´t like us and we want to stand up against them. Most of all I like the last one called What Happened to the Kids which is about youngsters who are losing respect to older ones who have to fight for their place and no just watch internet for one day and second day giving advices to other...it isn´t about the clothes but about the feeling inside. Music is faster but calmer and melancholic (some songs are similar to Badlands) and only one think which I want to point out is inexpressive vocal which is sometimes sunk between other sounds. So....Noi!se are playing great musc (but you have to have a mood on them) with intelligent lyrics. Add great cover and nice LP and you will receive great piece to your collection! One of the best new breed bands from USA!

Another split EP of two US bands which was released through Oi! the Boat Records. Bands on the split are Noi!se from Seattle which you may know from interview here on Battalion (also reviews on their other albums are there) and The Gestalts from Lafayette (this is their debut release). Split is opened with Noi!se and their two songs - Coming Storm (which you may know from 11 inch compilation Oi! this is Streetpunk from Pirate Press Records) and brand new song Reality TV. Noi!se are using two vocals – from bass player Matt and also from guitarist Nate which is great because one has more shouted vocal and second more melodic one (the same is with the melody of the first song which went from softer one to the hard one and which changes according to the vocalist). First song is about the fact that something is really wrong when working man isn´t able to feed his family and the storm of protests against system will surely come because everyone knows the politicians lies. Second is about reality TV and people who are making pricks from themselves in front of the cameras but also about people who is watching this bullshit instead of living their own lives and solving the real problems which aren´t mentioned in TV. Both songs have great solo guitar, bass which is well heard in the background and serious lyrics. The Gestalts has also two songs on the EP - Reckless Cheat and Borderline. First is about man who has troubles with booze and the second is about degradation of values just on the business point of view. The Gestalts has two guitars like Noi!se which can be also heard in their music (the solo in song Borderline is great and the whole song is great hit). Instead of great music on the gray vinyl is there also great artwork from Muna, lyrics, thankslist and paper with download code. But no photos. I´m really looking forward to next songs (albums) from both bands which will be released in 2012. Great.

Núcleo Dero (Hard Core) is hooligan band from poruguese capital city Lisboa and according to the EP title, they are supporting Sporting. EP contains 4 songs in their native language called Sporting Hooligans, Bicha de Merda (I can´t translate it but I think it will be nothing polite), Noites de Terror (Nights of Terror) and Banco de Esperma (Spermbank). In the first song Sporting Hooligans you can hear also keyboards. Núcleo Dero are playing hard and tough Oi! with rough vocal which is typical for bands from Portugal and Spain. Under the guitar line you can hear great heavy bass. It reminds me (by the music and attitude) the band called Guadaňa from Spain. EP was released on Forca Bruta Discos in 104 copies (and I don´t know if there are an left). Cover is made from photos from old school terraces on Sporting stadium plus paper with lyrics again with photos from the pitch. Interesting thing but I think hardly to buy now.

Oldfashioned Ideas is three piece band from Sweden which has released debut album last year called We´re In This Shit Together (the review is possible to find on BB of course). This is EP called Fight Back! with the cover and graphic design similar to the previous album. On EP you´ll find four songs . Bunch of Nothings and Fight Back! on A side and Home Ain´t Home and A Way of Life on B side. Bunch of Nothings is about all you are working from morning till night and everyone looks on you with despise but you are the one who is robbed by state on taxes, Fight Back! is about the fact of choosing the right way of living which isn´t based on money and the success in work but in finding people who have similar thoughts like you. Home Ain´t Home is about the fact that you aren´t welcome no more in the place where you was born and the last one called A Way Of Life about the things which we all like. Band is not afraid and it really kicks you in the balls from the the start and it doesn´t change also in second song Fight Back!. Home Ain´t Home and also A Way of Life are more melodic maybe because of the topics of the lyrics. Strong thing of the band´s sound is great refrains with good and catchy melodies underlined by great ride cymbal. When we compare this EP with the debut album we find out that there is no change in the style of the band so if you like the CD (or LP) you will also like these songs. On the back side of the cover are photos of the band members and lyrics. The EP itself is black done in old style (which could be expected because of the band name).

Swedish band which comes from Carlskrona have released an album two years ago but the review come nowadays (I have it at home and I do not know that there is no review). On the Job plays in five and they sing in English and except two full lengths they have also some split EP´s with Rust, Jenny Woo, Booze and Glory or Stamford Bridge (there are two song from these split - 1680 and Constable Henry) for example. The band plays melodic music (thanks to two guitars) with saxophone or keyboards in some songs (1680 and Perfect Girl). Also the vocals are great and the whole band except drummer are changing in it. It is in middle or faster rhythm. Lyrics are about their city (1680), police bastards (Constable Henry), bosses (C.O.A.T.), booze (A Bag Full of Brew or Carlskrona Drinking Society), enjoying summer in cold Sweden (Summertime) or middle class revolutionaries which are the hippies of today (Reclaim the Streets). Great songs are A Bag Full of Brew with nice refrain, singalong Perfect Girl and slow and melodic Carlskrona Drinking Society. It is packed in nice digipack with lyrics and band photos. Who likes melodic bands from Sweden like Saturdays Heroes will like also this album.

Ondrej Ďurica was singer of Slovakian WP band called Biely Odpor which he left circa 10 years ago. Now in 2011 he released due to help of organization called Nitrianski Rytieri (The Knight of Nitra - http://www.nitrianskirytieri.sk) solo album called Zdvihnutý prst. This is quite similar history to our singer Daniel Landa (who is be godfather of the CD during the release party on 23th September in Nitra). I can also say that Dan was an inspiration for Ondrej in music (use of accordion or piano with hard guitars) and also in lyrics. Music flows continuously from faster to slower parts and backwards (like in song “Viem že sú tu” – “I know that they are here”) and it really worth listening. Lyrics have sense and you will find some connections to Slavic tales (bonded whips in song “Odkaz” – “Heritage”), mysticism (in mentioned Viem že sú tu), cruelty and senseless of the wars (Vojna - War), love (ballad “Dom” – “House” where is just piano or song “Mojej malej vile” – “To my little Fairy”, where are great slower and faster parts with guitars like Rammstein), dreaming and its spirit (song “Sen” – “The Dream” which is really genial especially refrain and it becomes the no. 1 hit from the album) or patriotism (“Po starých cestách” – “On Old Roads” which is calmer also but really impressive and also the last one “Jako dážď…” – “Like rain...” where Ondrej describes his return on musical scene). In booklet are all lyrics (some of them are on two pages) and thankslist. For those who like Dan Landa will be satisfied with this album and those like folk musical instruments and ballads will like this also. I am really looking forward to next albums from this artist, but I leave it without rating because I have not too many bands to compare with but I can really write that I like it very much!

Mini CD of this band which has line up as the first line up of Kampfzone but they played under this name but I surely spoke about this in previous reviews. Album was released through Aggressive Zone Records as a classic CD or in limited handnumbered digipack (250 copies) or as mini LP (225 copies). CD contains 4 songs like Armes Deutschland (Poor Germany), Letzter Aufstand (The Last Rebellion), Skinhead Rules and Kampf ohne Ende (Fight with No End). Band plays in three pieces and their music is full of energy and it goes straightforward pretty fast. First song reminds me Kampfzone and it is about current Germany where people are just puppets in politicians hands with no future for themselves (music is faster skinhead rnr song with lightly boostered guitar). Second song reminds me their colleagues from Bombecks. Song is middle rhythm about the fact that the time for rebellion come and all streetkids should do it. Third is for me the best song on musical level with expressive bass and guitar solo again in middle rhythm. The lst one is characterized by passages where sing trhe whole band and it makes the sense of the song stronger – never give up even if you are with your back to the wall and fight till the end. Band really knows how to play (experiences from Kampfzone and Last Riot can be felt there) and all songs are full of power. In two pages booklet are lyrics, photos of band members in masks and contact to the band OVLR@gmx.de. Who likes hard bands with no compromise attitude have to chose Open Violence and I am looking forward to their full length album Rock´n´Roll Blitzkrieg which will be out during the next year.

Overload is another one from the pack of British young oi!/streetpunk bands which are growing very fast is last time and which releasing albums through MFS label. You may know band from the first Oi! Fuck You compilation where they have song called Greed. This CD contain songs which have been recorded since 2007. All songs have same sound quality and what is changing is the style of the songs, from slower Oi! of middle rhythm (like songs Middle Class, One by One, CCTV – which was on some Italian compilation…) to faster punk like Exploited (for example song Virus is really like their song from Massacre era) but without metal influences. On album are 10 songs plus 4 bonuses (Prison Planet, Live Fast Don´t Die, Nausea and Bent Copper) from their EP One by One which was released in 2005 and this songs are really fast. On album is also one song in Italian called Mazza di Macello. From the sound of the band you will recognise that they come from Britain which may be plus for someone for someone it may be minus because the sound didn´t surprise you. I like the slower songs like CCTV about the fact that the state is watching you on every corner, their spying your mobile phone and I like the idea which was said in this song about police which protect us from the thieves but who protect us from the police? I like the next song called A Town with No Name which is about ordinary people who live in blockhouse, have their worries, debts, they are working from Monday to Friday and the name of the city which they come from isn´t necessary to know because everywhere it is the same and it is on them if they stand up and fight against this. Booklet has 16 pages including lyrics (not to all songs) and 4 pages of photos, posters and thankslist.

Meanwhile the last release of French one man band is this split EP with also French band called Kid Chaos. But Paris Violence started make rehearsals with musicians from Kid Chaos so maybe we will see them on the stage in the future. For Kid Chaos is this debut first official release but they had 12 songs demo from 2009 and some songs on tribute to Reich Orgasm. The title of the album is something like The Border of Hell and each band has there two songs. Paris Violence has here Mourir aux Portes de l´Empire (The Gate to the Empire of Death) and En-dessous de l´Enfer (Under the Hell), Kid Chaos has E.P.A. (which is shortcut for some kind of psychiatric prison) and Les Empires décadents (Decadent Empire). According to the titles of the songs you can recognise that both bands fit to each other in the lyrics level. The music of Paris Violence stays the same – combination of streetpunk/Oi! and martial music with keyboards and samples. Kid Chaos plays in four piece line up with two guitars and it is some kind of melodic French Oi! like West Side Boys, with more touch of punk rock and many solos. Paris Violence always used original graphic on covers and this EP proves it again. It is picture from German painter from the 1st half of the 20th cetury Otto Dix who is famous for his pictures which show misery in trenches of the 1st World War. Inside is paper with lyrics and band photos. EP is limited to 500 copies (400 red and 100 green) and fans of unusual music with more unusual lyrics which lead you to the deep corners of human soul will surely like this EP.

After long years, few singles and mini CD Dodging the Bullets here comes debut full length album of British Oi! band Pressure 28. On album you´ll find 13 songs, 3 of them are from Dodging the Bullets (Dodging the Bullets itself, Do Wot You Like and cover from Secret Affair Time for Action) and both songs from Spirit of 69/Pull no Punches single. On both thinks you can find review there or on old version of the web. First two songs (Your Responsibility and No Mercy) are about nowadays street life which turns into fight for survive and the streets are battlefield of drug dealers, gangsters and about terrorism. Another new song is called Tell Me a Story and it is about father who telling the stories about the days when he was young and he also think back about when he was young and he was listening to his dad and grandfather. Then come song Unified about the using of your own brain and not becoming one of the sheep in crowd because this is exactly what others want. Other new songs are called We´re Alright, Waste of Time (about how tired we are from all rules and regulations which society recommends to us), Waking up Rich and the last one Santa That´s My Wife (about the pervert Santa who use the Christmas magic for shagging your wives). Songs are in middle or sometimes in slower rhythm. Booklet is cool, three folding pages and the background of all lyrics (except We´re Allright and Time for Action) is collage of various photos and posters. Most of all I like funny song about Santa. Fans of British Oi! will be surely satisfied – I really was.

This is review on DVD from second annual festival Pretty Shitty Kjell which happened in April 2011 in Stockholm in Sweden. Festival was organised by labels Pretty Shitty Town and Kjell Hell Records but you surely recognise it from the title of the Event. It is professionally made and cut from three cameras in great digipack in DVD format with relatively thick booklet with short interviews with playing bands. Moreover each band has photo in the booklet and description of line up in which they used to play the gig. And what are these bands? So you will find there Swedish new bands like Antipati or The Clichés, Swedish bands after reunion like Agent Bulldogg (with three members from Antipati) and Clockwork Crew (with two members from Clichés, but this was their first band, then Dutch band Evil Conduct and legends of UK oi!punk scene - The Business, Major Accident and Angelic Upstarts. Each band has three songs there (Upstarts and Business has four). Together it means 26 songs. I think that bands have here songs which characterise their style with one greatest hit which is for me by Clichés song Skinhead II, by Agent Bulldogg song Livsstil, by Evil Conduct - Skinhead Till I Die, by The Bussines Drinking and Driving (where the refrain was sung by members of other bands and also by the member of security), by Antipati song Grabbarna, by The Clockwork Crew United Skins, Major Accident has there their fast hit Standing on the Sidelines and Upstarts Solidarity. As i said before the whole DVD is done in professional way so no garage sound but the atmosphere of the live gig is still there. Cover was done again by Sergio BSOi!. Really well done DVD which reminds you atmosphere of the festival which was visited by 800 people and maybe it will convince you to visit the 3rd festival which will be again in April again with many good bands so check the web http://www.prettyshittykjell.com and think about it.

Prins Carl is streetpunk band from Swedish city Västerås. Band has played since 2001 under the name Bucaneers but they changed the name on Prins Carl and this is their CD out on Noise of Sweden label. Band plays in four pieces but it has two guitars. On CD called New Order you can listen to 13 sonfs in English. Musically they are similar to their countrymen from Antipati, Oldfashioned Ideas or to softer Battle Scarred…faster melodic music which force you to clap your feet to the rhythm of the drums, playful bass and guitar solos which open or end the songs. Another good thing is changing of the vocals in strophes and in refrains so music didn´t become boring. (like in song Where are You Goin´). Because this is promo copy just in paper I can´t speak about the booklet. Themes of the songs are cops (Criminals in Blue, Carnival in Greece), posers and trendy music (Rockposers), hard life of punk or skin (They Won´t Let Ya´), alcohol (Hangover) and so one and so one... As I wrote before the music isn´t too hard but it has some kind of anger inside. Best songs for me are …Of Today about the people above us who are controlling and ruining our lives and also Criminals in Blue. Good and catchy CD from the band which I didn´t hear about before with accurate playing time. Listen them on http://www.myspace.com/prinscarl.

Rabies are young three piece band from the east part of Bohemia and this is their DIY demo CD from 2011 called Just Jump. Demo is done as a digipack with sew in booklet and it contains six songs in English. Music is melodic punkrock like Adicts or Buzzcocks but with more modern sound inspired by the US school of punk. From Czech bands they are similar to The Barockers or to The Outsiders. Sometimes you will hear rock´n´roll and why not – punk has two chords, rock´n´roll has three chords. Sometimes you will hear rock´n´roll guitar. Music is happy and guitarist and bassist are changing in vocals. I like songs Highway and the last one called Neighbours in Shock. You can listen to the whole demo on their bandzone page http://bandzone.cz/rabies or download it on http://www.ulozto.cz/9620376/rabies-just-jump-2011-rar. Nowadays the band is working on the new CD called I have got Rabies which will be released at the end of February. Surely this is not skins jusic but it is young band doing what they like and they aren´t afraid to show it to the world. I leave it without rating because it is demo CD.

First Blood is debut album of Polish viking rock band which was released on Olifant Records. Rape and Plunder is four pieces band but they have two guitars. Album contains 10 songs (11 really – there is one bonus), 3 of them are in Polish, 1 in Norwegian (Haggis cover Alle Damer Er Horer) and 6 in English. Band is surely inspired by giants of genre like Ultima Thule or rather more by Enharjarna but also but more into folk bands like S.O.T., which released album also through Olifant Records. This is evident by song called Skinheads which sounds like it was written directly by Bisson. Topics of the lyrics are mainly from the Norse mythology but also from different mythology (like the song Na Croma!! – Crom is the god of Cimmerian people and who read or saw Conan the Barbarian will surely know it) and also booze and fun in the city streets or on Kuggnas festival. You may see it directly from the cover art which shows that the band didn´t take seriously the style and also themselves. But the fact that this is more funny band doesn´t deny the fact that they play great music. You will find there singalong refrains but also recitatives. The titles of the songs are Mjöllnir Battle Song, Pukajac do Walhalli bram, For Odin or Brave from the North (which is together with Wykucie Miecza Gromu and more into folk Na Croma!!! the best songs from the album) for example. Booklet is done in standard way – lyrics,m pictures and thankslist. Great music!

5th studio album of this Dutch band and as the name evoke it will be completely in German like two last EP´s. CD contains 10 (respective 11) songs from which Hart wie Stein is Hart wie Stahl known from EP and also one cover from German band Vogelfrei - Stiefeljungs. On cover of CD which is made as a gatefold digipack is photo from 1920´s where you can find grand-grand father of singer Wouter (Walter exactly when we are in German language) with friends on some party. And because it is 5th album we can make some balance…before this band sings in English/Dutch and their style has great drive, energy, directness and aggressiveness. As Wouter said in interview for us…the lyrics in Germany change the sound…and he was right. His voice isn´t as rough (but he knows well how to get from softer passage to harder one) as usual and all music has more riffs and slower rock sound like Onkelz or Freiwild but it keeps the hardness – songs like title one Gegen die Masse (with great guitar solo) Gesetzt der Vergangenheit or Drogen… But you will find also some songs in their old style like Hart wie Steine, Explodieren or Die Letzten 10 Jahre (which is best for me). As a bonus is there some Dutch song from era after the 2nd World War when British troops were in Holland and greet Dutch people with the word Oi! which become associated with freedom and liberation. Lyrics are on the same level as on albums before – fun, friendship and street music. Booklet is done very professionally with well-arranged graphic on which cooperated also Sergio from BSOI!. Album is out also on orange vinyl on Bandworm Records. Who doesn´t know last two EP´s and who has Razorblade in memory from their first albums will be surprised but if you like bands mentioned before and also Motorhead, you will be pleased with this one also!

First CD from limited collector´s edition released on Rebellion Records contains first two albums of Wouter´s band Razorblade - Spreading Fear (2002 Rebellion Records) and Skinheeads are Back (2004 Pure Impact Records) under the title The Early Years. Both albums are hard to buy nowadays. On CD you can listen to 24 songs of hard as nails style with rough vocal which kick Razorblade straight into the top of European skinhead scene of the first decade of 21.century and I am sure that everyone who reads BB knows some songs from these albums. First 12 songs are taken from Spreading Fear which includes one instrumental song and one Dutch song. The rest is in English (also brutal cover Teenage Slag from Condemned 84). The rest of the songs are from Skinheads are Back, three songs are in Dutch and (including cover Smash the Discos from The Bussines). The rest is in English again (including cover Closkwork Skinhead from 4Skins). I have to say that some of 24 songs really become classics in these 10 years for example songs like Made in Holland, Dying Breed, Better of Dead, Hunt You Down or the last one The Lion´s Roar. CD´s from collector´s edition are all done as a digipack which can be unfolded and when you put the covers together you will see clockwork skinhead which is in Rebellion Records logo. Inside are lyrics and some band info. Also stickered sealbag is added. If you haven´t got both albums at home don´t hesitate and buy this because for me this is still the best material ever done by Razorblade and it is cool to have it on one CD. Full points.

Next Razorblade single now in concept like split EP with US band Suckered In and it isn´t released neither by Bandworm nor Rebellion but by German label Street Justice Records from Dortmund city. Razorblade has there two songs (they sing again in English) - Made of Steel and Oi! Infection. Suckered In is two piece more-into-folk project (just vocal and acoustic guitar) but you will hear also bass, mandolin and female vocal. Songs which are there are: Same Old Story (cover from The Oppressed) and Coal Black Blood. Razorblade are better for me when they sing in English because musi is more straightforward (like on Music for the Maniacs album) and they aren´t too much on the deutch rock level. And this goes also with the lyrics – hard as steel and stick like glue with the friends and be forever against the grain. Suckered In will be liked by those who like acoustic songs from Badlands or who like Jenny Woo songs. Cover from Oppressed is interesting in acoustic version and it is about the closing of the factories and hospitals and the fact that those who rule the state will survive and the other aren´t important. Second song is about bad blood of those who give us promises which they can´t hold and about the uncertain future and the prospects on it which stole us our youth and health. I have to say that there are not so many bands like Suckered In and it is pleasant change (also the lyrics on Coal Black Blood is good) and in combination which such a different band like Razorblade it gives to you interesting and heterogeneous EP. EP is limited to 500 pieces (I have the red one) with lyrics, photos and thankslist inside. I have to say that the EP really surprise me in good way (I bought it as a completion of my collection) mainly thanks to the Suckered In part.

S.V.Z. is young three piece band from Western Bohemia area and this is their debut album which they released by themselves. Album is called Viva la Underground and it contains 12 songs (10 are in Czech – including intro plus 2 covers - Skinhead Girl from Mr. Symaripa with saxophone – saxophone is also in two other songs and Dead Cities from The Exploited with their own lyrics). S.V.Z. are playing pleasant melodic streetpunk 77 with booming bass and guitar with time to time solo. Some songs sound like Zona A. All three members are changing in singing. S.V.Z. knows how to play also slower and softer songs (like United or Skinhead Girl). Lyrics are classics – odes on skinheads and punks, misunderstanding by society, ACABi, social system and social benefits, dreams about being rich and laying on the beach or how they like playing in small clubs and village pubs for few friends instead of selling out big halls. Booklet is done in funny way – combination of drawn pictures, coloured photos, lyrics and thankslist. Three songs from the album you may hear on this page http://bandzone.cz/svz and from this page you can also order the CD for circa 6 €. Give them a chance because there are not so many new breed bands and every new CD can stir up the water of CZ streetpunk scene.

This is re-edition of one and only album of Yorkshire band SCUM which was released in 2008 through Ascalon Records. Collection contains better (really better) booklet and also songs from 2001 demo and live songs from 2005. Band broke up, Rich has played in Pressure 28 and singer Ross founded RAC band March or Die which play similar style as SCUM (and on their CD Raise the Flag you´ll find also their song English and Proud). Together here is 27 songs. As I said before the booklet is on higher level than the first version (twenty pages against two). Here you will find all lyrics, many photos from the band evolution, thankslist and few words about the history from Ross. As I wrote in review of older version of the album, it is typical Oi! warts and all like Condemned 84 (here is cover song Teenage Slag from them) or Skinfull from the newer bands. Most of all I like song Vengeance (revenge isn´t a bad think). Songs from demo and live songs are the same as from the regular album so you can compare how band played back in 2001 or how they can play live. Sound of demo is little bit rougher but quality is OK everything is clear. Sound of live songs is also OK and songs has really great atmosphere. You will find there also old cover Strength Thru Oi! from Public Enemy. The collection of recorded material from the band which plays for almost one decade completed with great booklet (one more point instead of the first version of the album). Read more about them in older review.

Skinboiss is brand new Oi! band (or better to say a project) from Finalnd. Members are Arska – the lead person of other Finnish band Kalevalan Viikingit and Dan. I didn´t find in booklet who is playing which musical instrument but it doesn´t matter. On album which is called Skinhead Action you will find 11 songs (2 of them are demo recording from 2010 – for example song Politicians, which was on Oi! Ain´t Red compilations, but you will find there also their new versions). 10 of them are in English and 1 in Finnish (Sankarit which means Hero). Music is similar to Kalevalan Viikingit but with more English songs and it isn´t too into rock stuff. Music is composed mainly from guitar without booster effect in middle rhythm, but you can hear also to ska song (Skin Skin Skinhead). Songs have titles like Make´em Run, Stomp the Drug Dealer, … for Skins, Rock´n´Roll Politics or Mr. Oi! so the themes of the lyrics are clear. Interesting is the fact that the lyrics didn´t rhyme so much but because the rhythm isn´t too fast and vocal is in one line (except singalong lalala refrains) you didn´t recognize it. Guitar plays slow solos with normal rhythm of the drums in background so the final sound is interesting and I will compare some songs to older Unruly stuff (mainly the song Politicians, but it can be the fact that I really like The Unruly). Vocal is deep but you will understand all (maybe because the English isn´t too difficult) and in song Mr.Oi! you will hear female vocal by Nana. It is pure classic skinhead rock´n´roll with oldschool sound and clear attitude. In booklet are all lyrics, photo of both members and thankslist but just two pages. To CD you will recive button of the band. Most of I like songs Make´em Run and Sankarit in their mother tongue. For fans of oldschool sound good piece to their collection.

Another CD of Australian streetpunk Slick 46 this time called Hurry Up. Line-up is similar as on the album Young Love, which means two boys and one girl (you can hear her in refrains and more in the song Don´t Pray for Me where she has main parts). On album is 9 songs (including cover Guns of Brixton from The Clash with similar intro but faster main part), which is similar ratio to the number of songs and playtime on other albums. Music is well played punk rock with no difficulties and with 100% touch of British bands like The Business. Lyrics are very straightforward about cowards (Nobody´s Hero), neighbours (Halo Boys), about how people telling you that you are an outlaw and going straight to hell (Don´t Pray for Me), or about how we like not to be like the others (Not Like You). Common denominator of the songs is catchy refrain and singalong which can be heard in songs like Halo Boys or Lies and Tricks. I was pleasantly surprised with acoustic song Hard Ride which I didn´t expect. CD is done as some kind of weird digipack called digisleeve (where CD is hidden directly in the cover) with lyrics and photos between them and thankslist. I have to say that I have liked album I Don´t Wanna, Young Love was not my cup of tea at all but this one I like again. Playtime is little bit short but the band didn´t bore you. Album is also released as a LP in 3 different colors. Good music which is good for listening and another prove Aussie´s bands quality.

Repress of the split EP of Stamford bridge (which is one of many side projects of Carla Fritcher from Templars) and Bastards Choir (where is guitarist Max Campbel from Hudson Falcons) which was release in 2009 at first but it was sold out. On the pink EP are 4 songs (2 from each band). Side A belongs to Stamford Bridge (which is same line up as Templars because drums were recorded by Phil) and their two songs The Way I am and Finish Line. Side B belongs to Bastards Choir and you will find there songs like Heaven is a Hog Roast and These Fields. Stamford Bridge are playing music similar to Templars but it is softer with touches of mod beat, rock´n´roll or glam. Both songs are about thinking – about yourself or about the girl which you want. Bastards playing faster and more straightforward, but their guitar is also with light booster effect. Their songs are about some kind of festival where everybody gets drunk and the second is about small city and the dreams of local people who want to leave the town but they never do it. Bastards Choir have released also full length album called Bridges Burn. Cover of the EP is (like almost all stuff from Oi! the Boat) just folded paper and when you open it you will find lyrics of both bands and band photos on the other side. Inside is also sheet of paper with code for mp3 download which is practical. I recommend it to all fans of older sound and bands like Templars, Veros or The New Chords.

CD Antisocial from Stomper 98 is collection of six songs (plus intro from Clockwork Orange) which were previously released on three split EP´s with Chromjuwelen (songs In deinen Augen, Zu Jung), Bootstroke (Rock´n´Roll Banda, which is cover from them and Es ist and der Zeit – which is The Green Fields of France ballad in German language) and 45 Adapters (Für immer antisocial and ISP - One Crew One Family). Because I heard two of three mentioned singles it is nothing new for me at all but it is cool to have all these songs (which are just on EP) on one CD (packed as digipack with great graphic design). For band is typical the use of saxophone in slower songs like Zu jung (um alt zu sein) but also by faster more into streetpunk songs like the title Antisocial. You will find there also ska melodies (In deinen Augen). In booklet are all lyrics and some photos and few pictures. Cool CD especially for those who doesn´t have gramophone.

As a second single I will introduce you spit EP of Stomper 98 with US band called 45 Adapters. It is second EP from three and on it you will find again two songs from both bands. Those, who haven´t got gramophone I have this informations…all these singles (from Stomper 98) can be found on mini CD Antisocial released on Sunny Bastard Records. So next two songs, which have Stomper here are Antisocial and ISP-One Crew-One Family. The first one Antisocial is great and catchy song with great “straight into your head” refrain with top saxophone tunes, so Für immer Antisocial. Second is about German-US friendship which can be seen in ISP crew. You always get from Stomper 98 what you expect. Now I will make introduction of the 45 Adapters. Band comes from New Yorku and it is founded by member of Bottom of the Barrel which had also split with Templars, where is same drummer as in Stomper 98. Other members have experience from the bands like The Traditionals or Fatkins. Their songs are called What´s Right and Nothing to Prove and their member James recorded there also bass and drums. Sound of 45 Adapters is based on old school so you won´t find there any metal or HC influences, mainly RnB, mod beat and other styles. First song is about all of us who want to live their lives without any bullshit talking from other people even we know that it isn´t OK sometimes (like too much drinking or smoking). Second song is about street fight and about people who talk too much and at the end they are acting conversely. Paper with the lyrics and photos is inside similar as in earlier reviewed single with Bootstroke. Go for it.

Randale Records make decision to release some split singles of German band Stomper 98 and I have some at home. I don´t know in which sequence they were released so I will write the reviews accidentally. So the first one is the split EP with Greek band Bootstroke. Each band has two songs on EP and one from them is cover version from the other band. Stomper 98 makes cover of Rock´n´Roll Banda (but they put it into German) and Bootstroke covers song I´m still Proud (but they put it into their mother tongue - Greek). Second song of Stompers is called Es ist an der Zeit and it is nothing more then Green Fields of France but again in German. Second song from Bootstroke is called Did they Worth It and it is again in Greek. Stomper 98 are well known band so I won´t introduce them (also like the German version of Green Fields of France). Song Rock´n´Roll Banda is about how can cure you skinhead rnr sound. Bootstroke are playing in three pieces and their music is fine streetpunk with strong bass and playful guitar. Song I´m still Proud is about the fact that even the world is getting more commercial and fake you have to be more proud that you aren´t part of this circus. Did they Worth It is telling about the man who is always sincere and fair but in spite of this people betrayed him. I really like the cover of the EP and also the fact that you can find lyrics of Bootstroke in English and you shouldn´t solve Greek letters. Nice music from both bands and good piece for all fans of vinyl.

Straight Jacket was Swedish streetpunk bands which released this EP 4 years ago (and the titel shortcut means something like Norland Punks and Skins) which is limited to 300 copies. Their bass player Reine is playing now in Avgå (they have released debut EP which is reviewed on BB). Band line up is classic four mixture of punks, skins and skingirl on guitar. You may listen to 3 songs in English called On the Streets, Stick Together, Never Surrender and Swedish NPAS, so if you check the titles it looks like classic topics for lyrics. Sound is similar to old UK bands like Antisocial, Criminal Class, French Warboots or their colleagues from Sniffing Glue. Drums are playing their stomping rhythm, add simple guitar, loud bass and rough vocals. Swedish song is rawer because of singing in mother tongue. Most of all I like Stick Together and Never Surrender. Inside is no paper and on the backside are some band photos from gigs or with friends. Who likes more straightforward bands singing about classic topics this is for him.

Another legendary Oi! which is formed again after some years (in spite of the fact that their members were active in bands like Aceface, Superyob or in Concrete Gods). Straw Dogs were never the band which was easy to listen and this CD proves it again. After the first listening you won´t like it after second also but after the third, fourth, etc...you find their spirit. Sound of the band continues where their last albums stopped (you can hear there song Strength of the Nation which you may know from Superyob). The sound is really authentic and I can´t say which songs came from 1995 and from the new recording session and together it has great atmosphere and nostalgia. It is in the sound line of Blank Generation stuff, first 4Skins or Music for Hooligans from The Oppressed. In some songs you will hear female vocal. Next good points of Straw Dogs came from the lyrics which aren´t senseless, they are without cliché rhymes and they have attitude and they aren´t afraid to speak the truth which surely many people didn´t like. The first song Mustn´t Grumble will be the best example because it is about Britain nowadays and it describes the feeling of the older people who fought the wars and they see in what Britain turned. Other topics of the lyrics are about how hard street life influence your behaviour (Born to Hate), about wars in foreign countries when our people dying (White Ammunition), rising of the crime (Little English Flower), being proud on British heritage (Hearts of Thunder, Lionheart), money as a main value when you become a commodity for shopping (UK plc), hard life of the workers (Factory Gates, The Angry Silence) and very actual song about the fact that you should watch your tongue because you can offend some minority, because you aren´t allowed to criticize but they are and they are always right (Minorities). Next positive thing is the fact that whole CD is completely DIY with black and white booklet including lyrics and photos. Most of all I like songs Mustn´t Grumble, UK Plc and Factory Gates. Straw Dogs is not music for every wanker who started listening street music but it is for people who really love it and who can evaluate 100% skinhead attitude straight from the heart hidden behind not always perfect modern sound.

I bought this split warm yet because I bought it on the day which was pressed. Split EP was released in three colors combinations in 250 black/blue, 100 black and 250 black/blue splattered and the last version is version which I have. On EP are two songs from band Strongbow which comes from Dresden and two from Razors in the Night from Boston which European tour is running in present time. Strongbow has songs called Last Respects which is dedicated to memory of father of some band member who was also friend to other members. Song is slower rhythm and acousit in style of ballads from Dropkick Murphys or Flatfoot 56 (you will hear accordion here) with light touches of punk rock like Saturdays Heroes. Lyrics is about giving respect and honour to man who left this world and who is on better place now and see all this. Second is called Part of the Problem and it is punk rock with rubbed guitar about the fact that when man closes his eyes and denying the lies which he hear becomes guilty as the person who do it. RITN is music from harder barrel - Oi!/streetpunk mixed with the best from HC. First song is called Alcoholist and it is about close minded people who look from above on you and tell you how to live. Second is fast one called Hate LA about the fact that the band likes more their streets of their hometown then LA full of parties for the rich full of expensive wine and coke. Singalong refrains are done by friends of the band and you can hear gain female vocals which underline them. Great is also cover which you can open and you´ll find lyrics, photos and band logos there. Even the EP itself is put into paper cover which is printed. If I didn´t know the bands and on the cover wasn´t written the city which they come from I probably guess that Strongbow are from US and RITn from the old continent. Great!

Sydney Ducks is five piece band from San Francisco with total old school sound (check them on http://sydneyducks.bandcamp.com/, where is the 1st single and demo) and this is their 2nd single released in 2011 (the first one was called Stray Dogs and it was released by the band itself). In band are members from ex Subway Thugs for example. Their name is a nickname for Australian immigrants in 19th century in California. Songs on this single are Esprit de Corps, which is in English and it is about black death plague on the banks of Vistula in 18th century. The refrain is great and this song really kicked me in the balls after the first hearing (and really kicks yours as well). Second song is called Joaquín Murrieta, it is in Spanish and lyrics is taken from some poem or song and it is about some outlaw from California area during the gold rush in 19th century. This song is slower with different rhythm (the main is bass and guitar is two tone little bit which fit well to Spanish words). As I said the sound is old school so people who like Templars, Alternate Action, The Lancasters or Subway Thugs should look after this EP. Cover is done really well, on it is grid from the canal which is cut across and under it is the inside cover with band photo so it looks like that they are behind the bars. On the other side of the inner cover are lyrics. Vinyl was released in red and white colour (both in 500 copies). I hope that we will listen some other songs from this band in the near future because it worth it and I hope that they will do some full length also.

As a second thing which has been released on Czech label 4Subculture Records in 2011 is again great band from abroad called Tailgunner which comes from far Canadian city Montreal. You can read older interview with the band on our pages but they change line up and have had new guitar player since that time. On CD you´ll find 15 songs on ideal playtime 45 minutes. Band plays mixture of calmer streetpunk like Social Distortion with touch of melancholy like Badlands but they were inspired by rock´n ´roll for sure so you will hear Motorhead in first song called Tailgunner, in other you will hear mandolin, bagpipes or accordion so we have bands like Dropkick Murphys or Flatfoot 56. Some feeling about the soéund album you can take from the title because you will really hear many singalongs there. First tunes of CD I know from myspace page of the band because I have been listening to them since I found them. So you will hear songs like Nine to Five, Drinkin´ and Druggin´, great hit about Montreal where Irish influences meets English and French called The City I Loved and CD continues in that style till the end siren...I would speak about song Devil´s Crossroads which is great rnr with touch of country like Johnny Cash and acoustic song called Somehow Someday dedicated to children of band members...nice work. You´ll hear also ska touches like in song Those Days about the days when you were 15 and your parents see the worst in you because you had no interest in school and you just hung out with friends. Together the whole album is full of memories from which you recognise that musicians are no greenhorns but veterans of Montreal street scene and they used to play in bands like Alley Dukes or Gutter Demons. In booklet you will find all lyrics, thankslist and photos of band members make in style of military ID and together it is graphically well done. I personally fell in love with this band for first hearing, really good music which makes me to feel calm. For me the best think which has been released by 4Subculture Records yet.

Second album from this Polish band which comes from Poznan city area was released on Olifant Records – the leading label of Polish Oi!. The band is quite well known and you can see them twice in Czech Republic and you can see them again next year (March 2014 in Pilsen). The band is playing faster streetpunk which is spiced by everything good from the music – rhythm, melody, aggression, great solo guitar (guitarist is doing great faces when playing solos live), sing-alongs and funny and also serious lyrics. On CD you may listen to 11 songs in Polish and playing time is around about 25 minutes. The band is strong in vocals which is sung by singer and drummer together (like in songs Maxi Kaz or Chuj bombki strzelil). Lyrics are about boring life and fags and booze which keep you alive, street and its rules, life which is like card game (bo žyčie jak w pokera gra – because life is like a poker game…) or about their homeland which was fought by ancestors against other states and nowadays their free land is poor and people have to go abroad for living. There is also cover from Polish band T-raperzy znad Wisly which is funny hip hop band from the 90´s called Maxi Kaz and original and also video you can find on youtube. T´s hard to find the best song because whole album is great but the song Gra (Game) has great refrain and the last one and serious song Nie o taki kraj walczyli (They didn´t Fight for Country Like This) are great. In booklet are all lyrics, band photos (before the monument dedicated to anti-communist riots in Poznan in 50´s) and thankslist plus some photos. Great band!

This is 15th album released on Czech label 4Subculture Records. It is European version of split CD of two US bands The Barons and The Incited (see the older reviews and interviews on old version of BB) which was originally released by Neck Records. Album is called Songs from the Mason-Dixon – which is the name for the border between Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and Maryland. From the last two mentioned states are these bands. The Barons has here 5 songs, The Incited 7. Both bands have two guitars. Split is opened by The Barons which I know from previous solo albums or splits and I have to say that it was not my cup of tea. But these 5 songs are really OK...band is spiced with Souther rock but in different way as The Broadsiders for example which has Southern rock solos. The Barons has regular drums rhythm plus rude voice of the singer underlined with r´n´r guitar (which you can hear mainly in songs Flash Mob or Kicked out this Bar Before). Songs are about street riots, about the dollar stores (where can poor Americans buy some stuff), about how to clean the pipes of some woman :) or booze. You can see that this is not very serious themes except some songs. The Incited has more serious lyrics...they are American patriots and some of them were in Iraq war. Their music is harder and singalong like in the first one Spirit of ´76 but they really know how to play. When I compare this to the first album this is really harder but I like it also. The Incited recorded also one cover - The Tradition from Anti-Heroes. Other songs are about streetlife (Hooligan Life – for me the greatest song with even greater refrain), about 2nd World War (29 Let´s Go), again the riots in the streets (Armageddon) or memories to friends which aren´t here because they died or moved away (Raise your Glass…great pub singalong in DKM style) Booklet is all right with lyrics and many photos. Bands know how to play, they didn´t bore me and some songs are really hits so thanks to this you can imagine how look the scene on the East Coast of USA.

Split EP of US Templars which I shouldn´t introduce and their colleagues The Clichés. Both bands surely like small spilt EP´s because they released many of them in last times (for example split double EP The Templars with The New Chords or split EP The Clichés with The Janitors). Every band has there two songs. The Templars have songs called Posers and It´s All About You, The Clichés have got Promises and We Won´t Change (both songs were recorded in 2009). I have to say that both bands fit together because they have similar sound and music style...maybe The Clichés sounds more modern. First song from The Templars is slower with two tone guitar and the second is faster. I don´t know how to describe their sound....simply The Templars. Clichés first song is underlined with great bass and the scond has good singalong refrain and great solo guitar. I have to say that songs from Clichés were recorded in 4 piece line up (but nowadays line up is made just from 3 persons – their photo is on the cover of EP). To Ep is paper but with no lyrics just with thankslists and photos (just on Templars side). Who likes sound of guitar without booster will live these bands and this split also because it fits well together.

Third piece from Looking for Trouble edition which is now presenting not British bands but the continental one – Dutch band The Firm and their debut and also Belgian veterans The Pride who hitting the scene again after couple of years. The Firm has 6 songs there, The Pride 5, plus Intro and Outro which is rock version of country classics Ghost Rider on the Sky from Stan Jones, played also by Johnny Cash. The Firm are playing faster punkier Oi! and if you will think about “where the hell I heard the voice of singer?” be sure that it was in band Widowmakers where he sings also. Generally the style of The Firm is very similar to that band....faster Oi! which feel no shame for the punk roots and it shove everything straight ahead like bulldozer. Songs which they have there are Guttersnipes (about the scene in Rotterdam and the skinhead, punk and psycho crew there), Sharp Fuse (that it is good to go out of somebody way when he´s angry), Not your Friend (false friends), Hardened by Life (about everyday struggle which makes you harder), Birth Control (protest song against the fact that mongoloids are now allowed to have children) and the last one Xenophobic (about the fact that when you hate someone it doesn´t mean that you are racist). The Pride recorded this album with two guitars when one is played by Eef who you may know from Les Vilains (but he didn´t played there anymore) or from Offside. Pride are playing more melodic music then their colleagues and the scond guitar proves that fact. Their songs are Rampage (about the resistance which will come when people will continue to spit on us), Fuck You (classic about refusing the politics), Hooligans (this will about smart fans who watch football on TV), Riot (lyrics similar Rampage) and the last one Beer and Friends (you shouldn´t waste your time because friends come and go, so forget the worries and enjoy this moment because anything won´t last forever). Booklet is done like the previous issues – 16 pages with lyrics, photos and thankslist. Both bands were interviewed by our zine so you can read interview on our pages. Great thing which worth buying.

The Granits is Oi! band which comes from Upper Lusatia (Oberlausitz) and this is their debut album. Interesting is the fact, that line up is made from all members of Donars Groll (Miesl, his girlfriend Rese and drummer Marco), which you may know from two gigs here in CZ. I have to admire that I really have no idea if this band is just a side project or if this will be the main band and Donars Groll is finished and I really don´t know why this project see the light of the day (maybe some question in the interview will help to solve it) because the music isn´t different from music of Donars Groll nad on the CD you will find song from Gegen den Strom album called See the Valkyries (which is played faster and more into metal stuff). Simple it is mixture of Oi!/streetpunku spiced with viking rock and metal. You will recognise that this trio really knows how to play (which you may know from last album of Donars Groll) and they are better and better (for example the drums). On CD you will find 13 songs including intro (which is some brutal pop song about Upper Lusatia area), four of them are in English (Made in Germany, Till the End, See the Valkyries and Social Disease which is lyrics made by The Barons and music by The Granits) and the rest is in German. Lyrics are about similar stuff like Donars Groll lyrics – patriotism, tattoos, Vikings and their habits, drinking, etc...The first one called Willkommen is about the band and their introduction, second Made in Germany is about the same topic. Then came two Viking rock songs Hoch die Hörner and Till the End, then Statement which is about the attitude of the band to national traditions and habits which should be kept in every nation. Then came for me the best song called Ein neuer Tag which is slower song with perfect melody and then Unter die Hart which is singalong about the tattoos. After them came See the Valkyries and Social Disease and the last two Herz aus Stahl (more metal again) and Unser Boden, unsere Schlacht. Booklet is well done like booklets from MFS with lyrics and pictures according to them so even if you can´t speak German you´ll recognise the topic. Good piece and cheers to the band!

Fourth album from the best Polish (for me) which you might have seen the year before in Prague and you can see them also on Streetkids 2012 in Brno. This CD was released in Polish version (Olifant Records) but also in English version (or better to say in US version – Hostile Class Productions) and I have both at home so I will make review on both. So we start with the Polish one. What will you hear at first is Syn vocal (because Mucha didn´t sing in The Junkers anymore) and the band is playing in three. Syn is very active because he sings, plays guitar, mastering and mixing, he did lyrics and partially also the music and he also did the cover graphics. On CD you will find 10 brand new songs plus 11th bonus song (the track has circa 23 minutes and it includes older songs like Ludzie Pracy, Getto, To jest Oi! or Nasza Wolnosc but also covers - Up Yours from Condemned 84 and Gotta Go from Agnostic Front – so instead of 10 songs you have circa 17 but I didn´t count it exactly). I really like the band because they are spicing their Oi! music with Viking rock/metal riffs, solos and other influences which you may hear also on their previous album Maszyna Nienawisci (you may hear Sepultura cover). Lyrics are about the fight against hypocrisy and lies (Ostatna Krucjata), pride on their city (Krew Naszego Miasta), poverty of common people whose are silenced by propaganda bullsihit (Kraj Niewolnikow i Zebrakow), stalkers (Bestia w Ludzkiej Skórze), denying the tolerance of modern society which tolerates every perversity (Glos Rozsadku), about how we still be the thorn in eye for those who are against us (Teraz i Zawsze i Na Wieky Wiekow) and about friendship till the end of the life (Wiernosc, Duma i Lojalnosc). Greatest hits are surely songs like Teraz i Zawsze i Na Wieky Wiekow, depressive one Pusty Pokoj, Glos Rozsadku and the last one which is slowee little bit Wiernosc, Duma i Lojalnosc. Booklet contains lyrics (Polish and English in both versions) and thankslist. I miss some photos of the band or from the gig, because the band has play for many years. Booklet is completely done on chalk glossy paper. Great album and I am not giving full points just because the absence of photos.

This will be little bit duplicate review because I will describe solo the English version of the last album from Polish band The Junkers which was released by Witek and his Hostile Class Productions and I am looking forward to the fact how US street scene accept this band because Hostile Class will distribute it in the US for sure. Back to the music – album is in the same concept as Polish version, 10 new songs in English plus bonus track with some older songs which stays in their native language. All previous stuff instead of EP Skins´n´Punks/East End was in Polish and I didn´t like too much the English songs on that EP. On this album is not Mucha on vocals anymore but I still think that English is not so good as Polish for this band even Syn is doing his best. I can´t say that it is really bad but I have heard the Polish version at first and yes it is better for sure. Some songs are really cool in English (like Inflexible, Blood of Our City or Empty Room which lyrics are described in second review below). The last one Faith, Pride and Loyalty is fuckin´ great also in English. When both CD´s come to me I didn´t see any difference between both versions – the cover, booklet everything is the same – both versions have bilingual titles. So I didn´t know how the seller of the CD´s recognise which version is he selling. Only difference which I find is logo on CD – Hostile Class on English CD, Olifant on Polish. For details of the album check the second review. For me Polish wins in the war between languages so this rating will be little bit lower but someone maybe will have different opinion.

The Krays is US streetpunk band from New York and this is their album called (which means Blood in Spanish) and you could see them few years ago in Prague during their European tour. It contains the songs arranged by frontman of the band Johnny (who used to play in bands like Devotchas, Casualties or in Roger Miret and The Disasters) for his side project called Tainada (they released one EP with some songs which are there). He wrote in booklet that some songs were inspired by Dee Brown´s book called “Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee! (which is book about colonization of Wild West and fights between white men and Indians). Most inspired songs from this book are Sour Ground, The Attack and The Dying Cold. On CD is together 16 songs from which are 5 in Spanish and 11 in English. I think that Spanish songs are more straightforward and English are mode melodic. Band really knows how to play strong melodic refrains which is proved by the first song called Drone about the system which tries to brainwash you with the TV…really good beginning of the CD. Music and lyrics are similar also in the song called Race Towards the Morning. You will find also some songs with ska rhythms (like in song called The Dying Cold) but also full acoustic pieces in Spanish (oh sorry Puerto Rican) rhythms like part of the song called Sangre taina or Mundo perdido (The Lost World) which sounds like it was taken from Desperado soundtrack or the last one The Reckless Use of Power where you can hear some traditional musical instrument. But mostly it is solid punk rock with many guitar solos and riffs and I would like to recommend this to all fans of bands mentioned above or Anti-Heroes. CD contains thick booklet (20 pages) with lyrics, thankslist, photos and a few words from Johnny plus patch of the band. I have to say that I don´t focus too much on punk rock stuff but this CD really rocks and I have had it in my record player for some time now and I would like to recommend it to all you who like melodic and time to time faster music.

So this is debut full length (before was “just” split with TMF) of this London band where plays veterans of British Oi! scene and I will try to introduce the band little bit (even there´s an interview on old version of the web). Band is three earlier born guys (Ciaran, Steve and Tel whose you may know from the bands like Retaliator, which are back with the bang now, TMF or East End Badoes) and two younger lads (punker Tim and Quinn whose used to play or still playing in Debt Collectors, Drink Fuelled Violence, Last Orders or Sterilizers) but I don´t know if this line up was recorded this album. Name of the band is taken from some regiment of British army in 1st World War. CD has accurately play time with 11 songs. First song is called Ruck´n´Roll and really kicks you down with heavy guitar and instead of the voice it reminds me Vengeance and their Forward into War. Then the rhythm goes little bit down but do not expect anything tiresome. Another songs which I want to pick up are Stand up and be Counted which is about the fact that people are moving away from the cities where some trouble starts instead of fighting for it and the streets which belong to them. Then surely PC Mafia which is about bands who are under some agency which dictate who to play or don´t play with and only think which counts is money (I think that you surely imagine some of these so called agencies). In song is also spoken bit which describes this in details. Super song is One Way of Life which says that no one can´t speak to your style and being different than others isn´t crime or song Organise, which is about nonsense fighting between each other which is great for media which mask with this other important news like killing your homeland or war. Better to get united and show some strength to those above. On album is songs mainly in middle rhythm as I said before but you´ll find also some faster ones like the first one King of Concrete Jungle (which I like most of them and it is about drug dealers and leaders of the gangs who things how tough they are but they only rule the scum and when they end up with bullet in their head it will be just another column to newspapers). Last song Don´t You Ever Let Me Down is done in music style of The Crack...great. Power of the band is in voice of the singer who has great British accent and in catchy guitar which isn´t afraid to play solos. Booklet is just in black and white and as the background under lyrics is picture from the cover and on the back is one photo and thankslist. I made booklet little bit revived with some colors but this version is again transparent. Definitely yes…I really like this band…it has enough quality and it has balls!!

On US label Rock´n´Roll Disgrace is out single called Great Britain from band The London Diehards. Single contains four songs. Two are taken from the first split album with TMF (City Streets and No Compromise) and two others are from their second album There´s Lies, Damn Lies and There´s London Diehards (One Way of Life and PC Mafia). Songs are put together in the way that on each side are songs from different albums. So on side A is City Streets and One Way of Life, on side B No Compromise and PC Mafia. Songs were chosen very well and their represent the band well and you will not find any weak song between them…all are great hits but if you have the previous albums you surely know it. Detailed description is in older reviews but in general they are about how band piss on the promoters who didn´t want to organize their show because of some bullshit and how they didn´t need any agencies to speak for them, how the members didn´t let anybody to speak into their way of life and about the hardness of streetlife. EP is packed as die-cut sleeve so you may see the logo on the middle of the EP. There are no lyrics and photos. EP was released in 500 copies (100 clear and 400 black). I have both previous albums so I bought it as a collector´s thing because there is no new stuff – just good choice of four songs of the band. And because it isn´t anything new I will not rate it (older albums are reviewed here).

Split CD of two for me not so well known bands The Negatives and Vitiators and 9th thing released on Switchlight Records. The Negatives from Landskrona is pretty experienced band with a few full lengths and split with Japanese band Discocks. The Vitiators come from Malmö and they were founded in 2011 but with members from CDCP, The Kalashnikov Orchestra or Royal Stakeout. Every band has 4 songs on CD which is packed like digipack. CD is opened by The Negatives and their Productivity Protocol (which kicks you from the start, but also it contains slower passages with guitar or guitars+drums and tune played on harmonica at the end like from some western movie) then came Latter Day Letter (which is melodic thing with video on the web http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvA8p7_ZtVU), Freedom (the best from the Negatives and from CD also with US sound, rubbed guitar and singalong refrain) and the last one called Nevermind Mankind (which is again is overseas punk rock style) I will compare them to harder Saturdays Heroes. The Negatives plays in four pieces. First song from Vitiators is called classically Fuck The World (rough song about the feeling when you want to piss on everything), then Street Rebel (singalong about streetlife with great expressive bass), Vitiators (anthem of the band about their love and passion for playing music) and the last one Get in Line (the most punk song on the album with shouted vocal). Vitiators remind me Battle Scarred or Jinx and it can be heard that the members have experiences with playing in different bands. Theese songs were recorded in four but with two guitars. There is no booklet, cover is apocalyptic (gas masks, etc…) and with band contacts inside. Who likes punk rock will like also this split CD.

The Nerks are for me unknown punk rock band from English Birmingham and the members are quite older as usual by British bands (but the band was founded in 2009) and according to the title of the album this is their debut record. On album are 10 songs and it is mixture of Oi!, streetpunk but also raw 82´punk. I hear mainly Combat 84 and Exploited (after few songs this combination surely come to your mind). Some songs are (like Violence or the last one You Won´t Get Me) are melodic, some other are really fast (like Pedro´s Case or Take Control for example). But I have to say that almost in every song is good guitar solo which make the sound of rhythm guitar more complete. The best song for me is the last one You Won´t Get Me with no doubts- great singalong with nice melody, changing vocals and guitar pieces. Lyrics are about backstreet violence with no rules, revenge, politicians with no conscience, etc… Band is making fun from many things but mainly from themselves (just check the photos with wigs or funny dresses in which they play the gigs). The genre is something like their friends from The Septic Psychos (you can find them also in thankslist) with the fact that The Nerks are better in playing their instruments. Interesting is also the fact that on their facebook page is between the bands which inspired them also Czech band Malignant Tumor. In booklet are many photos (in collages), lyrics, thankslist and contacts on all 7 labels which help with this album. This is for the fans of classic harder punk.

This is second single from The Old Firm Casuals – new band of Lars Frederiksen. I have to say, that Lars change image little bit then you know from Rancid and The Old Firm Casuals isn´t punk band but skinhead band...huuu...really. Other two members are from HC bands Look back and Laugh and Never healed. On EP you will find 3 songs - We Want the Lions Share and Don´t Worry About Me on side A and Ignorant Ones on B side. The first one is about that we want athe lion share of things which belongs to us because the men above us pay us very bad for our hard work. It is faster streetpunk with typical US sound. Second song is slower and the guitar in it reminds me older songs like Come on Feel the Noise or Do Anything You Wanna Do. The last one begins with guitar and vocal plus drums in the back, which are getting louder...this is the thing which I like and it is about problems of normal people on the streets which doesn´t interested those bastards above. Great singalong refrain is the thing which you surely like. I don´t want to judge if Lars is really skinhead or not but the quality of EP which is good. I like the last two songs because they are melodic but it is just matter of taste. Album is done in standards of Randale – with paper with lyrics or graphic design of the middle of the EP (which was released in green, blue and black version) or well done cover.

This is the first single from The Old Firm Casuals but it is repress because the first edition was sold out quickly. I like the band so I collected all their stuff so you will read a few words about the other EP´s in couple of days. On beige vinyl are four songs - The Old Firm (DMS), Lone Wolf, Apocalypse Coming and Casuals. The first one is dedicated to D.M.S. crew and it is also the introduction of the band. Second song Lone Wolf is dedicated to Roi Pierce from The Last Resort and his club Millwall F.C. and it is faster song. Third song begins with chopped guitar and it has great singalong refrain. The last one is about football casuals culture and all the fun around (but I don´t know if we can trust in this song from US band). Tempo of the songs is changing from faster to slowe and the best song for me is Apocalypse Coming (with great guitar solo). Inside you will find lyrics and great oldschool artwork of crucified skinhead. Music is good but when I compare it to other EP´s this one I like at least.

The last but one EP from San Francisco´s The Old Firm Casuals is called Army of One and it contains 3 songs – title one Army of One (which is dedicated to Mike E.), Bloodsucker (which was also on vinyl compilation Oi! this is Streetpunk released by Pirate Press Record) and the last one The Rabble. The band is described in previous reviews so I will go directly to the music…the first song Army of One is an anthem about the skinhead way of life and their unruly nature. Middle rhythm, playful guitar and easy but catchy singalong melody – this is what you receive. Second song is not sung by Lars but by bassist Casey or drummer Paul. Voice and also the song is harder and it is more straightforward song about the fact that if you don´t like someone you don´t like him completely – face, attitude, nature, clothes, etc… In last song The Rabble the vocalists are changing, the rhythm is back in melodic streetpunk genre with unbelievable melody of the refrain which goes directly into your head. Song is about the trouble which starts in the poor parts of the town because the civil rights of ordinary men are destroyed instead of rich politicians and bankers who are doing what they want. Really the best song from this EP but it is very tight result compared to the first one. Inside are lyrics, photo and thankslist (some bands really surprised me in positive way). The best EP from the band for me but I still have little problem to believe them what they sing about. But music is great.

This is 5th single of Lars Frederiksen band with skinhead image, now it is split EP with German bands Insane Dogs which is band with Sebi from Stomper 98. Each band has there two songs, Old Firm Casuals have The Wire and Death Dealers, Insane Dogs have Schuldig and Paradies in Flamen. First song from OFC The Wire is faster streetpunk about the city part behind the barbed wire with strange and criminal inhabitants. Second is called Death Dealers and it begins with riff similar to Work Together from The Oppressed, lyrics is in style of Bloodline – depressive (death, killing, blood, armageddon, etc...). All members from this three pieces band using their voices so the vocal parts are very varied. On B side are songs from the Insane Dogs which is just two piece project. Music is straightforward punk rock with drive from more simple drums and singing vocal with support of the second vocal in the background. First song reminds me little bit rougher version of the Toy Dolls and it is about the fact that when you are 17 years old the world belongs to you and desire for freedom wins over the rational thinking. Second is about the fact that we want to see the burning of the perfect world of politicians where they can do what they want because of corruption. In this song the both members of Insane Dogs are changing in vocals and the sound of the guitar is more garage. To the EP with similar artwork as previous We Want the Lions Share is added paper with lyrics of both bands. You can think what you want about Lars and his transformation but I have to say that The Old Firm Casuals really knows how to play and song The Wire is really hit. Insane Dogs can be judged just from these two songs and they are more into punk rock. Well done split.

This is third piece according to chronology line from The Old Firm Casuals nad it is double split single with band which is an inspiration for them for sure - British The Last Resort. Each band has solo EP with two songs. The Old Firm Casuals has here songs called Public Enemy and A Gang Like Us, The Last Resort has here Lest We Forget and new version of their older thing called Soul Boys. The first one is called Public Enemy and it is about thief who robs the bank because of survival of his family and their never caught him. Second song is slower one about the rules of the gang. I have to say that after the EP Army of One I like this single most. Last Resort opens the album with song called Lest we Forget which is new song about the sad destiny of war veterans who was cheated by their country which turn its back and didn´t take care about them. Second is older song which you may know from split CD with Combat 84 for example, where band plays under name The Resort, but it is re-recorded. Band has done some changes in the line-up compared with the last album (new drummer). OFC sounds better than Last Resort for me on this single. Cover is done in style of previous Skinhead Anthems albums from The Last Resort, inside are lyrics and on the back ID photos. Interesting thing by Oi! the Boat vinyl releases is the fact that every side of the EP is related to boat – so we have side A(nchor), B(oat), C(rew) nda D(eck). 8 points for OFC and 7 for The Last Resort.

The Pistones is for me not well known from Finland. They have one demo and also this EP. EP contains 4 songs in English - That´s What You Got and Forget You on A side and Die Alone and Small Town Workers on B side. Each song has circa 3 minutes. The band plays in four but they have two guitar and you will hear there also organ. The band plays slower and softer punk rock/77 punk in style of Saturday´s Heroes, Dims Rebellion and you will hear also The Clash or 999 in their music. Whole EP has really melancholic and sad sound which is greatly underlined by singalong vocals with all that ooooo and uuuu. In first song you will hear great blues/rockin´ solo and great bass which is totally playful. The other songs have also great guitar solos. EP is limited to 500 copies (hand numbered) on Iseland Records (don´t know that label) and you can buy it across Poink Records. Sadly there is no paper with lyrics even the vocal is clear but I am not able to listen the whole lyrics. This is for the fans of softer and calmer music. I like it!

The Righteous was Swedish band and they released two albums (…and the Saga Begins and this one) and both were recorded back in 2000. In band used to play guitarist and singer Robban who you may know from current line-up of Antipati and reunited Agent Bulldogg. Next “celebrity” who helped band was Carl Templar who produced this album and you will hear him also in the last song called When you´re Young (which is on album also in Robban´s version). Band has four members but two guitar and I can say that they really know how to play and their songs are like whip lash in the face or kick in the balls (there is 16 songs on that CD). And you will hear also harmonica and acoustic guitar (in the best song of the album called The Saga about the similarity in way of life of vikings and nowadays street cultures). In song Misunderstood (song about the misunderstanding of skinheads and for me the second best song of the CD) you will hear two tone guitar. But there are also slower songs like Time Has Come or The Righteous but most of the CD content is faster pieces like I´d Fuck Her, Never Trust a Woman (both very romantic pieces), Pay Day, Robinson Night Part 2 or B.O.M. (which is for the Brotherhood of Meat). There is also Judge Dread cover Big 9. Guitars with light booster, skinhead r´n´r sound and strong melodies – this you should expect when you will buy this CD. CD cover is surely inspired by Combat 84 – Rapist EP. Booklet has just 2 pages with just six lyrics (really don´t know why) and some band photos (really thin guys when you compare them with Antipati but 11 years are 11 years) and also some kind of explanation of the title (analogy to Odin who hung for nine days from the tree of life). I really like the band before and my thanks go to the Pure Impact Records for re-releasing this album. Great stuff and I don´t give full points just because of the booklet.

The Septic Psychos is band with former members of UK punk classics from 80´s - Riot Squad and this is their mini CD with 5 songs. Songs on CD are called Crooked Church, Bankers, Two Wrongs Make a Riot, Local MP and The Thatcher (which is remake from 1982). Music is similar to older Riot Squad in Fuck the Toryes or No Potential Theat era which means raw aggressive Oi!punk but with more better studio sound. Line up is contain from four members. Most of all I like third song Two Wrongs Make a Riot which is most melodic instead of other fast ones. Lyrics are about swearing on church, bankers, high society or politicians. I have to say that this kind of music is not my cup of tea because I like more melodic stuff but the fans of older stuff like Violators or Skeptix for example will like it. In booklet which has two pages you will find lyrics and thankslist with Resistance 77 for example. For me it is average stuff.

Another American band which is releasing their European version of their CD through 4Subculture Records. Album is European version of their EP called Problem Reaction Solution whic contains 4 songs. But as a bonus you´ll find there 28 (yes, really 28) songs. It is songs from split with Darkbuseter then from albums like Mass Hysteria, Outbound, On the Run, from demos like Unleash the Fury and Boston Scene Report compilation. Together it is 31 songs and the playing time corresponds to this fact. The oldest songs are from 2000. Booklet is just two pages with photo collage and thankslist so I am getting little bit lost between all those 31 songs. CD is well listened, music is sometimes fast and sometimes melodic and the songs are heterogeneous...older are faster and the newer are more melodic so you can see that the band controls their instruments better. Disadvantage is absence of the lyrics because I can´t catch every song...so I like Turn the Screw, I don´t Wanna, On the Avenue…I like songs from the title EP and also from Outbound. Some songs are there in two different versions. Bands to compare TaTT with...so I hear Slick 46, Blitz but also Doc. Martens or Moonstomp. So who likes mentioned bands or bands from USA will like this. Cross-section of discography of the band which isn´t too much known here in Europe...so make your horizonts wider and check them.

Reedition of the album which was released in 1991 on Ultima Thule Recrods and then in 1997 on Dim Records. It is the first album when Janne Thörnblom sing (on previous sing Bruno Hansen) and where he played guitar. Many songs from this album become very popular and become famous hits of Ultima Thule like Ragnarök, Mitt land, Election Day or the last but not least Ravens. Many songs were also translated into English or re-recorded with different rhythm or better quality. Other songs aren´t worse but they didn´t reach such success like these which I mentioned above. On CD you will find 10 songs, 6 in their mother tongue and 4 English. Booklet of album stays the same like in previous version with lyrics and few photos from time when band members haven´t got so many tattoos and no beer belly. From less known songs I will mention two tone influenced Festsång i odens sal or Ensamt öga which has second version on the last album of UT. For those who haven´t got this album and like Ultima Thule...buy it, really. I did it and I was satisfied with it. You may like their well known songs in more modern versions but this have the spirit!

This album was released in 1991 only on Ultima Thule Records and I think it was sold out really faast so this is new version which come out on Dim Records. It was also released on vinyl in 1997 and 2001 by Vulture Rock Records from USA. On CD is 18 songs which are equally divided to English and Swedish ones and they were recorded during 80´s and they were sung by Bruno Hansen who you may know from his solo CD´s or from Karolinerna. Who likes current records of Ultima Thule will have problems to hear different voice of the singer, music is almost the same also the sound but you surely recognise that it was recorded 25 years ago. In some songs you will hear acoustic guitar or piano. On CD are stuff from their first albums and singles like Sverige Sverige Fosterland, Hurra för nordens länder and from some compilations. Some songs were released lately on EP like Havets vargar for example from 1991. The album is slower than their current stuff and there is more keyboards and 80´s sound. Most of all I like songs Friday evening, World War III (with great keyboards underlining apocalyptic visions) and another song with keyboards Havets vargar. In booklet you´ll find some lyrics and band photos from 80´s. Good piece to the collection which you have to listen for several times to find its quality.

This the 2nd re-edition of greatest hits from kings and founders of Viking rock genre from Sweden which was released. For the first time the album was released in 1995 on Walzwerk Records then in 2000 on Dim Records. And on Dim is out now this re-edition which has new (and also thematic) cover. Circa one year ago I was written review on this album which was released on LP but on LP there were no cover songs which were on CD versions. So except their songs (which you surely know or which are mentioned and described in LP review) there are hits Be my Baby, Johnny Rebel, Rhythm of the Rain, Runaway, Little Red Ridinghood and Hurry up Harry put into punkrock rhythm (except these which are originally in punk rock). What is only one mistake of this album (but I can´t compare it with the original pressing or the first re-edition) is the fact that there are NO lyrics of English songs. On internet you can find some but not all. Instead of the lyrics you can read a short Ultima Thule story and description from which album are the songs taken, thankslist and one band photo. But for sure a must have album for those who haven´t got home the previous version of the album or vinyl.

This is re-relase of one of the first albums from Ultima Thule which was at first released in 1993 on Ultima Thule Records on CD and in 1997 on Dim Records as LP. On CD you can hear 13 songs and it is classical mix of their own songs, re-arranged traditional songs and melodies (like When Johnny Comes Marching Home, Då svallar vårt vikingablod or Uti vår hage) and one cover from the 60´s rock´n´roll era (this time it is Runaway from Del Shannona). From their own songs you will find there hits like Balders drömmar, Vargsång, Vikingar och svek, or Bäring nord (which you may know from the compilation of English songs Once Upon a Time under the names The God of Light, Songs of Wolves, Branded Banned and Bearing North). In music of Ultima Thule you can find mixture of hardness in their own songs (Balders drömmar), melodiousness in tradtitional re-arranged songs (great drinking song Då svallar vårt vikingablod and mainly Balladen till Sverige which is really impressive song) and also knowledge how to play great ballad (Bäring nord). Booklet is with lyrics, band photos and thnakslist. It has to be said that this album really worth re-pressing because 19 years from the first CD release and 15 from LP release is really long time in which appeared many fans of Ultima Thule who want to collect some stuff from them…so now is your chance! Albums from Ultima Thule really pass the test of time on 100% and you will surely return to them. And now is the time to make a LP repress.

After the long long seven years (I am not counting best of album Killing the Scene from 2006 with re-recorded older songs and 3 new one) released Swedish band Unit Lost brand new album called Asfalt. This is sung in Swedish (instead of the previous ones which are in English) and when I saw trailer on youtube I was looking forward to hear it because I was curious how does it sound. From the last line up is there just singer and bassist Jugge. New members are guitarist Kim (who also help with background vocals and his voice is higher than Jugge´s and you will surely recognise him in refrains) and drummer Timpa. Together you can listen to 11 songs including cover from Cornelis Vreeswijk (Swedish singer during 60´s and 70´s famous for his rude lyrics about whores and criminals) Ballad om Censuren. Music from Unit Lost is similar to theire previous albums – aggressive and fast streetpunk which kick you in the head with no remorse and lyrics in Swedish are giving greater drive to the band. Sometimes you will find acoustic part (Ballad om Censuren), accordion (slower song called Capite Censi about Swedish working class) or whispering vocal (in the last song called Zerotomy which is really psycho about some psychic illness or something like that). In booklet are Swedish lyrics with picture to the topic so you can recognise what are the songs about. Greatest hit for me is the fourth song called Det Var Bättre Förr with aggressive refrain and great solo guitar. You may know this song from the Chaos in Sweden compilation. Solo guitar is really strong part of Unit Lost at all. Topics of the lyrics are (estimated by the pictures and translator) hate of the politics, prison, terrorism, but also the first sin when Eve ate the apple from the tree in Eden (there is refrain in French). In the last song there are names like Sokrates, Kant, Seneca or Maslow in the strophe so the lyrics aren´t surely just about the beer and sausages. Other great songs are Född till makt (with great shouted refrain), Eva åt äpplet (great singalong) or the title one called Asfalt. I think that the waiting for this album worth it and those who will buy this album will surely get what they want to hear from Unit Lost. And the singing in their mother tongue surely didn´t harm their previous reputation. Whole album is dedicated to the friend of the band peter who passed out in 2009.

Unit Six is three piece streetpunk band from Miami, Florida and this is all what I know about them so I can´t tell you anything about their previous releases. EP contains four songs – D.E.D., The Way it Feels, Infection and Walk for Miles. Inside is paper for mp3 download and when you do it you will find two bonus songs – Drunk Fuck and Street Rock´n´Roll Blues. Song D.E.D. is pretty straight about the person you hate and who can´t leave you alone. Second is slower one with guest vocalist Chip Harris (he is also in fourth song) and it is about how man feels when he has THE girl by his side. Third one is little bit melancholic even in the vocal at the beginning and the fourth one is about the ways back home from your journeys. Unit Six are playing music which is based on playful but no heavy distorted guitar and it sounds to me like mixture between US Bombs a Sydney Ducks. Two bonus songs are faster and energetic than songs from EP. I don´t like too much the cover of the EP because I like stuff which is done better and not just in black and white and also there is no photo of the band. But the songs proved that the band knows how to play especially in three pieces.

This compilation which contains fromtwo CD´s was released at the beginning of this year on Oi! Ain´t Red Records. It is drawn in this way. First CD is compilation and 90% of songs on it is released before on some solo album or vinyl and just few tracks were previously unreleased. On this CD you will find 23 songs from well known bands like The Pride, Orgullo Sur, Brassic, Rampage, Short Cropped, Les Vilains, Crucial Change, The Firm, The Widowmakers, Major Disappointment, KBK, Kareliaani,…etc…It is mixture like compilations from Nordisc Records - We will Never Die 1 and 2 so you will find there bands which you needn´t to agree with but as the title says it is about the freedom of speech (but I am surprised that some bands didn´t mind it). You´ll find also less known bands like First Strike from USA or Mac and Los Guaren Corps from Chile. On other bands and their solo albums you will find review on our web. CD 2 contains of demo songs and live songs from younger and starting bands who wants to release their album now. 25 songs and really various bunch from German bands like Orange Blood, Shaven Heads, Old Glory, I don´t Like You, across Finnish bands Skinboiss and Pridefull, Brazilian Bronco Army, Dr. Martins, US Wellington Arms and Combate 49 or Dutch Uncle Trash. Sound is different from band to band but it is almost OK with every band. To double CD is booklet with band webpages and collage from bands photos and logos. Together more than two and quarter hour for reasonable prize 14,5€.

You surely remember great but hard to buy Japanese compilations Werevolfen or Fight Back for the Rising Sun where were songs from bands around SSS. And Jonesy´s label now wants to remind Japanese SSS scene by releasing double CD of bands which featured on compilations in the way that he puts on two disc songs from these compilations but also from LP´s and singles from the bands (released on US label Vulture Rock Records or on its forerunner Steve Priest Fan Club Records). Bands which you can find there are Bad Vultures (LP Live and Strong), Bull the Buffalos (self titled LP) and The Hawks (LP Heart of Gold) on first CD and Sledgehammer (two songs from split with Ikazuchi called Samurai Thunder and EP Anthem), Ikazuchi (two songs from Samurai Thunder), Cannons(Guts and Truth EP and three songs from Fight back for the Rising Sun), Ouka (two songs from split with Sledgehammer and one from Fight back for the Rising Sun) and Eastern Youth (three songs from Fight back for the Rising Sun) on second CD. Musically the bands are heterogenous...from simple Bad Vultures across solid Bull the Buffalos tougher Sledgehammer, metal influenced Ikazuchi to the best bands for me - The Hawks with oldschool skinhead r´n´r sound and with all (except one) songs in English including cover Tomorrow Belongs to Me and melodic Cannons. Booklet is well done with photo of each band plus photo of their album which is the songs taken from framed with Yakuza tattoos. Bands are also interesting because of using English refrains and phrases in Japanese lyric. Great songs are Smash it Up and Warriors Law from Bull the Buffalos, Waiting on the Time from The Hawks, Wervolf and Anthem from Sledgehammer, Aggro Knuckle and Working Army from Cannons, Firm Spirit from Ouka or Capital Punishment from Eastern Youth. Great compilation which has to be in your collection.

Second compilation of Asian bands (now just Japanese and Thailand bands) out on most active labels from that area Bronze Fist Records which is focused on Oi!, punk and psychobilly bands. Together there is 14 bands in ratio 9:5 for Thailand. Styles are very different – album is opened by folk punk band Error 99 in style of DKM or Flogging Molly, then skins Cropped Men in their metal SSS style and hard to understand English (which is common problem of bands from this region), psychobilly Trix´O´Treat which sounds like Europe or US band and woman on vocal or the oldest punks from Thailands – Dok-Lax. Other bands which are here are perfectly melodic Booted Cocks with their poppy sound, keyboards and great melody which goes straight under your skin, punks Chaos of Society, The Die Hards or All Dirty, rockers Spiderz and many more like Foolish the Bastards, Degenerate, Steel Toe Army (with Sparrer´s cover with their lyrics - Bangkok Belongs to Me), The Genbaku Onanies or The Botox. Most bands sing in their mother tongue (but also lyrics are written in this language) which are impossible to translate. CD is end by song make directly for this compilation with vocalists from Steel Toe Army and Dok-Lax with similar name as this compilation. Booklet is rich – many photos and lyrics (but with language problem which I mentioned before) and contact on the bands. For sure this is the interesting stuff for people who are interested also in the backstreet scene outside of Europe and USA.

Oi! the Support is compilation which was done as a financial support to Oi! the Weekend festival where organizers lost some money and this is the way how to make some of them back (great idea). Together you will find 25 bands on the CD, 15 Swedish and others are British, Dutch, Danish, German, Belgium, Aussies but also bands from America so this isn´t just a support from bands which are on the festival. Some bands are disbanded and they don´t play anymore but their songs are used. Next interesting thing is the fact that more than one third of the songs is previously unreleased. The songs are brand new and they will be probably used on feature albums. On CD you´ll find bands like Booze and Glory, Discharger, Agent Bulldogg, Oldfashioned Ideas, Antipati, Razorblade, Perkele, Gumbles, The Righteous, The Clichés, Volxsturm, Gatans Lag, Clockwork Crew, Last Seen Laughing, Unit Lost, The Corps, The Agitators, Vindicate This!, The Lowlifes, Sinners Since Birth, On the Job, Prins Carl, Contemtuous, Hammer and The Nails and Jenny Woo. You surely know most of these bands sol I will focus on previously unreleased songs. So Discharger has brand new song there called It Seems to be a Crime, which is about criminalization and discrimination of our cult by media lies, then came Oldfashioned Ideas with Bridges Burned (they will release new album in January 2012), Razorblade and they return to English - Oi! Fucking Oi!, Gatans Lag with När Henke Bröt Käken På Avenyn now without saxophone, Unit Lost and Balladen om Censur (which was released on their brand new album Asfalt which is in Swedish completely), Vindicate This! - One Step Forward, Two Steps Back (with worse quality compared to other songs on the CD), more into punk band The Lowlifes and their song Jag Finns Inte Alls, Prins Carl with their cover from 2nd Pint - Finger up and the last but surely not least Jenny Woo - Outlaws (which is great half acoustic song with the help of vocalist from Discharger Tim – I suppose that it is him, but I think so because of their split album) and for me it is the best song from the album. Booklet is just two pages with photos (maybe from festival) and no lyrics (as usual on compilations). This compilation which has reason for itself – supporting the scene is different from others by these unreleased songs and this is two reasons for buying it because everyone wants going to gigs for sure and it isn´t always so easy to organize them. I leave it without rating, but it worth buying.

This compilation of 11 bands on green 11´´ vinyl was released on 11.11.2011 and it contains 11 songs. On it you will find the bands which were released by Longshotu (mainly in cooperation with Contra) and mainly US bands like Knucklehead, Noi!se, Young Offenders, 45 Adapters, Lower Class Brats, Sydney Ducks, The Old Firm Casuals and Harrington Saints, Aussies Marching Orders, and Booze and Glory and Control from Great Britain. Compilation contains songs from the full length albums but also from singles and some previously unreleased songs like Minimum Wage from Marching Orders – Minimum Wage (again the song about sad parts of hard life). On most of the bands you can find the review here on BB (or you will find it in the future) and with some of them is here an interview. Some of the bands I didn´t know like Knucklehead and Young Offenders so I can´t say if songs like Boomtown (great melodic punkrock song in typical US style) or Trelawny´s Army (which can be compared to Slick 46 style of punk rock) were or weren´t previously unreleased. All bands have in common the sense for melody without fake roughness but I suppose that you will know them. But if you don´t know them, you can listen to the whole compilation on this link http://www.piratespressrecords.com/Oi%21/ without needing a gramophone. As a label sampler it is good, cover is done in easy way and there is also the code for digital download but as a compilation for the whole year 2011 it can´t pass even if it contains many great songs – and for me the greatest is No Justice from Harrington Saints. Similar compilations you have twelve to dozen.

Vogelfrei is really experienced and well known band from Torgau city which is not so far from our borders and this is their 5th studio album. From the release of their last album Zwischen sehnsucht und Rebellion came 7 years but both band members Ricky and Carsten keep on working on the new stuff since 2008. The band is made by two persons nowadays – Ricky who recorded vocals and all guitars and Carsten who recorded drums. On album you can listen to 12 songs in German in great style of melodic Deutschrock full of melancholy and experience (the history of the band started in 1992). Take the sound of Freiwild and Bohse Onkelz from later era, calm down and mix it with the Social Distortion or solo projects of Michael Ness and you will receive the sound of Vogelfrei. There are also songs with more acoustic sound (like Wir flogen aus and So lange du hier bist which contain also mouth organ – really nice rockin´ ballads). Nice is also the vocal of singer which really fits perfectly to the music. I didn´t know too much about the band previous albums but I have to say that this piece is really cool and it is listened very well and there is no weak songs but many great hits (like Ein Platz für Uns, Niemand or title one Der dämmerung entgegen but also other songs are great). Lyrics are great also I think full of personal feelings with no cliché but I didn´t know german language too well to translate them. Booklet of the CD is really professional and it fits well to the style which band plays. This album will be more for fans of more complex music and do not expect classical Oi! from this piece, but it doesn´t mean that it is bad music.

Vortex is one of basic German skinhead bands from the 80´s and you surely know their classic albums like Gladiator or Laut und Lustig rleased on Rock´o´Rama Records (but re-released as a picture discs on Randale Records). Band recorded new album in 21th century called Und was wollt ihr and also split EP with The Crusaders. And this is the record of their whole reunion gig played in 2003 in their mother city Hammeln. On CD you can listen to 15 songs which 12 you may know from Rock´o´Rama albums and three others (Alles zu Spät – don´t know from what CD was taken and Ohne Gesicht and Warum, released on later album Und was Wolf ihr). You will find there classic songs like Modeskin (Robert), Ich warte auf einen Freund, Berlin, Dr. Alk, Die Made or Laut und Lustig for example. Me personally prefer regular albums then live albums or compilations but I haven´t nothing at home from them except their EP so I find this OK for me. Record is digitally remastered and sound quality is really good with no buzz and all instruments are clear and readable (neither bass nor guitar solos aren´t lost in noise) but the atmosphere of the live gig is also here (mainly in refrains). In booklet you will find posters of the band from reunion age, some photos and nostalgic description of the band and relationship to them by Jan from Subculture Squad who released this CD. The band is still playing (last time they played in November 2011 in Germany with Condemned 84). I really like it but it is “just” some kind of compilation so I leave it without rating.

This is self-titled single from French band from Marseille Warrior Kids which was released to the full length album called La vie des mauvais Garcons (something like Life of Poor Kids). Single contains three songs - Warrior Kids and Burn Out on A side and 2013 Marseille Capitale on B side. The band is playing since 80´s and it always belongs to the melodic part of the Oi! music and they aren´t afraid to spice it up with ska and reggae influences. I always like their vocals because singing bassist Marc really knows how to sing. I would compare them to Evil Conduct because of their melody but they have stronger solo guitar for sure. First song is faster with short and simple lyrics about the band, second Burn Out is in classic spirit of the band which we like from previous albums and it is about the life and its flow forward and impossibility of return. Mentioned ska influences – keyboards, two tone guitar and vocals with the hall effect are in the last song called 2013 Marseille Capitale which is long but very calm and very listenable. It is about the bad situation in Marseille like big unemployment and bad conditions for common people which can´t get better because of the wars between politicians As usual by Randale releases there is paper with lyrics and photos. Good single which can introduce you the band in three songs of their typical style. Fans of not so hard and heavy Oi! music will like it for sure.

Second album after reunion from West Side Boys is called Reste fier (which can be translated like Still Proud and it was released again with the cooperation of same labels as album …Are Back. There were some line-up changes in the band – new singer Jibé, drummer Jérémy and guitarist Ulysse who recorded also saxophone and mandolin. You will also hear piano in some songs. Band has also many guests in songs like Marc from Warrior Kids, Vanessa from The Misogynes or Nico from Bords de Seine. You will find 14 songs on this piece including covers Galérdiens and L´Éternité from Tolbiac Toads and 1990 from Teep'n'Teepatix. Album is opened by part of French national anthem and after it there is song called La fleur au fusil (something like The Flower in the Gun) where you can hear keyboards. Song is really similar to Paris Violence songs and the picture under lyrics underlined this. Second song is Druhá Reste fier which is little bit straight forward but it contains many guitar solos. In next one Cette jeunesse (This youth) you will hear great bass solo and in the next one Paris, Réveille-Toi! (Wake Up Paris) saxophone. Piliers de Comptoir is great singalong and you will hear saxophone but also keyboards here. Armée de la Terreur (The Army of Terror) is sader and more serious song which you may recognize fromn the different sound of solo guitar. Rien n´est différent (Nothing is Different) is nostalgic memory to times, when the old generation was young. Le Pont de Tolbiac (Bridge Tolbiac) is opened again with piano (which you can hear time to time in the song) but it becomes faster and its strength is in singalong refrain – really one of the best songs from the album. Tatoué (Tattoo) is faster one with clear topic. In Seul et Fragile (Alone and weak) is saxophone again – really like saxophone in Oi! songs. The last song composed by the band is called La Parisienne (Parisian) and it is put into fine ska rhythm. I like previous album because of great graphic, booklet and bonus songs from older times but I have to admire that these new songs are really ass kicking and better than songs from …Are Back. Booklet is well done and it is on harder paper with photos to the lyrics and big collage in the middle. I have nothing to criticize maybe I miss a few words in Engloish about the lyrics. Great Oi! music with many musical instruments with great booklet!