CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - JANUARY 2018: OMEN - "BATTLE CRY"

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - JANUARY 2018:

OMEN - "BATTLE CRY" (1984)
(Running time: 44:05 minutes; 12 songs // Rerelease 2016 edition feat. two bonus tracks.)
("Metal Blade Records"; CD)

Tracklist:
(01.) "DEATH RIDER"
(02.) "THE AXEMAN"
(03.) "LAST RITES"
(04.) "DRAGON'S BREATH"
(05.) "BE MY WENCH"
(06.) "TORTURE ME" (bonus track, taken from the "METAL MASSACRE 5" compilation)
(07.) "BATTLE CRY"
(08.) "DIE BY THE BLADE"
(09.) "PRINCE OF DARKNESS"
(10.) "BRING OUT THE BEAST"
(11.) "IN THE ARENA"
(12.) "BATTLE CRY" (bonus track, live 1986)

Hey guys, welcome back and look what we have here: A new category titled "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" and I will do my very best to establish this as a monthly installement up here on this very blog that will feature an album that is sort of already older or so and that 'moved me' in the then past month the most and that just makes me want to spread the word about it in an explicit way'n'manner so that it gets an own proper solely single post to pay tribute to it up here and to tell you about the greatness that it offers and (in fact) simply just is. And hey, this albums here are (in my book) true and real classicks and so at the end of this posts you will find no ratings like it would be a normal record-review or like this albums still would have to pro(o)ve something to the world or anyone or anything else, hell no, just that you know that. And to do this all here and now I'll (or I do) install this new posting series and/or category for you.  Yes, that's what's now up, hell yeahr, and so here's the start for/of the "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" series or category and the first post ever of it will be about/on the OMEN debut "BATTLE CRY", yes, and so now here we go...

OMEN were formed by their guitarist Kenny Powell in 1983. After he'd left SAVAGE GRACE he gathered the (sheer amazing) vocalist J.D. Kimball (who tragically died in 2003 of cancer... Rest in Power!!! And fuck Cancer!!!), and at the bass Jody Henry and at the drums Steve Wittig around him and then this young wildfires and Heavy Metal maniacs raised OMEN together. Then in 1984 their debut-album was released: "BATTLE CRY"; and no better title could have been chosen by them for this killer. Here I have the rerelease from 2016 of this larger than life masterpiece that features the two above already mentioned and/or listed two bonus tracks and that so now delivers (in) a runing time of nearly 45 minutes (even the mentioned bonus songs had been, for all what I've read, already used also as bonus tracks of the 2003 rerelease of this  very album, anyhow, but just that you know it) and I have the CD edition of it even (if am now not completly on the wrong tracks) there's also a LP edition of it out, too.

I bought this CD finally back in 2016 and since then... (1.) I can't stop to wonder about the fact that before buying it OMEN were in the most, the biggest, and the largest parts completly under my radar, completly off-screen, so to say, and this is facing their quality and their delivery and their amazing and absolute unique identity as well as because this was and is and will be always sort of exactly my musick really pretty unbelievable for me... and so shame on me, just shame on me, in biggest amounts; (2.) I heavily digged myself into the almighty OMEN and their work and especially "BATTLE CRY", "WARNING OF DANGER", and the "THE CURSE/NIGHTMARES" reissue are still today ongoingly strong on constant heavy rotation here in Nerdopolis aka ''Camp Manslaughter''. And, to mention this just by the way, especially OMEN's "BATTLE CRY" keeps on pushing me absoultely without mercy on and on through my weightlifting workouts as well as on my 'running tracks' every morning, bloody hell yeahr, this alone makes this gladiatorial masterpiece definitely to an outstanding preciousness of one of a kind at least and especially in my very own book, so to say.

OMEN play(ed) an outstanding forceful and sharp cutting and heavy hammering Heavy Metal/Power Metal in an archetypical American Heavy Metal or (maybe better) U.S. Metal style that sneaks here and there time and again a bit into Speed Metal territory and that also showcase(d) a sort of an epic approach or character-trait that use(d) to breath a battle-scarred and gladiatorial spirit into it all and enriches and cultivates it all massively with a very savage and violent ''Sword & Sorcery'' flair that turns this into a perfect soundtrack for the adventures of the almighty Conan in the glorious days of the golden Cimmerian age, so to say, and from the artwork to the lyrics and the bandphotos to (and especially to) the musick this is maybe the most present and prominent (in the 'complete OMEN context') on OMEN's "BATTLE CRY", here on this damn amazing and outstanding total masterpiece.

The songwriting was (and still is) incredible intense and highly atmospheric through'n'through, and even it is mostly (and especially at first sight or better 'at first listen') straight ahead and onwards pushing and forward storming, without mercy and no prisoners taking, still it offers a multitude of pretty diverse and multi-layered elements 'beneath the surface' in it and it shines with big'n'wide interactions (in)between harsh smashing Heavy Metal, loud roaring Power Metal, savage raging and intense Speed Metal flirts, and fantastic Epic Metal impression in it, yes, and all is done absolutely brilliant so that it all flows and melts perfectly together and is still today sort of really 35years after its first release still a totally overwhelming, exciting, and grapping, a from start to finish absolutely intense ride that will grab you, hold you, and take you with it by storm. The diversity of the songs is huge, and all is delivered on an outstanding level of quality and skill. Great arranged verse structures, hymnal refrains, clever changes of the pace work, grapping arrangements, and an 'amazingly' exciting compositorial work in general that totally conquers still today, yes, and also after 35 years this immortal masterpiece is still as fresh, as intense, as overwhelming, and as just fantastic as it was back then in 1984. A lot of sort of extra-power OMEN's "BATTLE CRY" also gains out of or because of the enthusiastic, rousing, and just savage delivery, yes, and also Kenny Powell and the rest of the pack were (already) very (high) skilled musicians (as well as songwriters) back then. And they worked also strong IRON MAIDEN influences into their songs and musick and they definitely made it all totally their very own and when the galloping rhythms, the loud'n'proud (backing) choirs, the very memorable as well as very exciting and damn rousing melody lines, the 'impressively' massive and without compromises to the point played intense riffs, the heavy and pretty dominat bass work, the straight and heavy and very effective drumming, and the outstanding lead vokillz set in the "BATTLE CRY" echoes over the fields of war and you know that it's time for another massacre of false Metal to break out and kick off.

The biggest trademarks of (or on) OMEN's "BATTLE CRY" were/are surely the amazing and outstanding, sharp aimed'n'cutting and even harder and heavier hitting guitar work that shines with fantastic riffs and a brilliant rhythm work as well as with intense and atmospheric melody lines and leads and also delivers truly slashing solos; as well as the absoultely phenomenal total savage and yet still very hymnal arranged and melodical delivered, highly charismatic lead vocals that are nothing but outstanding and also backed up by massive and impressive choirs that add even more intensity and atmosphere to it all. The very present and also pretty dominant, playful and really the lead taking bass work and the full force and sheer thundering drum work only add up to it all. This is true Metal, U.S. American raised Heavy Metal at its damn very, very best. As fresh as back then. As relevant as back then. A true timeless treasure. Truly one of a kind. 

Fantastic battle-scarred, gladiatorial, savage, and epic-fantasty lyrics, a through'n'through timeless and completly gorgeous and perfectly the title matching hard as nails rough artwork, and a truly perfect and devastating production sound (surely- a bit- overworked, but it sounds very 'old schoolish' and this in the very best way and manner) turn this all into the totally outstanding real deal and the completest package one can only get.

This is by all means and in all ways and this totally through'n'through and also really truly an outstanding and overwhelming epic classick and a timeless masterpiece of real and true Metal musick and if you really still don't have it and/but proclaim to be anyhow anyway even only slightly into (Heavy/Power/U.S.) Metal then by any means you need to finally and desperately get it, to have it, because this is second for second an absoultely larger than life masterpiece through'n'through; and I hope that I did anyhow only slightly justice to it here and now with this (first ever) "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" posting and now I will close this post and put OMEN's "BATTLE CRY" on for one more time again and I will start the next harsh and massive headbanging one man mosh pit in my living room. This was and is and will forever be an outstanding gift of the (Metal) gods. And now: "Bang that head that doesn't bang!!!"

OMEN - "DEATH RIDER"

OMEN - "BATTLE CRY"

OMEN - "THE AXEMAN"

OMEN - "IN THE ARENA"

HAYMAKER - "WE ARE HAYMAKER" (2017)

HAYMAKER - "WE ARE HAYMAKER"
(Running time: 18:58 minutes; 6 songs)
("Bulldog Empire" & "Randale Records"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, yes, I am (already) back on track again and right at work again up here for you and here's now the next dose in-coming for you, the next load so to say and this means also in this very case right here, right now that here's the next record-review aiming at you. When I will have this one done 'in the box' then this does also mean that then all record-reviews on 2017 releases so far up here are done and then sort of all brandnew 2018 stuff will be more or less heavily coming up here (so to say - and whatever this now may mean in particular we will see then). Okay, so now sort of comes the 'true final 2017 post' so far (so to say) and I thought I save the best for last because if you've read the record-reviews on 2017 releases so far up to this very one here and now then you may are aware that you still don't know what my personal album of the year of 2017 is, yes, and so now you know what my personal album of 2017 is, my album of the year, and it is none other than this breathtaking and fantastic Mini-CD from the amazing HAYMAKER, an absolute phenomenal new band fronted by (formerly) DISCHARGER's very own Tim Steinfort and roaring out of the streets of Prague; and so the two different labels of this post 'Dutch Oi!' and 'Prague Oi!' should be also explained to all of you. This absolutely fantastic little great silver shining disc carries the title "WE ARE HAYMAKER" and was released by "BULLDOG EMPIRE" and "RANDALE RECORDS" (already) at the 6th of March of 2017 and it holds six larger than life masterpieces in store for us, five very own HAYMAKER tracks and a phenomenal done and delivered SKINFLICKS cover. HAYMAKER consist (out) of the already mentioned Tim Steinfort (ex-DISCHARGER), the silverbacked Prague scene-veteran Vlad the Bulldog and Tomas formerly active in/with the mighty SAINTS & SINNERS. And with all this said now let us talk about what's really of our interest, yes, and this is the music and what they deliver to us here on "WE ARE HAYMAKER". So what do we get from HAYMAKER? Finest, highest skilled, highly dynamic, and incredible energetic Oi! that's 'impressively' massive and hard'n'heavy rocking and even more massive rolling so that we can truly and definitely and very calmly use the term Skinhead Rock & Roll as well or maybe even instead. If you like your Oi! or Skinhead Rock & Roll by all means hard as nails and forceful forward rocking while yet all the time being 'outstandingly' hymnal/anthemic and highly melodic, yes, then you will definitely love and hail HAYMAKER and their brilliant "WE ARE HAYMAKER" album; you'll love and hail it like I do love and hail it. Any band comparisions aren't really that much making sense due to the pretty unique character'n'identity of HAYMAKER but surely already for the vocals alone DISCHARGER come to mind while listening to HAYMAKER and more or less in general music-wise I would say that when you imagine a mixture out of a more basic and to the short cropped and hard rocking essence 'reduced' DISCHARGER combined with early SKREWDRIVER (talking about "ALL SKREWED UP" and the stuff featured on the mighty "ANTISOCIAL SINGLES COLLECTION 1977 - 1981") and some PERKELE (but more heavier and more massive and rough and less polished, music- and attitudewise) added up with some few SKINFLICKS impressions and this all mixed up'n'through with some good old stomping Brit Oi! and in the guitar departments of the songs here and there in the drive and the approach some bonedry guitar driven American Oi! ingredients may even shine through, more or less. But please keep in mind that HAYMAKER through and through do their very, very own thing. The intense and grapping songwriting really shines bright'n'wide and marks the songs and the whole album immense and this for all the right and well, well justified reasons and that is nothing but filled to the absolute bursting'n'exploding peak with its 'savagely' and definitely no prisoners taking hard crushing rhythm arrangements, with its fantastic arranged and done verse compositions that culminate in totally larger than life hymnal and anthemic fist pumping sing-a-long refrains, with its 'mercylessly' onwards stomping drive and highly energetic dynamics, yes, and also we find in the natural grooves, in the exciting playful elements of each 'instrument's playing', and in the fantastic little big very soulful surprises and twists'n'turns that are highly skilled worked into the heavily rampaging songs a sheer incredible amount of conquering quality and overwhelming moments that just leave mouths open, ears ringing, and eyes shining (so to say), yes, and this (again) for all the right and highly justified reasons. Storming and powerful, incredible harsh rocking and 'stunningly' rolling and yet all the time damn melodic and catchy and nicely varying and diverse, bonedry, sharp cutting, and hard edged guitars are really the brightest shining ingredient of HAYMAKER's music and a true trademark (of its very own) and it (which means the guitar work/playing) conquers with a phenomenal rhythm work as well as with fantastic melody lines, leads, and solos, yes, absoultely purest platinum. The savage and roaring, harsh and yet pretty melodic sung lead vocals, backed up by loud'n'proud backings at all the right places and to all the right times (so to say), are surely the next most outstanding trademark (also of its very own) of HAYMAKER. The walking'n'talking and in fact really also the 'lead singing' delivering bass work and the massive and yet very, very playful drumming then finally only add up to it and turning this into the absolute real deal and the total complete package. Fantastic, honest, outspoken, and authentic lyrics, a dirty, warm, and yet heavy top notch production sound, and a pretty 'simplistic' as well as also pretty cool artwork then round it all up. So, yes, you see, this is just an absolutely outstanding larger than life masterpiece and this is definitely my album of the year of 2017 and this pretty much unrivaled and this even in the context of the music-wise incredible strong year that was 2017 definitely. And all six songs are the most conquering killers without any only slightly 'filler note' and so, yes, by all means if you ask me you definitely need to have this almighty album and I just hope that HAYMAKER will deliver us soon a proper full length of this quality, yes, and this best pretty soon. I really love HAYMAKER's "WE ARE HAYMAKER", this is the most precious and most purest platinum of 2017 you can only get out there, oh hell yeahr, and so just (finally) get it and this (in case you still don't have it) best instantly and promptly. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!
(10 of 10 points)
https://de-de.facebook.com/HaymakerOi/?ref=page_internal (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

HAYMAKER - "FIRST TO DIE" (2017, "WE ARE HAYMAKER")

HARDSELL - "SUBCULTURE CRIMINALS" (2017)

HARDSELL - "SUBCULTURE CRIMINALS"
(Running time: 42:41 minutes; 12 songs)
("Rebellion Records"; 2017; CD):

And again and like already said one or two times in the past up here 2017 was music-wise a damn strong and a very good year and it also saw some, from my point of view, sort of really (long) awaited but anyhow pretty to very surprising and mostly very strong returns of bands that were abscent and away for anyhow far too long, yes, and the lads here fall or fit perfect into that certain 'category of bands': HARDSELL. Side by side with CLOSE COMBAT but independently from each other (so to say) the (al)mighty HARDSELL finally released in 2017 via the legendary "REBELLION RECORDS" with their damn impressive forceful slasher "SUBCULTURE CRIMINALS" their first album since their larger than life classic "PISSED'N'BROKE" from 2004 and so you see... another band that sort of needed more than 10 years and in fact 13 years before finally unleashing new glory tunes on/at us; the third record-review on an album by a band that took so long... what-ever this now may mean... if anything... Anyhow, back to the topic: About the "who-then-and-who-now" is or was in HARDSELL or not (anymore) you can probably if not surely sort of anywhere else read all what you need to know (or not) and so I will spare me the words about it here and now, also because it's anyhow that much important after all (at least if you ask me). Far more important is the fact that "SUBCULTURE CRIMINALS" is a damn impressive and hard hitting Oi! album by this icons of Dutch Oi! and it kicks damn heavy and massive ass from start to finish. This is mighty and powerful, hard'n'heavy and yet very melodic Oi! that sort of sounds like the last 13 years just weren't existent (if you get what I mean) and it's today as relevant and fresh and alive/lively like it was back then and this is really impressive, yes, really impressive. This is straight and forceful onwards stomping Oi! full of smashing rhythmic arrangements, forward pushing verses and catchy anthemic refrains, well-timed breaks, and great melodic lines and HARDSELL fans will love it as well as fans of DISCIPLINE and TECH 9 will cheer up to it and also fans of hymnal and hard pushing Brit Oi! as well as guitar driven and yet very melodical American Oi! surely will go nuts to it - and this for all the right and justified reasons. It's through'n'through typical HARDSELL and especially the rough'n'tough lead vocals and the very present and heavily the songs marking lead (and solo) guitars are the biggest and in the way how they are done and delivered also the most unique and characteristic  trademark of HARDSELL in general and also of "SUBCULTURE CRIMINALS" in general, yes, and so expect twelve new songs filled to the max with hard as nails delivered throaty lead vocals backed up by 'widescreen' crew back ups, catchy verses and huge hymnal refrains, and great guitars that deliver a heavy and forceful rhythm work and especially loud singing melodic leads and solos, and this all (is) backed up massively by crushing rhythm section. And all is through and through to be clearly identified as a true HARDSELL album all the ride from start to finish. A big load of pretty strong Oi! lyrics, a first class heavy and nicely clear production sound, and a pretty cool artwork we finally get on top of it all. And yes, that's it, it's a damn great record and I can only recommend it to any of you into Oi! (and/or Streetpunk) outta there and so make sure that you get it and then play it damn fucking loud. This is a damn great album that holds a lot to discover for you in store, yes, and it's truly and really damn good that HARDSELL are really back, finally. Welcome back guys. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!

(9 of 10 points)

https://www.facebook.com/hardsell.punk (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

HARDSELL - "COMING FOR YOU" (2017, "SUBCULTURE CRIMINALS")

CLOSE COMBAT - "SPIET VAAN NIKS" (2017)

CLOSE COMBAT - "SPIET VAAN NIKS"
(Running time: 42:14 minutes; 9 songs)
("Spirit of the Streets Records"; 2017; CD):

I've said it before and I say it again: 2017 was music-wise a damn fantastic year; and here we have the next proof of/for this thesis: the new(est) CLOSE COMBAT full-length-album "SPIET VAAN NIKS" that was released now already nearly a year ago at the 24th of February of 2017 via the mighty "SPIRIT OF THE STREETS RECORDS" from Germany (if I am now not completly on the wrong tracks then it's the label formerly known as the glorious "BANDWORM RECORDS", correct me if I'm wrong). It's incredible how times flies by... if I am now not completly wrong than "SPIET VAAN NIKS" is CLOSE COMBAT first output since 2006 when they had released their outstanding "GUEST OF THE STATE" album and so it had been eleven years that passed us by since then... unbelievable... "GUEST OF THE STATE" was back then damn important for/to me and for many years to come constantly on heavy rotation and also today I still listen to it again and again and again and now in 2018 I do this since already twelve years in a row... and at first it was definitely no impression that I had or got that it were already eleven to now twelve years since then becauso to/for me it was all still so damn fresh, yes, and so I was pretty much sort of a little bit 'shocked' because of it... damn it, I grow old... slowly but steady, just face it. Anyway'n'anyhow, back to the topic: CLOSE COMBAT and their newest "SPIET VAAN NIKS" titled offering; first thing that you may get already from the title is that after "GUEST OF THE STATE" here on "SPIET VAAN NIKS" the fine guys of/in CLOSE COMBAT finally are back to singing in their local dutch dialect, like on their "VIVA MESTREECH" debut EP, and 'avoiding' english as the language of their choice (so to say). Personally I always like it more or prefer it when I can understand what the bands I listen to sing about and when I, for example, can sing-a-long to the beat (so to say) but that is just a matter of personal preferences and to be honest than I have anyhow clearly and openly to admit that I enthusiatically celebrate and cheer up to what CLOSE COMBAT deliver here 'with'n'in their local dutch dialect' and so there's absolutely no need for any further 'crybaby bitching around dingledangle' here and now. And what else is there to say... about CLOSE COMBAT, one hell of an outstanding and mighty band that definitely is to be praised and hailed ranked up very high with the other greats of Dutch Oi! like DISCIPLINE, DISCHARGER, RAZORBLADE, HARDSELL, BADLANDS, BANNER OF THUGS, and TECH 9, to name a few, yes, and this is something that definitely did not change today and so, yes, they are definitely back. And with all the named bands that all did or still do have their pretty unique character so it was and still is it also with CLOSE COMBAT, too; they always had and still have (and probably today even more then ever before) their own unique character and identity. This is hard as nails and heavy hitting real Oi! with a huge dose of hard rocking notes and clear metallic influences in it that shines bright'n'wide with a strong tension building and 'dramatically' very smart composed and also intense as well as atmospheric songwriting that offers a huge amount of multi-layered diversity and hold an incredible amount of strong and exciting suprises and grapping and rousing elements and moments all along the ride in store and it is in any sense, way, and manner pretty hard to come up with any proper band comparisions because CLOSE COMBAT are simply a mighty force of their very own. Maybe best to be compared to the later and heavier, sort of more metallic works of RAZORBLADE and BADLANDS with some later BANNER OF THUGS, and DISCHARGER and also some SOULTAMER portions in it all, hm, maybe... but please keep in mind (and this very present) that this are only very loose starting points for your discovery of CLOSE COMBAT's "SPIET VAAN NIKS" and are more to be understood in a 'for-fans-of-...-that-will-probably/surely-also-love-this-very-one-here' way, yes, because CLOSE COMBAT totally do their very own thing and their above already mentioned and sort of described amazing songwriting, that's delivered by this damn skilled musicians that are forming CLOSE COMBAT, does a lot to give this album its incredible 'outstandingly' unique identity. What right from the kick off shines as nothing else but a clear statement of the sheer and pure might of CLOSE COMBAT's "SPIET VAAN NIKS" is the fantastic guitar work that delivers hard punching and stomping riffs and rousing powerful rhythm structures without end (here and there earlier BÖHSE ONKELZ influenced arrangements are to be experienced, all done in a very 'own way' and this definitely damn strong) and also especially fantastic melody lines, singing leads with very strong and damn clear Heavy Metal/NWOBHM influences in the tradition of (for example) IRON MAIDEN as well as shining and great done and delivered solos, oh hell yeahr, it's truly fantastic, yes, and it's damn intense and creates a very tight'n'dense and overwhelming strong (pretty sinister) atmosphere all the time that marks the whole album really incredible strong. The rough'n'tough shouted lead vocals with a nice own tone to it and a great gruff'n'grim character add massive stunning heavyness and weight to the whole album and are in the right moments clever and smart backed up by 'widescreen' backing chants that only add up to the strong hymnal character of the songs. The harsh walking'n'talking bass and the pound for pound pure(ly) thunderous/thundering drumming then finally give the songs a through'n'through pure and hard as steel brickwall character and add massive amounts of bulky muscles and beefy meat to the bones of CLOSE COMBAT's "SPIET VAAN NIKS", sort of holding it all together and this really in an impressive way. All songs are killers, there simply are no fillers, and so I will spare me every word more about naming you any possible personal favorites of me, myself, and I. To the lyrics I can't really say anything due to the simple fact that I don't speak the above mentioned 'local dialect' and even we get some very short 'one sentence linernotes' to each song that's not that much and so I won't say anything more about/to the lyrics simply because I don't feel like I could say any proper things about 'them', hm, but let me point out that we get a first class heavy and yet warm production sound as well as a dark and pretty simple but also just cool artwork on top of it all. So, yes, I think right now and right here I've said so much all what I've had to say so far about CLOSE COMBAT's (still) new(est) outstanding masterpiece "SPIET VAAN NIKS" and, yes, this is definitely nothing else than pure platinum and one of the very best of and in Oi! you could only get these days (and definitely not only these days), definitely, and I can only recommend this (al)mighty album to you and you should by any means get this absoluetly fantastic masterpiece in case you really should not already call it your own. My highest recommendations and if it wouldn't be for my above mentioned personal preferences than the final rating would be even better but also so this is, like already said one or two times, absoultely pure platinum and so just go out and get it finally. Hell yeahr!!! And it's damn fucking great that CLOSE COMBAT are finally really back (so it seems) and now just let us hope that their next album won't take again eleven years until it's done and released. Just let us hope...!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!

(9,5 of 10 points)

https://www.facebook.com/close.combat.maastricht/ (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

CLOSE COMBAT - "BOE IS DIE STAD" (2017, "SPIET VAAN NIKS")

TEMPLARS - "DEUS VULT" (2017)

TEMPLARS - "DEUS VULT"
(Running time: 32:43 minutes; 12 songs)
("Templecomb Records" & "Randale Records"; 2017; CD):

Really?!? Oh good lord, damn it... it's been really 12 years... when "DEUS VULT" was released in 2017 via "TEMPLECOMB RECORDS" and (over here in Germany, I guess) "RANDALE RECORDS" it's been really 12 years since its predecessor the almighty "OUTREMER" was released way back in 2005 and since then no new full-length-album(s) of this immortally larger than life American Oi! titans known as the TEMPLARS saw the light of day until in 2017 finally "DEUS VULT" made its impact and this with full force and overwhelming strong conquering might and it is really sort of like the last 12 years where just sort of the 'blink of an eye' and here or then in 2017 and now carrying-on here and now in 2018 the TEMPLARS are back and at least as strong and great as ever and so here they stand, heads shaved clean and fists held high, this is Oi!, this is real Oi! and this is nothing else than the essence of all what makes and always made it which means Oi! to the very damn best ever outta there, yes, and so here they are finally again: the TEMPLARS. If you read this blog now maybe for a little bit longer or at best right from the get-go in 2010 (or if you know me personally) then you should know what the TEMPLARS mean to me and that they are and were and surely will remain to be one of my ever and all time favorite bands outta there and I really love their totally unique (and also totally amazing) style of their very own and I think a week ago or so when I reviewed the almighty "THEY CALL IT JUSTICE" 7'' of the (as well) almighty 45 ADAPTERS I also mentioned the TEMPLARS back then in that certain record-review when I stated that both bands may be a bit comparable in the sense that they probably share in parts the same influences and also because they both have totally cultivated an amazing style of (American) Oi! absolutely of their very, very own, yes, and maybe this is then now also already quite a good sort of proper 'starting-point' for this very record-review here and now: The TEMPLARS deliver a hard and sharp edged and cutting, dirty rocking and with great and especially very, very strong and sort of absolutely everything conquering earthy/natural and organic grooves onwards and forwards rolling American Oi! of one of a kind, hell yeahr, perfectly melting together guitar driven and highly energetic and dynamic as well as anthemic U.S. Oi! with hard stomping stoic Brit Oi! and cultivating it all massively and highly with very alive/lively dirty 'old schoolish' Rock & Roll with some slightly Blues or maybe better 'bluesy' tonings/infusions induced in and to it all, rounding it all up with some very good'n'round Mod Rock portions and also with a big load of nasty and snotty, street-raised and working-class-born'n'bred Punkrock in it all and that still manages to sometimes also bring a nice and especially first class rocking Glam Punk cutting edge as sort of the final climax of its outstanding greatness to it all, oh bloody hell yeahr, all forged perfectly together via superb exciting and grapping, interesting and also damn intense songwriting that will conquer you immediately and instantly right from the get-go on. The songs are very intense and hold incredible amounts of really heavily rousing and dynamic energy in store that will direct and right from the kick-off take you by storm and won't let loose of you again, full of passion and filled with highly play- and also especially soulful elements, moments, and parts in it and they offer a shining and absolutely clichee-free 'catchyness' that will make you instantly sing-a-long to with your fists held up high and the hymnal/anthemic potential is so huge and at the same time so damn fresh and exciting that this very album here is completly filled to the peak with nothing but true and real and through'n'through total über-hits that simply never ge/become stale or seem to be 'already heard a thousand times somewhere before' (if you get what I mean), yes, that's just so incredible and absolute(ly) fantastic and nothing else, point and fact. And also do the songs play with so many different moods and there are all the time little-big/huge surprises and twists'n'turns all along the ride worked into it so that the songs also really shine with a brilliant multi-layered diversity that is a total fresh and unique characteristica and trademark of the TEMPLARS and something totally of their very own. Also they deliver first class and top notch rhythm structures, song arrangements, and outstanding compositorial architectures of the songs that totally benefit the rousing gladiatorial drive of all the hymns here on this masterpiece titled "DEUS VULT". The smashing and dustdry, earthy and dirty and yet very soulful and warm guitars mark the songs probably-to-surely the very most and 'they' shine in every sector which/what means that they deliver a fantastic rhythm work as well as incredible bright shining leads and really 'impressively' singing solos; the highly charismatic, rough but still sort of melodic and really sung lead vocals that are 'greatly' backed up by loud'n'proud backing chants are for all the right reasons the next biggest and strongest marking element and part of the songs and the music; and then we do get a forceful and crunchy bass work as well as absolutely high skilled first class forceful and nicely sort of multi-layered, very characteristic drumming that is perfectly rounding it all up. Hell yeah'!!! Cool samples taken from the old school Horror Movies "NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD" and/or "RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD" give it all also then a nice little twist and only add up to the larger than life quality and character of the TEMPLARS' "DEUS VULT" masterpiece. If I had to pick my personal most favorite tracks... damn it, the whole album completly and totally rules... hm... but maybe I would pick "TAKE A STAND", "HOUR OF SORROW", "A STORM IS BREWING", "LOSING THE GAME", "PROPAGANDA", "KICKING DOWN YOUR DOOR", "MISSPENT YOUTH", yes, and definitely to name I have the total über-anthem "LIVING ON THE OUTSIDE", yes, so maybe start your ride with this fantastic and phenomenal masterpieces. Something that I really love about the TEMPLARS, just btw, is that the arrangements of the verses are at least as strong as the ones of the refrains and when bands do this I simply really, really love this/it, period. Great and pretty diverse and as usual for all the right reasons very outspoken lyrics (sadly not printed, but you get and understand them easily), a gorgeous artwork and that's also a typical TEMPLARS artwork, and a very rough and dirty but also all the time very warm and organic, an earthy as well as also pretty hard production sound then finally round it all perfectly up. And so now, yes, I have said all that I've had to say right here, right now and you know now all what I so far wanted to tell you, yes, this was/is one of the very best albums of'n'in'n'for 2017 and also one of the very best albums in and definitely also for years to come - and just let us hope that I won't take again 12 damn years before the TEMPLARS release the successor full-length-album of/to "DEUS VULT"... and now, yes, my final words here and now are very, very easy to find, yes, because I will now leave you with stating clear, calm, honest, and precise that the TEMPLARS' "DEUS VULT" is a total(ly) larger-than-life masterpiece and one of the very, very, very best 2017 releases and also and definitely one that you definitely and desperately need to call your very own, period. And now good night... or so... Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!

(10 of 10 points)

https://de-de.facebook.com/The-Templars-NYC-Oi-195090269268/ (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

TEMPLARS - "LIVING ON THE OUTSIDE" (2017, "DEUS VULT")

HOUR OF PENANCE - "CAST THE FIRST STONE" (2017)

HOUR OF PENANCE - "CAST THE FIRST STONE"
(Running time: 34:05 minutes; 9 songs)
("Prosthetic Records"; 2017; CD):

Oh man, only why... I mean why the hell bloody hell did I never heard of HOUR OF PENANCE before... why?!? I think for all what I've read "CAST THE FIRST STONE", released via the mighty "PROSTHETIC RECORDS" label, is already the 7th full legth album of/by this truly outstanding Death Metal four piece thundering out of the dephts of Italy over here in good old mother Europe... and it is one larger than life manifest of damn-very strongest Death Metal, period. If my informations respectively if what I've read online is correct then the band FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE (years ago back then in 2011 I did a review up here on their then current full-length-album "AGONY" and you can still find and read it up here, of course) consists of earlier members of HOUR OF PENANCE; just in case that namedropping of this kind 'does something' for you. So, yes, here we get everything and anything demolishing sheer full-force and pure'n'brutal Death Metal with huge doses of highly rich'n'varying and highest skilled technical skills and this all delivered on a level of the highest quality grade. This is crushing and devastating and 'mercylessly' no prisoners taking harsh, ultra-heavy, and truly extreme Death Metal of the most brutal style sort of somewhere drifting between a hard as nails modern approach with still breathing a really fresh 'true and old schoolish' spirit, yes, so that fans of acts like for example MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE, VITAL REMAINS and KRISIUN will definitely also love HOUR OF PENANCE's "CAST THE FIRST STONE" as well as fans of Modern Death Metal like for example the above mentioned FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, yes, and also fans of Brutal Death Metal like BROKEN HOPE so as fans of really forceful Deathcore like for example WHITECHAPEL, ALL SHALL PERISH, and ABHORRENT DECIMATION will surely if not definitely also love this glorious harsh slasher. This is purest 'savagery' set to musick. This is by any means through and through real Death Metal; and Death Metal that despise its sheer brutality, violence, aggression, and force offers all the time an incredible amount of playful and soulful surprises and twists'n'turns all along the ride so that HOUR OF PENANCE's "CAST THE FIRST STONE" turns out to be one hell of an exciting and grapping journey with a truly larger than life intensity and a very tight, dense, and battle-scarred atmosphere that's interwoven into the whole album from start to finish and it all shines bright in a through'n'through militant and gladiatorial spirit. HOUR OF PENANCE's "CAST THE FIRST STONE" is definitely and massively strongest and 'highliest' marked by the absolutely outstanding and brilliant songwriting that really gives the whole album that special unique flavour to it all and it is also damn high skilled and despise the fact that the pace of 'nearly' all the songs and so mostly of the whole album is in general a damn fast one, with in its whole majority mainly focussing on harsh'n'fast raging up tempo killer tunes as well as sheer blast speeding savagery with slightly 'more silent moments' that hide on very, very well-chosen strategic positions here and there in the center of this surely and truly atomizing grim and harsh slashing storm, the album is filled to the exploding max with great exciting arrangements, fresh compositorial ideas, grapping song architectures, and highly energetic and rousing, overwhelming and demolishing riffs and rhythm structures, oh hell yeahr, so that you really need to take some intense listening sessions to get HOUR OF PENANCE's "CAST THE FIRST STONE" in its whole harsh, grim, and yet incredible beautiful glory and that you discover all of the greatness that it offers and holds in store for all of us, yes, a glorious one it is and a demanding one and this not (only) so much because it is a very, very extreme one but also because it is a challenging and multi-layered, a pretty complex one, yes, and so make sure you really give it some time to grow (on you) and so make sure that you not only enjoy its devastating extremity but also its overwhelming complexity that holds so much for all of us in store, oh yes. It's all drastically (and this for all the right, good and justified reasons) marked by the intense, incredible harsh'n'heavy, and also highest skilled and diverse'n'multilayered, sheer fantastic and outstanding guitar work with ist special own tone and that offers so much excitment and class that it will nothing but take you by storm and it will decapitate your head and then chop you in half, hell yeahr, because above all it is first'n'foremost pure and sheer savage intensity. Amazing!!! The harsh grunted'n'shouted very powerful vocals deliver the very thoughtful and thoughtprovoking and outspoken and by all means just incredible damn great lyrics with huge doses of passion and overwhelming force and I would just wish that the vocal delivery or the arrangement of the vocal lines would only here and there vary a bit more (but I honestly think it is more a 'thing' of the delivery, and not of the arrangements), then it would be perfect. The grim raging bass work and the sheer thunder'n'lightning drumming then add sheer tons of massive muscles and beefy'n'bulky meat to the loadable backbone of HOUR OF PENANCE's "CAST THE FIRST STONE", oh bloody hell yeahr, and with doing so they make it all just even more devastating and convincing. Again: Amazing; absolutely!!! To name you my personal favorites is a damn hard thing to do, yes, because this whole album is a damn masterpiece and platinum Death Metal and so you won't find only one only slightly anyhow weak(er) song on "CAST THE FIRST STONE" of/by HOUR OF PENANCE, but I think personally for me "XXI CENTURY IMPERIAL CRUSADE", "CAST THE FIRST STONE", "IRON FIST", "THE CHAINS OF MISDEED", "HORN OF FLIES", and "WALL OF COHORTS" probably stick out the (very) most. Fantastic lyrics, an absolutely awesome and top notch artwork, and a heavily bombig production sound then finally round it all up, yes, and this in all the right way and manner. So, okay, I think I've said it all what I've had to say so far right here, right now at this point, yes, and so I think I can calmly close this review with letting my final sayings here and now be my clearest recommendation for you to get this larger than life masterpiece that is the almighty "CAST THE FIRST STONE" of/by HOUR OF PENANCE and best get it instantly, yes, this is a damn amazing album, point and fact.
(9,5 of 10 points)
http://www.hourofpenance.net/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

HOUR OF PENANCE - "XXI CENTURY IMPERIAL CRUSADE" (2017, "CAST THE FIRST STONE")

THE OLD FIRM CASUALS - "WARTIME ROCK & ROLL" (2017)

THE OLD FIRM CASUALS - "WARTIME ROCK & ROLL"
(Running time: 17:03 minutes; 5 songs)
("Rebellion Records"; 2017; CD):

Oh yes, they are (hm... or were... anyhow what's correct I think you get the point) back: THE OLD FIRM CASUALS delivered us in 2017 with their "WARTIME ROCK & ROLL" mini-CD one hell of an outstanding offering and these smart and fine gentlemen 'once formed around' RANCID's very own Lars Frederiksen himself delivered here via the almighty "REBELLION RECORDS" one absolutely amazing and fantastic release of one of the very best American Oi! brews these days. It's really, hm, yes, it's really nothing but amazing how great they are today, yes, I mean despite all the bullshit 'fake and sell-out or so' cheap talk back then when they started done by some tough and proud internet keyboard warriors and self-proclaimed ''Skinhead'n'Oi! DieHards" THE OLD FIRM CASUALS were right from the get-go one damn massively ruling band and over all the years they only got better and better and so now they play their "WARTIME ROCK & ROLL" on such a breath-taking level of skills and quality and identity and they just take anything and anyone/everything and everyone by storm in a massively overwhelming way and manner and they gave us one of the very, very best releases of 2017 and it just does nothing else than totally and absolutely ruling supreme and this I do mean in the most supreme way. This is sharp edged and hard hitting, dustdry and heavy and yet still damn very ctachy and with a great melody work shining American Oi! of the most supreme kind and with a very strong and huge own identity and of a highly unique charisma. This is dirty and snotty, strong rocking and also even stronger rolling American Oi! very much of ist very, very own and that's maybe best somewhere to be located very loosely and on a position totally of its own between the immortally larger than life THE ANTI-HEROES and the all-time almighty outstanding PRESSURE POINT and this all heavily mixed through with huge loads of dirty and hard Rock & Roll somewhere between the nasty and 'bluesy' AC/DC (especially their earlier years) and the 'punky' street-raised angry and in-your-face Sleaze Rock of (the early) GUNS'N'ROSES and all is delivered by very, very skilled musicians that wrap it all up with a fantastic and exciting songwriting full of intense arrangements, rousing compositions of the verses as well as the refrains, grapping pace variations, powerful organic grooves and loud'n'proud hymnal sing-a-longs, truckloads of energy and dynamics, and exciting and nicely diverse and varying rhythm structures and this all on a massively overwhelming level of quality, hell yeahr, so, yes, this is the absolute real deal and definitely the complete package. The guitars deliver a very hard edge and sharp cutting and harsh sawing rhythm work while at the same time delivering also one hell of sweet melody-lines via brilliant leads and great little-big solos non stopp and the guitar work, no matter at what part of it we look in particular, really'n'truly rocks massively from start to finish. The lead vocals... nah... do I really need to say more... hell, absolutely first class, topp notch, highliest charismatic... damn, we are talking about Lars Frederiksen, the man himself, so I think that I really don't have to say more about it here and now anyhow anyway. The loud, full, and powerful backings only add up to it all. The buzzing and powerful rumbling bass work and the heavy hitting and hard smashing drumming then finally round it all up perfectly. To say some last words about the very strong and fresh Rock & Roll influences then just let me say that the majestic AC/DC back then with the divine Bon Scott couldn't have done the opening riff of the boneshaking opener "HELL'S A LOT BETTER" any better than the OLD FIRM CASUALS did it here and they still deliver it all their very own way and style; and especially the verse arrangements and also the intonation, accentuation, and delivery of the verses and the vocals in general of the just totally outshining fantastic "1312" breath a lot of GUNS'N'ROSES' attitude and spirit just think of their "LIES" era, yes, and Axl Rose himself didn't sound that much more pissed off, snotty, angry, and nasty back then than Lars Frederiksen does it today. And then we also get with "SEX CASE" and "SANCTUARY CITY" two first class straight forward dustdry American Oi! slashers of the highest grade, yes, and with the phenomenal-masterpiece title-track "WARTIME ROCK & ROLL" itself then THE OLD FORM CASUALS serve us the total and absolute anthemic'n'hymnal über-hit of the album, yes, it's absolutely fantastic and phenomenal and definitely one of ist very own kind. Then we also get fantastic lyrics, outspoken, critical, and direct, a gorgeous artwork, and a great earthy and warm and yet still heavy cracking production sound on top of it all. This little silver shining disc is one of the very, very best  albums of 2017 and also one of the very, very best ones in and also probably for years, oh hell yeahr, and so I will now close this review with saying loud, clear, and precise that you definitely and desperately need to have this brilliant stand-alone masterpiece in your collection - and then play it loud, play it damn loud - and again and again. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!

(10 of 10 points)

https://www.facebook.com/TheOldFirmCasualsOi (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

THE OLD FIRM CASUALS - "WARTIME ROCK & ROLL" (2017, "WARTIME ROCK & ROLL")

45 ADAPTERS - "THEY CALL IT JUSTICE" (2017)

45 ADAPTERS - "THEY CALL IT JUSTICE"
(3 Songs; coloured vinyl in wihte-red-blue-splatter-style)
("Contra Records"; 7''; 2017):

New week, new post, new record-review, yes, starting the week in a proper way; or at least that's how it's planned... And so no better way to kick it off with some damn great American Oi! of the (probably) most unique way and style and so (and yes, oh yes, shame on me, so much shame...) here and now finally comes the next/newest proper post about the almighty 45 ADAPTERS since 2010 (yes, shame on me...) for you and it is my record-review on their so far newest 7'' single "THEY CALL IT JUSTICE" released (in 2017) via the very sympathic german "CONTRA RECORDS" label. Okay, to say it so, in the first decade of the 2000's the 45 ADAPTERS grew on to be one of my absolutely favorite bands outta there and I also did my first or second interview up here with them... and so I can't really tell how it came that I lost them in the last years sort of more or less totally out of sight... real life issues and all this stuff, I know, for sure... but this sucked and sucks anyhow anyway, period. But okay, this is the past and now is now or so and the 45 ADAPTERS are finally back at my turntable, so to say, and it was desperately about time for this. It's great to see (or hear/listen to) that they definitely sticked damn true to their absolutely amazing and unique style while at the same time 'quality-wise' they gotten even better than before. This is hard and especially (very) smart and very 'danceable' American Oi! with a very 'special flavour' in sound and style and attitude and of a huge and immense 'uniqueness' and a very strong and superb own identity and highly characteristic. The 45 ADAPTERS heavily mix their very rhythmic accentuated and bonedry played yet incredible hymnal/anthemic American Oi! with strong marks of Old School Rock & Roll, some Blues guitar licks, and good'n'healthy doses of Mod Rock and they enrich it all with doing so/this incredible massively; and also this so 'incredibly-enriched-and-massively-mixed-up-and-through' American Oi! is a so strong and unique style, yes, that any comparisions absolutely fail. Maybe you can on a very, very, very loose basis just compare them to the outstanding and larger than life, immortal THE TEMPLARS also from New York City, yes, because also THE TEMPLARS enrich and cultivate their American Bootboy Rock & Roll in parts with the above mentioned ingredients but THE TEMPLARS and the 45 ADAPTERS do it in pretty different ways anyhow anyway, yes, but like I've said this comparision could maybe serve you well as a (very, very, very) loose starting point from which on you can start your journey to discover the 45 ADAPTERS just in case you haven't done so already over sort of the last decade (and if you haven't done so so far the blame's solely on you and also... why the hell ever you haven't done so so far...) and so that you now maybe get some (even) better idea(s) of what you get right here, right now. The biggest trademark is the bonedry as well as boneshaking guitar work that delivers an outstanding rhythm work that's truly pretty heavy and yet in an absolutely amazing and massively clichée-free way catchy and first and foremost danceable like hell and that marks the songs surely heavily and massively, yes, and also this rhythm work is very multi-layered and nicely diverse and offers a lot of exciting twists'n'turns and grapping arrangements all the time. And also the guitars offer strong melody-lines, leads, and also solos, too. Absoultely first class stuff!!! Also the very charismatic and 'full(y)-voiced' lead vocals shine very, very bright, yes, and the rousing and powerful rhythm section and especially the walkin'n'talkin' bass also totally stick out. What I've said about the diverse and exciting, multi-layered and grapping gutiar work is also so to say about the fantastic and very rousing songwriting, and all is done and delivered by very skilled musicians. And so all the three songs are total killer tracks. One of the very best releases of 2017 and one that you definitely have to call your own, point and fact. Fantastic and very outspoken and critical lyrics, a strong and gorgeous artwork, and a dustdry, earthy'n'dirty, organic, and warm production sound then round it all finally up. So, yes, I think I've said so far all that I've had to say about the (again) sheer phenomenal "THEY CALL IT JUSTICE" 7'' of/by the 45 ADAPTERS, yes, just let me state that you should really take some time to really discover this little big gem 'in deep' because it really holds very much for you in store just listen focussed to the fantastic bass work (to name just one example); and now let me close this record-review with one more time again pointing out that you definitely (and desperately, even if you don't know about that 'desperate state' so far) need to call this masterpiece your very own and this best 'yesterday-than-today' (so to say) and, yes, the 45 ADAPTERS are still-again one of my absolute favorites. Just totally overwhelming and fantastic. Last words: Get it asap!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!

(10 of 10 points)

https://www.45adapters.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

45 ADAPTERS - "THEY CALL IT JUSTICE" (2017, "THEY CALL IT JUSTICE")