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")