HAYMAKER - "WE APOLOGIZE TO NOBODY" (2018)

HAYMAKER - "WE APOLOGIZE TO NOBODY"
(Running time: 31:02 minutes; 10 songs)
("K.B. Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, finally back again, once again and after November 2018 was very silent up here I think it's really about time to change this up here again and to start off December 2018 right here and right now in a proper way and this proper way of doing so will be my record-review on the first full length longplayer of the almighty HAYMAKER titled "WE APOLOGIZE TO NOBODY" released (far) earlier this very year of 2018 and to be more precise someday back then this March of 2018 via the infamous and legendary "K.B. RECORDS" and... one more time again up here… please just don't ask me why it took me so long to finally do my review on it especially since I have it had pre-ordered and so it's part of my collection since the very day it was released… shame on me, again another time. HAYMAKER managed last year of/in 2017 with their last years' debut EP "WE ARE HAYMAKER" to deliver my absolute favourite personal album of the year and so you can imagine how curious I was when finally their longrunning debut "WE APOLOGIZE TO NOBODY" saw the light of the day far earlier this year and so now at the very end of 2018 we are finally here with my by far too long overdue record-review on it... yes, finally… and so, oh hell yeah', let's roll: HAYMAKER are back and they deliver totally on point and this in every way'n'manner and so "WE APOLOGIZE TO NOBODY" is amazingly strong done and delivered Oi! and Skinhead Rock & Roll with a truly hard, heavy, and strong rocking and sharp rolling-cutting edge to it and with an incredible high amount of dynamics and energy in it all that shakes your bones and make your boots go stomping imediatley right from the get-go. Think about a dirty and harsh onwards slashing and stomping and yet all the time damn melodic and highly anthemic/hymnal mixture out of PERKELE, early DISCHARGER, a bit of BADLANDS, and some THE BUSINESS with good healthy doses of Chiswick/(very) early SKREWDRIVER influences in it and add some mercylessly forward smashing MOTÖRHEAD-like hard and heavy Rock & Roll marks to it and all delivered as well as especially also cultivated with a very strong, huge, and unique character and identity and you  should definitely have a pretty good impression of HAYMAKER and their very special own Skinhead Rock & Roll to start with. All is made ready via a phenomenal strong and damn outstanding and very nicely diverse and also nicely multi-facetted songwriting that shines with a huge dose of fresh ideas like for example the fantastic THE BLUES BROTHERS reminiscence kick-off of the album with the opening-riff of the killer tune and also opener of the album "UNDERDOGS" or the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE like sounding opening riff of "HANG UP YOUR BOOTS" that shifts smoothly and swiftly over to a great by for example THE WHO inspired rhythm structure of the song and that's repeated further on even more intense and the whole album also offers in general and far more nice damn great twists'n'turns all along the ride that is "WE APOLOGIZE TO NOBODY" and that really brightly shines with a so damn fantastic work in the department of riffs and rhythm architecture(s) that are from start to finish nothing but fantastic and really some of the very most fiery and rousing, highly energetic, strongly dynamic and above all and in all ways and meanings amazingly rousing and uplifting ones like you won't experience it in that way and of that highest quality that often anywhere anyhow anyway else and this also won't chnage that soon anyhow, point and fact. And also it's all incredible effective and damn intense and it all is cultivated by an inspirated as well as inspirational compositorial approach and by an overwhelming great melodic work that shines through in the general arrangements of the songs and excels within and throughout the leads and solos of the guitars as well as the vocal lines, yes, and all is also damn fucking hymnal'n'anthemic to the max. Oh boy, this is from start to finish one hell of a grapping, rousing, intense, and exciting ride with all thrills and not a single fill, hell yeahr, and all is done and delivered by very skilled strong musicians going focussed to work. A fantastic guitar playing with a very own characteristic tone to it, a proud and loud strutting bass, furious thundering drumming, loud'n'proud crew back-ups, and above all that shine fantastic and highest charismatic lead vocals, yes, nothing but overwhelming, this are the tools with and by which this absolutely amazing and definitely larger than life album that HAYMAKER's "WE APOLOGIZE TO NOBODY" without any discussion is came and by listening to it everytime again comes to be. Fantastic, diverse, aware, outspoken, and sharp aimed and even sharper cutting Skinhead and Oi! lyrics, a great Old School artwork, and a dirty and yet damn heavy and somehow still pretty clear first class production sound finally turn this into the probably most complete package also again in and of this very year of 2018 and this for all the right and most justified reasons, period. My personal favorites? Ha, after the whole album is nothing but and nothing less than the purest platinum you can pick any song you want, definitely, but "UNDERDOGS", "NO SOCIAL LIFE", "ONLY A SINNER BECOMES A WINNER", "SKINHEAD ROCK & ROLL", "TOO DRUNK TO FIGHT", and "WE APOLOGIZE TO NOBODY" probably are the songs most listened to by me over all the time now so maybe you want to start with one of them, yes, with one of this groundbreaking and larger than life hymns. Hell yeahr, signs are set that then for now two years in a row HAYMAKER had also in this very year of 2018 delivered my personal album of the year, yes, just to point that out a bit while we're still here all together. Okay, I think for now I've said so far all what I had to say right now and right here or so to/about HAYMAKER's "WE APOLOGIZE TO NOBODY" and anyone that's only slightly into Oi! and Skinhead Rock & Roll should definitely get this very one here as soon as possible just in case he or she really still doesn't own or even know it, hm, and let me say it this way, yes, if there's only one album of and then also in 2018 you can pick up this very year or (after 2018 is already running out again too damn soon) could have picked up this very year it should be respectively should have been this very one here, period. Get it!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!

(10 of 10 points)

https://haymakeroi.bandcamp.com/ (-the link to the bandcamp site of the band)

HAYMAKER - "SKINHEAD ROCK & ROLL" (2018, "WE APOLOGIZE TO NOBODY")

HAYMAKER - "ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD" (2018, NEIL YOUNG - cover; so far a non album track)

STOMPER 98 - "ALTHERGEBRACHT" (2018)

STOMPER 98 - "ALTHERGEBRACHT"
(Running time: 43:12 minutes; 13 songs)
("Contra Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, finally the next post up here is right now and right here incoming just for you and this time it is on the new STOMPER 98 full-length-album "ALTHERGEBRACHT" released at the 30th of March of 2018 via the mighty "CONTRA RECORDS" label, and yes, the almighty STOMPER 98 finally really returned this very year with "ALTHERGEBRACHT" with a proper brandnew full-length-album after six by far too long years of being absent. And, shall I tell you something, it's good that they are finally back, very good, really very, very good. I listen to this very band, STOMPER 98, now since their "STOMPING HARMONISTS" days sort of two decades ago and every time a new one of/by them is finally unleashed again it's always like the return of a beloved old friend returning to the front or from the front, like you may like to see it, it feels good and familiar but also all the time fresh thanks to new stories and new impressions he has to tell and to give, yes, and so it's also this time again in 2018. What I mean with this is simply that they definitely have their very own unique tone, their very own characteristic sound'n'style and their very own unique character and that this they do show us rightfully so all the time respectively every time but they always manage to keep it fresh and exciting and massively rousing and grapping and so also one more time again right here and right now in 2018 with "ALTHERGEBRACHT". The absolutely alive/lively songwriting is full of incredible rousing fresh ideas and great surprises as well as some very cool and nice little notes/eastereggs (like for example the a little tribute to the almighty SKOIDATS and their larger than life anthem "LAST NIGHT" paying opening riff of the über-song "DIESE NACHT") and delivers massive amounts of dynamic energy that go hand-in-hand with a great work in the departments of the rhythmic arrangements of the songs as well as the pace work of, yes, the songs and also is the compositorial approach in general nothing but fantastic and exciting and grapping, yes, and this all the time on the highest octane levels and this definitely all the damn time and it graps you, it overwhelms you, it conquers you massively and this nearly from start to finish and all definitely showcases nearly perfectly the concise and unique handwriting of STOMPER 98, yes, one of the very best Oi! bands past, present, and (hopefully) future and this in the case of German Oi! and Oi! from Germany as well as Oi! in general, 'internationally', yes, definitely. All is driven forward and, yes, all is all the time further onwards pushed by sharp cutting guitars that deliver a fiery rhythm'n'riff-work without end and that also shine and excel with a brilliant and strong rockin' and rollin' note and approach to it all and that above all are really standing out with massively engrossing melody lines, leads, and solos. The loud'n'proud through the songs strutting rowdy bass and the fantastic highly 'beat-filled' drumming are backing it all nearly-to-clearly perfectly up. Loud fist-in-the-air and sing-a-long-to crew chantings add highest amounts of anthemic character and hymnal potential to it all and the fantastic naughty'n'nasty melodic and yet very hard and cutting sung highly charismatic lead vocals and the fantastic saxophone lines then finally cultivate it all and giving it all the highly deserved and justified crown. Also, something that I always massively like and that you may already anyhow know and that also counts or is to say here is the fact that the verses are as strong 'prepared' or maybe better done'n'delivered as the refrains. And all is delivered by high-skilled and well-versed musicians. Some of the guys with that I talked about STOMPER 98's "ALTHERGEBRACHT" over the last past months have questioned the authenticity of STOMPER 98 in general today and of "ALTHERGEBRACHT" in particular with STOMPER 98 being today in their perspective more of a part-time-project with a sort of everchanging all-star-roster of members and with some of their most prominent members being today far more active in bands somewhere between Rock, Metal, and Hardcore that have sort of nothing to do with Oi! and Skinhead and as far as that may hold some portions of truth, but just maybe, but for all what I can say is that to me this all still feels like a real band and this all still feels heartfelt and passionate and more I can't and won't judge, not at least because who am I, and this also... yeah', let me say it this way: To me the quality of an output counts far, far more than any and/or every conjecturing perception (and that are all also maybe not that important after all, at least if you ask me) and the quality here on and with STOMPER 98's "ALTHERGEBRACHT" is nothing but and nothing less than massive, period. Only the somehow sort of a bit 'too-wanted' and a little bit sort of artifical and placed 'acting' opener "SKINHEAD" is sadly a huge'n'strong down turner, and truly a really massive one, but after this we get twelve incredible strong heavy hitters that massively overwhelm and convince and conquer with "KEINE HELDEN", "GESETZ DER STRAßE", "NICHTS IST FÜR IMMER", "FÜR DEN AUGENBLICK", "DIESE NACHT", "ALTHERGEBRACHT", "WIR STEHEN HIER", and "ALTER FREUND" being my personal favorites. Good and strong and also nicely socially aware and outspoken lyrics, a drop-dead-gorgeous artwork, and a top notch production sound then finally round it all up. A fantastic album that I can only highly and massively recommend to any fan of Oi! and this is definitely one of the strongest albums being released this very year and this in Oi! in particular and music-wise in general, too… I just hope that it won't take another six years before/until STOMPER 98 drop the successor of/to "ALTHERGEBRACHT". But so long, yes, just get this majestic one here. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!
(9 of 10 points)
http://stomper98.de/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

STOMPER 98 - "FÜR DEN AUGENBLICK" (2018, "ALTHERGEBRACHT")

HAMMER AND THE NAILS - "HAMMER AND THE NAILS" (2014)

HAMMER AND THE NAILS - "HAMMER AND THE NAILS"
(Running time: 37:34 minutes; 13 songs)
("Rebellion Records"; 2014; CD):

Hey my dear readers, yes, again too many days past by without seeing a new post/article up here, yeah' I know, but that's life and so now finally straight again into the action and here we go: Tonight it will be all about an already a bit older record but that I just picked up at the end of this June of 2018 @ the fantastic "THIS IS SKA 2018" festival... and this was definitely by far long, long overdue, definitely, and I am talking about the self-titled HAMMER AND THE NAILS album that was released four years ago back in 2014 via the almighty "REBELLION RECORDS" and if I know made my homework sort of correct than this is sort of a compilation album of all their demo and singles material from 2009 and 2010 with some live bonus stuff added to it as well. And sort of since 2009 I know HAMMER AND THE NAILS now already, from back then when MySpace still was a thing, yes, and I hailed and cheered up to them massively right from my frist listen to them but then over the last now already really nine yeas I totally lost them out of sight… shame on me, shame on me, and not just a bit. And when I then saw "HAMMER AND THE NAILS" @ the "CONTRA RECORDS" merch-desks @ the above already mentioned "THIS IS SKA 2018" the memory was right'n'promptly back and I instantly took it finally with me. And then it was also already instantly and promptly clear to me that I definitely will do a review on it up here, really sort of finally do a review on it up here, despise that it is now already four years old and also despise that the songs featured on this very one here are now already in parts really nearly ten years old, yes, but who cares, surely not me, myself, and I, and so, again, now here we go… finally: HAMMER AND THE NAILS play dustdry and bonecrackin'n'headsmashin' heavy American Oi! the Brickwall Style that's driven forward by harsh sawing and forceful onwards marching and mercylessly pushing bonedry and as heavy hitting as a well aimed crowbar swing pure power guitars that deliver an overwhelming amount of heavily and massively crushing as well as really incredible rousing and exciting, really grapping and surprising fresh riffs and rhythms as well as great and formidable accentuated and really loud singing leads and solos and that above all truly brightly shine with a strong own and very unique tone. Harsh delivered and throaty and hard but still all the time really sung and not shouted lead vocals with a nice and pretty impressive way of a unique accentuated delivery with a special vibe to it all. A firy and harsh attacking bass with massive anmounts of full force power backs it all very beefy and bulky up and then the war-drums like thundering drum work finally crushes every and any resistance completly down into the ground and this without any mercy at all. All is done and delivered highly skilled and very, very fresh and totally alive/lively and this is beside the high skills of this fine Boston Gentlemen in the biggest parts thanks and due to the phenomenal songwriting and some very fresh and unsual and so pretty surprising rhythm arrangements and some in general very unsual and exciting compositorial work that often blends sort of Vintage Hard Rock spirited and nicely 'tricky' rhythms, grooves, and a very grapping pace work and a huge multi-layered and multi-facetted diverse approach to it all in general into their Brickwall styled through and through neckbreaking and facecrushing American Oi! and this makes it all even and only more great(er) and exciting and rousing and grapping. And it makes it all to something pretty to very special that in this way you haven't heard so far before or from another than HAMMER AND THE NAILS. And of course they also deliver huge fist in the air and sing a long to refrains that are really larger than life material, yes, but this also is to say about and/or counts exactly the same way for the brilliant arranged verses and this all adds a huge and also very cliché-free anthemic and hymnal character to the whole songs. A fantastic artwork, very strong and outspoken nicely diverse and also very thoughtful as well as thoughtprovoking lyrics, and a raw and dirty and yet still very heavy and powerful crushing production sound round it all finally and very perfectly up and after truly all songs are purest platinum I will now spare me any words about any favorite songs because, like already said, all songs are the purest platinum. To anyone who like me so far completly for what reasons ever missed out on HAMMER AND THE NAILS should definitely and desperately finally change this as soon as possible and why not with this perfect gem even it is now already four years old with dating back from 2014... and I really will 'make up my mind' on new and/or other stuff of/by HAMMER AND THE NAILS, yeah', finally and definitely. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!

(10 of 10 points)

https://hammerandthenails.bandcamp.com/releases (-check out the Bandcamp site of the band)

HAMMER AND THE NAILS - "SLEEPING GIANT" (2014, "HAMMER AND THE NAILS")

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")

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")

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")