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)

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - MAY 2018: RIGHT DIRECTION - "BURY THE HATCHET"

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - MAY 2018:

RIGHT DIRECTION - "BURY THE HATCHET" (2000)
(Running time: 31:47 minutes; 11 songs)
("I Scream Records"; CD):

Tracklist:
(01.) "SONG OF FRUSTRATION"
(02.) "STEP BACK"
(03.) "HE'S MY FRIEND"
(04.) "A PLACE LIKE THIS"
(05.) "TWIST MY WORDS AROUND"
(06.) "FIGHT VIOLENCE WITH VIOLENCE"
(07.) "OUT IN THE FIELDS" (GARY MOORE - cover)
(08.) "ELECTRIC GUN"
(09.) "THE BAR THAT ONCE WAS MINE"
(10.) "HEROES NEVER DIE"
(11.) "EYE IN THE SKY"

(Note: The first paragraph of this article gives you just some 'general informations' on/about what's currently going on in my real life and why it was for nearly one-and-a-half-month so damn 'silent' up here and also tries to give you a little outlook into the near future up here, so, yes, if you're not interested in it, no problem, just skip it and scroll down to the second paragraph of this very article.)

Hey guys, yes, trust your eyes, I'm still alive, still not dead yet. But... oh damn it, real life currently eats my time away - and this sort of in a 'drastic way'. If you should know me personally or if you are a reader right from the start of this little blog back then in 2010 (damn it, really eight years already… I grow old, goddamn it) then you maybe know (or probably should know) that in real life I make my living being a teacher and despise all the bullshit-clichées this is anyhow a pretty time consuming job but that's not that what I mean right now, nah, I'm working towards becoming a principal one day (and hopefully and if it all now works out the right way better sooner than later) and this all takes quite a bit of time and effort that needs to be invested (like you may can imagine) and so this all combined with the  fact that it wasn't that easy for me to keep up my normal and real social life over the last weeks due to my 'working-towards-becoming-a-principal-one-soon-day' plan it gets maybe clearer why I and with me also this very blog here was sort of like in stand-by modus since the beginning of last month. I don't know if already this month this 'mess up here' will get better again but at least I hope to bring up a handful of posts still this month. A lot is overdue (to be honest already again by far too much is now already by far to long, long overdue), this starts with record-reviews on current (and also past) records as well as this "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" post in its "MAY 2018" edition (that you now obviously get first) and ending by the two now already since a few months announced bigger posts up here and so on and so on. For this month I aim at bringing, like already mentioned shortly before/above, at least still sort of a handful of posts up here and beside this very one right now right here this means at least still the two bigger posts and at least two new record-reviews on current albums as well. But, yes, please keep in mind that this all up here is absoluetly nothing else and nothing more than  simply a through-and-through hobby, a passionate one, for sure, but still just a hobby; and so at the end of the day the priorities should be clear to anyone who's older than three times six and calls a real life his/her own. Anyhow: From the end of June 2018 and especially July 2018 on then I have summer vacation(s) for six weeks and even I will hopefully be up and away a lot and also be pretty active in this time (if all goes good and stays fine…) I still have to do a lot for my Job but I'm pretty sure that finally then again more new stuff will come up here, also more frequently and then hopefully again on a more regular basis. Just let us wait and see. But just that you know about what's-up currently in camp MANSLAUGHTER. And now, yes, finally (by far) enough of the introducing smalltalk filled with 'general informations' to the max and so now finally into the action and why you probably came here in the first place; and if you've made it so far through my egotrippin' rambling you're a champ and so now finally all breaks off and here we go…!!!

Originally this was meant to be and still is the newest (even it's already very long overdue now) "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" post in its very own "MAY 2018" edition and this time it will be and is all about the almighty RIGHT DIRECTION and their masterpiece "BURY THE HATCHET" released via the legendary "I SCREAM RECORDS" label back then eighteen years ago in 2000 and this to for all what I know so far only on CD. And all of you who are also now already a bit longer around now maybe can draw (already) some lines between the two last "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" posts that payed tribute to HARD RESISTANCE (and their "ENGINE OF HATE" masterpiece) and DEVIATE (and their "STATE OF GRACE" gift of the gods) because (at least to me and damn sure not only for me) this bands are linked (closely) together, yes, all of them being at the frontlines of what was back then one day labeled Euro Core. Hard and heavy and crushing and yet still sort of catchy Hardcore raised on a heavy New York Hardcore diet enriched with far more flavoures of Metallic Hardcore, Metal, Holy Terror Hardcore, Hardcore Punk, Punkrock, Streetpunk, Oi!, and more, yes, and all delivered by fantastic acts like the already mentioned HARD RESISTANCE and DEVIATE as well as (early) DISCIPLINE, BACKFIRE!, BRIGHTSIDE, RYKER'S, ONLY ATTITUDE COUNTS, the almighty SPIDER CREW, and BUST THE CHAIN, to name just a few, and all this bands added their own identity to it all and this with their very special own flavour. What has this all now to do with RIGHT DIRECTION? They were one of the greatest back then and their fourth full-length-album "BURY THE HATCHET" from 2000 was and still is and for sure will always remain to be nothing but a total masterpiece, hell yeahr, and they also added their very own flavour to it all and this was especially on "BURY THE HATCHET" a strong and very hymnal/anthemic and catchy, melodic Streetpunk/Oi! taste of highest quality and 'deliciousness' while remaining a heavy hitting Hardcore band all the time. Here and there also still some few metallic influences are to be noticed, hm, maybe mostly in the guitar department.

RIGHT DIRECTION started already back then in 1989 (yes, nearly already thirty years ago now) and they hailed out of the the city of Maastricht also known as M-Town in the Netherlands like also, just as a side-fact, the almighty Oi! Silverbacks of CLOSE COMBAT but that's sort of a different story (you know, different band, different story) and they called it a day ten years ago in 2008. For all what I know they are back today (also with four original members) but have so far no plans of releasing any new material. Their first album "HOW MANY MORE LIES" they've released in 1993, followed by "ALL OF A SUDDEN" in 1995. Both albums I didn't know back then and changed this then over the following years after I finally got to know RIGHT DIRECTION. My first contact with RIGHT DIRECTION was in 1998 when I was 17 years young with their phenomenal thrid full-length-album "TO RIGHT THE WRONG" and they took me by storm - just to overwhelm me even more only two years later in 2000 with their larger-than-life masterpiece "BURY THE HATCHET". In 2002 then they released their killer album "BEYOND THE BEYONDS" and this was and is so far their final output to this date. A bunch of vinyl sngles ("THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES"/1991, "NO REASON TO LAUGH"/1991, BEOWÜLF & RIGHT DIRECTION split/1994, WARZONE & RIGHT DIRECTION live split/1995, and "ALL THESE YEARS"/1996) and also the retrospection-compilation "ECHOES FROM THE PAST" (1996) they've released also over the 1990's. And then after six years of no new album since 2002 in 2008 they called it finally a day. And right now, right here we're here, yes, paying tribute to them, RIGHT DIRECTION, and their fantastic "BURY THE HATCHET" longplayer.

RIGHT DIRECTION toured over their existence with several great ones like WARZONE, MADBALL, SICK OF IT ALL, and SLAPSHOT as well as BEOWÜLF, YUPPICIDE, EXCEL, and BITTER. They also appealed to the Metal crowd like tours with for example GOREFEST showcase(d) to the world. Their original Drummer Richard Bruinen seperated ways with them in 1992 to join BACKFIRE! in the following years. (BACKFIRE!, also one of the greatest, hell yeahr, and they will be featured up here as well for sure some day in the future.) And you can be sure that bands like WARZONE and SICK OF IT ALL as well MADBALL and SLAPSHOT had their influence on RIGHT DIRECTION as well as AGNOSTIC FRONT and for sure definitely AWKWARD THOUGHT in heavy doses, too. But they, and of course I mean RIGHT DIRECTION, owned their very own spirit and also their very special flavour and on "BURY THE HATCHET" this culminated in heavy and fresh Streetpunk/Oi! vibes that also fantastic bands like the great TECH 9 or even the immortal and larger-than-life DISCIPLINE didn't do any better back then. A special guitar tone, highly charismatic lead vocals, huge dynamics, strong emotions, and also a very own melodic/melody work really added massive amounts of a unique identity and character to it all, yes, and this for all the right reasons.

With or to this band, RIGHT DIRECTION, and especially this particular album, "BURY THE HATCHET", I have very special and just great memories very closely linked. Great times, great friends, great concerts, great parties, yes, all this and even far, far more. RIGHT DIRECTION's "BURY THE HATCHET" for damn sure is another album that holds and owns a very special place in my heart. I mean, of course it is exactly this, yes, because otherwise it would not appear here and now despise the anyhow over-all premium quality of it all. But also beside this, hell yeahr, it absolutely and totally shines with outstanding and overwhelming quality and this still today after or with now being already 18 years old. Highly charismatic lead vocals, sing-a-long chants, smashing and incredible forceful yet damn melodic guitars, thunderous drumming, and a crispy bass work made'n'make the musick and formidable and still damn fresh and very varied and intense songwriting, tons of energy and dynamics, and all never shyed away from big and honest heartfelt emotions wrapped in tight atmosphere cultivated'n'cultivates it all, with a very unique character gave'n'gives it all finally the bright shining crown. One hell of a legendary and larger than life masterpiece of an album that anyone who really should not know it so far really needs to call his/her own and so I can't praise it anyhow anyway enough.

My personal favorites here on RIGHT DIRECTION's "BURY THE HATCHET"? God-damn it, that's a hard one. Yes... a really hard one. And I mean a really, really hard one. You really ask why? Okay... simply because every damn song is purest platinum up here on this most precious gem. But, hm, okay, let's go, yes, I'm trying my best to give you or better pick for you my personal favorites… Sort of my absolute faavorites up here. I massively love the damn catchy and Streetpunk fueled "ELECTRIC GUN", the highly atmospheric and intense "HEROES NEVER DIE", the Saxophone fueled fantastic anthem "HE'S MY FRIEND" (sounds more and better like DOG EAT DOG than all what they've done after or since "PLAY GAMES" and it offers strong SKA vibes, too), the harsh hitting anti-racist tune "STEP BACK", the in all honesty damn great GARY MOORE cover "OUT IN THE FIELDS", the by crushing Oi! influenced angry Hardcore slasher "THE BAR THAT ONCE WAS MINE", the every resistance slaying harsh Hardcore wrecking ball "SONG OF FRUSTRATION", the Hardcore-ish raging Dutch Oi! beast "TWIST MY WORDS AROUND", and the purest platinum Streetpunk/Oi! monster "FIGHT VIOLENCE WITH VIOLENCE". Yes, nothing but the best of the best - back then and still today and probably this will never change. And don't make the mistake to think that the (anyhow only very, very few) not mentioned songs would be weak or what the hell else ever because hell no, they are also nothing but purest gold. So, yes, that's it, I think I've said so far all what I had to say right now and right here and I will now close this tribute post with saying clearly that I can only recommend RIGHT DIRECTION's "BURY THE HATCHET" to you and you should definitely know (and have) it to close a big portion of blank space in your Hardcore history and collection and it's damn good that RIGHT DIRECTION are back even if they 'only' play live. I love this stuff!!! Welcome back, guys. HEROES NEVER DIE!!!

HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!

RIGHT DIRECTION - "BURY THE HATCHET" (2000) ///the complete album\\\

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")