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)

BÖHSE ONKELZ - "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN (30 JAHRE NEUAUFNAHME)" (2018)

BÖHSE ONKELZ - "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN (30 JAHRE NEUAUFNAHME)"
(Running time: 47:58 minutes; 12 songs)
("Matapaloz"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, it's been a while since the last post came up here, yehp, I know but anyhow and anyway because tonight November 2018 will start up here and I will do this with a review of me, myself, and I on one of the probably hughest classicks in the history of hard'n'heavy musick from Germany or better on the brandnew very recently released current rerecording of it and I'm talking about the very recently released completly 'freshly' done rerecording of the album "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN" of/by no one else than the BÖHSE ONKELZ and this very one here is the 30th anniversary rerecording of it, yeahr, and so here we go finally again: I won't go into all the 'historical ramblings' about the BÖHSE ONKELZ in general and/or their "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN" in particular because this would simply go beyond the scope and so here'n'now I will only concentrate and look on the album itself and this in its current 'rerecorded 30 years anniversary edition' that is now the topic up here. "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN" was back then the so to say second album when and with that they moved from the early german Oi! Punk of their debut full length "DER NETTE MANN" and the Oi!/Punk/Rock bastard of their "BÖHSE MENSCHEN, BÖHSE LIEDER" second full length to their dirty and heavy hitting highly energetic and hymnal Metal of their (in my book) by far greatest time represented by their immortal masterpieces "ONKELZ WIE WIR", "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN", "ES IST SOWEIT", "WIR HAM NOCH LANGE NICHT GENUG", and "HEILIGE LIEDER", yes, and "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN", their fourth full length in general and the second one of their above mentioned era, is one of my absolute favorites of/by the BÖHSE ONEKLZ: Hard hitting, slashing, nasty, rowdyish, ever brawling and rumbling Hooligan Metal filled by dirty Punk and clearly raised on hymnal Oi! and fueled by high octane and on the cold concrete born and bred Hardrock and all garnished with a strong and unique and also a damn great very own identity and a nice through'n'through authentic and sympathic attitude as well as a very grubby and nicely twisted atmosphere and all was and still is incredible highly intense and harsh and heavy stunning, yes, and this all still today and perhaps even more in this updated rerecorded version. Smashing and damn tight and forceful, very grapping, exciting, and rousing songwriting that shows no holes or blank spaces and that especially leaves no questions open and takes no prisoners and this still today in 2018 and that's massively pushed forward by mercyless pushing and punching guitars that deliver crushing riffs and singing leads and solos 'like nothing', marked by loud and street-raised dirty vokillkz, and all beefed up massively by a strong going and proud strutting bass playing and devastating thunderous drumming and all these ingredients still shine today and this still very bright, yes, making the BÖHSE ONKELZ' "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN" still to nothing but and nothing less than pure gold. On the rerecorded version this all changed not a single bit, hell no, in contrast it all shows today with far more cultivated guitar parts like for example slide guitar styled leads and also with more melodic and more versatile lead vokillz and even more hymnal backings maybe even only more potential. And this also counts for the as a bonus on here featured and also rerecorded back-then-exclusive-songs of the incredible fantastic "LÜGENMARSCH" EP. In short: Here we have a fucking strong album that today with being 30 years old is as strong, as relevant, and as important as back then 30 years ago and that for all the right and justified reasons got cultivated and enriched massively with ist rerecorded 30 years anniversary edition this very year of 2018. Strong and nicely diverse lyrics, a pretty discreet and yet very original and also convincingly done artwork, and a clear and heavy smashing production sound round it all in a perfect way up. BÖHSE ONKELZ' "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN" is nothing but a damn fucking larger than life classick and this fantastic '30 years anniversary rerecording' is the finishing glory of it and if for nothing else but only for this re-done masterpiece alone we can only cherish their reunion and comeback, yes, and I can only and nothing but highly, highly recommend it to anyone of you outta there, period.
(9 of 10 points)
http://www.onkelz.de/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

BÖHSE ONKELZ - "SO SIND WIR" ///live @ the "MATAPALOZ" festival 2018\\\ (2018, "KNEIPENTERRORISTEN")

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")

FREI.WILD - "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" (2018)

FREI.WILD - "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN"
(2CD: Running time - CD 1: 52:19 minutes; 13 songs /// Running time - CD 2: 55:33 minutes; 14 songs)
("Rookies & Kings"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, back again, once again, yes, next load'n'dose already again coming for you. Here and now it will be all about my review on the new FREI.WILD album "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN", finally, and this was and is a double CD album that was released in the March of this very year of 2018 and latest since May 2018 I wanted to bring this up… please, don't ask me why it took so long, I have no clue. Anyhow, I wasn't aware that FREI.WILD were still active or were active again before I saw "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" in my local record store and at first I wasn't too enthusiastic… it left me totally and completly cold, to be honest... after the last FREI.WILD album I really cheered up to was "GEGENGIFT" from 2011 but after some time one day I decided in sort of an ad-hoc-decision to just take it with me and so I did and then… yes... I was heavily surprised and truly convinced by it and so, I mean this being-convinced-of-it, it is still so the state today. And, before you ask, no, just no, I mean I could imagine that FREI.WILD still today trigger a lot of guys outta there who see in them some of the most Evil Nazis and one of the most evil Nazi Rock or Fascist Rock bands outta there ever and all sort of this stuff. Fuck it, in my review on "GEGENGIFT" I pretty much wrote all what I had and in one way or another still sort of have to say about this stuff so just read it there if you really want to my opinion on or to this all and one last or two or three last words to it then just listen without any panic sirens in your head with attention to a lot of very outspoken lyrics of songs here on "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" and you should finally get it straight that patriotism and conservatism doesn't equal being a Nazi or Fascist and in fact maybe, just maybe if you can get this straight, even means the total opposite. And now, finally, enough of this stuff and back to the topic, yes, and that still is FREI.WILD's "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN". Hm, how to finally not only trying but succeeding in keeping it short(er) this time... I doubt that this will work out... anyway, hm, where and how the hell to start? Maybe here'n'there: If you are looking or searching for a really damn strong through and through really hymnal and anthemic and truly hard rocking and slightly metallic rolling Rock album, a German Rock album owning a huge very own identity and with still a pretty present street spirit or Streetrock flair and that incorporates a lot of Offbeat and/or SKA elements into it all in a damn strong way and with, so it seems, a lot of big heartfelt personal authentic emotions in it all as well and/or on top of it all, musicwise and lyricwise, yes, then don't look any further and don't search anywhere else, yes, because here with and in FREI.WILD's "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" you've definitely found what you were looking, searching for. Strong songwriting that really offers beneath its all too open lying surface a lot of suprising multi-layered facets and strong surprising diverse ideas and often great twists'n'turns with exciting song and verse arrangements and grapping compositorial kick-offs and that all really hit me by surprise and it all nicely breaks out of the all too well known stale formula of the last albums. While on the surface all sounds very well known underneath the surface waits a lot of fresh and cool stuff to be discovered by you. And all is done very independently, yes, FREI.WILD still have their very own tone and unique identity and they conserved and even cultivated it all here on and with "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" and I definitely cheer up to it or them for this. Very charismatic and accentuated vocals, loud backings, sharp cutting heavy guitars, a proud strutting bass, and harsh and hard stunning drumming are the cornerstones of FREI.WILD's "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" and in-between this all on the one side very often one hell of an intense and also pretty atmospheric entertaining and valuable, nutritious intermezzo breaks loose as well as on the other side there's also even way more waiting to be discovered by you. Okay, maybe a double CD album is or was at the end of the day still a bit too much and when we have 27 songs in nearly two hours of play-time then in all 'normal cases' it's maybe or surely pretty clear and 'normal' that we have also some fillers and not only killers on it here but anyhow and anyway, yes, FREI.WILD's "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN" is a damn strong album that I can still very calmly and clearly recommend to you outta there and so maybe just forget all the hype as well as all the bullcrap talking maybe still surrounding this band and so also this album and just risk one or two ears on it or better get it instantly in case you really still should not have or even know it. Strong and surprisingly multi-layered lyrics, a pretty cool artwork, and a nice bombing production-sound then finally make it all very round. Like already more or less said, yes, best just get it.

(8,5 of 10 points)

https://www.frei-wild.net/ (-link to the homepage of the band)

FREI.WILD - "ANTIWILLKOMMEN" (2018, "RIVALEN UND REBELLEN")

(my absolute personal favorite one)

DELIRIUM ROCK'N'ROLL - "DEM SCHICKSAL ENTGEGEN" (2018)

DELIRIUM ROCK'N'ROLL - "DEM SCHICKSAL ENTGEGEN"
(Running time: 48:52; 13 songs)
("Sunny Bastards"; 2018; CD):

Hey folks, yes, next load coming up and this means here and now that you right now and right here get my record-review on the pretty recently a month ago via "SUNNY BASTARDS" released second full-length-album of/by DELIRIUM ROCK'N'ROLL titled "DEM SCHICKSAL ENTGEGEN". Once again DELIRIUM ROCK'N'ROLL were a band totally unknown to me before I got my hands on their newest which means their "DEM SCHICKSAL ENTGEGEN" album and once again we are now talking about a band that I am now pretty happy and glad to finally know, even "DEM SCHICKSAL ENTGEGEN" is a bit sort of a 'weird' record because it kicks off after a 'stately' arranged, composed, and delivered intro with incredible hymnal and by crunchy and crispy guitars onwards pushed mid to up paced very 'rockish' German Oi! with some a thankfully fresh and not retro-like done/delivered 1990's spirit (especially the damn great tracks "DEM SCHICKSAL ENTGEGEN", "UNTER MEINER HAUT", "GEMEINSAM", "ROCK'N'ROLL GENUG", and "ALLES NUR ZUM SPASS" are here definitely to mention) and then more and more it sort of 'tilts' into a pretty much through and through German Rock direction but this (also thankfully) very self-contained and 'independently' with a strong and very own to pretty unique identity and character that shines best and clear through in the sharp edged and heavy hitting yet all the time very groovy rocking and catchy and hymnal melodic guitars that have a very unique tone and mark the songs heavily - and this for all the damn right reasons. Also the in my book phenomenal, very charismatic and very bulky hard'n'smart lead vocals only add up to it all. The forceful rhythm-section backs it all stunningly and massively up. And even when DELIRIUM ROCK'N'ROLL move more and more and then sort of completly into the German Rock sector, with for example the ballad "LEUCHTFEUER" or the sort of melancholic German Rock tune "HOL MICH HIER RAUS", DELIRIUM ROCK'N'ROLL still do (again: thankfully) their very own thing and so don't expect any lame BÖHSE ONKELZ clone, no stale FREI.WILD ripp-off, no KRAWALLBRÜDER copy, or what the hell else ever, hell no, DELIRIUM ROCK'N'ROLL sound all the time completly and only like themselves and this is something that I always cherich a lot and this even more when it's all done not only self-conatined but also (really) good and (damn) strong and with a lot of fresh ideas like here in the case of DELIRIUM ROCK'N'ROLL. Expect damn strong and fucking good by strong guitars and very characteristic and expressive vocals heavily dominated hard smacking and yet very melodic, catchy, and hymnal German Rock with some strong good healthy German Oi! marks in it all, delivered by well-skilled musicians and clothed in rousing and energetic, very dynamic arranged and composed songs that also offer a lot of fresh rhythm arrangements and a pretty surprising groove work. Beside the already above mentioned first five songs I also have to mention the powerful yet incredible anthemic "UNSERE LEIDENSCHAFT" and the high octane fists-in-the-air-smasher "HOCHMUT" that are also total faves of me, myself, and (m)I(ne) on "DEM SCHICKSAL ENTGEGEN". A bunch of pretty good and nicely multi-facetted lyrics, an absoluetly gorgeous artwork, and a crunchy and nicely dirty production-sound we get on top of it all as well. This is a damn good and partially also already fucking great record and I can only recommend it to any fan of German Rock and German Oi! as well after it sits perfectly somewhere in the middle in-between this two different worlds on its very own position. Very well done guys, very well. Cheers & Oi!

(8,5 of 10 points)

http://delirium-rocknroll.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

DELIRIUM ROCK'N'ROLL - "DEM SCHICKSAL ENTGEGEN" (2018, "DEM SCHICKSAL ENTGEGEN")

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")

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")

KRAWALLBRÜDER - "MEHR HASS" (2017)

KRAWALLBRÜDER - "MEHR HASS"
(Running time: 42:04 minutes; 11 songs)
("Soulfood"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, yes, it's christmas and so I wish you all a merry christmas and I hope that you do and will have some great days and a fantastic time, but anyhow, already a few (busy) days passed us all by that saw no new post coming up here for you by me and after I came back home today and do have some free time for my own to spend right now I thought why not give you finally a new post and in this case again a new record-review for you, yes, and so now here comes my record-review on the new/current KRAWALLBRÜDER album "MEHR HASS" released via "SOULFOOD" at the early beginnings of this year's january of 2017 and so, yes, it's sort of really about time that I finally come up with it up here. It was pretty much my first 2017 releases that I bought this year, yes, and this just a few short days after it was released and now it is pretty much one of my final record-reviews that I'll probably do up here still in 2017, hm, that's life or so, and anyhow, now straight one more time into the action, yes, and so now here we go again... but... I'll keep it short or at least I'll try to keep it short this time around, just that you know that, and so now here we go again - and this time for real: The KRAWALLBRÜDER... if you now read this blog already a little bit longer... than you probably know what this band means to me... from a solid to good and even very good German Oi! band over an at first to/for me pretty unimportant metallic as well as 'punky' and definitely deeply in Oi! rooted German Rock band they grew on to one monster of a band with a very unique and characteristic music that's very well'n'high-skilled and still (more or less clearly) in Oi! rooted German Rock with some and sometimes also definitely stronger metallic impressions and marks in it all, heavily enriching it, and that's all the time incredible hymnal, catchy, and anthemic and yet also all the time very hard rockin' and filled with highly dynamic and rousing energy to the max and some slightly 'punky' notes are here and there partially also still to be recognized/noticed. Personally the KRAWLLBRÜDER really give me incredible much and are one of the bands that really helped me to keep carrying on over all the last years/nearly the last decade and they pushed me through all the shit that I had to work myself through and out of and today they keep pushing me on, lifting my head up, or just keep me going with a proud and positive attitude, no matter what ever may or will come to cross my way, and this they do with their music as well as with their lyrics, personally in my book they became simply to one of the very best and greatest bands we have today; and when we step away from the 'personal level' they are and remain also still exactly this, definitely, one of the very best and greatest and probably also in general still most important bands that we have these days around, point and fact. Great and heavy and yet also maybe 'massively-especially-today' very diverse guitars that shine with crushing riffing, forceful rhythm arrangements and fresh changes in the pace structures of the songs as well as and maybe especially with the fantastic solos and the first class lead work, yes, this guitars and this guitar work mark the songs heavily as well as the very charismatic and hard and yet still (sort of) melodic sung lead vocals, yes, backed up by loud'n'proud crew back ups. Behind all there's then the stunning and massive heavy rhythm section that's going with full force and absolutely tight and precise to work and that's really adding massive amounts of beefy and bulky meat to the backbone of the music on the KRAWALLBRÜDER's "MEHR HASS", yes, and this for all the right reasons and in all the right way and manner, period. Great intense atmosphere and strong sing-a-longs as well as in general a fulminant songwriting is then cultivating it all, hell yeahr, giving us even a lot of larger-than-life moments, yes, one more time again. Forget about all the copying ripp-offs outta there, fuck 'em, here we have and here we get the real deal. My absolute favorites are "DIE WELT ZUM FEIND", "UNBEUGSAM", "A.M.O.R.", especially "WO DAS HERZ SCHLÄGT", "MEHR HASS", and (also especially) "MANCHMAL". The direct precursor albums "SCHMERZFREI" (I reviewed it in 2014 up here and it got and still gets clearly 10 of 10 points) and "VENGANZA" (I never reviewed it up here because of the 'as-good-as-dead-state-of-existence' of this very blog here in 2015 and 2016 but it would got and still would get 9 of 10 points) were/are just still both a little bit even-stronger than "MEHR HASS" but it is anyhow one hell of a strong album, yes, very good to great, without a single slightly doubt, and so just in case that you outta there reading this right here and right now really shouldn't have/own or even know it... why the bloody fuck of hell ever... then by any means make sure to change this finally and this as soon as possible and get it, oh yes, because it is clearly and highly and calmly recommend by me to/for you, definitely, and so just go out and get it. Ah, and by the way, very strong and powerful lyrics, a great artwork, and a first class production sound finally round it all up, yes, and this in a pretty supreme way, period. So, yes, I've said it all... go and get it!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi!

(8,5 of 10 points)

www.krawallbrueder.com/ (- the link to the homepage of the band)

KRAWALLBRÜDER - "UNBEUGSAM" (2017, "MEHR HASS")

TOXPACK - "SCHALL & RAUCH" (2017)

TOXPACK - "SCHALL & RAUCH"
(Running time: 51:01 minutes; 16 songs)
("Napalm Records"; 2017; CD):

And back @ work again, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you, yes, fourth day and fourth post in a row, yes, so you may could say that I'm in a flow right now... but before you say that or something like that just let us wait how long and far this flow will 'flow-on' before we start a little celebration because of it. ;-) And now straight and right into the action, and this 'action' right now, right here is my review on the current new TOXPACK album titled "SCHALL & RAUCH" released via "NAPALM RECORDS" some few months ago more or less recently in 2017, yes, and so now here we go again: The precursor album "FRISS" (2014) wasn't that high on my personal like-list back then and even it used to grow quite a bit on me since then I still think it is, so in my personal-taste-book, pretty much the weakest TOXPACK album so far... with this in mind it took me some time before I finally decided to simply just get "SCHALL & RAUCH" and stop thinking about the pro's-and-con's, yes, and you know what, I am pretty thankful that I finally did so, oh yes, because "SCHALL & RAUCH" is miles ahead of its precursor album and anyhow a really damn fucking strong album, music- and lyricwise. The days of "DIE ANDERE SEITE" and "AGGRESSIVE KUNST" and even quite a bit of "CULTUS INTERRUPTUS" are long over, for sure, but god-damn-it because who the fuck cares, yes, we have this albums already and there's no need to expect any sort of ripp-off's and especially who are we to expect that bands just run in circles and give us the same old stuff time and time again... hell no, because even if I don't know who we are but this is not who we are, if you get what I want to say. And so, yes, it's all more than only good and fine, and...I have not a single clou if TOXPACK just got stronger again or if it is just me, me and my taste or call it how you want, but "SCHALL & RAUCH" walks straight further on the path of "FRISS" (2014) but really that much stronger and I really, really like it, and this strongly. This is really strong and powerful, high-quality and (sometimes more, sometimes less) slightly metallic german Rock music with fresh and strong own ideas and a strong own identity. You might could call or name it German Rock and this would be anyhow sort of a pretty good match but personally I would prefer to name it Streetrock; but anyhow that's not that important after all. Clearly rooted in Oi!, Streetpunk, and Punkrock, definitely, and of Course Streetcore, yes, but this roots you get today far, far more 'ideational' than via the musical delivery; this is just through-and-through pure hard hitting and sharp cutting, oh yes, heavily by the really bright shining diverse and very, very well-skilled guitars dominated 'german-tongued' Streetrock full of power and honest emotions, marked by strong and exciting songwriting that comes up again and again with fresh ideas and cool surprises and with rousing rhythm structures and verse arrangements and that then on top delivers first class refrains with highly anthemic sing-a-long potential that turns a lot of the songs into real hymns. And all done very stand-alone and nicely clichee-free. The diverse and the songs heavily forward driving guitars and the outshining charismatic lead vocals that are at/in the right moments strongly backed up by widescreen back-up chants, hell yeahr, really mark the songs heavily and the to the point tight and precise played rhythm section then gives the songs a loadable bulky backbone. Fantastic lyrics (very often also damn personal, so my impression, and that lyrics really sort of speak out deeply of my heart here and now in this current period of my life), an absolutely beautiful artwork, and a first class clear and powerful production sound then finally make it all round. My personal favorites are "KOMMERZ (DIE GEIER KREISEN)", "WILLKOMMEN IM CLUB", "AUF ALTE TAGE", "BIS ZUM LETZTEN TON", "REDEN, LÄSTERN, LÜGEN", "DIE LETZTEN, DIE SICH NOCH DAGEGEN STELLEN", "IN TRÜMMERN", "GIB MIR ALL DEIN GELD", "NICHTS GEHT MEHR", "UNBELEHRBAR", and "ALLES AUF ANFANG"; so this would be my ultimate-listening-tips. I can only recommend TOXPACK's "SCHALL & RAUCH" highly to you, and so, yes, if you still don't have it or call it your own then you should as soon as possible change this and simply just go out and get it; and this best right now.

(9 of 10 points)

https://www.toxpack.de/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

TOXPACK - "BIS ZUM LETZTEN TON" (2017, "SCHALL & RAUCH")