... it's friday night and i'm feeling fine. i tell you baby it ain't no crime. a little drink and then some rock'n'roll...

THE BARONS - "AMERICAN BEER DRINKING SONGS" ("Motherbox Records"; CD):

Damn it, sometimes you really need some sort of a little reminder 'bout the records you primarly still wanted to review, and what shall I say, sometimes MySpace works really good as a messanger of 'reminding stuff'. So thanx for doing it!!! Okay, I know today it's saturday and not friday, so tonight it will be saturday and not friday night, but that shall not make any difference at this point. And yes, doing some swimming sports this afternoon (to silence my conscience;-)...) and then tonight it will be finally basically all about a 'little drink', 'some' Rock & Roll and meeting the crew and having and celebating a good time with the girls and boys to solemnize the birthday of a good mate. What this has to do with this record? A lot, not at least because it's all about getting this fucking party started, baby!!! THE BARONS are a damn great band from the U.S.A. (I think they come from Delaware, right?!?), and just to let you know it, this guys aren't aristocratic in any way but more through and through Blue Collar in every way. They aren't an Oi! band in any 'traditional way', and of course not a Skinhead band in the 'originally sense of this word'. But tell me: Is this really important to you?!? Then go home you stupid fuck and give yourself some Barclay's on "The Spirit of '69" but just leave here!!! THE BARONS are playing formidable Streetrock or Streetrock & Roll (and here this genre category is finally 100% justified), beer and whiskey thirsty, party hungry and all very sympathic and authentic, and also the great lyrics do carry this spirit and feeling perfectly. Yeahr, I like it, and it suits me as well as a bottle of delicious "Corona Extra" on my lips!!! If you like what "Headache Records" had been releasing, the whole New Jersey Streetpunk style and especially if you like the ancestors of this sound the great and legendary THE WRETCHED ONES, then also THE BARONS really should be something more than just good for ya. A little bit comparable to the mentioned band and style, but more harder and very dirty rockin' and rollin' and more open when it comes to their music, so they are enriching their very nice and well-versed in their pace varying and rousing songs for example sometimes with a damn good (Hammond) Organ. Great!!! So, to say it short and point it out: THE BARONS really rule, just a great band, and if you're in love with some very good and free of typical- especially musical- (Oi!/Skinhead) scene clichès being, hard rockin' Streetmusick then just don't think about it any longer but just get this record here!!! Great band that's giving us here a great record, that's coming with perfectly fitting lyrics, in a great artwork and in a very good and very dirty production sound. So do yourself a favor and get it, and yes, that's not an advice but an order!!! Also live they just must be damn fuckin' good!!! Cheers & Oi! (9 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/thebarons)

*** NEWS *** NEWS *** NEWS *** NEWS *** NEWS ***

Hey folks,

things had been going on pretty well when it comes to the blogg here. Like you should already have noticed, the announced interview with the great SUCKERED IN is online, up and ready for quite a while now, and I hope you've all read and enjoyed it. Also a lot or more or less all of the also already longer announced record reviews are up and ready, and honestly I've put the last one online today with the record review of the current SICK OF IT ALL full length masterpiece release, just read below this entry here. So now I thought that it's about time to give you a quick update of what's going on here, what's next, etc. pp., so, wanted or not, now you get it:

(Ah, by the way, my new tattoo, that's what you see on the left... okay, okay, what shall I say, I'm happy about and proud of it so I just feel the need to show it to the world, haha, so take it like it is, haha;-).)

First of all also the interview with the great young American Oi!'n'R.A.C. band FIGHTING 84 from Souther California (from where directly you want to know, ha, wait until you get the interview to read, hehe;-)...) is finally ready and I'll start working on getting it online some time at this day. I've done it with Brandon of FIGHTING 84, and he's done a fuckin' damn good job, so thanx a lot mate!!! And yes, you can be prepared for some very good answers, giving a fuck about what is politically correct to say or not, and that's damn true!!! Like I've said, the interview is damn good, so be excited about it!!!

I have also some others good interviews currently in the work. Wanting to do some with the SORE LOSERS, with CRUCIAL CHANGE, and with Ryan (also the bass player of CRUCIAL CHANGE) who's running the great "THE SPIRIT OF YESTERDAY" blogg. I hope it all works like it should, 'cause I've sent the interviews out via MySpace, and MySpace is currently ticking me off quite a bit because the functions of sending and receiving messages won't work correctly all the time and this is really somehow annoying me currently maybe a little bit, haha;-). If it all works, then hopefully you can get yourself prepared for three really interesting new interviews, with two outstanding bands and one great blogg, so wish me the best for it!!! The interview I always wanted to with TOTAL ANNIHILATION... damn, I think we can pretty much forget about it. I just can't get in contact with the band anymore and the band also isn't contacting me because of it by themselves. It's really sad, but okay, I guees you can't have anything or so. Next on my list to do interviews with are OFFENSIVE WEAPON (great American Oi! from New York City) and FOLSOM (Sin City Hardcore from out of the concrete jungle called Las Vegas), and I'll start working on them at some of the next days and then we all should wish the best for it. Or something else like this, haha;-). When the new split of DOS DIAS DE SANGRE is out I'm also hoping to do an interview with them. Time will tell!!! Ah, yes, and of course, their split release should be out still this year!!!

A friend of mine gave me some new records to listen to this days, and yeahr, thank the gods (or whom or what ever) that there are that beautiful and clever chicas out there that also have such a damn good taste when it comes to music, and I'm working myself through them. You wannt to know what records it are, okay, here you'll get it: GLORY BOYS - "SKINHEAD RESISTANCE", TATTOOED MOTHERFUCKERS - "THUG ANTHEMS", ENDSTUFE - "WO WIR SIND BRENNT DIE LUFT (LIVE)", NJORD - "MOT HIMLEN", ULTIMA THULE - "KORPKVÄDET", ULTIMA THULE - "THE BEST OF...", and the MARCHING ORDERS - "DAYS GONE BY". Good stuff, for sure!!! And also I have some more classic reviews for you to come, for example of the ones like SQUIGGY, RED, WHITE & BLUE and RUN LIKE HELL. Also will be coming some new fanzine reviews in the next time, and just in case that you don't already know it, if you need some new fanzines then get the newest issues of the "Oi! THE PRINT" and the "ZWERGPIRAT" fanzines, also the newest issue of the "PUNKROCK!" fanzine is out and worth a read, just that you know it, more soon then the next days. Sad news are that it seems that the "VOICE OF THE STREETS" fanzine seems to be defunct these days, what's a real pity. Ah, and also next on this blogg will be newest entries of the 'American Oi! History Series', with THE ANTI-HEROS and THE ALMIGHTY LUMBERJACKS OF DEATH, more to come. Also the category of 'Sports' will soon see some more new entries, I've got plenty of things planned and already in the work, be sure of it!!!

Beside this it's very cool to get finally some feedback for this blogg, especially because when it's that positive. So guys, THANX A LOT and all the best greetings are going out to Ryan of "THE SPIRIT OF YESTERDAY" blogg (and, of course, CRUCIAL CHANGE) and to Bernhard of "THE U.S. OF Oi! OF SWEDEN" blogg and the "BERNANDO FUCK YEAH!!!" blogg for their nice words, their support and their appreciation of the work on this blogg here!!! THANX mates!!! I'll now give you the links to their bloggs (of course you also find them in my blogg list here on the blogg), and maybe some little description. You can reach Ryan and "THE SPIRIT OF YESTERDAY" blogg while clicking on the http://thespiritofyesterdayoi.blogspot.com/ link, and you really should go there if you're heart beats to the rhythm of Bootboy musick from the 1980's up to the present day. More I don't want to say right now here at the moment because of the coming interview, so I hope you understand it. Bernhard and his just gret "THE U.S. OF Oi! OF SWEDEN" blogg you'll reach by using the http://usofoiofsweden.blogspot.com/ link, and you really should go there, especially if you are like me an addict to American Oi! musick!!! He puts in a lot of work, bringing postings and downloads about bands from the 1980's, the 1990's, the 2000ends years, and also of today. Reviews, videos, bandintroductions, news, concert informations, interviews, all done with a lot of heart and passion, and it's just a damn great blogg that you really have to know. So go there!!! His second blogg is also damn good stuff, covering a wider distance of musc, from Punkrock/Streetpunk to Oi!, and from SKA to old school R.A.C., and much more, bringing us also a lot of scandinavian insider tips, all brought to us also with a lot of intense and passionate work, ah, bringing us basically downloads. So go there and check it out. Ah, how you can go there? By using the http://bernandofuckyeah.blogspot.com/ link and test it out!!! Great stuff!!! Another nice blogg I want you to get aware of is the new Hardcore blogg run on respectively via MySpace by two young german guys and it's featuring a lot of brutal Hardcore bands of today, done very sympathic and enthusiastic. The blogg is called "57' HARDCORE BLOG"!!! Go and check it out with using the http://www.myspace.com/57hardcoreblog link. All written in german.

So guys, that's currently all I have to tell ya, so stay tuned about more things to come on this blogg here and check the mentioned bloggs out, go and get it!!! Cheers & Oi!, Andy!!!

... no fear or concern, ready to take on the world - not playing it safe, gonna change everything...

SICK OF IT ALL - "BASED ON A TRUE STORY" ("Century Media"; CD):

Yeahr, they're back, one of the very, very best Hardcore bands ever!!! (If not the best!!!) Four years in the making, after their great precursor release "DEATH TO TYRANTS" (also already released on the german label "Century Media"), and somehow it's strange because on the one side it had been four damn long years, but on the other side it just did not seem like four years at all when I think about it... strange world, anyhow... and damn, I can't beat the feeling that slowly I'm really growing older reaching slowly the dirty thirtys, haha;-). It was back in 1994 when they really got me, it was when their "SCRATCH THE SURFACE" masterpiece came out and it had been pretty much SICK OF IT ALL and BIOHAZARD (with their great "STATE OF THE WORLD ADDRESS" longplayer, but that's another story...) who really first caught me and got me deep down into the world of Hardcore, not letting me see any kind of reason at all to get out of it again until the present day!!! (What shall I say, I'm a kid of the 1990's baby, haha, and more and more Hardcore bands, records and music did come later very, very soon.) Like I've already said, they are back, and if you ask me with their strongest and best record since their brilliant 1999 "CALL TO ARMS" longplayer, if not even since their 1994 "SCRATCH THE SURFACE" masterpiece. They march forward on their road mixing the metallic harshness and brutality of the "SCRATCH THE SURFACE" record and their anthemic and heavily Oi!/Streetpunk influenced "CALL TO ARMS" full length. They also worked in this direction more or less also on the two precursor records, the very sinister "LIFE ON THE ROPES" record of the year of 2003 and the militantly revolting "DEATH TO TYRANTS" record from 2006, but every time with lying the attention on another facet of the spectrum of the by Metal as well as Oi!/Streetpunk influenced New York Hardcore style. And that's also pretty much what they are doing here, again fuckin' great, and this time even a lot better!!! Mixing brutal, harsh and fully clichè-free metallic heaviness with finger-pointing, crew-shouting sing-a-long parts, brachial moshing parts with incredible strong and anthemic larger than life 'chanting-parts', all very forward adrifting, very forceful and pushing, lively and energy-rich, banging hard as well as full of grapping melodies and leads. It's just great, through and though!!! Also the fast and clever arranged changes in style, pace and mood of the songs as well as the record as a whole are just phenomenal good done!!! Characteristic guitar playing and singing, 'fat' crew chants and gang shouts, a fuckin' well-versed rhythmsection, great instrument playing abilities as well as sheer fantastic songwriting. Great!!! And with the fantastic "LIFELINE" we do also get the official legal successor of the 1994 immortal evergreen "STEP DOWN", musically and lyrically, my absolute damn favorite, for sure!!! On top of it we do also get great and very varying lyrics, thumbs up, an awesome artwork, and a damn good and beefy production sound. This is just great and pure platinum, so if your taste in music just blanket a little bit of Hardcore then don't think twice, but just get this record!!! Fantastic stuff!!! (10 of 10 points)

(http://www.sickofitall.com/)

(http://www.myspace.com/sickofitallny)

'If you are politically motivated, save your stamp and get a life!'

SONS OF PRIDE - "THE GLORY & THE HORROR" ("Kickback Records"; 7"):

Hey folks, nothing oh so very special for this day, I just made it home and I'm really lacking the motivation and the time to do all the stuff on this blogg that needs to be done, I just wanna go to bed and fell asleep very soon, haha, but tomorrow I'll manage to get some certain things done. In the waiting are some great news and thanking shout outs to some of my blogg running mates out there for giving me some very positive feedback and a lot of support, thanks guys (!!!), but more tomorrow, then the current SICK OF IT ALL record will be reviewed and damn, I'm very happy to announce that- also MySpace nearly stabbed us in the back- the interview with the great young American Oi!'n'R.A.C. band FIGHTING 84 is ready and done and I'll start tomorrow with getting it online, up and ready, and yeahr, be prepared for some damn good stuff and a big bunch of damn true and honest words, speaking the truth and giving a fuck what any kind of thrash some thought police may talk anonymous after reading it. Be prepared, great stuff, the band, the music, the lyrics, the interview, I'm very happy with and proud of it!!! But more tomorrow!!! Now to this one here, I've got some goody for you, a new review of the great SONS OF PRIDE!!! Wanna know more? Fine, then just read: A more or less long forgotten band from Canada called SONS OF PRIDE, and if you are talking about the whole good old Canadian Oi! bands of the 1990's, then my experience is that these guys are mostly overlooked, underrated or sheer unknown to a lot of guys out there. And that's a shame!!! This nice black vinyl 7" was recorded during three days of May in 1995 up there in the canadian city of Montreal in the "Northern Piranha Studios". It was released also in 1995 via the canadian label "Kickback Records" based in Quèbec. I don't know of many more other stuff that these band had done, but I can tell ya that this 7" here is just pure and simple through and through gold and nothing else!!! It contains all in all three songs, one (the title) track on Side A, and the other two tracks on Side B. (I bet you did not think that, right;-)?!?) First of all to the two songs on Side B, named "STRONG & FREE" and "SNEAK ATTACK". Really good and far more than just solid or 'only' 'good' stuff. Hard stomping and well-paced knocking 1990's Oi! Oi! music with that typical aggressive, yet melodic and very anthemic spirit that a lot of the good American Oi! and Canadian Oi! bands during the 1990's came up with and established it as a style of their own, giving life back to Oi! after it was slowly dying. Also good lyrics, patriotic, anti-P.C., and being proud of who you're and where you're from!!! Thumbs up!!! Still today very, very good songs!!! Very good, but nothing that 'special'. But there's still the title track "THE HORROR & THE GLORY" on Side A. That's a great one and also a 'special' one!!! A very organic and feisty groove, great and grapping changes in pace and mood, heavy stop-and-go guitar riffing, great leads and melodies and a damn good solo, yeahr, and especially the guitar work is really awesome and damn well-versed, and it's creating a that strong atmosphere that it's really giving you goosepimples like not many Oi! bands had done it, maybe just comparable to the YOUTH DEFENSE LEAGUE, and that's a statement of a kind!!! Then there's also the incredible fantastic bass work, very well present, making the groove work really 'fat' and heavy, without being artificial or oh so 'tough guy' at all, and the drum playing is very smart and hard hitting. Then there are also great Crew shouts ("THE GLORY & THE HORROR"!!!), and fantastic charismatic, angry and hard shouted, yet really sung vocals far away of any 'thug like chaving'. Just great, and truly from 1995 up to this present day a damn fuckin' larger than life and stand-alone song!!! Pure platinum!!! Great!!! Also the lyrics are really, really strong, about the allied struggle against the fuckin' lowlife Nazis and for the freedom of europe, to free the old worl from the fascist claws. Again: Just great!!! Then the production sound is also pure gold, and the artwork just looks fantastic, so you see, it's really the complete package that you get here!!! I don't know if you still can get it from somewhere (but I also got it some years ago with a little bit of something you might call luck, so just try it), but try everything to get it, 'cause just because you don't know that this is a real and necessary classic doesn't mean it's not. Great!!! Try everything to get it!!! (10 of 10 points)

(I found no links or what-so-ever, so you'll have to stick with this review of mine at all, sorry, but this must be enough!!! But if anyone out there knows more about the SONS OF PRIDE, then please get in contact with me, thanks a lot!!!)

Streetpunk Rock & Roll from Austin, Texas

SORE LOSERS - "SORE LOSERS" (D.I.Y.; CD):
Yeahr, that's a very fine piece of music brought to us by this very sympathic band from the city of Austin in the U.S. american state of Texas. The band had send me the CD for free, so guys, THANX A LOT FOR IT!!! Knowing from MySpace their music I was really excited about to get to listen to their record, and what shall I say, if you like a mixture out of hard hitting Rock & Roll music with a big street charme and anthemic dirty and raw Streetpunk, yeahr, then don't think twice but just get known to the SORE LOSERS. Packed up full with energy, exciting down written songs that really know to grab you by your balls or your pussy and make you screaming heavily cum the one way or the other... ah, or something like this, hm, hopefully you know what I mean, haha;-). Clever arranged changes of the pace, no matter if it's between the different songs, or in the single songs, that's really keep your attention, and all played with a lot of power in and pressure behind it, so that it really drives you mercyless forward in your one man circle pit in your livingroom. Damn it, I would love to see these guys live on stage in action. All played strong and very, very well-versed, no matter if it comes to the songwriting or the playing, damn good, I can tell ya. The rhythmsection is pumping non stop power and excitement like the damaged oil station of "BP" in the gulf of Mexico, the singer has a just brilliant rough, raw, and charismatic singing voice, and the guitar work is so tight and rich of many variants that it's just great and really a strong trademark of the band and their music. Also great female vocals they use to add to their songs and music. All very anthemic and forceful, even they change very clever the mood of the different songs so that it won't get anyhow boring at all. Also very outstanding, maybe just a little bit comparable to the also damn great THE CORPS from Australia. This is a through and through D.I.Y. release, but the artwork is a really nice shot that hit it's target, and the production sound is really gold. The lyrics aren't printed, but you get them while you listen to the songs and also the lyrics are damn good stuff, covering a pretty wide distance at all and speaking me from deep out of my soul and heart, just listen to the giant larger than life and opener track "LOSERS" and you'll know what I mean if you know what hard struggles and even harder work in life do mean, so, to point it out: If you have and live a REAL life!!! Always on the edge of a catastrophic burn out, yeahr baby, that's the way it's meant to be for you and me, so we'll be making the best out of it each and every single fuckin' goddamn day in this fucked up world of left and right, of day and night, not allowing the bastards to grind us down!!! So, there's not much left to say right now at this point, but just get this record and check this great and sympathic and authentic band out and get in contact with them!!! I'm working on an interview with them that soon will be settled together completly and that then will be going out to the band, hopefully they are willing to do it, would be really just great, I keep you informed!!! Cheers & Oi! (10 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/sorelosersrock)

... swedish and brazilian brothers in arms...

PORRADA & FRONTLASH - "PATRIOTIC PASSION" ("Dim Records"; LP & CD):

That's some split record stuff released by the german label "Dim Records" back in the days of 2003, so you see, it's already truly 'a little bit older' right now, haha, but I don't care about this 'fact' that much at all, like you all should know by reading my blog, and after I could imagine that some of you guys had missed this split back in the days and also until this day, yehp, so now here comes the review to make sure you know at least 'something' about it. When I bought this record some years ago I've known nothing of the featured bands, but after I liked what I got to read about it, knowing that the label normally just puts out good and even much better noise, I also liked the artwork, and the record was finally out there to get for a very cheap price I decided to get it, and yes, what shall I say, I'm something of a little bit of a nerd, haha, so I just bought the LP as well as the CD, haha. Side A or Part One's owned by the brazilian hardliners PORRADA. I don't know much more about them, so expect nothing about their background now, just something 'bout their music. Eleven tracks they are serving to us, all recorded back in 2002 somewhere in Brazil. Six songs of this eleven tracks are cover tunes, and covers of the likes of THE VARUKERS, ANTISECT, LAMA, the almighty DISCHARGE, PARISANS, and the great ANTICIMEX. By reading the bandnames you should or at least could already get a pretty good impression of what a kind of musick they're playing here. A very dirty and noizy combination of old school D-Beat or Crustcore and some sick twisted old style Hardcore Punk. But all played not too fast, more mid paced at all, and not at least this 'circumstances' are bringing a lot of Metal in it, the old school way of some mid paced Death/Thrash Metal (comparable to the very early SEPULTURA, hm, maybe it's a brazilian trademark, haha) to point it out. Very sick and dirty, 'swampy' and crumpled, nodular and odd, with attributes of this kind you can describe their musick very well. Very mangy banging guitar work, grumpy and creaking bass playing, boisterous rumbling drums, as well as gruff and grim vocals that cover a wider distance from more or less 'normal' Crustcore caterwaul singing to bitter evil Death Metal grunts, these are the cornerstones of the musick of this band. Nice stuff, if you ask me, all good and fine, but this mostly mid paced old school Metal D-Beat/Crustcore bastard that PORRADA are playing is on the long run just not exciting enough to grap me over the complete distance of the eleven tracks, the songs just sound after listening to four or five tracks just to uniform like, just the last two or three songs will make you wake up again. It's a pity, because the first songs are starting really, really strong, but they are lacking the abilities to write really grapping songs over the distance. So it's just a solid musical offering that PORRADA are giving us to feed our ears with. Ah, to the lyrics I really can't say anything at all, 'cause I just can't speak or understand portuguese, and the listed english titles seem not to be the original titles (oh whoah, what a clever guy I am, right, haha;-)...), but how-ever, I can imagine that songs like "MARCHING TO PROTEST", "LIBERTY", "KEEP THE DIGNITY" and "TERROR AGAINST TERROR" could carry some good issues and values to us, but on the other side I'm not so sure if I want to know what they are singing about in songs like "BRAZILIAN BLOOD", "SCUM!" or "NOTHING (MIGRANTS INVASION)", haha, if you know what I mean;-). All in all PORRADA do get not more or less than six out of ten points, 'cause it's just solid stuff, and that's what just solid stuff gets here on this blog. Okay, now to Side B or Part Two, and that's owned by the swedish Hardcore roughnecks of FRONTLASH. And, yeahr, that's a great band!!! Roaring out of the streets of Stockholm city, and bringing us a devastating and atomizing, fresh Hardcore music that really knows truly to convince. A great sound, named by them as Stockholm Hardcore. Pretty much influenced by New York Hardcore of the likes of AGNOSTIC FRONT, SICK OF IT ALL, WARZONE, MADBALL, and also some CRO-MAGS influences. But all played much heavier and also some notes more metallic, and, what's most important, all vey stand-alone played and coming with a strong and very authentic Skinhead and Working Class background to us. All very butal and harsh played, crunchy and tight, yeahr, and the guys of FRONTLASH know how to fuckin' play their instruments and also how to write awesome good Hardcore songs. Just great!!! Test their songs "THE MARCH OF THE FRONTLASH CREW (HARDCORE VILLAINS)", "STOCKHOLM HARDCORE", "TOGETHER" (antiracist message, if I get it right, about unity between black and white), "WORKING CLASS", "SH99", and "SKINHEAD PRIDE". It's just a great Hardcore sound that really rulez okay!!! Great, yeahr, and also very cool!!! You should listen to them, if you're into Hardcore music of the good and even better kind!!! They give us also a very good cover of the WARZONE classic "JUDGEMENT DAY", and with the swedish version of their track "A WORLD OF PAIN", now called "EN DÖENDE VÄRLD" in swedish, there's also an exclusive bonus that you'll find solely on this record. FRONTLASH do give us also a bunch of very good lyrics, yes, very good job also on the lyrical front. FRONTLASH do get nine out of ten points at all, and that's more than just justified at the end of what day ever. Then the LP as well as the CD comes in a very good artwork (I really love the cover drawing, hm, but Odin on a cover of a record called "PATRIOTIC PASSION" that features a brazilian band... strange world, I mean, did the vikings really came to Brazil at all, hm, but maybe after I've once listened to some fascist jackass that was seriously saying that Reggae is and always was White Noise 'cause the vikings once brought the precursor/ancestor music/sound with them to Jamaica when they first discovered America then Odin's offsprings maybe also made it to Brazil one day, haha), but what sucks is that we get no proper informations, no lyrics, no bandpictures, no what-so-ever, just promotion for other label releases. Okay, I totally see the necessarity to promote your label work and releases, but if this promotion stuff is all what your releases give to us it's a little bit of nothing with weight, if you understand what I mean. But okay, how-ever, but both bands bring their tracks to us in a solid and good production sound. The LP is coming in black vinyl with some few 'splatter effects' in dark, dark grey, and yeahr, if you still can get it (it was limited to just 500 copies worldwide), then get the LP. What a little bit sucks when it comes to the CD version is the 'fact' that the 'times of the changes between the songs' (can't express it somehow better right no, sorry...) are filled with cracking noise and that the tracklist is not correct (it's the same tracklist as of the LP, but there it's correct). But okay, that should not stop you if you want to buy this record but not owning any LP player. And yes, you should get this record because of the great FRONTLASH, and of course also PORRADA have some valuables to offer to us. If you're into (Skinhead) Hardcore, and also old school dirty and rotten (and politically maybe not that much correct at all...) metallic D-Beat/Crustcore music, then try to get this nice angry split release, and yes, should be also interesting for the Metal guys of you out there, not at least because of the PORRADA side/part. PORRADA call six out of ten points their own, FRONTLASH nine out of ten points, so now you'll see what's the final outcome of this split record... (7,5 of 10 points)

(I did not manage to find anything about PORRADA on the web, sorry, but here's the link to the MySpace page of the great FRONTLASH: http://www.myspace.com/frontlash - also no videos found, neither of the one nor the other band, sorry guys.)

... you can tell by the smell of the blood on our guitar strings me and the boys don't give a fuck what you think...

FOLSOM - "HAMMER LANE" ("Filled With Hate Records"; CD):

Las Vegas Hardcore, baby!!! Sin City's Finest are back again!!! And this with there second release on "Filled With Hate Records". Their precursor record, "NEON LIGHT NIGHTS", really took by storm. Brutal Hardcore with a lof of Mosh and Beatdown spirit in it, but all played not that packed full with Metal crap, but all played and delivered to us with a lot of hard knocking and harsh stomping Punk spirit in it, like not that many bands out of this genre do use to play their music, just great stuff!!! I was very curious about that record here, "HAMMER LANE", and nothing changed, but everything developed in a very positive way. Brutal, brachial, harsh, and very forceful, yet always given us also a good big dose of crew shouts, fist-to-the-air-sing-a-long-to-parts and some good melodic work, done in a damn great way. Somewhere between DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR, DONNYBROOK and a little bit of BARCODE, but all played very unique and stand-alone, so do not expect any kind of cheap copy or 'just another band', if you know what I mean. Great band and a great record, just test it with "HAMMER LANE", the ultimate anthem "BETTER DAYS", and "SCUM LIKE ME", and you'll know what I mean. All showcasing us a very rude and rough, angry and pissed off, very authentic charme. Great!!! On top of it we do get great lyrics straight out of the desillusioned everyday life of todays Working Class, a very good and cool artwork- totally the Sin City Style, baby-, as well as a dirty and aggressive production sound. Ah, and these guys know how to play, and how to write songs, and both they know and do fuckin' damn good!!! Great band, great record, great songs, great lyrics!!! Simply great, point and fact!!! (9 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/folsom)

Now you get a video of FOLSOM playing their older song "IF YOU'RE A VIPER" live, so just enjoy it!!! Now comes the video:

FOLSOM - "IF YOU'RE A VIPER"

... for the rest of my time on earth i'll chase that dragon down...

WISDOM IN CHAINS - "EVERYTHING YOU KNOW" ("I Scream Records"; CD):

Yeahr, the heavyweight champs of Pennsylvania Hardcore are fuckin' back!!! After the incredible damn great "CLASS WAR" named precursor release I was excited how WISDOM IN CHAINS would return and if they would be able to convince me that strongly again. And to be honest with you, I really needed some time to get worked into this record. Two reasons did this problems have had. One reason was the fact of the larger than life quality of the before mentioned precursor record, the other reason was the a little bit ill-fated compilation of the songs or tracklist, so starts the record with the three numbers "INTRO", "GUILTY" and "BULLY", and yes, I can tell ya, even one track is named "INTRO" and is the official Intro to this record, the two tracks following are also more or less nothing but some sort of Intros. Okay, but I am not some sort of that 'pipsqueaking nitpicker', haha, so forget about it, 'cause it's at the end of the day respectively the record not that important at all. WISDOM IN CHAINS settled twenty tracks together, and beside the a little bit ill-fated song-compilation at the beginning of the record to kick it off we do get nothing but finger-pointing-and-fist-in-the-air anthems and brachial and brutal crowbar strikes set to sheer atomizing and ahead adriving Hardcore music that's strongly influenced by hard hitting brickwall Oi! and anthemic Streetpunk, and also pretty much complete free of this whole annoying Metal stuff. And they are showing how rich of many variants Metal-free Hardcore can be. Just take a listen to the brilliant guitar work of the songs respectively the band, that's also- whenever the songs need it- turn out to be some sort of a mixture out of Hardcore and melodic and symphonic (1970's) Classic Rock, especially when it comes to the great guitar solo work. Incredibly fantastic stuff!!! Beside this also the guitar riffing and the rhythm structure build up is a nothing but great and brilliant stuff, harsh and with huge power support forward driving, yeahr, you won't escape it!!! Then do come the vocals, great powerful, brutal and charismatic like hell, beside that we do also get fat crew shouts, and a bulldozer or better freighttrain like rhythmsection, just great stuff!!! The guys know how to play, and that very, very good, and this guys also know how do write fantasic grapping songs!!! Awesome stuff!!! Also SICK OF IT ALL done some back-ups, and WISDOM IN CHAINS do also work with an organ. You like and miss BLOOD 4 BLOOD?!? (How could you not!!!) And you also like BARCODE?!? Yeahr, that's right, and these guys are even worlds better than the named two bands!!! On top of it we do get non-stop great lyrics, personal, political, critical of society, critical of the scene, paying tribute to family and friends, Straight Edge, real life stories, etc., and all done just fucking amazingly good!!! The tattoo style artwork looks fuckin' awesome, and on the backcover we do get a picture of one of my personal faves ever, an English Bulldog, so also for that thumbs up!!! The production sound of this record is also gold and a true bomb, so also for that thumbs up!!! So, to get back to the beginning, after some time to get worked into that record WISDOM IN CHAINS really convinced me as strong and as much as with their "CLASS WAR" masterpiece, and yes, "EVERYTHING YOU KNOW" is also a masterpiece of that kind that other bands would go murder and sell their souls to get at least one record of that kind and quality done once in their time of existence. What's left to say? Nothing, but: Get it!!! Cheers & Oi! (10 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/wisdominchains)

Now you do also get a video of them... okay, okay, it's more just the cover picture that's shown all the time during the song is playing, and that song is my totally favorite "CHASING THE DRAGON". An great larger than life Hardcore anthem, that you really do need to know, so here it comes just for you (and me)!!! But, before the video, you now do get the brilliant lyrics of the song, and yeahr, WISDOM IN CHAINS do really speak from deep out of my soul, so now here are the lyrics:

WISDOM IN CHAINS - "CHASING THE DRAGON"

I've been hooked since the first hit I ever took,

they warned me not to go inside but I had to take a look.

I stepped down into a smokey room

I'm getting stared at hard so I kept on steppin'

Right up to the line just to wait my turn

I started to sweat and my eyes wer burning

When I felt him through the smoke just out of sight

He said: "Son are you ready for the rest of your life?"

I said, "Gimme, gimme please, gimme please Mr. Pusher man

I don't think you know what it means to me

I gotta gotta have it. Do you understand?

I gotta know how it feels when your mind is free."

Now I know how it feels to fly

My eyes are wide open and my souls on fire

All those years I was living a lie

But last night Hardcore saved m life

There's nothing I can do and there's nothing I can say

I'll be chasing that dragon 'till the fire goes away

It's the truth in the anger and the feeling in the sound

For the rest of my time on eart I'll chase that dragon down

Now I'm grown and I can't get past it

The way I get chills when the music's blasting

I never found nothing that could move me like this

With a fist in the air I must resist

Young and old, boys and girls

In every color around the world

We gather together every couple das

To honor the ones that paved the way

Oh no I can't stop

I got the marks on my skin and I'm ready to go

It's in my veins and it's in my soul

I love Hardcore Punk Rock & Roll

Now I know how it feels to fly

My eyes are wide open and my souls on fire

All those years I as living a lie

But last night Hardcore saved my life

There's nothig I can do nd there's nothing I can say

I'll be chasing that dragon 'till the fire goes away

It's the truth in the anger and the feeling in the sound

For the rest of my time on earth I'll chase that dragon down

It's like my soul's on fire

For the rest of my time on earth I'll chase that dragon down

(WISDOM IN CHAINS - CHASING THE DRAGON", taken from "EVERYTHING YOU KNOW" record, released by "I Scream Records" in the late fall of 2009)

So, and now, after the lyrics, here comes the promised video, enjoy it, enjyo the track:

WISDOM IN CHAINS - "CHASING THE DRAGON"

i live my life until the end and i give the promise to keep this crowd alive

TEARS OF BLOOD - "TEARS OF BLOOD" ("Lucifers Legions Records"; CD):

First of all, no, this is not a Black Metal band / release like some of you might think by looking at the name of the label. That said, hm, some may have mentioned that the bandname also once was a songtitle of the great BIOHAZARD. "TEARS OF BLOOD" is a song of them you can find on their "URBAN DISCIPLINE" masterpiece, in case you don't know that. Don't know if TEARS OF BLOOD, they are coming from Germany out of the region called 'Ruhrpott' (and I think some bandmembers of them also play in the german Oi! Punk band EMSCHERKURVE 77...), named themselves after this BIOHAZARD track, but how-ever, this shows you the direction of the music and that's to be called as Hardcore. I've seen them once live in Goslar and bought their first (?) record "KINGS WILL BE KINGS" at this concert. The record was okay, a solid release, but it was lacking the power and the energy and the enthusiasm of their live show, because live they were fuckin' great. Then I've lost the band completly out of sight (don't ask me why and how...) and I've already thought that they had called it a day some time back. But, suprise, suprise, then I saw this record here and without a second thought I decided to go and get it. They've changed or (much) better developed their style a pretty bit. The Tough Guy affiliation and Crew mentality, that was to be noticed on the first record, they have shut it down pretty much, and the songs are often more marked by a very melancholic and sinister, maybe sometimes even depressive atmosphere (just listen to "NOTHING IS NEVERENDING", "ONE LOVE, ONE CHANCE" and "JOE BLACK"), and that's making the band already and of course a little bit unique in today's (german) Hardcore circus. That's always a good, if not a very good thing. What's a little bit annoying me is the fact that the Metal influence had become much more stronger than before, and especially for example the Intro and the Outro sound like a mixture out of old METALLICA and some clichè Death Metal crap. Brrr, guys, take the other direction the next time again, haha. So, to point that out, what you get from them is metallic and melancholic-sinister, very heavy Hardcore with some Tough Guy or Beatdown roots grounded on. But the Tough Guy or Beatdown elements are yet only very rudimentary and also very obsolete, and it could be exciting to see the future development of this band. But also already today, really good and interesting stuff, for sure!!! Also the lyrics moved quite a bit away from their earlier contents, dealing nowadays pretty much with issues like the fading away of human existence, tragic losses, love, and criticism of the state of the world today, going your own way without any compromise to the schemes how society (or also even your 'own' scene) wants you to be and also the pure and through and through Hardcore anthem "THIS KING HAS LOST HIS CROWN" is far away from your usual 'Bollo' stuff. So, the thumbs go up for the lyrics as well as this record. The artwork looks great, so it's all in all a truly good release, even the production sound could be a little bit harder and especially more clear, but okay, how-ever, it's not bad at all. Give them a fair try and spend them a good round, really good stuff and I was very suprised (in a positive way) of the development of TEARS OF BLOOD. Ah, this record came already out in 2008, but I just get aware of it this year in 2010 (I know, shame on me...), so maybe there will be coming some new stuff of them very soon, in case they are still existing, haha;-). Good stuff, well done, so keep on the hard and good work, it was a huge step forward guys, no matter if you take the music or the lyrics, thumbs up!!! (8 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/kingswillbekings)

Now I will give you the video of their song "KINGS WILL BE KINGS" to watch and listen to. It's the title track of their first (?) record from 2005, so it's not that representative any more, at least I think so, but I couldn't find a video of one of their newer songs, sorry. But, by the way, it's still a fucking good song of Tough Guy Hardcore, already blended with that special guitar vibe to it that they've worked out very strong on their above reviewed record. I think this video was produced more or less professional by the band itself back in the days and it's a good clip at all, okay, representing the whole Tough Guy Crew Mentality, Violent Dancing, etc., but hey, what's that bad about it all? I don't know, so just enjoy it, it's a nice clip (, that was also the bonus on their "KINGS WILL BE KINGS" release of 2005)!!!

TEARS OF BLOOD - "KINGS WILL BE KINGS"

Old School Hardcore Punk from Italy

GONNA FALL HARD - "EVERYBODY IS GONNA FALL HARD" ("Superhero Records" / "Swellcreek"; CD):

Nice stuff that we get to hear here. Okay, actually I've never heard anything of them before, and of course, I actually even didn't know that they excist or that they come from Italy. What do we think first of when we do think of and about Italy? Ha, right, spaghetti, pizza, delicate fish dishs, beautiful women (at least when they are young and not looking like fat old roast chicken on two legs out of the boondocks of some parochial vineyard), fast cars, hm, and since GONNA FALL HARD also of good old school Hardcore or Hardcore Punk, yeahr, that's right. They hammer out twelve tracks (eleven ones are yclepted on the backcover, and one is a 'secret hidden bonus track', that's, of course, now not anymore 'secret' or 'hidden' to you in any possible way, I'm very sorry...) in not altogether fifteen minutes. So you should get a good impression of what they are giving us here to listen to. It's like a bloody tempest coming over you, taking you with it, turning your entrails upside down, spitting you out again and leaving you down and out lying on the ground spitting blood and teeth out of your compunctious mouth in the middle of your damn fucking bloodied face. Very fast paced high speed guitar playing, damn nimbly drums, an angry hubble-bubble bass playing, hectic and breathless recitative style of singing the vocals, young blooded crew shouts, all what you expect from this kind of music and all done in a really good and fresh as well as freshening way. I like it. Okay, maybe not the stuff I can listen to all the time of the day, and of course sometimes they could slow down the pace and work with more stuff like grooves and so on, but if you like the very early CRO-MAGS, the old GANG GREEN, BLACK FLAG, and some early old school Boston Hardcore, then give this band from Italy a good round and a fair try of listening to it. Nice coverartwork, good production sound, and some good lyrics, from more personal issues to social criticism goes the lyrical journey, so you see, a nice distance of topics that they deal with in or through their lyrics. The record was primary recorded in 2005, then "Superhero Records" and "Swellcreek" rereleased it first in 2007, and nowadays the next edition is out to get and that nomally at no charge, so you see, there's not that much that's speaking against the 'bargain' of this record. Test them!!! (8 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/gonnafallhard)

Rock against Terrorism

OFFENSIVE WEAPON - "OFFENSIVE WEAPON" ("Pure Impact Records" / "Crowbar Records"; CD):

Here it is, the debut record of this great young American Oi! band from New York City. And you know what, no matter if it is about Hardcore or Oi!, New York City is always a good starting point, at least if you ask me. Some time ago I've already posted a very little introduction of them via a posting of the 'Videos' category, and so now here comes the review to their debut record. They took me by storm when I first listened to them, and I was really excited about to listen to their record finally and to see and hear if they could keep me convinced over the distance of a full length. And I tell ya one thing, the only problem with this record is that it is too short when it comes to the running time of not a complete half hour, but okay, that's nearly all. They are playing very hard American Oi!, but all cultivated with very strong melodies and 'goosepimple-atmosphere'. The songs storm hard and aggressive forward, full of power and energy, and all very militant and violent, patriotic and proud, fully filled with unforgiving roughness and harshness. That's how I want it!!! That's how I need it!!! When it comes to the pace of the songs then OFFENSIVE WEAPON do cover a good and clever distance of fast paced up and high tempo songs, and also brutal mid paced stompers. Angry and very pissed off, raw and violent vocals, a militantly rumbling bass playing and hard knocking and brutal drumming, as well as hard and fast guitar riffing, that are the cornerstones of the music of OFFENSIVE WEAPON. But what's marking and cultivating the songs to the finest and highest level is the extremly out-standing and damn well-versed lead and melody work of the guitars, that's so damn great and amazing, it will leave you holding your breath, just great!!! Also a little bit comparable to the guitar work of a the better Vikingrock bands out there, just to let you know which direction the leads and melodies do take. That's great!!! In total we do get eight songs, seven of their own breed and one cover of the track "ES POR TU NACION" by the band KLAN. Never heard anything of them, so I'm knowing nothing 'bout them. Hm, but damn it, am I ticking off right now or is the music not originally by the BÖHSE ONKELZ? So that it's something like a 'double-cover' or what? But how-ever, haha, you see it's leaving me confused, haha;-). You need some more description to the band and of their music? Very unique and stand-alone stuff, and all fucking great, hm, maybe better to describe as mixture of OXBLOOD, the YOUTH DEFENSE LEAGUE and ULTIMA THULE... but I'm not so sure about it anyway, haha;-). But how-ever, it doesn't really matter that much, just make sure you do get this great piece of American Oi! music, delivered to you by some tough and no shit taking NYC Skinheads and Bootboys. Lyrically is all very strongly patriotic and also truly not politically correct at all, like the music very militant and violent, offending nearly any side, full of unbroken pride and bitter anger about the state of the world and society of today. Against islamofascist terrorist scum, stupid yellow journalists, parasitic scumbags, about taking pride in yourself, standing opposed to this degenerated and retarded world, and much more, all done simply in a damn good way and worth much more than just one read and listening session. When it comes to the artwork, hm, just let me say it could be a little bit more (for example some more bandpictures and linernotes, and the lyrics could be printed a little bit bigger), but it looks awesome, and I truly love especially the great looking cover artwork. Ah, and just for the record, you'll do find the steelcapped boot crushing the symbol of the soviet union (and all it stands for) on the backcover. But no problems with that for me, haha;-). The production sound is just a great job done. So it's all just a great thing!!! Damn it, guys, it would be fantastic if there could be at least just two or three songs more on the record (... you do have some songs posted on your MySpace page that aren't on this record, so where are they here, haha;-)...), but like I've already mentioned above, that's the only negative point to it. Last words? Get this damn record!!! I hope that there will be coming more of them as soon as possible!!! Cheers & Oi! (10 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/offensiveweapon)

After I've already posted four (or more... or less?) videos of OFFENSIVE WEAPON before, I just give you one more little video of them, of their song "FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE", that you do also find on their before reviewed debut record. So now comes the video, enjoy the it, enjoy the song:

OFFENSIVE WEAPON - "FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE"

Once lost, now found: American Oi! Core the way it's meant to be played!!!

YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS - "THE PAROLE TAPES" ("Dim Records"; 7"):

Yeahr, that's a great job that "Dim Records" had done with releasing this rare gem finally. The YOUTHFUL OFFENERS were an American Oi! band founded sometime around 1996 in the U.S. state of Connecticut. They released two releases, one Demo Tape called "BLOODSHED EP" in 1997 via "Underpants Records" and one full length CD called "DOMINATION" in 1999 via "Vulture Rock Records" and later rereleased via "Pure Impact Records" (and I think that there had been also another Demo like the "BLOODSHED EP" recorded by the band, but I don't know of title or age...), before they called it a day. But before they defunct the band they recorded some songs that became know as 'the lost tapes' or "THE PAROLE TAPES" in 2000. They never saw the light of the day until "Dim Records" managed to convince the band members and finally put it out in the late spring of 2010. And thank god or whom maybe else ever, because if this 7" would have never see the light of day it would have really been a giant misfortune. The YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS played a harsh and aggressive, very, very tight played combination of bonecrushing and skullsmashing American Oi! with a huge note of streetfighting Backstreet Hooligan mentality and violent and terrorspreading American Old School Hardcore, marked very much by a good changing of the mood and the pace of the songs, as well as dirty, dry, raw and violent guitar playing, a very tight and brutal rhythm section, and grim and characterisic shouted vocals. And that's also what you get here to listen to by the guys. Militant, violent, very angry and pissed off American Oi! Core that will not only break your nose, but will leave your whole fucking face broken. To give you a good description, they do cover "IRON CHIN" of THE BRUISERS and "FACE UP TO IT" of WARZONE (both done in an excellent way), and if you combine THE BRUISERS and WARZONE with each other you do get a pretty good impression of the sound of the YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS. Great 7" of this patriotic, violent, 'tough guy-ish", and also very authentic and sympathic band. Beside the two mentioned covers we do also get two songs of them in their own way of style and sound, "FOR US" and "NEVER HURTS TO TRY", and both are just great tracks of American Oi!respectively American Oi! Core. The lyrics are very good stuff (but they really should have been printed, but okay, you get them while you listen to the songs), the production sound is just a really damn good job, and the artwork of that fine 7" looks just great. The 7" comes in white vinyl (looks great) and also in some other different colors, and make sure that you are quick that you get your copy of that great 7", because it's strictly limited to just only 500 copies worldwide. Great record, and I hope that the YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS will be also bringing one (soon) day more and new stuff out to us. But until then: Get this 7"!!! Cheers & Oi! (10 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/youthfuloffenders)

(I'm sorry, but I just couldn't find any video of them, so you just have to stay with my review and the link to their MySpace page.)

... the skrews are loose, for better or for worse, but always loyal to no one...

THE LOOSE SKREWS - "SWORN TO FUN" ("Dim Records"; 7")

A new release by the german label "Dim Records", and again they managed to get another good American Oi! / Streetpunk band to join their record company family. THE LOSE SKREWS are around now for already quite a while, and you can hear this. They know how to play their instruments damn well-versed, and also how to write grapping and interesting songs. They are bringing us a very fast-paced, tight played, damn harsh and hard hitting American Streetpunk sound that's blended with a good note of old school Hardcore, some angry and noisy Rock & Roll spirit, and also some very few Metal influences (just listen to the- by the way damn good- drumming and the guitar solos, for example of the angry slasher "ANOTHER WASTED DAY"). Especially the guitar playing is a real trademark of this band, and damn, that's a wall of sound how you get it not that often the chance to listen to by Streetpunk bands. So if you like your Streetpunk played hard and fast and loud and a little bit nervous, blended with violent Hardcore, angry Rock & Roll, and clichè-free Metal, marked by hard and fast and fat widescreen guitar playing, thundering drums, and aggressive vocals, then THE LOOSE SKREWS will be something like your jackpot and you should get this 7" as soon as possible, and you should also not forget about the fact that it is strictly limited to just 500 copies at all. We do get four songs at all, two on each side of this little vinyl gem. The 7" is coming in yellow vinyl (but I pretty much think that there had been also some other colors floating around), in a funny looking artwork, and with all the lyrics. And okay, beside the fact that they proclaim to be "SWORN TO FUN" the lyrics draw mostly a very dark picture of life in general, of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, boozer couples, unemployment, and stuff like that, so the lyrics deal with some a little bit different issues like you might expect at first, but that's nothing bad at all. Good, even very good stuff that you should not miss, so get it!!! They are coming from the U.S. american state of Georgia, and if I am not totally wrong then also an former CONDEMNED 84 and (much more important) THE ANTI-HEROS member is nowadays also in the band, just to let you know this. And if you like THE BARONS but would wish that they would play their sound much harder and more aggressive, then THE LOOSE SKREWS will be exactly what your searching for. Should be also interesting for the Metal Heads out there, beside the Streetpunk fans and Hardcore fanatics. (9 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/thelooseskrews)

Now you do get a video of THE LOOSE SKREWS performing their track "A WARM BEER AND A COLD SOUL", a great track you'll also find on the above reviewed 7" single. If you like it, buy it!!!

THE LOOSE SKREWS - "A WARM BEER & A COLD SOUL"

Finally the first demo of the almighty BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS was released by 'Bandworm Records'

BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS - "SONGS ABOUT FIGHTING" ("Bandworm Records"; LP):

That's a very fine release that the guys of "Bandworm Records" from the german city of Magdeburg had settled together here. And a release that was truly 'over-time', truly some American Oi! and American Skinhead history. Originally it was released in the year of 1999, done in the D.I.Y. way by the band itself. As time went by only four songs of the Demo made it succesful on the debut 7" of the BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS. But don't ask me why only four songs of this record resectively Demo were rereleased later, because every single track is a fucking hymn. And now that's bringing us to this rerelease. The Demo now is coming to us as a beautiful designed 12" vinyl, in yellow vinyl with black 'splatter effects' in it, and yeahr, I can tell ya, it looks great!!! Also the production sound is totally on top, don't make any mistakes in thinking bad about it just because it once was just a D.I.Y. Demo, the sound quality is truly damn good, worked a little bit over by the guitar player of the BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS, Joe. Now to the music, the most important thing about tht record. We do get eleven tracks, two of them are cover tunes and live versions, one is "CAN'T KILL THE BLUES" of the legendary THE ANTI-HEROS and the undying classic "BOOTS & BRACES" of SKREWDRIVER. Beside that we do get nine tracks of their own. Hard hitting and forward driven American Bootboy sound, dustdry and bonecracking American Oi! combined with dirty and raw hard rocking and even harder rolling Working Class Streetrock sound, blended here and there with some very few old school Hardcore notes. All done very stand-alone and unique, but if yo also like THE ANTI-HEROS (how could you not?), then also the BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS will be your favorites. The songs vary very enjoyable and the changes in mood and pace are very grapping. It's all driven forward by the sharp and unerring guitar playing, marked by the charismatic and rough vocals, while the rhythm section is given the songs a very beefy backbone. Perfect!!! This guys know and always knew how to play their instruments, and they also know and always knew how to write songs. Great stuff!!! One hymn follows another, very anthemic and with an unbroken fist in the air fighting spirit. My personal favorites are "FIGHTING POOR" (also great lyrics), "AT LEAST IT SEEMS" (very grapping lyrics, too), "I CAN FIND OUT WHERE YOU LIVE", "JIMMY COONAN" and the larger than life battle anthem "TAKING THE STREETS BACK". But also the rest of the tracks are everything but a let down. Like I've already said, great stuff!!! The artwork of this release is also a pure beauty, nice cover artwork, a lot of photos, some nice graphics, and all the very good, very authentic, rough and violent lyrics. To point it out once again: You need to have this record, 'cause it's just a great record!!! Point and fact!!! It was limited to 250 copies at all, so you'll better be quick or be a fucking jackass if you would miss this fantastic record and a really historical document of the American Oi! movement and Skinhead history. The LP includes also the official MP3 Download Code given out by the label. It's an ageless record that's bringing you right back to the glory days of American Oi!, but without being or becoming retro in any only possible way, so damn good is that LP here. So: Just get it!!! (10 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/brassknuckleboys)

Now you do also get two videos of the BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS, the first is the official promotion video of "Bandworm Records" for the "SONGS ABOUT FIGHTING" 12" LP rerelease, and the song that you hear playing is the great "FIGHTING POOR" anthem. The second video is a live video of the BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS playing the THE ANTI-HEROS classic "CAN'T KILL THE BLUES" live, so just lean back and enjoy the two clips. Cheers & Oi!

BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS - "FIGHTING POOR" / "Promotional Video Clip" (for the "SONGS ABOUT FIGHTING" LP)

BRASSKNUCKLE BOYS - "CAN'T KILL THE BLUES" (THE ANTI-HEROS - cover)

Scottish Punkrock

LAST YEAR'S MEN & THE CHOSEN - "PAPER ROSES"/"GLORY GLORY AYSHIRE KILLIE" ("LINK MUSIC"; Mini-CD):

That piece of scottish PunkRock Music is already a good while old, it came out in the year of 1997 and for what I know is that both bands are from Scottland and that this record is a tribute to their favorite soccer team, the "Kilmarnock F.C." that had won something back in the days. (I'm not sure if it had been the scottish league championship or the cup... but I think pretty much that it was the cup). So, I think that's all you need to know of the historical background of this- already also by itself maybe a little bit historical- release. Ah, one last think: I don't tell ya anything about the two bands, just because I know nothing else above them. Ha, you do see how simple things can be, haha;-). Never heard anything of them before or after, and I even don't know if the bands still exist. No idea! But however, 'cause is it really that important? Nah, I don't think so at all! The record is mostly always announced as an Oi! or at least Streetpunk record, but nah, don't believe it, that's just some bullshit talk. What you get from both bands is good played old school Punkrock with this typical british flair to it, and all truly very relaxed and laid back played, a little (or bigger) bit more of the pre-1977 Pub atmosphere than the 1977 Anarchy Punkrock character, all flavored with some good old soccer stadium spirit and all very melodic and even more hymnal and catchy. Beer fueled and Whiskey oiled vocals, a laid back but full rhythm section, and meldoic yet sharp and directly hitting guitar playing are the cornerstones of this music. And that description perfectly fits both band outfits. In total we do get two songs, one of each band. The LAST YEAR'S MEN are starting off with their song "PAPER ROSES", followed by THE CHOSEN with their song "GLORY GLORY AYSHIRE KILLIE". THE CHOSEN do take the victory, more hymnal and catchy, and also more powerful and harder and more direct hitting the goal, they would get eight points out of ten. The LAST YEAR'S MEN are weaker, a little bit to relaxed and laid back for me, they don't really hit the nail on it's head, but at least it's still a solid done job, so they would go taking six points out of ten with them. The record also comes in a nice artwork and in a good 'organic' production sound, and the lyrics are paying tribute to the above mentioned team and their triumph back in the days. Hm, by the way, split records especially of this kind should really be released on vinyl (not as an CD) as an 7" single, but okay, However, I'm not the man in the position to decide about that at all. If you get this record still today then normally for very low prices, just to let you know that, because it maybe could be interesting for you. So, if you have a faible for some good melodic and hymnal british old school Punkrock, paying tribute to Pubs as well as soccer, then try to get it, you won't make any mistake with it at all. (7 of 10 points)

(Don't ask me about any links...)