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Haywire – Conditioned for Demolition LP

Boston Hardcore – all day, every day! A burst of fresh blood on the U.S. hardcore scene, kicking hard in every direction. This is the kind of hardcore I’m into – tempo shifts, builds from groovy, head-nodding parts into crushing blasts of sound, and a fast, clipped vocal right up...

Battle Ruins – Battle Ruins 12″

Battle Ruins are a phenomenon. Their self-titled 7″ EP from 2010 was the first release that introduced them to the world under the Rock ‚N‘ Roll Disgrace Records label. Now, in 2024, this classic gets a repress – this time on 12″ vinyl in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, courtesy of...

INTIMIDATION – TOTAL AGGRESSION LP

This mini LP was released in 2023 as a collaboration between Try And Stop Me Records and Mister Face Records. Intimidation is a four-piece band hailing from New Jersey and western Massachusetts, USA. They seem to come from the same tribe as bands like Violent Way, Restraining Order, Klaxon, The...

First Attack – No Escape LP

I’d been looking forward to this record ever since the first mentions of it appeared. I discovered the Canadian project First Attack on Bandcamp, where two songs were initially released. What immediately caught my attention was the involvement of vocalist and guitarist Greg Huff, known from bands like Glory Stompers,...

FUERZA BRUTA – CONTRA LP

Contra is the second full-length album from Chicago’s Fuerza Bruta. This crew delivers top-notch Oi! punk that, in my opinion, ranks among the best the global scene has to offer. The record kicks off with a dark, choral intro that sets an occult tone — one that runs through the...

Nežfaleš – Šminky padlejch královen LP

Šminky padlejch královen (Makeup of Fallen Queens) was released in 2021 on Cecek Records. It’s the eighth studio release from this Prague-based band—counting their split album with kindred spirits Supertesla. Nežfaleš has been around long enough to develop a distinctive and unmistakable voice. At the same time, their music reflects...

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Tear Up – Repeat Offenders LP

I have to admit that the band Tear Up from Watford completely slipped under my radar before I came across this record. Repeat Offenders is already their third release — their debut Playground Politics came out in 2018, so the band definitely has some history behind them. Tear Up play...

Ain’t Right – Careful What You Wish For EP

A few years ago, I came across a split release from Kapø Blöd (Bordeaux) and King Cans (Montreal/Québec). What really stood out to me was King Cans‘ track „Not Dead Yet“ – an absolute anthem (check it out on YouTube, there’s a solid video for it too). Since then, I’d...

Hardsell – 25 Years Of Blood, Sweat And Beers LP

In the years right after 2000, I was really into the sound of bands that mixed Oi! and hardcore. At that time, Agnostic Front had just released Riot, Riot, Upstart (1999) and Another Voice (2004). In Europe, Discipline were in full swing, putting out Bulldog Style (1998), Nice Boys Finish...

Reason Why – Cut You Loose EP

Another interesting addition to the punk/Oi! catalog of the Mendeku Diskak label. This time it’s the Turkish band Reason Why and their debut on vinyl – not to be confused with the hardcore project of the same name from Paris. The Turkish scene isn’t particularly familiar to me, so I’m...

Toy Tiger – Meow Sabotage LP

Toy Tiger is a band from Vancouver that labels itself as street rock. That was pretty much all I knew about this project when their new record Meow Sabotage from my favorite label, Street Rats Records, landed in my hands. The band’s name and the cat-themed artwork gave me no...

Claimed Choice – Claimed Choice LP

Claimed Choice are a French band from Lyon, and this marks the fourth entry in their discography. They debuted in 2022 with a self-titled LP, followed by a 7″ single and a split with Canada’s No Heart in 2023. Claimed Choice mix elements of Oi!, pub rock, and glam, all...