Reviews

Reviews

Latest Review

Templars / Castillo – Split EP

This split EP was released on TKO Records as the latest chapter in the ongoing series where The Templars go head-to-head with bands they admire. This time, they’re joined by the Los Angeles outfit Castillo. The record features two tracks, one from each band, and once again perfectly captures the...

Crown Court – Heavy Manners LP

Crown Court from London released this album on Randale Records in 2023, roughly ten years after the band was formed. I already really enjoyed their 2016 album Capital Offence – it felt raw, unpolished, and carried a strong ’80s vibe that you rarely hear from many bands these days. In...

Mental Warfare – Everything Is Wrong LP

Mental Warfare is a project of guitarist Chris Cesarini, whom I first noticed through his involvement in bands like Conservative Military Image, Haywire, and Street Power. I also found out that he has been active in other Boston hardcore bands, namely Back Of Tha Neck and Years Apart, though I’m...

SIKM / The Slads Split EP

This 7″ is a split release by two US Oi! bands, SIKM and The Slads, with each band contributing two original tracks and presenting their own take on Oi! punk. While SIKM from Atlanta go for a much more direct and raw approach, strongly influenced by punk ’82, The Slads...

Venenö – Demo MMXXIV EP

Venenö are a band from New York who describe themselves as a mix of 1980s punk, Oi!, and a touch of post-punk. The lineup includes current and former members of bands such as 45 Adapters, The Stance, The New York Hounds, The Take, Rododendrons, The Press, and other crews from...

Lazy Class – The Dawn To Come LP

  Lazy Class are a band from Poland, but with a drummer who has Spanish roots, something I first noticed back on their 10″ Hell Of San Domingo. At the time, I was scratching my head over how a Polish band had come up with a song about the Battle...

All reviews

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...