Fearless Veterans are a three-piece from Madrid who describe themselves as a skinhead rock’n’roll band. They have been active since 2018 and so far have released an EP from 2021 and a seven-inch split with Ofensiva from 2022. The album Hard As Fuck from 2024 is therefore the band’s first full-length release. It contains eight songs, sung mostly in English and partly in Spanish. The record was released in cooperation with underground and purely subcultural labels Crom Records, Still Burning Records and Laketown Records.
Traitors is a great opener and also my favorite song on the record. A classic theme, slower tempo and strong guitar licks give this track a real punch. Everything drives forward and it instantly makes you want to push your way to the front of the stage and shout the chorus together with the band. Melodic singalongs and guitars influenced by heavy metal appear in the song 90’s Oi!. This hymn-like declaration of allegiance to the era the band proudly identifies with is partly an antifascist statement and partly a linguistic twist – part of the lyrics is sung in German, as Schulle from Bierpatrioten appears as a guest on the track. The songs on the first side tend to lean toward shouty street rock’n’roll, often with noticeable heavy metal influences. This is even more apparent in the title track Hard As Fuck. If Iron Maiden had a little more taste, dressed more elegantly instead of wearing sleeveless denim vests and got proper haircuts, they could easily include this song in the calmer part of one of their sets. But since they didn’t, Fearless Veterans took the opportunity – and the result is more than good. The final track of the first side, Guerreros, benefits greatly from the band’s native Spanish, and here the band also shows a sense for working with language and the atmosphere of the lyrics.
On the B side things slow down a little at first with Seek And Destroy, where the guitar really gets its moment to shine. In general, this part of the record is influenced more by classic rock or heavy metal sounds. Don’t expect any mix with hardcore here – the guys clearly enjoy approaching Oi! a little differently than what is usually typical for bands in this style. The same direction continues in the song Camps Of Death, where the band opens a more serious topic. In general, Fearless Veterans focus more on themes of pride, formative life experiences, subculture and even historical references. Instead of simple lyrics about drinking beer, there is quite a bit of space here for reflection. This also applies to the final two tracks, Lockdown and Green N Chaos. In Lockdown, a powerful singalong appears that pushes the whole track to another level. After several listens this song really started to grow on me, even though it took me a while to fully appreciate it.
Fearless Veterans follow a path of simplicity, punch and memorable melodies. Traitors is definitely a hit that won’t get lost at any party where the biggest songs of current Oi! bands are being played. The band’s antifascist stance is another sympathetic factor that makes this record an interesting addition to any collection. This style works for me and I’m glad this record ended up in my hands – otherwise I probably would have missed the band, because I didn’t know them very well before. Recommended.
It’s also worth mentioning the physical edition itself. Besides including all the lyrics in the booklet, the record is pressed on heavy-weight vinyl, so you get a solid and high-quality product for your money. From this perspective as well, the release turned out really well.
TOP TRACKY: Traitors, Guerrerors, Lockdown
