After albums like The Glory Of Honour, Really Skrewed Up, Road To Valhalla and The Honour Of Glory, Oil! return with a new 10″ vinyl this time titled They Hönour Our Glory. The record was released through a collaboration between Contra Records, Bovver Pressed Records and No Front Teeth Records. I’ve read that the project is led by a guy named Neale Fishback from California, who is also behind projects such as Flat Earth Bootboys, Scunthorpe Yobs, Smash The Granny, The Shrinks and Trust Fund Babies. But it’s fair to say that Oil! represent the very best of the American Oi! scene, proudly carrying the brickwall sound, while at the same time embodying the finest traditions of the British Oi! school. They also undoubtedly belong among the defining milestones of worldwide streetpunk.

Here you are dealing with pure and genuine Oi! that absolutely doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Somewhere recently I read that the only fake skinhead band that actually matters is Hard Skin, but I think Oil! can compete with them quite successfully. The song Steel Toed Laces (featuring Bones from Lower Class Brats) is a merciless declaration of war against all the globalists trying to hide the truth we figured out long ago. The ruthless street anthem Tattoo On My Neck (featuring Jenny Woo) tells a powerful story about the strength of tattoos. Shirts v. Skins (with Richard from Bullshit Detector) explores the shame that poor parenting can bring upon a man — a father works honestly in the docks his whole life and suddenly ends up with sons who became nerds. A disgrace, really.

In the song Skinhead (featuring Carl from Templars), you’ll hear football chants alongside a heartbreaking story about the evolution of a Zulu hooligan. Return To Bovver Beach (with Joe Queer and Sabi from Inciters) somehow reminds me a little of Vice Squad, though it drifts more into a slightly psychobilly atmosphere. There’s also a good old anti-hippie song included (featuring Colin Flaherty), which I personally appreciate. Nowadays, when everybody is busy rebelling against hipsters, we really shouldn’t forget the old-school hatred toward long-haired peacemakers! The song Thistle features Simon from Claimed Choice and Aspy from Real McKenzies. The final track, Hard Working Bootboy Carnival (featuring Mick from Scunthorpe Yobs), only confirms that this is the hardest bootboy band you’ve ever encountered in your life.

And if I wrote anything above suggesting this was some kind of fake skins band, that was obviously a mistake. Oil! are the only real Oi! band and you’ll get everything you could possibly need here — delivered in more than solid quality and packed with a interesting amount of guest appearances.

Everything about this record is real. A real skinhead band, a real sleeve, a real vinyl record, and there’s even real music pressed onto it. And naturally, members of Oil! also took part in making the album.

TOP TRACKY: Steel Toed Laces, Skinhead, Thistle