Razortooth are new blood on the Scottish scene. I was curious to hear how a new band from Scotland would sound, as historically I mainly know On File (all three of their records are great), and in recent years I also noticed Cuttin‘ Edge from Glasgow. They released a solid record on Rebellion Records that should satisfy fans of Motörhead, Anti-Nowhere League, and ’82 punk, mixed with a slightly more metallic sound.

Razortooth from Glasgow play in a classic three-piece lineup, and I’d say this is a very typical island-style Oi! punk sound, just at a slightly faster pace. A gritty bass, driving and punchy drums, and restrained guitar lines are topped off with a dominant lead vocal, without any mass chants in the choruses. The EP was released on Lionheart Records in an edition of 120 black vinyl copies, 215 marbled copies, and 25 test pressings.

Side A features the song 80’s Kid, which is very punk-driven. Side B opens with Street Rock & Roll, probably the fastest track on the whole record. The third song, Skinhead No. 1, strongly reminds me of the aforementioned On File, mainly due to the vocal style. There’s no search for major innovation here—Razortooth deliver a well-played, honest Oi! punk release with no hardcore or other genre influences. This is exactly the kind of band that belongs in small clubs and pubs, where you can enjoy a show with friends right in front of the stage, beer in hand. The band seems very active live, so I hope this will soon turn into a full-length album. They also have a Demo 2 EP out, but we’ll get to that next time.

TOP TRACK: Skinhead No. 1