From the booklet, a skunx lineup stares back at me — perfectly matching what I hear from the speakers. If I had to describe it, I’d take the sound of the later Fatskins EPs (Viva! from 2015 or the split with Old Glory from the same year) — Oi! at a slower pace, with an emphasis on guitars and a thick, heavy vocal. To that, I’d add a pinch of more explosive streetpunk à la Oxymoron or Bonecrusher, and very lightly top it off with melodic choruses in the vein of bands like Ducky Boys. It might not be entirely precise, but it captures the overall feel.
The album opens with an intro in the style of A Clockwork Orange, and Strike First waste no time launching into the uncompromising anthem Pure Impact. In their hands, it sounds almost effortless, but the song is expertly built and makes you want to either raise a beer in the air or dive straight off the stage into the crowd. The lyrics match that energy — a celebration of the subcultural path through life. Next comes the slightly melancholic and catchy Canton Street. It’s not some whiny lament about “the good old days,” but rather a grounded reflection — exactly the kind of balance that works best for this type of song.
Then comes a pair of straightforward streetpunk tracks, Integrity and Ready To Strike, followed by another standout moment on the record — Hate. Here, the singalong parts hit perfectly in combination with lyrics about alienation from mainstream society. Side A closes with the more punk-driven It’s Getting Old, which keeps the pace up and prevents any unnecessary slowdown.
Side B kicks off with Voluntary Action, where I especially appreciate the message — if you want something, go for it; if you want to change something, start acting. Whether it’s a band, a zine, booking shows, or running your own project, it all comes down to initiative. Standing Strong builds on well-executed shifts in dynamics and keeps the momentum going, which then explodes into Talk Is Cheap. Here, the guitar finally gets to stretch out a bit more, and the refrain “actions speak, talk is cheap” sticks in your head.
Next comes a cover of I Never Needed You by The Partisans, which suits the band naturally, followed by Street Rock’n’Roll, keeping the album firmly grounded in its style. Towards the end, we get Carry On, slightly tinged with a Dropkick Murphys vibe — maybe it’s the drums in the intro or the vocal delivery later in the track. The album closes with the title track War, another strong, catchy song that instantly reminds me of the energy of Thunder And Glory and their 2017 release. This is exactly the kind of moment where you think: yeah, this works.
The album was released on the strong Rebellion Records label and offers a total of 13 tracks with very solid production — more than a fair dose. The artwork was once again handled by Ramon of GD Art, and the booklet includes all the lyrics, which is always a plus. For me, this is one of the overlooked albums of recent years that deserves much more attention. It also seems the band has been recording new material lately, so there’s definitely something to look forward to.
TOP TRACKY: Pure Impact, Hate, War
