Yeah! This Australian wrecking machine from Sydney made a strong impression on me years ago when I had the chance to see them live. An excellent show, and I absolutely love the albums Nail It Shout and Know The Code. When the news broke that Rebellion Records had dug an archive recording out of the vaults—one that had long seemed lost—and was planning to release it, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. At first, I thought it would be a live recording (I don’t even know why I assumed that), but it eventually turned out to be studio material that, for some reason, never saw the light of day. That raised my expectations considerably, mainly because this isn’t some kind of revival, but material recorded during the band’s actual active era. And when I finally got this album into my hands, my excitement shot up quickly.

The Corps have always been described as a mix of hard rock and street punk/Oi!. Bands like AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, and Motörhead are usually cited as their main influences. Honestly, I can’t think of a more original comparison, so I’ll stick with that—it describes the band perfectly. At the same time, The Corps maintain an aggressive edge to their sound, avoid slipping into any whiny ballads, and retain the raw dirtiness of a street-level vibe. The two guitars create a powerful, full sound, giving plenty of room for solos while pushing everything to the next level. The vocalist fits perfectly into the hard rock feel of the album, and together it all comes across as mature and tightly cohesive.

Overall, the album contains eight songs. The opening track, Burning The Candles, is an absolute hammer that could easily serve as the soundtrack to an American biker road movie. In some places, the album leans more toward hard rock and classic metal, such as on Don’t Stop or Golden Age. Elsewhere, the band shifts toward a street-oriented sound with a strong emphasis on choruses, like on Show Me The Ropes and Feel The Darkness. Making Enemies fits my own misanthropy perfectly—a song that didn’t quite click with me at first, but one I gradually grew to really like. Toward the end, The Corps deliver A Thousand Cuts, once again driven by raging lead guitar work, and everything is wrapped up with the hit Watch It Burn, featuring a highly melodic chorus. Then I flip the needle and play it all again. And again. And again.

All in all, I’d say Rebellion Records pulled a genuine treasure out of the vault—one that had been sitting there for thirteen long years. This album clearly lives up to the band’s previous output and still ranks among the best that the underground scene has to offer, even though the sound is heavily influenced by projects with global recognition. To this day, I honestly can’t believe I saw The Corps in a club for eighty people, when this material could easily work as a support act for fucking huge bands. Though I’m not even sure The Corps would want that. Either way, this album is guaranteed to fucking rule for anyone who loves guitar-driven music, even across genre boundaries.

TOP TRACKY: Burning The Candles, Making Enemies, Watch It Burn