Last year, this compilation record featuring exclusively Canadian Oi! bands was released on Rebellion Records and Last Years Youth . I grabbed it almost immediately when it came out, but it took me a while to actually sit down and write a few words about it. In a way, that might be a good thing, because it gave me plenty of time to really listen to it properly. Right from the start I have to say one thing: I get the feeling that this record slipped a bit under the radar and didn’t cause the kind of buzz it really deserved. And in my opinion, that’s a real shame. This compilation is genuinely great and presents the Canadian Oi! scene as a lively, strong, and very diverse environment full of interesting projects.
The record features fourteen bands in total, each contributing one song, and the important thing is that none of the tracks here feel like filler. Some of the projects haven’t released anything officially yet, or the songs come from demo recordings, but every track still sounds technically very solid and never feels like something hastily thrown together. Originally, I didn’t plan to write a review that would sound this stupidly enthusiastic. But the more I keep spinning this compilation, the more I enjoy the selection. It’s exactly the kind of record that quietly settles on your turntable and keeps pulling you back to the beginning.
Side A kicks off with V.C.S. by No Heart, a lively bovver rock hit with a big stadium-style chant in the chorus. A great way to start the record. Next up is the well-established project Ultra Razzia from Montreal, a band I’ve always had a soft spot for. They deliver another strong Oi! punk track here that fits perfectly within their recognizable style. Third in line are The Last Straw from Saskatoon, a new three-piece project presenting the excellent track Crucified. This band doesn’t mess around — they take a classic theme, wrap it in a solid Oi! punk package, and the result works perfectly.
Street Code from Toronto bring their mix of hardcore and Oi!, again in top form. The title Angry And Hateful speaks for itself, and the energy of this track bursts out in every direction. Class Act from Winnipeg present On Our Own, a song taken from their strong demo released in spring 2025. Another great track. After them comes the new project F.E.D. from Saanich, which will definitely appeal to fans of North American Oi! bands from the late ’90s and early 2000s. A more modern, rolling sound inspired by bands like Motörhead or Rose Tattoo, combined with a powerful chorus, defines the track Babylon by Mean Street — and for me personally it’s probably the biggest hit on Side A.
Side B offers another seven songs and doesn’t lose any momentum. It begins with a hardcore-leaning track inspired by the sound of Black Dogs from Winnipeg. The spirit of ’80s Oi! punk is clearly present here, and you can tell the band also put effort into shaping the overall sound of the recording. Next up are Ain’t Right, whose EP we already reviewed on the site. Concrete Grave from Victoria move slightly more into the territory of straightforward, classic Oi!. The Buzzers deliver another excellent track with Hit The Bricks, a song that has everything you want from a proper Oi! anthem.
Pure Impact from Winnipeg bring Oi!/hardcore in the style of bands like Concrete Elite, so once again I’m completely satisfied. The second-to-last track comes from Reckless Upstarts, a band you can also read an interview with on our site. Their song Echo Chamber is a classic Oi! punk number that works exactly the way it should. The compilation closes with First Attack and their track We’re The Victim. If I researched it correctly, this is also the only song on the entire record that has appeared on an official release by one of the bands. All the other tracks appear exclusively on this compilation. Greg’s project probably doesn’t need much introduction at this point — most people in the scene already know what it’s about.
The overall quality of this compilation honestly surprised me. Nothing here feels like filler — every track stands on its own, and together they illustrate the current Canadian Oi! scene in all its diversity. If this were the year 2000, I’d probably have this compilation dubbed onto a cassette tape and completely worn it out from constant listening somewhere in a Walkman or car stereo. Back then I was always searching for compilations that pulled me deeper into this music, and this one would definitely belong among the absolute top tier.
I highly recommend picking this record up. It’s a fantastic snapshot of the current scene and, at the same time, a compilation that won’t get old anytime soon. Just play it once — and you’ll probably find yourself coming back to it far more often than you originally expected.
https://lastyearsyouthrecords.bandcamp.com/album/new-noise-from-the-north
