The split CD of two experienced bands (this is the seventh album for Heroes and the eighth for True Aggression) is released as a CD on OPOS Records. Each band is represented here with six songs, with each band also playing one cover of the other. In the case of Heroes it is Heretics and Barbarians (Ketzer und Barbaren) and in the case of True Agreesion it is Geistiger Terror (originally Andlig Terrorism). In one song from each band there is also a guest singer from the other, so in Heroes Miesl sings in We Fight to Win and in the case of True Aggression it is Johan in We Are Still Here. Heroes have all their songs in English, while TA have them all in German (but in the last We Are Still Here there is a Swedish and English passage). Both bands also play in the same line-up – four members and two guitars. The songs from Heroes are more rock and the singer's voice is higher. There is even an acoustic song Freedom. Lyrically, it's a classic - lying media (Fake Information), illusion of freedom (Freedom), position in society where the family wants you, but you don't (When We Unite), etc... Musically, for me, it's definitely Fake Information, where there are really great solos and the singer shows his range. At first listen, the style of Heroes didn't really suit me, but as I listen to it again and again, I start to like it. TA play faster, harder and it has more punk verve and drive, and right from the first Stolz und Stark they pour it into you (it's not a cover of Ultima Thule) with a great rhythm and guitar, the second track Get Woke is about the phenomenon of today - are you a man, a woman or an animal... who knows? 1000 Volt is about the god of thunder who rages over Europe, Total Egal 2 (with a ska rhythm in the chorus but a nice fast tempo in the verse) is about how we don't care where someone ranks us and what they think of us. In the last thing Johan from Heroes shows again the great range of his voice. The booklet is a classic – lyrics, photos, thank you note. Great.

The sixth EP of this German band, which plays in a three-piece line-up, is released as a ten-inch (145 yellow versions and 396 black) in cooperation between the German (Try and Stop Me) and the American label (Oi!tism Records). Previous releases were released by Rebellion or Oi! the Nische Records, for example. The album contains four songs in English - Wild Boar Rock'n'Roll, Bad Dream, Min Fru Har En Katt and Fatherland. The band has three members and, unlike the first releases, only singer and guitarist Lenz remained. The band has a totally Chiswick sound – a metal-sounding guitar with a light booster that plays nice leads, plus singalong refrain – for example in Fatherland or Min Fru Har En Katt, where the guys from Sabotage help out in the chorus (basic words like beer, coffee, short hair and that my wife has a cat :)) and the whole song is about how they were invited to Sweden for a joint event (where Östra Aros also played). Lyrically, it's about a hunter who wants to hunt wild boars (like the band :)) should be damn careful, because the cards can turn pretty quickly (opening Wild Boar Rock´n´Roll), then about the hometown that turned gray (Bad Dream) or about how the band still has something to say after five years of playing (Fatherland), which is probably the slowest and in a way the saddest song on the album. The entire album has a playing time of around 11 and a half minutes and you can listen to it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IW0HDRA16A. Inside you will find a paper with lyrics, a thank you note and a bunch of photos. Still Defiant have been playing a straightforward style since the beginning of their career, which has balls and will make you sway to the rhythm.

This album was recorded in 2024 and released this year by Dim Records on CD and LP (500 copies in many color versions). The title could be translated as Ancient Times in the Present and there are 11 songs on the album in total. Except for one song, they are all older songs from various compilations, splits, anniversary albums, etc... - Den Vise Vet, Irrvisa and God Morgen Väldren (from Glömda Barnen), Mitt Barn (from Carolus Rex 6), Grakappan (Carolus Rex 3), Atertag (Carolus Rex 2), Hör Du Mig (Carolus Rex 5), Den svarta Döden (split with Hel Genom Eld Och Aska) and Klocksång (25 Years Anniversary) and Nu Släcks Alla Ijusen (Folkets Röst). As a bonus there is the song Wasa, which has not been released anywhere before. Musically it's in a medium tempo with a mellow start, nice solos and tempo changes and a recitative at the end. The song probably refers to a Swedish warship that was sunk in 1628 and raised in 1961. The whole album is on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr5ZGmGzQ5Q) or on spotify. According to the booklet, which is a poster with photos, this album was recorded in five, so Bruno Hansen is also here, so let's expect two guitars. There are a lot of photos from a festival in Spain, where the band played in the summer. The whole thing is very nicely done, but I'll leave it without a rating and I'll look forward to new songs (maybe on EP Nog är nog, Europa, Kalle Teodor or Hey Ho).

Storm of Steel is a new Australian band from the capital Canberra, featuring two brothers (bassist and drummer), who you may know from the thrash band Hellbringer (or Forgery). The band is a four-piece, but bassist Luke sings, so expect two guitars. The 12-inch contains five songs and is released as a CD (300 copies) or as an LP (250 black and 250 clear with smoke). The band released the single At Dusk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNTEu5IuXSA) at the end of September, which completely blew me away. The entire album is dedicated to the First World War and the song titles are The Smoke Will Dance, Creeping Barrage, Storm of Steel, At Dusk and Guns Fall Silent, so you can expect something lyrically similar to Bolt Thrower or Memoriam. Musically it's old school heavy metal in a mid-tempo with perfect guitar (like Storm of Steel or the first The Smoke Will Dance, but actually any other song), which is spiced up with punk drive. It's like a harder Battle Ruins and Luke has a slightly similar vocal. The songs contain nice transitions in rhythm and tempo - like the slowdown at the end of Creeping Barrage. The cover and the inside are done very nicely, photos and images from the 1st World War, plus all the lyrics and a photo of the band on the other side. All the songs are really good and if you like At Dusk, you'll like the rest too. I really like it.

These are four brand new songs from Razorblade after ten years. This time the line-up is five-piece (four of which are original members) and Wouter just sings (but he is written on the insert as well as on guitar). A video clip has been released for the title song, which you can watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGU1GD_5kQQ. Of all the songs on the album, this is the only one in English. The other songs are in Dutch: Anti-Artistiek (Anti-artists), Yuppies and Wij Zijn Terug? (We Are Back?). The EP is limited to 500 copies (250 black and 250 silver) and the CD to 300 copies. The first two albums from Razorblade (Spreading Fear and Skinheads are Back) were ass-kicking and it totally ripped off everyone around me years ago. Hardness, rough singing and no compromises. The band gradually added melodies and tried to sing also in German. Both come together in the new songs... The Old Guard is an anthem for aging skins/punks, who still know how to do it and go out with their friends to the city and party and remember the old times, but also hail those who are no longer with us. The second song Anti-Artistiek and the third song Yuppies are probably most in the spirit of the early Razorblade, both musically and lyrically (simple hard music or contempt for yuppies). In almost every song you will hear a nice guitar solo (especially in the first and last). Inside is a paper with photos from the reunion concert and from the recording + lyrics on the other side. The record is released physically on November 14th, so if you like this old guard, check it out, because it's worth it.