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.

Thirteen Turn is a new English/Dutch band (they have been playing since 2023) and this is their debut album, whose name means something like “Goat Rider”, which are witches from Dutch legends. They also caused a few witch hunts in the 18th century. The band is a five-piece, with Dutch singer Jilles on vocals and second guitar played by Rat, who you know from Close Shave, Wasted Life, Section 5 or The Rough Cuts. The album contains a total of 12 songs in English and the playing time is about 38 minutes. Musically it's faster and more aggressive, the vocals are more screamed and two guitars can be heard right from the first song Not Enough Punches, which is about how humanity is infested with envy and generally bad qualities and wants to slap everything in a heap, especially the internet pest, to the last song Ungodly Oath (which is a kind of outro with recitative). The band is not afraid of singalongs (for example Close the Door, Speed ​​with an absolutely great guitar at the beginning of the song or The Streets Where I Belong). There are also touches of HC (for example Feed Me, where the band simultaneously roars wonderfully in the chorus, but also complements it or Last Rights). Otherwise, the band has great merch and T-shirts with three different motifs are available. The LP will be accompanied by a paper with lyrics and a large photo of the band on the other side + a thank you note. The album will be physically released on November 28, but you can pre-order it now. You can listen to the teaser single Wasn´t Born to Lose (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKyQiEe2Uw4), which will give you an idea of ​​what the band sounds like. For me, it's great, harder stuff, but not afraid of catchy melodies.

Here is a band from Magdeburg whose members hang around Anti-Clockwise. They have one album, a split EP with Anti-Clockwise and this brand new EP, which contains 4 songs in German (which were recorded in 2023). The record with a large hole is limited to 300 pieces on black vinyl and the songs are called Holodomor, Dawei, Dawei, Tach Angst (Hello Fear) and Das War's. To the record was added a 78 (!!!!) page fanzine, which contains several short stories from different times and places of the 20th century and a whole series of photos that thematically correspond to the songs (for which you can find the lyrics) and which have a common denominator, which is communism, socialism and their whole fucking paradise on the Earth, where everything is for everyone and which everyone in Eastern Europe has experienced firsthand. The story is then illustrated with historical facts. The first song starts off really chilling and it is chilling musically and lyrically too, because it deals with Stalin's targeted famine in Ukraine, it has an excellent chorus that says that we are "in a time when the party book is more than your mother". The second song Dawei, dawei (or also Einen Augenblick frei - Free For a Moment) tells about the revolts against those bastards that took place in 1952 in East Germany, in 1956 in Budapest and in 1968 in Prague. Tach Angst and Das War's (the songs seamlessly transition into each other) are then about the everyday fear that anyone can report you for the slightest little thing and about the secret police that follows you at every step. Musically it's mid-tempo, with plenty of guitar solos and the whole thing sounds absolutely great, although it's not exactly easy to listen to and it's not music you'd take a break from, but I think that's exactly what the band wanted to achieve - to make you start THINK, so all you fucking communists and especially you who support them, join hands and finally get the hell out of here! On the other side of the cover you'll find photos of the members and a short thank you note to the friends. Excellent stuff from a modest band that has something to say. Perfect!