New piece from this legendary Dutch HC band is called Angy God and it is released through Rebellion Records. On album cooperate many people who are into the HC scene so Oeds (Devils Blood) wrote title instrumental song, in songs Empty Shell and Black Hole you will hear Merijn (Young Ones, Sparrow Falls) and Erick (LBTS, Strongarm ant the Bullies) and alvum was engineered and produced by Igor who is original drummer of Backfire. It is released on CD (16 pages booklet) and LP (500 splattered, 250 clear and 250 black) and playtime is lightly under 30 minutes. Together you may check 12 songs (including instrumental song Angy God which has nonstandard platime – around about 4 minutes and at the beginning it is cacophonic madness which sounds like mad and not angry god). I have to say that I am not too much into HC but I know some bands :). Backife´s songs are in the swinging HC rhythm (like Empty Shell, Still in The Treneches or No Spiritual Surrender) or they are really fast (Final Days, Call My Name). I really like cumbersome one Rotten Souls (https://youtu.be/U3yyhlhHupY) which has (maybe) tripped up vocals and for me it is the best piece from the album. This really kicks your ass.

The first review of 2023 is this US single released on Combate Brutal in 2x100 copies (each with different cover) + 20 testpressings. Both covers are from the pen of German painter Alfreda Rethela whose paintings with grim reaper are quite known – Dance of Death and Death on Horseback were chosen by the band on the covers and two more are on the background of lyrics inlay. The band plays in three and in the line up you may find members of Tempars (Perry – bass and vocals), Beltones (Bryan – guitar and vocals) or Vis Vares, Fed Up, Hardknocks and Toughskins (Anthony – drums and vocals) so it can´t be bad. Summer in the city starts with nice guitar solo and it is about dangerous city and its alleyways where you have to watch your back. The guitar tune from the starts goes continuously with some variations through the song. Victory is classic patriotic US song about the war, victory and declaration of independence in 1776. Tempo is slower than in previous song and vocals are sharper. Again there is nice guitar especially in refrain and at the end it goes directly to the whole song. Both songs can be checked on official chanel of Combate Brutal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASO-6hdyAhU. I spoke about the graphics before---Combate Brutal are doing cover as extra papers so first paper is the cover with band photos on the backside, second one is with lyrics and there is also sleeve on the EP with big hole in the middle. EP is probably sold out but try some known distros if you want it. Check it and you will see, I like it.

Burden is US band from Boston and their debut single/demo was released in 2013 and next one Fate of Nation was released in 2018. Last year the band released their 1st full album on Rock´n´Roll Disgrace Records for US and on Rebellion Records for Europe. The band plays in five and members have experiences from Revilers, MFP, Mind Eraser, Obliterion or Mind Eraser. I fuckin´ like this Boston scene. Just check the bands like Hammer and Nails, Battle Ruins, Lovely Lads, Rival Mob or Tommy and the Terrors which mix HC and old and new heavy metal and which are very original. Same for Burden – no clichés lyrics… it is dark medieval times, battles, violence, scorched Earth, swords, sieges and no mercy…personal growth, honor, tradition, pride, old fasioned values or faith in yourself. Together you may check 10 songs including instrumental one called The Hour. Songs are quite long – each has more then 3 minutes. They are mainly in middle rhythm like Field of Swords, When the Night Falls Down, Thirty Year War, genial Not Enough Blood, The Siege (perfect guitar) and Scorched Earth (with acoustic guitar at the end) but also there are some faster pieces like Cities in Flames with perfect refrain – open the gates, cities in flames, Violent Generation where almost all from band sing and Foundation. There is also fully acoustic one - The Hour. In booklet are all lyrics, band photos and their logo. Perfect without doubts!

After 12 years from last full length which were shortened by the single EP When They Stick a Knife In came Condemnde 84 with brand new full length released on Askania Records as a CD/LP + DVD with live footage from the gigs in Ipswich, Boston and Oslo. The band plays with two guitars again – Big Charlie plus Mark who used to record albums like No One Likes Us or single The Real Oi! With the band. He also plays in Anti-Heroes, The Glory or in The Loose Skrews. On album you may check 13 songs on circa 43 minutes of playtime. Condemned 84 does not change…or better to say they didn´t go soft…they are still hard as nails as 40 years ago….so middle rhythm music full of aggression but without any HC or metal influences. Kev´s voice moves the band forward underlined with Gunk´s bass, Charlie´s and Mark´s guitar play solos and Mark´s drums give rhythm to this old but well-conditioned machine. Song titles reflect well their topics which they sing about so – I don´t wanna, Attitude or Today´s Youth (which is quite fast piece) is about the lose of values and rebellion which disappear from the young generation where anyone wants to look like some trendy cunt. Perfect is also Marine A which is about the soldiers and which sounds like from Battle Scarred era, Land of the Gun with perfect guitar beginning, slower piece Resurrection with nice guitar at the end or the last one Crusade. LP is done as a gatefold with many band photos from current and old times +complete discography and poster. Sadly there is no lyrics sheet which is only one mistake on the whole album. True and sincere….this is what characterize this album!

Six songs split LP of Gundown from Catalonia and Dutch Day Drinker. Gundown plas in three and you may know their members from bands like Vöndanikens, Serpent or Crim. Day Drinker plays in four and they were founded as a solo project of Ronny (The Reaperes, Crown Court, Discharger, etc...). In line up is guitarist Jane (Suicidal Taxi, Malad) who is also helping on vocals (like great tune called Blood, Flesh and Bones). All songs are in English. Gundown songs are Diamond Chains, New Direction and You´re Just Lonely, Day Drinker has there tunes called A348, Blood, Flesh and Bones and My Own Worst Enemy. Both bands play melodic punk rock like Street Dogs or Burning Streets and especially Gundown are really great because of their guitar solos. I really like their song New Direction. Day Drinker are faster and changing in male and female vocals is really cool and perfect and all three tunes are perfect. I like Blood, Flesh and Bones where Jane´s vocal is main one. LP is limited to 500 copies (250 white and 250 black) with lyrics and photos inside. This is really without mistake.

After their debut s/t EP and Eye of the Storm album came this Dutch band with brand new full length called World Serpent. Album will be ou on 24th November and it will be limited to 250 black and 250 royal blue copies. On LP you may check 8 songs in English and their titles prove band´s opinions – World Serpent, Stormwatch, A Nation in Ruins, Seeds of Destruction, Brute Force, Crown of Fire, Can´t Walk Away and Diamond Days. Band consists from veterans of Dutch HC scene so the music is harderd (but it is not hard-core). Their previous album were about medival times, heorism and values which are not trendy today and this album continues in this fact. Sound is dark and gloomy and vocals are rough…and I like it. I really like songs like Stormwatch (which is faster with nice guitar at the beginning), A Nation in Ruins which is slower and following Seeds of Destruction (with perfect drive caused by drums and bass from the start). In Brute Force is nice changing I nrhytms and Crown of Fire has catchy refrain. Cover is done by painter Johan Prenger, inside are lyrics and on the backside is band photo. If you like bands like Battle Ruins, Hammer and the Nails, Fuerza Bruta or Shipwrecked for example, this is music just for you – aggressive and without compromise.

After their debut album tvoje volba (Your Choice) which was released only in cardboard sleeve came Diverze from the city of Kralupy with brand new CD with 11 songs in Czech in regular pack. Playtime is around about 35 minutes and they play in classic four piece line up. The band touches classical topics in their songs like football (Fotbal), beer (Pivo - Beer), paying the bills by money from hard work (Working Class, V jednom kole – Bustle About), patriotism (Blaničtí rytíři – Knights from Blaník, Diktatura - Dictatorship, Zeměpláč – Cry of Land) but also unusual topics like Allied bombing of their city at the end of the WWII (Kralupy 1945), human who is destroying his only planet (Parazit - Parasite) or most famous prisoner in Britain (Bronson). They know how to play faster tracks (Diktatura, Blaničtí Rytíři, Starej pes – Old Dog) but also great melodical tunes (Zěměpláč or Parazit – which is the best tune from the album for me from the music but also from the lyrics point of view or Kralupy 1945). Diverze also works well with spoken word in their songs (again songs mentioned above or Bronson) which gives them new dimension. Also there are many singalong refrains. Guitar has some cool solos in Bronson, Working Class or Zeměpláč. Musically it is classic Oi!Punk which can be compred with our bands like Pilsner Oiquell, Nápoi!ka or Neparkovat vjezd, etc…. Cover of the CD is drawn with all lyrics inside, some band photos and dedication to a friend which is not with us anymore. You can listen it on online platforms or you can buy it for circa 12 Euros through Diverzecrew@seznam.cz. Nice piece which some songs which really surprise me.

Firepöwer is new Australian band from Melbourne which combines punk, oi and Aussie rnr (Firepower is album title from Judas Priest by the way) with Al from Marching Orders, Bevvyn (Corps, Black Ball) or Dan (Mob Mentality) in line up. The band plays in four but with two guitars. Together you may check 11 songs in style of Rose Tattoo, The Angels, THUG, Cock Sparrer, etc...simply high quality rock music which is not afraid to use traditional Aussie slide guitar (which is perfect in each song). There are some slower pieces like When the Axe Come Down with perfect guitar or Watchers in the Sky with piano and which sounds like from Ozzy Osbourne. Nice songs are Death Comes Quick, Death Man Walking (with nice part with changing vocalists), Into the Fire, We´re the Lowlives (nice refrain), swinging Mean Streets Run Red and blues songs like Grey Street Lizzie (in style of Sparrer´s Sunday Stripper), The Hangman and the last one Burnout Blues , where Al show the strength of his vocals. I have to say that I have to get into this album for longer time and I need more peace for the listening. Vinyl is out in black and grey version and the cover is done by Muna (perfect as usual). Inside are lyrics and photos. To Europe came just 250 copies so be quick (as death :)). You have to have mood for the listetning to this album but when you came into it, you won´t stop.

Second album from Swedish viking rock band which continues on ruins of Blå Brigader with Ultima Thule members (guitarist Niklas) is called Dystopia (first one was called Utopia) and it is out on CD released by the band itself. You may check 11 songs in their mother tongue (in some of them you may hear Jan Trörnblom on vocals – like in Jag Har Vandrat Mina Stigar – I Have Walked My Paths). Musicaly it sounds like faster Ultima Thule with nice melodies and tunes. Just check second song Frihetsbegär – Desire for Freedom which is nice and fresh song with great singalong. In same spirit is the title song Dystopia, Era Böcker Blev Till Ved (Your Books Turned Into Wood) or Protestens Röst (The Voice of Protest). In some songs you may hear acoustic guitar (melodical on Liv och Död – Life and Death, Vin Och En Penna – Wine and A Pen with piano or När Sången Ljöd – When the Song Sounded). First song Barn Av Solen (Children of the Sun) contains their lyrics used on tune from The Porters. On album are changing harder and faster songs with slower ones. On cover are plague doctors and in booklet you may check all lyrics in Swedish. I like viking rock ant this album is really good.

Second EP from this two piece project is called Faca No Pescoço and you can translate it like Knife on Neck. EP is out on their home labvel Combate Brutal so you may expect 2x100 copies with little different cover + 20 testpressings. In project is involved Rattus (all except drums) and Joao (drums). EP contains four songs called Vontade De Ferro (Iron Will), Selva De Cimento (Concrete Jungle), title one Faca No Pescoço and Operário (Worker). Tempo is middle or faster (Vontade De Ferro) and in songs Selva De Cimento and Operário you will hear synths/piano which reminds me their colleagues from Núcleo Duro or Gume. Whole EP is around about 10 minutes. Sound is dark and heavy due to significant bass (just check the title song or the last one Operário when you may hear sounds from factory at the beginning)) and Rattus covered vocals. Graphics is Combate Brutal classics – extra paper with lyrics and band photo and extra paper with cover itselg (which his nicely drawn by the way). Again this EP is probably sold out but you can check it on https://youtu.be/_AXdzbP_ZEI. Nice piece again and nice start of 2023 also!

Cernunnos is name of Celtic god who is often depicted with dear antlers and who is responsible for defeating Romans during battle in Teutoburg forrest. This is also name of longly awaited album from this Dutch/US band which is out (or will be on 11th of March) in all formates CD/LP/MC. LP was released on Rebellion Records (250 black and 250 blue) and Cosmic Key Creations (500 blue). There was a prequel to this album – maxi EP with songs Sacrifice and The Glorious Dead in acoustic version (here is regular version but it still decent piece compared to other ones) and also song Hollow Man which can be checked on youtube (https://youtu.be/q5FbVufso4k). Together there is 10 songs including instrumental intro Awaken and acoustic song Sundawn. Title song Cernunnos is absolutely perfect mix of the best things from streetrock, metal and viking rock (which you may see also in the fact that the album was released on both Wouter´s labels) with perfect drums at the end which make impenetrable sound wall due to double pedal on bass drum. Second one Hollow Man is similar with perfect guitar from the beginning till the end. Mountain of Doom, Primordial Forces (again with perfect drums at the end), The Pursuit of Great Illusions and Voyage to Constantinopole (with great varying vocals) are other song titles and when you add those which I spoke above, you may see that this will not be another bullshit lyrics but spit in the face of modern consume and commercial world. This is ode to old gods, forces, nature and the times where word of man had weight and honor and pride were not empty words. Cover is done again by Johan Pregner (forrests and landscapes), for skull and sword (which is also on t-shirt and patch) is responsible Ramon Girones. To the CD and also LP version are added lyrics so I can´t wait on the physical copy of this masterpiece because this really without any mistakes and remarks.

Split LP of Canadians British Columbia based No Heart and French Claimed Choice from Lyon is out on Logshot/Rebellion cooperation in 250 copies on red wax for US customers and 250 copies on blue for Europe. Each version has little different graphics but each proclaim unity of France and Canada. Both bands have rich discography and experiences (especially No Heart). Each band has three songs there – No Heart´s songs are Hard Times, Echoes of Yesterday and Never Again. Claimed Choice has songs The Hill, Years of Hate a Dunning. Both bands draw inspiration from bovver rocku/glamu/mod beatu, guitar is not boostered too much and rhythm is faster - especially in Claimed Choice Dunning song with Chiswick Records touches. No Heart are slower little bit and more singalong and they rminds me their colleagues from Bishops Green. Claimed Choice are faster (song The Hill) and more straight forward. Inside is paper with lyrics. Fine split of fine bands.

Fifth album of this Montreal based band is out Randale Records on CD/LP (black and red-black) and the band went through Europe in Max 2023 to promote this album. On album are 10 songs in faster middle rhythm with perfect bass which has perfect solos in the bacground in each song – just check Under the Knife, where bass solo is changing perfectly with guitar one. The band plays with two guitars and you will hear it for sure. Vocals are melodical and all words are heard clearly and in song Cain you may hear also higher leveles of singers voice. Songs have mostly happy melodes but sad topics sometimes (Crack in the Mirror) and there is also classic rnr tune – Saint and Sinners. Next perfect piece is Valley of the Wolves or Breonna with interesting HC rhythm in strophes, nice singalong refrain and perfect solo again. The last piece on the album is called Halfway to Nowhere which is the slowest song from the album (or better to say there are two rhythms in the song – slower and faster) and you may hear also keyboards in it. To LP is added paper sheet with lyrics. Nice one.

This single sided LP of Brazilian band Sindicato Oi! is out on Doutor Skinhead which is some kind of Combate Brutal subdivision. LP is out in two versions with black and blue cover, each limited to 150 copies. Together you may check five songs including two covers – Bloodshet from Bruisers and Eu Tenho Um Pobre from Mata Ratos and playing time is around about 14 minutes. Their new songs are Sem Medo (Without Fear - video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDy9BwYRa7M), Jogo Inujusto (Unfair Game - video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMiwEReKbfw) and Histórias (Stories). And theese original songs are absolutely perfect (which you may check by yourself if you check the videos above). The band plays in five and you may hear it in their music because solo guitar is perfect. If you like singalongs you will love song Histórias with nice bass and for me it is the best one from the LP. Both covers have more modern sound with sharper guitars (originals are from 1989 and 1990). On the backside is band photo with lyrics on their songs. I really like it and it is perfect mainly their original songs!

Another LP from Still Defiant contains six songs and it is limited to 500 copies (250 black and 250 electric blue). As I said, LP contains six songs including cover from Motorhead R.A.M.O.N.E.S. called S.T.I.L.L. Defiant. Other songs are Nail in the Head, Totally Tough, Sacred Future, Point of View and Pride. Musically it is faster bovver rock/rock´n´roll with touches of punk rock. All songs are fresh so check for example Pride with nice guitar tune from the beginning till the end. Lars´s vocals are not rough and everything can be heard clearly. It reminds me US band No Resistance or harder version of Hard Wax (just check song Totally Tough). I really like Sacred Future and Point of View with nice refrain and vocals and lyrics whgich are about the fact that you wont rule our point of views and way of life. There are some changes compared to previous line up – Lars recorded all guitars and behind the drums is also someone different so I think that it is in state of studio project. All songs from the album acts relaxed amd easy amd album listens very well. Inside are lyrics, band photo, some photo with gasmask from war and short thankslist. Good, good, good.

The Rogues is one of the basic US bands (Detroit) from the late 80´s and first half of 90´s which is not need to introduce and which members are around bands like Rival, Almighty Lumberjacks of Death, Murder City Wrecks, etc… That´s why I was very happy that Toni and Powerfist released this compilation (which was released in 1989 on tape) on LP. On LP are 8 remestered song from the original demot tape plus two songs from compilation Maniacs From The Motor City (Bleed and Strike First). These songs are there twice but in different versions of the record. Some songs (Factory Line, Strike First, Corruption and Rogues) are on the Zero Street album, song Dead End appears on March of the Damned. Songs which are just here are Rather be Blind, Unemployment Blues and Cocaine which is cover from Rev. Garyho Davise with changed lyrics. This demo plus songs for compilation were recorded in four pieces but in booklet photos is band in five. Songs like Unemployment Blues, Factory Line or Dead End reflects reality of industrial Detroit, perfect is well-known song Strike First, which is about the fact that even if you don´t want to fight, there are people who provoke you to go out so knock´em down first. Bleed is about hated politicians whose lead people like sheeps to slaughterhouse, then comes Rogues which is anthem for all bad boys and Corruption about good old law that rich are getting richer and poor are getting poorer. Inside is great booklet on A4 in zine format with history, two interviews, lyrics, band photos from gigs and studio and three postcards. LP is limited to 300 copies. I will not rate this because it is demo/compilation but it is absolutely perfect and I will recommend it to all who likes classic sound.

Last piece from US band The Take is called Live for Tonight and it is out on Demons Run Amok (in Europe) and on Patient Zero Records (in States). The Take plays in three and all members came from HC scene and have experiences with playing from bands like AF, Madball, Biohazard, Cro-Mags or Pro-Pain. On LP are five songs which are same on A and B side including cover from Elton John Saturday´s Night Allright for Fighting (without piano). Other songs are Comfort Crisis, Live for Tonight, Fuck You (circa 40 second fast track) and We´ll Never Say Die. The band is playing faster streetpunk with nice singalongs and significant bass line (We´ll Never Say Die or Comfort Crisis) but they also know bovver rock – just check the cover from Elton or second song Live for Tonight. Singer Scot knows how to sing and he sounds dlittle bit different in each song. Covers is drawn similar to their debut album but I don´t know if it is also done by Muna. Who likes melodic bands will like this piece.

After the compilations Oi! Made in Holland 1 (2005) and 2 (2013) Rebellion Records is coming with next compilation of Dutch bands. Together you may check 16 bands with 19 songs – most of them has there just one piece except City Riot, Bent Out of Shape and Bullbar. Other bands on compilation are On the Rampage, Diamond Dogs, The Young Ones, The Reapers, One Voice, Stealers, Armistice, Day Drinker, Complaint, Malad, Subrockers, Shortcuts and Live by the Sword for sure. Most of the bands have song in English (except Malad and their Dode Democratie). Bent Out of Shape has there also cover Sound of Sirens from Evil Conduct which is harder than original version. If you check the band list you will see that some bands are scene veterans who are not necessary to introduce but also freshmen (but for example Day Drinker is new band but with vets – more in the review on their split EP), who can get to more people thanks to this release. Bands are playing different styles (as usual on compilations like that one) so you may check melodic stuff ftom Day Drinker (with Jane on guitar who is helping with vocals and female vocals are almost always cool - song We All Must Die), Malad, The Young Ones (Dutch but not from Holland), Subrockers (Too Fast), The Reapers (Brave New World), One Voice (Cheers to You) or Bent Out Of Shape ( I like their vocal especially in Fan Bûgjen Frjemd), faster Shortcuts (Wasted Life), streetrock Stealers (Mean Man), chiswick/bovver rock Armistice (You Decide) to harder stuff like On the Rampage (Breaking Free), Diamond Dogs (City Boy), Bullbar (which I didn´t know and they are perfect - songs Safe for Tourists and Liquor Store), little clichéd City Riot (A Way of Life and Oi! At the Pub) to hardcore Complaint (No One Like Us) and almost metal LBTS (March or Die). All songs are previously unreleased in the time of the compilation release (November 2023). Graphics is similar to LP Chaos En France from 1983 which is underlined by same national colors of France and Nederland. Inside is paper with lyrics and band photos. Limited to 350 black copies and 250 orange ones. Nice cross-section of current scene in Nederlands.