Working for various labels (Rebellion Records, Strength Records) and having my own webzine (www.american-oi.com) always puts me in that spot that I hear tons of demo’s and releases (far) in advance. In my column I’d like to share and bring you up to speed of the good things to come.
First we travel up to the NYC for THE BRASS… Wait, weren’t they from Canada? Yes, they were. But when guitarist Clay moved to the Big Apple, he packed the band’s name along with his belongings and recruited a fresh pack of bootboys to kick-start the band. Their latest demo is some of the rawest, meanest Oi! that has come out of the city in a long time. A must-hear if you like that gritty, violent sound!
Something that you will find up in Jersey as well. NO PAROLE just dropped their first, untitled, demo cassette and a new one is already recorded. This band picks up the hardcore
influences that The Brass has dropped and deliver a smoking demo for fans from Negative Approach to 86 Mentality.
What’s happening in Europe? A lot, I can tell you that! First we got THE DETAINED from Berlin, Germany. The band, featuring members of Final Prayer, Battle Royale and Disrespect, just dropped their first EP for Lionheart Records and it’s beastly! The pre-release, of 70 copies, sold out in 15 minutes, but the regular release is out now and a true must-have if you like it rough and bass driven’!
Another country that always delivers the top of the crop is France! I love that new wave of French Oi! bands that have that 80’s vibe written all over them. You probably know RIXE
by now and maybe SYNDROME 81 (new EP coming soon!) as well, but I’d highly recommend you check out TRAITRE (two EP’s, one demo-cassette) and COUPE GORGE (demo-cassette) as well! They’re fast-paced, they’re rowdy and well, they’re French, so you know it’s good! “Chaos En France 3” anyone?
And then to the roots, the birthplace of it all… the UK! I love the classics, but at a point I just didn’t like what was going on in England (with a few exceptions like Crashed Out and Argy Bargy). But along with the NWOBHC (oof, don’t get me started on those bands, I only got 450 words…) the NWOBOi! sounds exciting and fresh with B SQUADRON (their debut EP “Saturday’s Heroes” is in press), CROWN COURT (their new EP “The English Disease” is sick) and LAST CRUSADE (their demo EP was absolutely mint and a mini-LP has just been recorded and it’s bangin’!!)! Along with the hardcore bands
I am really looking forward what the future of Britain(‘s Oi!) will hold.
- Mano
