Para Elite / Total Annihilation - Battle On, Split 12"
Skinflint Music
Up next on Skinflint Music, before the label will change its name into Never Surrender Records, is the split 12” between Cali’s Para Elite and Colorado’s Total Annihilation. I only have a digital promo so far, but the artwork on it looks great and in combination with the gatefold sleeve and the limited pressing of vinyl (300 copies total, 125 copies on half white / half yellow vinyl and the remaining 175 on black vinyl) it will probably turn out as one of the better looking records in your collection. Of course a nice packaging is great, but eventually it’s all about the music.
And Para Elite, risen from the ashes of the now defunct White Flag Down, have the honors to kick off their musical commitments on the A-side with their opening track “Battle Cry”. Compared to vocalist Sean’s previous band White Flag Down it’s all slowed down a notch, giving the band a real mid-tempo (skinhead) rock sound with Oi! influences rather than the pure US Oi! band I was hoping for. The chain only gets broken with the much faster “Hang The Banker” and the Condemned 84 cover “Skinheads” which is on this release for obvious reasons. But Sean’s vocals are great and the sound is tight, although it all sounds a bit on the safe side if you ask me. Then again, it’s the band’s first effort and the potential is definitely there, so I’d still recommend to keep an eye on this band.
Total Annihilation represents the B-side and I was a bit anxious to review it. Prior to this release I was only familiar with their “The Great Patriotic War” CD and I wasn’t exactly charmed by it and thought it was one of 4Subculture Records weakest releases. But that was 2008 and in six years a lot can happen, something Total Annihilation proves on this split 12”. Good, strong up-tempo American Oi! music with some rock ‘n’ roll influences here and there (“Scene Slut”) with straight up, honest lyrics surprising me in a positive way. Really need to take a listen to their earlier release of this year, the split 7” with 99 Bottles that I skipped for my earlier mentioned reason, as well now!
Before I even listened to this 12” I was pretty sure my favorite band on this split would be Para Elite because of its background (those White Flag Down EP’s were great and whether I find it relevant or not, I fuckin’ love early Condemned 84), but surprisingly it’s Total Annihilation that steals the show. All-in all this isn’t a bad release at all that includes a free CD version of the album and a Para Elite patch for on your flight jacket!
