The Opressed / The Prowlers - Skins'N'Punks volume 6

Oi! Records / Aggrobeat / Insurgence Records

 

In the 80’s Roddy Moreno released some classic split albums through his label Oi! Records in the “Skins’N’Punks” series. In this series he presented various, at the time, new bands such as Last Rough Cause, The Press, The Radicts, Betrayed and The Magnificent, but never a split album of his own band, The Opressed. Until now, 26 years(!) after volume 5, with the rein...carnation of the series through Aggrobeat and Insurgence Records!

 

 

Now I have to admit, that despite the numerous of classic tracks The Opressed have produced in the 80’s, I have never been a big fan of the band’s later work. Too many covers and re-chewed melodies, or entire songs of other bands, kind of spoiled the fun for me. I was hoping this would be different on “Skins’N’Punks volume 6”, but unfortunately it’s not. Opener “Head Kicked In” is a cover from Earl Vince And The Valiants, though I like The Rezillos take on this song better than the original, “Drunken Skinhead” is a cover from The Prowlers, “White Flag” is a re-recorded version of the original The Opressed track on the “Oi! Oi! That’s Yer Lot” compilation (although it features Moreno for the first time on vocals), “The Greatest Cardiff Rip Off” sounded better when it was still “The Greatest Cockney Rip Off”, “Cardiff Born” sounds too familiar (although I can’t place it), “Bluebirds Unite” was already on the “Blue Army” EP and “SHARP Anthem” was originally written by The Bois, but later re-recorded for the “We Will Never Forget” compilation. Rather disappointing.

 

But this is a split LP and with The Prowlers on the B-side there’s still a good chance to a ‘happy end’ for “Skins’N’Punks volume 6”! Last year, 2014, was a good year for the Cannucks, with the release of the impressive “On The Run” 10” mini-album and their split EP with ‘those other’ UK legends, the Angelic Upstarts. For this album six tracks, including two covers by Pöblers United (“Antifascist Skin”) and The Opressed (the classic “Urban Soldiers”), were recorded in that typical The Prowlers’ style. A heavy, yet melodic, sound with growly vocals just the way I like it. I have to be honest, it wasn’t until 2012 that this band really got on my radar with the “Hate Us” EP, but so far I have liked everything these guys put out so far and their side of “Skins’N’Punks volume 6” is no exception.

 

Ironically the best The Opressed song on here is performed by The Prowlers, who deliver a solid six tracks on their side while Moreno and co. can’t live up to the classic tracks like “Work Together”, “Joe Hawkins” or “Ultra Violence” on their part of this split LP making me wish this was released as another The Prowlers’ 10”.