REVIEW: Bent Out Of Shape – Who Laughs Last

Bent Out Of Shape – Who Laughs Last

EP 2020 Demons Run Amok Entertainment

​After releasing a demo CD a few months ago the Dutch (Fryslan) outfit ‘Bent Out Of Shape’ (or B.O.O.S.) just released their debut EP ‘Who Laughs Last’ through Demons Run Amok Entertainment! ‘Bent Out Of Shape’ aren’t some new kids on the block, the members have a history in a diversity of hardcore, punk and rock bands and consist of  (former) members of Spirit 84, DSS, No Denial, Dead Horse Running, de Hûnekop, …

Due to their background, musically ‘Who Laughs Last’ has a heavy, a bit brutal streetpunk sound build on a hardcore foundation but with a strong Old School classic Oi! Sound. It also has, certainly the opening track ‘Who Laughs Last’, a Bishops Green vibe. The four songs make this a more than decent and solid EP, powerful and catchy and a must have if you’re into a more heavier streetpunk sound but with a classic touch.  

Tracklist:

1. Who laughs last
2. Paying Tribute
3. Lost in the system
4. In Fryslan

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BentOutOfShapeOi

NEWS: Unite Against Society about to release “U.A.S” on vinyl

In September 2020, their new album “U.A.S” was released online but now they are about to release it on vinyl. Fresh blood, fresh sound and sharp as nails!

Unite Against Society, a Belgian streetpunk band, was founded back in 1996. Four friends with a passion for punk and OI! who wanted to get out there on stage and fuck shit up while having a blast!

They started out with covers of their favorite bands such as 4 Skins, Cock Sparrer, The Ejected, Smegma… The cover of the Smegma song “United” actually inspired them for the band name. 

After a casette demo they released their first CD“Oi!, Loud, Fast and Proud” by the end of 1997. In 2001 the band got signed to legendary record label Helen of Oi! and their second CD and LP “Loved By Few” was released. Over the years they shared stages with the likes of Oxymoron, The Last Resort, Discipline, Deadline, The Business, GBH, The Exploited, Evil Conduct… In 2007 the band released their third CD “Our way, released DIY. UAS took a break for a couple of years. In 2018, the band attracted an extra guitar player and a new drummer and went back to writing songs. In September 2020, their new album “U.A.S” was released online, with vinyl release end of year.

Links:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Unite-Against-Society-594781071001980

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/7jGjzcv9fiEvGYdQhbKoyY?si=aRF1zqhZQmm4M4PGsdaYkw

REVIEW: Pleasure Trap – Walls

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Pleasure Trap – Walls

LP/CD 2020 Oldschool Records

Honestly I think I have a new favourite Polish band next to Lazy Class 😉. This second album by Pleasure Trap has been spinning some rounds now and I’m becoming a fan of this four year old Polish Mod, Beat, Punk, Ska … band. On ‘Walls’ Pleasure Trap combine different musical influences and make it their own going from melodic punk rock to Rancid alike ska punk. Combine that with personal related songs and some socio critical lyrics like on Roles, Walls, Bombs, … you get a more then decent record with a message. Divers, melodic and good to chew punk rock straight outta Warsaw. Check it, give it a try and hit repeat.

Tracklist:

1. Choice
2. Roles
3. Walls
4. Bombs
5. Pleasure Trap
6. Action
7. Halfwheelin’
8. Needful Things
9. Red Rose
10. It’s All Just Started

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ptrapwarsaw

REVIEW: The Janitors – Backstreet Ditties

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The Janitors – Backstreet Ditties

LP/CD 2020 Rebellion Records / LSM Vinyl

The Janitors started in 2003 in La Rochelle (France), soon recorded their first demo which attracted a lot of attention, also from French Oi! fanzine Une Vie Pour Rien? who were starting a record label. The Janitors ‘Bloody Boredom’ 7’’ became one of their first releases. The band, still in the same line-up, have shared stages with bands such as Cockney Rejects, Last Resort, Oppressed, , Templars, Evil Conduct, The Kids, Demented Are Go!, …

Recently Rebellion Records released a new ten track ‘The Janitors’ album. On this ‘Backtstreet Ditties’ the band deliver a good rock and roll vibe. Ten raw and melodic tracks that combine the best of 70s punk and early 80s Oi! It is like Evil Conduct meets a rawer version of The Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers with the UK Subs popping through.

Tracklist:
Side A:
1. Don’t Wanna Do It
2. Ain’t That Drunk
3. Back Street Ditty
4. Panic Attack
5. You’re A Disease
Side B:
6. No Turning Back
7. I Don’t Give A Fuck About You
8. Fancy Pills
9. Playing With The Matches
10. Hate At First Sight

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/thejanitors17

REVIEW: Advocaat – Yikes

Advocaat – Yikes!

EP 2020 DIY

‘Yikes’ is the debut EP by Pennsylvania Punk Rock duo ‘Advocaat’ and it is out on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music, and as a vinyl 7”. With 5 tracks clocking under 12 minutes the EP is over before you know it but I’m convinced that you will hit the repeat button just to hear that catchy pop-punk opening track “Neighborless’ again.

In my honest opinion the best part of the EP is formed by the strong opener ‘Neighborless’ and follower ‘Badly’, a very 50s rock and roll and doo-wop inspired track that would not be misplaced on the Grease soundtrack. In the middle you are treated with a track that is the most hardcore punk of them all ‘No Plans’. Not sure why this one is on the EP, it seems like its the ugly duck in the pond but it proofs that ‘Advocaat’ also can write a decent hardcore punk track. Both ‘Crimson Horror’ and closing ‘Leave’ are more than decent punk rock tunes. Overall ‘Yikes’ is a solid EP, nothing ground-breaking but with some fine tunes 7.5/10

Tracklist:

1. Neighborless
2. Badly
3. No Plans
4. Crimson Horror
5. Leave

FACEBBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Advocaatpa

BANDCAMP: https://www.instagram.com/p/CFw5Y5Sjo26/

NEWS: Bruce (B) releases two albums on one vinyl.

Garage punk band BRUCE(B) has used the corona lockdown to release a long-awaited 12 ”LP. They spared no effort or expense to make the LP that they would buy themselves:

• 2 latest CDs on 1 LP, the latest and well received BRUCE album “Captain, we’ve lost Bruce” (2019) on one side, “My Latest Popstar Crush” (2017) on the other.
• A total of 21 songs (22min on one side, 13min on the other side), including the Joy Division cover “Warsaw”.
• A mirrored outer cover, where both sides can serve as A-side, with matching full color inner sleeves.
• 180g pink colored 12 “vinyl with black splatter on both sides, each one unique.
• Pressed in Belgium and released as a limited edition, only 99 copies are made.

Here are the reviews I made about both albums:

My Latest Popstar Crush: https://outofstephc.wordpress.com/2016/12/02/review-bruce-my-latest-popstar-crush/

Captain We’ve lost Bruce: https://outofstephc.wordpress.com/2019/04/09/review-bruce-captain-weve-lost-bruce/

More info:

https://www.facebook.com/BRUCEPUNK/posts/10157290398857397

https://brucepunk.bandcamp.com/album/captain-weve-lost-bruce-my-latest-popstar-crush

https://vi.be/platform/bruce

REVIEW: MXRCXL – All About Tomorrow

MXRCXL – All About Tomorrow
CD/LP 2020 DIY

On October 4^th The Alternative rock/metal band MXRCXL from Rotterdam, Netherlands is going to present their new album in The Baroeg, Rotterdam. ‘All About Tomorrow’ is the fourh piece in their discography after the ‘Dump’ EP form 2011, ‘A laughing Matter’ EP from 2013 and ‘In Alarm’ from 2015.

Mxrcxl is one of those alternative bands that keep music interested. Where in the past their sound combined elements of 70’s punk, garage rock, stoner, grunge, industrial, classic rock, ballads, … I now have the feeling that on ‘All About Tomorrow’ they found a more stable sound in their own stubborn way. A groovy sound that combines rock ballads, garage rock, stoner and grunge. A sound like a intimate babbling brook that burst out at times in a devastating waterfall or like a swollen river meandering loudly through the landscape.  A sound where Soundgarden and Nirvana are echoing through and Metallica comes peeping around the corner (Who’s The Richer).

It may sound as a cliché but for me ‘All About Tomorrow’ is their best work so far. 9/10

Track list:

1. Stir up some drama
2. Colorful Balloons
3. I love words more than you can say
4. Out of the high
5. Tomorrow’s sun
6. Who’s the Richer?
7. A Grave Danger
8. The dream is dead
9. (untitled end song) everything’s gone wrong

https://www.facebook.com/mxrcxl

NEWS: New Rebellion Records releases

When I started with Out Of Step Fanzine back in 2003, Rebellion Records was active for 2 years so I’m practically following them since the beginning. With a constant flow of high quality Oi! and Streetpunk releases from bands all around the world and with a shop offering a large selection of Oi!, Punk, Streetpunk, Punkrock, Rock ‘N’ Roll, Hardcore, Rock, Metal and associated genres, Wouter and Co. are one of the driving forces of the streetpunk scene.

If you are more into Doom, Death and Black metal check out his other firm Cosmic Key Creations, a vinyl-only record label putting out limited cult, classic and rare re-reissues and an occasional new release.

Rebellion Records have some new release out, or on the way:

Strike First – Wolves

When DDC (Drink & Destroy Crew) called it a day, this new band rose out of the ashes of DDC and they released their debut 12″ with seven originals and a surprising cover: Bring It On Down by OASIS. Wolves is packed with 8 massive rough around the edges, raw but melodic streetpunk rock’n’roll anthems with an impressive tight sound.

Still Defiant – s/t

This is the first LP release by Still Defiant for Rebellion Records and it combines the ‘five-track debut demo, the EP “Till The End”, 2 brandnew tracks and a BLITZ re-arranged and totally remastered. So 10 tracks in total for the fans of rebellious, razor sharp, working class punk rock with a nostalgic 70s and 80s vibe. You can pre-order it at Rebellion Records.

The Reapers – Kill ‘Em All

Also The Reapers from Utrecht/Rotterdam are back with a follower to their 2019 Rip It Up LP for another round of savage brickwall street rock’n’roll. The album has a nice cover of CCR’s Fortunate Son. You can pre-order it at Rebellion Records.

Get them at: https://www.rebellionshop.com/

NEWS: first Rekklus (Indonesia) EP out.

2020, Rekklus from Tangerang – Indonesia has released their first EP. This Hardcore Punk band offers 6 fast, raw, and heavy tracks packed in a cassette format and in a 3 inch CD format by Roaches Records. 

Listen at: https://rekklus.bandcamp.com/releases

REVIEW: Cause A Riot – Final Broadcast

Cause A Riot – Final Broadcast
LP Shield Recordings / Stupido Records

Hardcore punk band ‘Cause A Riot’ from Finland is around since 2011.  After releasing a couple of EP and 1 LP they released their second album ‘Final Broadcast’ on the 15^th of May 2020 through Shield Recordings and Stupido Records.

Their melodic hardcore punk is rooted in the 90’/00’s and has the power, the energy, the sound of bands as Endstand, As Friends Rust, Strike Anywhere, Kid Dynamite and even some of the desperate screams of Modern Life Is War echoing through. A must have if you like all the above mentioned bands.

Track list:

1. Remind Me
2. Our Resignition
3. Bombs Away
4. New Control
5. Final Broadcast
6. Counting On You
7. Hating Realm
8. Babyn Jar
9. Goodbye

https://causeariot.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/causeariot/