Definitely superior to “The Impeccable Glory of Eternal War” and somewhat on a par with “Stormtroopers of Hate”- (let down only by its shorter length) “Nation Of Fools” in a wonderful blend of antagonistic statements (“Fascist AFA”), vulgarity (“Max Hardcore”), inventive covers (“Ring Of Fire”) and a few live extras. Somewhat of an EP come odds-and-sods collection, this is Haggis at a level so manic and erratic that the listener is reminded of the damage this band can inflict in a meagre 9 songs!
“Ring Of Fire”- once a touching tribute to the desire and passion invoked by love- is remade into a tribute to hatred explicated by the expected bile infested vocals to which we have grown accustomed and backed by a relentless onslaught of musical proficiency. “Fascist AFA” delivers a much needed head- butt to the in- crowd of anti- fascism and the trendy contingent of hypocrisy and middle class opportunism many feel it has become. “Old, Drunk and White” offers a sing-a-long expression of Haggis’ most suitable self- summary to date and feels a little like a slower, trudging and Hardcore oriented explication of the we-don’t-give-a-fuck-we-never-say-die sentiments so often grumbled down a microphone by bands such as Belligerent 86 and The Wretched Ones. The live tracks are a bonus for any listener and fairly well recorded although certainly not as powerful as the album versions, they are interesting nonetheless!
Part folk lore, part Skinhead Rock n Roll, part resentful free thinking, this record is a must own for just about anybody involved in the Punk Rock scene. Admittedly, this may not interest you if you attach yourself to any anarchist or even left wing organisations, but then again this may be just what you need!
No comments:
Post a Comment