Entitling an album “This is Oi!” or something expressing a
similar affirmation is not only brave but often ill- conceived. It’s almost
guaranteed that that which follows such a title is derivative nonsense saved
only by the guarantor that if you scream “This is Oi!” loud enough Skinheads somewhere will listen, and a percentage
of those will take your proclamation to heart, even if it is utter tripe.
What is rare in these cases is the deliverance of a project
that lives up to its name. Rarer still is that which occurred in my hearing of
the first song and title track of this album which provoked me to nod in
agreement. This certainly is Oi!
Sounding a little like Bonecrusher
collaborating with Belligerent 86, Broken Heroes have tapped into that gruff,
grumbling vocal quality and rock ‘n’ roll execution that has become the
hallmark of excellence among so many of their East-Coast Oi! counterparts and
simultaneously pulled off a quality in their sound that is ruthlessly and
relentlessly loyal to even the most traditional elements of the Oi! genre.
Whether it’s through classic chant-led choruses, lyrical rejections of politics
or explicit endorsements of drinking culture and Skinhead pride, this album is
Street Punk par excellence.
The finest moments of this album are certainly “This is Oi!”,
“On the Attack”, “Oi! don’t pay the bills”, “Skinhead Not A Politician” and “100%
Class”.
I can’t recommend this album highly enough to any fans of
the aforementioned groups and also to enthusiasts of The Templars, Evil Conduct, Brassic and Gary Hodges era 4- Skins. Simply, this is music for
Skinheads; nothing less.
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