IRON CROSS "Est. 1980" Review

Fear not, my comrades; your eyes do not deceive you! The Oi! legends Iron Cross have returned to kick 2012 right up the arse in a shiny new pair of boots with this 5- track project entitled "Est 1980".
Opener "Strike First" retains all of the sucker- punch brutality that made Iron Cross the icons they are today, but boasts a sleeker production and an infectious melody. The overall result is a polished, fresh take on Oi! music but without any of the compromise that usually follows such a transformation.
"Drunken Bull" is similarly impressive but a little more doom- laden and sardonic, bringing to mind Sheer Terror circa "Love Songs For The Unloved".
The unambiguous"Die Yuppie Scum" is probably the best example of confirmation of an idea that was growing in my mind throughout the two previous tracks but only comes to full fruition here. The idea being that this record carries rich overtones that sound a lot like Naked Raygun's "Understand?" album, which brings a brave new maturity to this outfit whilst offering a concise articulation of the resentment most of the Punk Rock community no doubt feel towards these money- motivated types.
"Wasted In DC" offers a more classic Rock 'n' Roll piece that is essentially a love ballad dedicated to alcohol. In short, a winning formula. Iron Cross close the album with a re- hash of "Crucified" which, were this any other artist, would feel lazy and akin to the repetition of a catch phrase in comedy. As it's Iron Cross, it of course sounds as defiant and relevant to the life of Skinheads as it did back in the day. This is how 2012 should sound.
Iron Cross are indeed back, and not a moment too soon.