DestrOi! – “Demo”
The last word of “Anarchy Of The U.K.”, while the guitars grind in feedback, like an express train crashing into the side of your skull, and dear, little rotten Johnny is regurgitating it, is the word “Destroy.”
And Iggy Pop sees a title of an article in NewsWeek about the Vietnam War, about missiles that seek out, that “Search & Destroy.” And he figures, his music is out to destroy the music industry, life as we know it and anything else that stands in its path, so he uses that title for one of his best and well-known songs.
And this band is DestrOi! And I don’t think they’re out to destroy the music industry (it’s vanished), or conquer Vietnam (it’s inconsequential, now) or destroy the very fabric of our life and existence (it’s already evaporated)-
All I know is they are some young punks who want to bulldoze your eardrums with a heavy arsenal of abrasive, uncompromising sounds- with lyrics that are in your face and seek entrance to destroy the inside of your brain.
This is explosive, hard-hitting, original stuff. I’m no expert on Oi but this band might just be destroying our concept of Oi, demolishing all preconceptions in its’ wake.
This is Oi that is faster, that is super-charged. That doesn’t so much recall yesterday as decimates a path for an apocalyptic now. Oi for the 21st century.
This is not Oi “paint by the numbers”, it has the speed and integrity of hardcore, the single vision of punk and the artillery of an armored tank.
After some majestic, ringing chords answered by some busy, bubbling bass lines “Filthy Punk” explodes in a fury of passion and excitement, of built up tension being released, of frustrations being dispersed after they’ve reached the boiling point. This is limbs being tossed around the mosh-pit, beer spilt on the floor, sweat flying off of foreheads, flesh being pummeled and hitting the ground. This is raw, honest, powerful and potent. In your face and in your way, from in their hearts and in their minds. Oh, I seem to have forgotten to write about the music. No, I guess I did.
After a calming intro like a soothing, summer breeze coming through your window- with four distorted chords, “Fuck The Upper Class,” is shocked into life with screaming vocals and an awesome, pounding rhythm. The rhythms bounce around like a rabid pinball on tilt, or a rabid pitbull at your neck as venom and bile spit out and overflow from the speakers. The vocals are a “Call to Arms” and a great, little guitar lead pokes its’ head up towards the ending but is beaten down, into the ground, into the sounds of the four crashing chords again, not soothing now, but laying a spike of intense fire into the center of the heart of this great song. My favorite song on this demo.
With a solo bass guitar line barking out orders “Oi DestrOi!” awaits the mighty, guitar and drums to lead us, not into temptation, but into this headlong, hardcore thrust of energy, anger and power. A response of “Oi, Oi, Oi, Attack,” slices a punch to the gut while the “hit to a beat” drums rolls us into another deft uppercut of sound. This is hardcore speed, hardcore intensity and vocals that lunge for your throat and scream into your face. This song lunges for your heart and ears with as much speed and velocity that, if you have a pulse it will set you reeling, so hard, you might not have one- ever again.
A galloping triplet on the drums introduces the song “Oi” the song that gave that genre its’ name. I’m only kidding, but what’s not kidding is the force and power of this song once the switch is flicked- all systems go. “I live a life of Oi/ Oi! Oi! Oi!” The guitar churns, rhythm section pushes and the vocals bleat passionately away. “Say our music sucks/ Criticize our band.” Pay no heed to those folks, they must be on the pipe, man. No criticism, here. Only accolades as this song lives up to its title and is pure and raw and strong.
DestrOI, obviously align themselves with Oi and that’s a mighty, fine thing to align oneself with, I think. But I believe this band pushes past barriers, destroys them, if you will, and arrives at a sound that is unique and potent, as hell.
I think they would fit in well playing on a bill with Moose Knuckle. Another band that just might use the same influences but exists uniquely and originally on their own as they do.
For me, I got no advice to give me, though, most would agree- some surely must be needed.
I’m just digging on the excitement of this band, these tunes. On the energy and passion leaping from every note and every beat and every word on this album.
And that’s no mean feat.
(Slimedog)
