UK82 inspired punk has to be a good thing. Doing it in style is another and this debut from Rotten UK packs a wallop. With the ever present risk of falling into mere imitation, it takes a quality band to capture the vibe and spirit not just of a style but of a time.
Like all good punk albums, there is no time or place for filler. Short, sharp statements of intent are key and that’s pretty much what we have here. Rotten UK have that nasty sort of charisma and after a short evil intro in Misfits psycho horror style we’re launched into chaos. The opening salvos are pure killer with chainsaw guitar work bringing to mind the raw brutality of Discharge which makes you realise how this style had such an influence on the thrash metal scene in the 80’s. Songs like “Revolution Moon” and “Their Dreams” are simply anthemic pieces. Chants of “Thatcher, Thatcher, Reagan, Reagan!” and “their dreams come true, who cares about you?” on the latter manage to take you back in time and sadly realise that our world is still in a pickle and there needs to be some anarcho-punk attitude to sort it out. This is simply a proper old school, snotty, fuck you proto-punk blast with a middle finger stuck up defiantly to any hint of authority.
The sound and production is completely raw with that satisfying DIY feel that captures a truly live vibe. “Reaper Follows” brings a primitive edge that conjures images of sweaty, filthy little clubs with bodies bouncing off each other. A thick, dirty, bass heavy blast and Joel Division’s drums that sound like The Sex Pistols’ Paul Cook, thunder away behind Sinn Vicious’ maniacal vocals.
There’s a slightly puerile, spoken word anti-religion diatribe on “Crucifiction”, but this proves to be a turning point towards a darker aura for the upcoming tracks. “Royal Blood” gets the blood pumping again with pure bile and condemnation in the lyrics. There’s shades of the first wave of punk that underlie the UK82 influences where that monotone Subhumans style delivery get a massive kick along with choppy, biting riffs on tracks such as “Stagnation Is Sin”. The return to a more Discharge influenced, metallic edge brings the album to a close on “Back To War” with an urgency and lyrics that demand to be screamed.
The whole feel is one of a live experience which gives the album a strength and a sense of total release. Rotten UK wear their influences on their sleeve but the spirit of punk lives on and it’s classic sounding stuff on the whole. Short, sharp stabs with few tracks over the two minute mark provide a blatant condemnation of mankind, politics and religion. This is ample proof that underground anarchy is still very much alive and that this style of music sounds as relevant as the time in which it was created. Whilst not necessarily groundbreaking, this is an at times incendiary album. Every now and then you listen to a band and get fired up – go stick a middle finger up at the world!
(8/10 Johnny Zed)
https://www.facebook.com/rotten.uk
https://rotten-uk.bandcamp.com/album/that-is-not-dead
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