Toronto's Kremlin, a three-piece which include the drummer from The School Jerks, bring to mind a host of the UK bands that I used to listen to as a young teen, especially those that featured on the various Punk & Disorderly compilations. The music is constructed with parts that bring to mind the likes of Blitz, Discharge, G.B.H., Disorder and a host of others from that time. Where some of the bands that get classed under the UK82 banner now sound rather plodding, Kremlin belong in with those that were managing to step things up a few paces in terms of speed, a change where credit must be given to the hardcore influences that were reaching across the Atlantic from North America, with the first band that comes to mind when listening to this being Toxic Reasons.

The five songs last a little over eight minutes and it's all very much as if the band has planted itself in the 1980s, with very little of the music/sound being attributable to a more modern and current age. There is nothing wrong in looking backwards when it's done with a level of quality that is inherent on this 7-inch. I have great memories of my formative years of getting into punk, and it's good to be reminded of the better bands of that time on a release that also stands out on its own merit.



A couple of the tracks go for the slightly reverbed vocals that I associate with a handful of bands from those years, with opener "Rot" being the most noticeable use of that effect. The final track "Forced March" takes on more of an Oi! sound, with rolling drums and almost chanted/shouted vocals, but overall it is more of a noisy affair than could be attributed to the bands playing more conventional Oi! music thirty years ago.

You will also notice that the cover has a certain 1980s feel to it as well – this is a band that probably wish they were all a few years older to have actually lived through the time when the music they so obviously enjoy was originally being released. pparently an album is due out shortly on Beach Impediment Records, which is something to look forward to.

End Note: This is a US release of the single released in 2012 on German label, Hardware Records.