20090406

Hard x Times - "We take shit from no one" LP / CD + DVD
{Une Vie Pour Rien? Records}
HardxTimes is maybe the one & only straight edge skinhead / oi! band that exists nowadays., or better they are the only straight edge skinhead band I know....
They are based in Paris, France, and they follow the path that Raybeez & Warzone paved years ago, combining the oi! / skinhead culture with pure hardcore / street punk music.
"We take shit from no one" is their first full length album, released last year by the well known French skinhead label "Une Vie Pour Rien?" in both vinyl & CD formats.
Ben UVPR was kind enough to send me both... Even if I prefer the gatefold vinyl edition (of course!), I must admit that the CD format, including a bonus DVD featuring a whole live set of HardxTimes (at a fest playing with Agnostic Front, Death Before Dishonour, Black Friday '29 and the likes) from 2005, seriously kicks ass.
Anyway, Hard x Times play straight forward skinhead oi! / hardcore in the vein of The Oppressed & Warzone, keepin' real the Spirit of '69 and their antifascist beliefs (they strongly support SHARP Paris).
The release includes 11 songs, 2 of them are covers; "Skinhead Youth" (Warzone) and"Ultra Violence" (The Oppressed), while in the live set they cover Condemned 84's "Oi! Ain't Dead" song, as well.
The lyrics are basically in French language, but 3 songs are in English, too, and as far as I figure out they are about their straight edge stance, their love about France, some anti-hippie stuff and the classical skinhead topics.
All in all, a quality oi!/hardcore record, for the open-minded scenesters!
http://www.myspace.com/hardtimesxparis
http://www.uvpr.fr
http://www.myspace.com/uvpr