SQUELETTE - Soir D'ORAGE MLp

I first came across SQUELETTE through their early material, which delivered fairly raw French Oi! in the tradition of RIXE and the old-school bands of the genre. The Parisians have come a long way since then, and this new six-track 12-inch, "Soir d'Orage", confirms the direction already explored on "Fin de Partie". The music is still firmly rooted in street punk, but post-punk influences now play a much bigger role. And I have to say, the combination works rather well.

The guitars have become more melodic without losing their bite, the bass takes centre stage, and the vocals retain that dark, disillusioned character that suits these songs perfectly. On "Démence" and "Ta mémoire", there are still plenty of classic Oi! choruses, but the atmosphere is much colder than what most current bands are offering. There's something of BLITZ's "Second Empire Justice" period here, along with passages reminiscent of SYNDROME 81 and PRISONNIER DU TEMPS. That said, SQUELETTE aren't simply copying their influences: they've developed a sound that's recognisably their own.

I particularly like this evolution, although anyone looking exclusively for the straight-ahead Oi! of their early recordings might find the new material a little less immediate. The title track "Soir d'Orage" sums up this direction nicely, while the instrumental "Eaux profondes" pushes the band even further into post-punk territory. Six consistent tracks, a melancholic atmosphere and enough guitar-driven energy to remind us where the band came from. A really good record, proving that Oi! can evolve without abandoning its roots.