ALBUM REVIEW: Out Of Order – Lex Talionis (Randale Records)
Canadian punks Out Of Order are back with their sixth full-length album and I’m glad to report they sound as pumped up and invigorating as ever.
Hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, they formed in 2001, moving to Montreal, Quebec, in 2005. They’ve visited the UK a few times, playing Rebellion Festival in Blackpool last year.
Lex Talionis is a Latin phrase which translates as the law of retribution, or, as it’s perhaps better known, an eye for an eye. Like its predecessor, 2023’s Under The Knife (reviewed here), it’s a full-on affair right from the off as opening track Groomed By Rats hits the ground running.
Full of vim and vigour, it sees frontman Scott Maracle’s voice at its gritty, rasping best, and that’s a constant throughout, giving Out Of Order one of their unique selling points.
The five-piece are from a streetpunk background, but each successive album sees them dip a toe into new waters, absorbing new influences, and they’ve evolved into a more punk ‘n’ roll style.
Here, The Double Deuce (one of the standout tracks) sounds Celtic punk-influenced, reminding me of no less a classic than Dropkick Murphys’ Barroom Hero.
Edge Of The Tracks is a real earworm with a superb descending bassline about struggling to get by, which a lot of people will identify with only too well, and there’s a great hook and catchy gang vocals on No Certainty.
Tonight, released as the lead single back in November 2024, is a melodic middle-fingered anthem about living for the moment, despite all the crap that life throws at you. You can see why it was chosen as the first taste of the new record as Scott sings: “We don’t need your salvation/We just want to kick and shout/We all need a celebration/And tonight we’re going out!”
My favourite track, the galloping Facebreaker, packs a hefty wallop, and I’d say Lex Talionis is even more aggressive than Under The Knife and its predecessor, 2020’s Life Sentence (reviewed here).
At The Zoo in particular has a real edge to it. But there’s still plenty of melody here, particularly on songs like No Certainty, Tonight and the defiant Don’t Back Down.
There’s heavy metal-style soloing on Needle In The Park, and again on the penultimate track, the judderingly-heavy Salt In The Wound, which at four and a half minutes is an epic by OOO’s standards. The longest track here, it’s followed by the shortest, Holding On, a vocal reprise of the chorus from Edge Of The Tracks which clocks in at just 46 seconds.
It acts as a useful bookend for Lex Talionis, making you want to listen to the whole thing all over again. Out Of Order might be entering their 25th year, but they might just have made their best album yet. 8.5/10.
- Lex Talionis is available on February 6 on CD and March 20 on vinyl. It’s available to pre-order now from Randale Records HERE.
