ALBUM REVIEW: Gimp Fist – Isolation (Breakout Promotions/Sunny Bastards)
County Durham trio Gimp Fist are back with their first new album since 2019’s Blood, and it’s another slice of top-notch streetpunk.
The Bishop Auckland boys have been one of the leading lights in the UK’s oi! scene for more than a decade and have never released a bad record.
Singalong anthems
Singer and guitarist Jonny Robson has the uncanny knack of penning catchy singalong anthems, while his drumming brother Michael and bassist Chris Wright are a formidable rhythm section.
Here, they emerge from the nightmare that was the Covid-19 pandemic with 15 slices of old-school punk/oi/whatever you want to call it, and the only sure thing is that these songs will have a moshpit near you bouncing real soon.
Anyone who’s seen Gimp Fist live since the lockdown restrictions were lifted will recognise at least half a dozen of these songs, as they’ve been tried and tested on their ever-loyal live audience.
Not many bands have the balls to do that, but Gimp Fist know their crowd, and the likes of opening track Ambition, Repeat Offender, Machines and Senses have already become setlist staples, slotting in seamlessly alongside established favourites.
The good news is that, in this writer’s humble opinion, they’re not even the best songs on this record (or should I say CD, as vinyl-pressing delays mean the LP’s not available until the back end of the year).
My favourite is Skinhead Heart, which calls out the scene’s posers and stereotypes (“he’s got all the gear, all the gear but no idea”), with Resurrection and its slight change of pace from the usual foot-to-the-floor oi! not too far behind.
Shame is another slower song which gives the lads the chance to show their musical chops, while getting its message across (possibly to our Tory government?) as Jonny sings “Shame, shame on you, I’ve got no faith in anything you do.”
Upbeat messages
Forget what you think you know about oi! bands. There’s plenty of melody in Gimp Fist’s music, as well as plenty of passion, a bit of anger, a healthy helping of politics, lots of upbeat messaging, and some on-point lyrics.
Did I mention they’re bloody good musicians too? Listen to Jonny’s guitar work on songs like Fuel To The Fire, Chris’s bass runs on Change (and many others) and Mike tying it all together and confirming my belief that he’s one of the best drummers in punk.
Things end on a real upbeat note with Bring On The Good Times – a celebration of families, friends and communities being able to enjoy themselves together again post-lockdown.
Isolation is another all-killer, no-filler album from the Gimp Fist boys, and the even better news is there’s already another one in the can ready to go! 8.5/10.
- Isolation is avalable now from the merch stand at Gimp Fist gigs or online from Breakout Promotions HERE.
