Various - Boxwars: The Album

CARDBOARD BASHING PUNK ROCK

Boxwars combines punk and well-behaved fighting. ‘Warriors’ make cardboard armour then launch themselves into a mauling mosh pit until a winner’s declared. The gladiatorial combat is powered by energetic tunes: this is a collection of the best. There are real gems in there, with The Very’s tracks pummelling along so fast they almost trip over themselves, while Oi Polloi’s ‘Simon Weston’ is a wierdly inspired ode to the war-hero. The pace sometimes drops, and occasionally disappears into a void of hyper-noise, but tracks such as the funky ‘San Benito’ haul it back. This is just like Boxwars: fast-paced, silly, but damn good fun.