Ah, The Bruisers, one of the most iconic Oi bands of all time. When they were good, they were great. When they were bad, they were so god-awful that they ended up still being great ("We Will Survive").

I list two reasons why The Bruisers didn't fall into obscurity like many American Oi bands of the time. One is lead singer Al Barr, who has one of the most distinct growls in punk and oi. Not only that, he can be melodic when he needs to! I peg him as a key reason his following band, The Dropkick Murphys, have stayed so consistent over the years (but that is a different story).

The second thing this band has going for them is guitarist Jeff Morris. Early on in the compilation, we hear a lot of plain (but still kickin') Oi riffs, although a few are just a bit too similar to one another. Later on, we see him really shine with some rockabilly riffage in "Gates of Hell". Although this collection does not cover the "missing link" between the early singles and the short-lived rockabilly era (that link being the superb Cruisin for a Bruisin album), we still get a good overview of what the band was.

Lyrically, the Bruisers were simplistic, but entirely relatable to any skinhead or hell, working class joe who's faced his fair share of aggression. The aforementioned "Gates of Hell" has some awesome self-reflective lyrics that could easily be heard on a Hank Williams song.

What else can I say? The Bruisers rule. If you find Oi boring, cocky, and meatheaded, this band won't change your opinion. But if you know what you are getting into, this is a perfect album to have in your collection when you need a pride booster.

A1 Intimidation
A2 Bloodshed
A3 Society's Fools
A4 Anchors Up
A5 Overthrow
A6 No Truce
A7 Work Together
B1 Never Fall
B2 My Pride
B3 21 Years
B4 Nation On Fire
B5 We Will Survive
B6 Independence Day
B7 Eyes Of Fire
C1 Bloodshed
C2 Society's Fools
C3 American Night
C4 Brown Paper Bag
C5 Gates Of Hell
C6 Tear It Up
C7 These 2 Boots Of Mine
D1 Six Of Them
D2 Molotov
D3 Nomad
D4 Intimidation '97
D5 Never Fall
D6 Nation On Fire
D7 Greed