The Struggle are an old-school, Oi revival band. dredging the fertile, cultural watersheds of British beer halls and squats, they gather up all the ugly, little critters that have been thriving on the waning half-life of Sham 69 and Business 45s over the past forty-odd years, dump them in a big, boiling pot, and season with angst and hard-scrabble living to make a peppery gumbo that bites back with every slurp.
The Struggle have now teamed up with the respected British punk mecca Boom and Pirate Press Records for a double single to benefit the venue while it is prevented from hosting shows during the pandemic.
“Tension Rising” uncorks the bottle on their new release with a hurky, Micky Fitz vocal whip backed by a sharp, leaning slice of darkly tinted, angular guitars and a seething rhythm section that lunges through the bars of its enclosure just when you least expect it.
The b-side, “It’s Not Too Late,” swings from the balcony to the fire escape and down to the street below, with a scrambling, Clash-esque, duck-and-jab guitar groove backed by an unruly, wall-climbing bass part, elements that expertly build up tension and allow for the momentum of the song to be carried through to the end as it skids into a down-tempo breakdown for the choruses.
All proceeds from The Struggle’s new single go to support Boom and keep their lights on while live shows continue to be little more than a promise made from the distant future.
You can stream the entirety of The Struggle’s new single below via Bandcamp, and keep scrolling to learn more about the legendary British venue Boom:
From The Struggle’s Bandcamp on their partnership with Boom:
BOOM is a grassroots music venue unique to Leeds that primarily promotes punk, hardcore and metal. The venue hosts first time on stage bands as well as international artists from across the globe. The venue is famous for hosting intense and lively shows from artists like Gallows, slowthai, Code Orange, Agnostic Front, Power Trip, Madball and hundreds more. Boom also provides the Leeds music scene with permanent rehearsal rooms for bands and recording facilities.
BOOM also operates private accommodation for touring musicians performing all over the city. BOOM is frequently likened as the CBGB’s of the U.K. by individuals and bands that performed at the legendary New York venue.
BOOM LEEDS is now on the brink of permanent closure due to COVID-19 and needs to crowd fund to survive. In the absence of any income and being unable to open, the venue has accrued substantial debts that will force it into permanent closure.
All profits from this release will go into supporting BOOM and hopefully helping keep the wolves at bay. We know it is a small gesture, but hopefully we—and you—can make a difference.
Buy a copy of The Stuggle’s single here.
