Béton Armé

Reviews

Béton Armé Renaissance LP

This band can’t still be a secret, so now reviewers (and fans) are saddled with the unenviable but inevitable task of compartmentalizing their sound—a sound that feels dangerously close to fully-realized on Renaissance. Catchy as ever, and they are still as much an anthemic Oi! band as ever, but after a batch of killer EPs and constant gigs, BETÓN ARMÉ sounds truly like themselves on this first full-length. The backing vocals cannot go unmentioned—the “ohhhhh ohhhh”s are a focal point in nearly every song on the record (as are the backing vocals in general), though the lead vox are really what gives BETÓN ARMÉ a distinct character. Sharp and biting, skipping the typical gruff skinhead vocals that would be totally appropriate (and expected, and typical). The influence of European skin bands is still front and center (think CAMERA SILENS and NABAT and you have the general foundation), but there are disco beats here, and a sonic sensibility on the level of ADOLESCENTS’ blue album. Renaissance is just a perfect, timeless, essential punk record.

Béton Armé Second Souffle EP

Don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that this is one of my favourite bands still going, up there with MESS, FUERZA BRUTA and CASTILLO; they are the real deal. It seems a little reductive making the comparison merely owing to their shared Francophile nature, but this really does feel like a spiritual cousin to a RIXE EP—earworm choruses, buzzsaw guitars, and gang vox designed to be yelled while covered in lager. Extremely worth a spin.

Béton Armé Au Bord Du Gouffre EP

More great Oi! from the fine city of Montreal; not sure what they’re putting on their chips over there (cheese curds and gravy aside) but there’s been a steady stream of brilliant Oi! records which have been in near constant rotation for yours truly. It’s Oi! sung in French so certain parallels are naturally drawn with scene stalwarts RIXE, but I’d say this has more of a classic French feel, fans of the Chaos En France series will enjoy this thoroughly. And how fucking nice is it to hear some actual “Oi!”s in the chorus again? Fewer camo shorts and more “Oi!s” please, cheers.

Béton Armé / Ultra Razzia Demo 2018 / Demo 2017 split LP

Two of the hardest contemporary Québécois Oi! bands join forces for this split LP. Bringing together on wax both of their respective demo tapes and sprinkling them with a bit of studio remastering magique to give them a bit of brawn. BÉTON ARMÉ’s side of the split is in keeping with the fine tradition of francophone Oi! (sans saxophone), replete with buzzsaw guitars that if you told me had been transported directly from 1985, I’d believe you. ULTRA RAZZIA takes a slightly rougher, more punk-tinged approach, in keeping with more modern offerings like COUPE GORGE or TRAITRE. It also includes a joyous French-language cover of BLITZ’s “Razors in the Night,” which is almost worth the cost alone.