Hotza

Reviews

Hotza Esnatu 12″

Been interested in these Bilbaino boot boys for a while now since they released their stellar demo a couple of years ago, and I was delighted to see they’ve kept standards high. Fans of France, and specifically 1980s skinhead France, will be delighted by their output, as much like RIXE or BÉTON ARMÉ, they’ve taken inspiration from this particular purple patch of Oi! while not turning into a panto dame rip-off. I’ll even forgive them trying out a ska song on the final tune of the record; we can just pretend it’s five tracks long.

Hotza Demo EP

Once again I find myself researching the mineral content of the water supply in Euskara, because this region has once again produced a near-instant classic. Eight minutes of heat over four blistering tracks from Bilbao with this release, which doesn’t let up for the entire time. Scratching that traditional French Oi! itch you didn’t think you had, ticking the same boxes that RIXE and IENA did, this is just the tonic for those tired of milquetoast, by-the-numbers Euro bollocks. Rumbling bass that sounds like tank warfare, over tight and taught guitar lines giving you that brickwall sound that is sorely lacking these days. A suitably raucous 4 SKINS cover rounds it off, and back on repeat it goes. Excellent stuff.