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Impotentie is an Oi! hybrid with lyrics sung in Flemish, likely to bring the most suburban Herbert out of push mosh retirement. Comparable to Reich Orgasm and might fit perfectly on Chaos En France compilation if it was 83'. With members of Omegas, Thee Nodes, Secretors, Proxy etc. U-12
Our take: You might remember Impotentie from their earlier tape (which Drunken Sailor re-released as a 7”, which we still have in stock), and this 45rpm 12” picks up right where that recording left off. From the moment I heard them, I thought Impotentie had an oddball element to their sound, and that remains the case here. Roach Leg’s description mentions Reich Orgasm and French oi!, and like a lot of French oi! bands, Impotentie has a turgid sound, like they’re purposefully playing the songs at a very slow tempo. That choice gives these tracks a unique vibe, but the songs themselves are excellent. I mentioned Warsaw (the band, not the city) in my description of Impotentie’s tape, and that reference comes to mind again here, particularly on tracks like “Medemens,” which is simultaneously gloomy, melodic, and raw. That mix of characteristics will also appeal to people who love dark and melodic UK anarcho like Hagar the Womb, the Mob, and Crisis. While Impotentie reminds me of these things, it doesn’t sound exactly like any of them, so if you value originality in your punk and you think you might be into the general vibe, give this a try. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the LP’s title translates to “Leopold II Is Not Dead Enough,” an indictment of the Belgian king who presided over a brutal colonial regime in the Congo.