Counterattack - The last stand 7'' (2006)

Tracklist:
01. One eye open
02. What love is (Dead boys cover)




Released in 500 limited copies by Reality clash in 2006.

Damn this record was hard to get. Seems like only 1 store sold it in the whole world. So i imported it from America, ripped it and now i give it back as a first time exclusive in mp3 format.
This one was a limited release they did for their "good bye show" before they ended the group. Just like on their perfect 2004 release Matt is on vocals and bass, Adam is on drums and John is on guitar/vocals duty.
A bit of a short Ep with only one new track and a Dead boys cover. The new track One eye open aint much to have but the cover song is genious in that grimy/emotional way their older songs where known for. Even if its hard to outshine a band like the Dead boys i think they do it well and Matt's vocals fit the song perfect.
8/10

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Lyrics for Home by Counterattack

Lyrics for the song Home from Counterattacks 2004 album Step back.

I've been working all day and i wanna go home now
so just leave me on the floor i aint playing around
You can sniff the alcohol, you can tell where i've been
Leave me on the floor cause thats where i wanna be

Home is where the floor is
Home is where the floor is

I've been working all day and i just wanna fall down
so just leave me on the floor i aint making a sound
Been fooling around, been having some fun
Now its off to the bar cause im just done

Home is where the floor is
Home is where the floor is
Home is where the floor is
Home is where the floor is

Counterattack - Step aside (2004)

01. Most hated
02. Brick and stone
03. Step aside
04. Cracks in the armor
05. Opaque movements
06. Home
07. Good for nothing
08. Coast to coast
09. If i do
10. Let's roll

Second and last cd by Counterattack released by Reality clash records in 2004.

I think most thought that it was over for Counterattack when they announced that their bass-player would take over the singing after kicking out Aaron but actually Matt overshines him on most songs. Its the same singing style but Matt has a bit faster and softer voice and to be true Aaron never had much off a singing-voice to start with but he made it good by giving it his all (on the 2 Ep's atleast).

Great selection of songs and more versatile sound then before and if you never heard of them before this is the album to download.
The whole album reminds me of an old Swedish band called The franks (aka Franks bootboys).
Not a single bad song on the album in my oppinion but some stand taller then the rest.
Home is one of the most played tracks on my working playlist and hits the spot on the feeling i have in the afternoon when you started working at six in the morning.
If i do is a brave try to make more pop-sounding punk and has some of the most personal and brave lyrics from an otherwise "over-macho" genre.
They released a Ep for their last show together in 2006 called The last stand but because i live in Sweden and it was only pressed in 500 copies it was sold out everywhere before i got a chance to import it.
10/10

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Counterattack - State of affairs (2002)

Tracklist:
01. State of affairs
02. Sledgehammer
03. Dave's song
04. Brother move on
05. Idiot box
06. Give a damn
07. Choose your weapon
08. Slavery
09. 21 guns
10. Skinhead

Their first cd released by Reality clash records in 2002.

As tensions grew in the band they got the chance to release their first full-lenght. After this record Aaron was kicked out of the group because of musical differences and personal conflicts with other bandmembers.

There is slow Oi! and there is sloooow Oi!. This being the last one i wonder what the hell they where thinking. Sounds like they did a punkversion of hiphops "screwed & chopped".
Most tracks are great but they have turned down the tempo so much that it actually sounds musically challenging to play the songs.
Just download and compare the new version of Sledgehammer with their old one and youll see what i mean.
Even if the album was a let down it has some tracks way better then all gereric shit other American bands released around this time.
The self-titled track being the best in the bunch and you can almost hear how Adam is holding the drums back not to get off beat (maybe this was the reason for Aaron leaving).

(Update 2009/12/26) Aaron was kicked from the band before this release and it is actually an old friend of the band called AD that is doing the vocals. (Sorry Aaron if i bashed you for something you didnt record) Thanks to Ethan for the information.
6/10

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Counterattack - Counterattack 7'' (2002)

Tracklist:
01. No regrets
02. Cloak and dagger
03. Broken man
04. Widow maker

Second EP released by DSS Records in 2002.

Aaron is on top on the vocals but this time Jon has to do guitar duty on his own after Phil got booted from the group.
Same sound as the year before but i can hear some influences from Templars and i must say that the guitars sound even better without Phil.
Best tracks are Cloak and dagger and the hatefilled song Widow maker. A song about Mumia Abu-Jamal that gunned down a policeman in 1981 and still to this day is fighting his death sentence on death row. But unlike most of the songs about this man Counterattack turns the table and asks how a murderer can become a icon of freedom and how liberals can just ignore the fact that this guy killed an honest working man and turned his family into ruins.
9/10

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Counterattack - Fight back 7'' (2001)

Tracklist:
01. Soldier
02. Counterattack
03. Sledgehammer




Counterattacks first EP released by Reality Clash records in 2001.

Band from Washington DC formed back in 2000 by Adam (Drums) and Matt (Bass). Tired of uninspired punkbands playing overproduced streetpunk and branding it as Oi! they wanted to create real Oi! but still put their own edge on it. They recruited Phil (Guitar), Jon (Second guitar) and last but not least their vocalist Aaron.
With this lineup they went into the Rot-On recording studios to record this EP.

Drawing heavy influences from the legendary NY group First strike they deliver some classic yet very original sounding tunes. And Aaron the vocalist has a very unique sounding voice and way to deliver the lyrics. A style that many Oi! groups have tried to do but failed misserable (Siege).
All tracks are good but the selftitled track is the best and i wish that i could have gotten the chance to see them play this song live.
9/10

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