High Ground is the debut album by 7-piece London based Ska-Punk band Filthy Militia who recorded the album at Hidden track Studios in Folkestone with Oz Craggs producing. Filthy Militia are Frosty, Eve, Mike, Nat, Tom, Leo and Remi. The album and review is dedicated to the memory of the bands trombonist Nathaniel Dye who lost his battle with bowel cancer today. May we all salute his fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support including playing trombone for the complete London marathon. Condolences to all his band mates, friends and family. The review was written just before I heard the sad news.
High Ground opens with 24-7 a loping brass led ska punk anthem wondering how your morbid curiosity got the better of you, sing along to the chorus, while they try to avoid being dragged down into the maelstrom of never ending choice, in time to admire the way the guitar solo works with Nat's trombone.
Making Myself Clear has a strong brass riff, while they make sure you understand exactly where they are coming from, while trying to find a sane way forwards from where we currently are, this has an infectious groove that is part Mighty Mighty Boss Tones, part Popes Of Chilitown, however things go, they are unlikely to disappear any time soon.
I Don't Know You, But I Love You is upbeat Ska fun for trying to pull on the dancefloor, with a face from the scene, you see them around all the time, but can never remember there name, we've all been there, does love blossom, or is the inability to remember your loves name a permanent barrier to a happy ending.
Anywhere Here Is Fine repurposes the Black Sabbath guitar line intro, before it goes dubby skank rock that is looking around at the devastation in the middle of a riot zone, what on earth happened and what's next, in the meantime things calm down enough, to just be able to mutter that Anywhere Here Is Fine as long as the fighting has stopped and love can return.
Splitting Hairs they won't pick you apart to this classic ska beat, they won't apologise for being themselves and doing what they want to do, basically play ska punk all day every day.
When The Party's Over has a New Orleans style funeral intro, before the skanking central riddim comes in, they are feeling cloudy and unsure for what went down, now hoping they don't have too many regrets for what went down. Will you just let him go home, or is he being held captive until he pleases you properly, joy of not knowing who it is you've woken up next too.
Liability is exactly what you are to him now, they just want to carry on without having to worry about any liability for there actions, being free to say exactly what they want to, this is quite speedy like they just want to run out the door without you.
Never will we ever be on the same page with you again, they do care but not for the same things you do, they can never be as bigoted and compartmentalized as you'd like them to be, the guitars are distressed punk fury, while the sax has a selector edge to it, before the marching beat emphasizes the core message, it's repeated over and over till you get it through your thick head, just what they mean, everything explodes with the joy of recognition, you understand exactly what Filthy Militia think about all the crap you spout constantly. This is a classic Righteous Ire rant.
The album closes with the title track High Ground a place you may try to take, but really you are the last person to claim that perch, the rest of us are coming to tear down your playhouse, put the lot of you on trial, sound of another riotous brass figure for everyone to skank down Babylon, bring about real chance, end the silence by nicking a Rico solo, but they can't sympathise with you anymore, only a grinding metal riff will do, ramming the message home, it's time for change. Drums roam across the speakers, brass make plain you can't break us all down, we will resist from the High Ground.
Find out more at https://www.pookoutrecords.co.uk/product-page/filthy-militia-high-ground-12????https://filthymilitia.bandcamp.com/album/high-ground https://www.facebook.com/filthymilitia
