Bishops Green – Black Skies EP (Pirates Press Records)

Pirates Press Records are unstoppable this year. Just look at the impressive amount of records they put out since the beginning of 2022, and you’ll realize there are not so many punk rock labels putting out vinyl records like that nowadays. So far, Thoughts Words Action has covered the vast majority, if not all of them, but the release I would talk about today is something I was really looking forward to. I think that Bishops Green doesn’t need any further introduction. Everyone’s favorite Canadian streetpunk band is back with another highly-anticipated release that will unquestionably cheer up many punk rockers out there. The band was quiet for a while, but this EP proves these guys still have a lot to say.

Black Skies EP carries seven outstanding streetpunk compositions entirely performed in the widely known Bishops Green manner. As you probably already know, this band doesn’t have any bad recordings, so Black Skies is more than a perfect addition to their impressive discography. The bands like these are considered a rarity nowadays. I mean, there are a lot of great bands out there, but no one matches the quality of Bishops Green. The mixture of traditional British and North American street punk sound with classic melodic punk rock themes and plenty of rock’n’roll maneuvers are some of the qualities Bishops Green are known for.

That’s the case with Black Skies as well. This particular material carries nothing but excellent riffs, catchy melodies, addictive harmonies, anthemic singalongs, powerful leading shoutouts, and moderate rhythmic maneuvers. What I adore about Bishops Green the most is their ability to record seven energetic numbers that carry the same tempo and retain the attention of their listeners from scratch to finish. Seriously, there are no bad songs on this EP. Each one could easily pass as the next potential anthem among punk rockers, which will probably be the case. Black Skies throws back to the times when streetpunk meant everything. This material could easily stand beside some of the greatest punk rock and Oi! releases from the late 70s and early 80s. It could also serve as an excellent introductory album for the next generation of punk rockers who’re interested in exploring the genre.

If you ever loved the sound of Bishops Green, then you will love this EP as well. It’s a proper continuation of their tremendous career as a band. Who knows, maybe you’ll forget the greats of the genre when you hear this one. Black Skies comes in black ice and milky clear variants, available in 1000 copies. Head over to Pirates Press Records and order this streetpunk gem.