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Ant on lead vocals/guitar,

Chris on bass/backing vocals

Jan on Drums.

ONE MAN STAND - CASUAL CULTURE One of the easiest CD's I have had the genuine pleasure to assess as this is a band I am more than familiar with and if I don't mind adding am indeed a fan of. However don't let that detract from the fact that if this 11 track debut album was erring on the side of crap I would be the first to say so. It just so happens... ...that as a fan this is everything I could ever wish for from a band who are finally attaining their full potential. From first to last it's a jaw-dropping experience as this mighty fine 3-piece produce what could already be the album of the year.

'You Can't Polish Shit' rips the beer sodden carpet from beneath complacent feet and instantaneously gets that pogo itch tingling. It is always good to set the stall out early and here this is done in salivating style. 'Lights Out' is a brief sojourn into gritty punk with its unorthodox construction and superb stressed bass lines. 'Done My Time' quickly follows and is one of the old crowd pleasers that was becoming a trifle mouldy and in need of a musical face lift. With veritable nips and tucks and a bit more meat added to the bone the end result is a whole lot better with some great vocal inflection and accomplished drumming moments.

'Welcome To My World' exudes a deliberate focused intent and with the express train bass the song thumps along. 'Therapy' has always lacked a certain effervescence and seemed flat in comparison to more showy tracks. Not so here - with more textured vocals, pacier drums and heavy bass the song is kicked into shape and remarkably reborn. From an ugly duckling to a majestic swan in one mighty metamorphical moment.

'What's Going On' needs passion, needs desire, screams out for belief and here we have it. At last frontman Ant is singing with unbridled emotion. No longer shouting, the total faith in the outpourings is there for all to hear and man what a difference it makes.

All pistons punching, gears changing and with brakes abandoned 'Wet Paint' knocks you to the floor, fucks your brains out and blasts forth, briefly stalling to reveal the machine-like bass that holds the raping, raging monster together. Momentous!

'Black Hole' was always a good song but now it's a titanic effort that combines melody, thrusting guitar and exciting drum segments. Beautiful to ones punk fucked ears. 'Another Way' seems amusingly entitled because with this CD there is no other way. Top class right the way through I still struggle at this stage to believe this is the same band that have become so familiar on the bog and basin punk rock tour over the last 7 years. Incredible!

'Time To go' is an awesome way to start the wind down and this epitomises everything good about OMS at the moment. My favourite track and a real impact piece with its hard hitting lyrics, scything guitar melody and all round solid steel construction.

And so already to the final track, namely 'Casual Culture', a track that has sound snippets, an Oi influenced chorus and theme and several verses where frontman Ant displays his new found boldness by singing almost sonically unaccompanied. If a song of this style was mentioned a few months ago to the humble frontman then I am sure he would have truly shit himself. But new found confidence is a bizarre thing and can result in all kinds of miraculous behaviour, an example of which we have here.

Sometimes it is really nice to spout off about a glorious victory for the underdog and this is one of those moments. If you miss the limited run of this CD then your punk collection with have an eternal void that will niggle until it hurts. If I get a better CD in 2008 then I will be most impressed and if I don't then there is no shame in falling into line behind this stunner - it is indeed a minor classic. http://www.fungalpunknature.co.uk