Over 40 years, the Belgian punk band Struggler has been ravaging the music scene. This Hamont (city in Belgium) band has been around since 1979. Since then, the band has played many venues and blown the roof off with their tight guitar sound, which situates between heavy primeval punk, post punk and punk rock of the most excellent kind. They now present us a new 8-song record as a gift christened Wilma (Determinated Protector).
It is sometimes said time does not seem to affect everybody. This certainly seems to stand for Struggler. In 2017, after a significantly quiet productivity period of a bit less than 20 years, their “comeback” album The Gap had already showed that the band was still alive and kicking. A couple of old songs got a new look but also some new songs saw the light of day. Now there is this new kick-ass album to blow you from your feet. Anyone who has seen them live before knows that their performances are like an explosion of drive, passion for punk with a firm energy punch. Frontman René Hulsbosch and his colleagues don't seem to be affected by time at all. They still demolish venues, figuratively speaking, and it is not uncommon for us to see René taking the stage like a madman or torturing his guitar while rolling on the stagefloor. Without any exaggerated attitude, but purely to the core. We might conclude Punk music is apparently quite healthy.
Wilma, 8 songs, 8 times joy. With every listening even more than the previous one. ‘Big Victory’, you can't think of a more appropriate opening title. Sturdy guitars with a lingering sound make their way to your eardrums and remain true to their punk sound and straightforward style without any doubt.
We don't like labeling, because it somehow dishonors what a band does. This is simply Struggler! A quiet intro, some raging, then again a bit more modesty. Shoegaze moments that take you back to what some of those psychedelic bands from the seventies of the previous millennium did. Wilma has it all.
The track ‘Persecute’ exudes post-punk, immersive and causing goosebumps. It penetrates deeply, you no longer listen but actually feel the music. ‘The Blame’ surprises you with such an intense, intimate atmosphere. And what about the really sublime guitar solo work which is presented on this album and which drifts away from the pure riff-driven primeval punk as we know it. But what the fuck: if you master this technically it elevates the music to an even higher level, then we can only be thankful for so much passion and beauty. It is really one of my favorites on this great album.
But it can also be more modest like “Shadow”, almost a ballad that turns into a majestic finale full of guitar violence. Noise? What Noise? No noise a solid uppercut from the guitar amps!
Struggler is still inspiring, just as much as 40 years ago! Time stood still, time is irrelevant. It's all relative, and Struggler? Well they give you a blast. With every listen you get more and more captivated by the power of Wilma!