Antiz are smart fellas because they know skaters are skint. So, in order to supply goods to the masses prices need to be cut. Antiz have just released 3 team model decks (7.5, 7.75, 8) that will retail at around £30. My favourite graphic has to be either the black panther or the ‘Manara’ comic inspired graphic. However, the best shape probably belongs to the larger boards. In any case, if you are broke and tempted to buy a dodgy second hand deck, save yourself and support a real skate company by fishing out one of these offerings.
7/10
If anyone is all about skateboarding then it’s Anti-Hero, and if anyone has supporters that like to carve and slash around it’s Anti-Hero. This is a big axe for those who reminisce about boards from the past. Apart from being nice and wide, this deck also comes with a long square nose for you to get your grip to as you throw down a dog pisser.
Less than 18 months after the release of the critically acclaimed ‘Gone Forever’, New Jersey five-piece 
Out of the States and into the continent; Danish groove-metal upstarts 
Finally, we come to the granddaddy of them all – 
It’s 14 minutes of absolute aural mayhem – each minute an inch of meat in your ass! Created for your pleasure by members of post-hardcore mavericks Garrison, Instruction and Errortype: 11, this release also features appearances from members of Hundred Reasons, Copperpot Journals and Hopewell. It’s like one big gay porno post-hardcore orgy and also happens to be one of the most exciting hardcore records I’ve heard this year, combining the sheer hardcore chaos of Das Oath with the tech-metal of the Dillinger Escape Plan and the punk ferocity of Bad Brains. This will give you a stiffy whether you fancy other men or not. Out now on Captains Of Industry Records. Crack open the lube at 
While you’re all probably sick to death of hearing old people moaning about how punk rock just isn’t punk rock anymore, for the most part, it’s horribly true. So much of the rage, creativity and anger has been glossed over to help shift units that the rebellion has all but gone. L.A. scenesters Wives, however, are so fucking punk rock it hurts. Originally inspired by the ferocious spurt of creativity that was the early eighties D.C. hardcore scene (Minor Threat, SOA, Government Issue, Void), they have successfully harnessed that vital youthful energy and brought it bang up to date with beweildering jabs of Lightning Bolt and The Locust style abrupt noise shocks. ‘Erect The Youth Problem’ is out now on Sweet Nothing Records. More info at 
It’s a good time to be a spliffhead. There’s some killer space rock shit blowing minds the world over at the moment; both Dead Meadow and Black Mountain provided incredible albums this year that stretch the limitations of rock and boldly went where no-one had dared been since the prog-rock seventies. And now here comes Earthless. ‘Sonic Prayer‘ is over forty minutes long and consists of only two songs. These demented spacelord motherfuckers take a riff and blast it into submission, creating a hypnotic swirling void of prog-metal-headfuck noise that drags you into it’s space and sucks you into it’s freak flag waving world. God damn this shit sounds good on drugs. God damn this shit sounds just as good not on drugs. Grade A, class A primo psychedelic noise rock drone. You need this shit in your life. Go to 
South Carolina melodic hardcore quintet Stretch Arm Strong have a new album titled ‘Free At Last’ on WPO Records this month. What you get is twelve tracks of crunchy hardcore with a melodic rock suss played by guys who cut their teeth on classic bands like Minor Threat and Gorilla Biscuits but Stretch Arm Strong have brought the sound squarely up to date with massive melodic hooks and a production that is both heavy, yet utterly commercial. Check it out. These guys could be huge. Go to 
What’s this, another duo? Early Man are two metalheads from Columbus that grew up on a diet of classic metal and thrash and have just unleashed their album ‘Closing In’ on Matador Records. Like Lightning Bolt, you wonder how the hell they make the noise they do, but then you also wonder where the rest of the band is, or are these guys such outcasts that they don’t actually have enough friends to form a complete band? Like, surely everyone can find a bassplayer – it’s only got four strings for fuck’s sake, any idiot can play that. Still, that aside, the metallic noise they make is is great. Proper metal, for real men who play on ten. Push it up to 11 at 
Time to wind up The Pit with some killer new punk rock shit. I’ve never been too impressed by Swedish melodic punks Randy but their new album is just great. Titled ‘Randy The Band’ and out on Burning Heart Records, it’s high-energy old-school punk rock with great hooks, awesome lyrics and a sound that falls somewhere between the contemporary punk rock sound of The Hives and The Damned. Tracks like ‘Punk Rock High’ and, in particular, ‘The World Is Getting Bored’ are infectious beyond belief. ‘The Kids these days are fed up with the music industry, they don’t care about the product, so they download their music on MP3. This is what you get when you get greedy for too long, the kids don’t want the plastic box no more they just want the songs’, they sing on the album’s final track. Great stuff. Download it now at 
The second I received this deck, I knew I would like it. It might seem superficial, but those graphics make me smile- A tree made of ants. (Eothen have also got a dope logo of some dudes sleeping upright which can be found on other products c.f. Wheels).
All I can remember was a Moroccan pimp in a polyester beige suit screaming, “Fuck! Yeah! You wanna dance baby? Fuck!!!” at the top of his lungs over the disco beat of ‘Young hearts run free’- the swan song of one-hit-wonder Candi Staton…
I broke the ice with my own version of current events: An American man was being charged with hate crimes and having his name added to the sex-offenders data base for urinating on a woman. Ha! Like an old 8 track slowed to a stop, my audience groaned and silence prevailed…
I turned down the offer, but I knew this man had the right stuff to go with expensive chocolates. Over each of our desserts we introduced ourselves. He was here to accompany a very lady whose husband could not make it. His loss… Apparently the Moroccan was a good friend of the husband and only standing in a service, sort of like a chaperon. I mentioned I worked with the youth, mostly skateboarders. His eyes lit up, slightly glazed from his stick, and he confessed:
The polyester pimp was quiet for a moment- perhaps the hashish smoke had blurred his train of thought… “He run away like a wild dok! His beautiful woman with the big boobies,” he made voluptuous round gestures with his hands, “She is with me now!”
The ‘Sky High’ is a dope mid-top shoe that is ready to skate from the get go. It’s my second attempt at riding Lakai skate shoes and so far I’m pretty pleased. No funky bubbles, lace savers or bottle openers- Just comfortable and functional skate shoes. Ok, the laces snapped and the sole wore through a bit quicker than usual, but the ollie areas are solid and the shoe doesn’t go all soft on you after a couple of hours. I liked them and I think you will too!
Before there were professionals in skateboarding, there were amateurs. Before there were shots of 20 stair ollies, there were shots of little 3 stairs. And, before we rushed to the shop for the latest Koston 7’s (yup! They’re coming…), there were the Koston 1’s. A direct hit amongst skaters all around the world, the premiere professional skate shoe form Es reflects it’s owners flawless style. The Es Koston 1 is the shit, so if you ever get the chance to ride or own a pair, don’t hesitate. They’re comfy, durable and nice to look at, so I don’t really think much else need be said.
You can review videos, decks, clothes, shoes, trucks and bearings, but wheels just elude me… I seriously don’t know what needs to be said about those blobs of urethane that support our weight and wobbling. Alright, so Karma put out these 53mm wheels. They are basic white, round and feel a little soft to the touch. If that sort of description rocks your boat then support British skating and spend some money on these. I heard that if you pay for these in cash, take them home and plant one in your garden, a huge Karma tree will grow in that spot and sprout loads of Karma goodies for you and your friends to share. Wowee! 
Here are the newest bearings from American FKD. The blues are Abec 3, the reds are Abec 5 and the golds spin fast at Abec 7. Each set come in an aesthetic saw disk box with a little bottle of lube to keep the speed at high. Stefan Janoski rides for FKD Bearings now, so they must be good for something…