The Process of Elimination

A little-known Glasgow-based Oi band that originally formed in 1979 and split up after only a few years, External Menace regrouped in the mid-'90s with new lead singer Ian Welsh (replacing original member Wullie Hammill, who had died in the late '80s), original guitarist John Sneddon, and a revolving door of rhythm sections. The new lineup released several EPs, split singles, and compilation tracks, finally gathering the lot in 2004's The Process of Elimination. Welsh and Sneddon play with the fire of kids half their age, and most of the album sounds like it could have been recorded in 1981. The songs, however, are a pretty hit-or-miss lot, with far too many songs that sound like your basic standard-issue, three-chord speed punk and not enough inspiring lyrics to make up for the sameiness of the tunes. The Process of Elimination isn't bad, exactly, but it's a whole lot of nothing special, the sort of album that only devoted Oi and street punk fans can really get behind.