Clocking in at a breakneck pace of only 23-minutes, Béton Armé deliver a solid blast of hardcore punk and Oi! with Renaissance, their debut full-length album, straight from the streets of Montréal.

This record may not be what you’re expecting to hear. I haven’t been impressed by something that is equal parts new and familiar in a very long time. Renaissance is not a play-it-safe rehash of the usual fist-pumping, grab a beer and put an arm around your mate, mid-tempo street rock that many legendary acts might be known for these days. This is cutthroat and ripping, but also dynamic and refreshing. It has that dire sense of urgency with no songs stretching longer than 2-minutes and change. The production is gritty with a 1980’s feel, but sonically well-balanced and smooth at the same time.

The musicianship on Renaissance seems to have been upped in comparison to some of the band’s earlier EP releases. Almost every song has a unique structure with unexpected time changes that makes you want to listen again because you probably didn’t catch everything that was going on the first time. Fast, down-stroking guitar riffs, in the vein of Minor Threat, get combined with sizzling hi-hat beats and an array of gang vocals that sound like a chant you would hear at a soccer game, but if the fans who were chanting listened to Agnostic Front. Even traces of the Misfits classic “Woah oh oh oh!” trademark vocal styling can be found here.

Since the vocals are in French, the band might get categorized into the same box as Rixe and Syndrome ’81, both great bands from France. But what Béton Armé are doing differently for my ears is bringing more North American hardcore punk, even early skate punk at times, into the mix and offering a few more layers of depth into their overall sound. Standout tracks like “Lève-toi” and “La nuit” deliver a climbing tension and pummeling force that make you want to hit repeat if you’re in the mood for a fast ripper. But there is variety as well, the album’s closer, “Territoire hostile”, offers an extended bass intro with slower-paced breakdowns, before going full speed and stopping suddenly for a keyboard and drum machine outro.

I think there is something for anyone who likes faster punk on this album regardless of their own niche sub-genre preferences. It should be considered among the best releases of 2025.