Violent Storm
History
Violent Storm was an oi!/RAC band from Cardiff, Wales. The group was formed by four friends inspired by Skrewdriver. They played a unique mix of punk and metal with lyrics about race, class, politics, and hooliganism. Violent Storm got their start in 1986 with Billy Bartlett on vocals, Paul Casey on bass, Brian Sheeley on guitar and Darren Sheeley on drums.
The band’s discography includes one full-length album, Celtic Warrior (1995), one single, Land of My Fathers (1990), and an EP, Third Way (1989).
On March 14, 1992, the band was invited, along with Spanish bands Division 250, No Remorse, and Battlezone, to perform for NS Acción Radical in Spain. On the morning of Friday the 13th in 1992, the members of Violent Storm were traveling along the M4 motorway to an airport near Bristol when their car suddenly lost control and went off the road into a ditch. Paul Casey, Brian Sheeley, Darren Sheeley, and their friend Jason Oakes were killed. Billy, who was driving, was the only survivor.
The festival in Spain went on as planned, but the bands added a moment of silence for their departed friends. Not too long after the car accident, communist S.H.A.R.P. skinheads associated with Roddy Moreno sprayed graffiti on Violent Storm’s local pub with the words “FOUR DOWN ONE TO GO.”
Soon after recovering from his injuries, Billy formed a new band called Celtic Warrior, named after Violent Storm’s debut album. He also worked on several project bands including The Order.
Almost four years after the band were nearly all tragically killed, their original album was released. The reason for the delay was because the tapes had been with the mother of Brian and Darren Sheeley since the accident. She asked Billy to finally get the album released.
Each year in March, Blood and Honour Wales hold a “Violent Storm Memorial” gig with guest bands from across the UK and abroad alongside Celtic Warrior to remember the three members lost.
Discography
Official Productions
???? – Demo – ????? MC
1990 – Land Of My Fathers – Rebelles Européens – RE 45 22 90 – 7″ single
1992 – Celtic Warrior – I.S.D. Records – CD
Bootleg Reissue
1995 – Celtic Warrior – I.S.D. Records – CD
Split
1989 – Violent Storm & Skullhead – Third Way – Counter Culture Records (UK) – 7″ EP CCR1
Samplers
Sword And Cross (11. Epitaph)
White Resistance Vol. 1 (07. Land Of My Fathers, 08. Combat The Nation, 09. Mad World)
White Resistance Vol. 2 (13. Violent Storm)
Track Lists
Demo
01. Combat The Nation (2:28)
02. Land Of My Fathers (2:42)
03. Madworld (1:44)
04. Unemployed Voice (1:58)
Land Of My Fathers
01. Land Of My Fathers (2:41)
02. Mad World – Combat The Nation (2:26)
Celtic Warrior
01. Pure Impact (3:34)
02. A Europe of the People (2:05)
03. No Cause (2:54)
04. Celtic Warrior (4:18)
05. On the Attack (2:57)
06. We’ll Keep on Fighting (3:33)
07. The Price of Freedom (3:42)
08. Armed Forces (2:13)
09. Violent Storm (2:29)
10. Time Bomb (1:53)
11. Now or Never (2:23)
12. The Right to Be Proud (3:48)
13. White Eagles (3:28)
14. The Same Inside (3:01)
15. Stand or Hide (2:35)
16. Epitaph (2:06)
Violent Storm & Skullhead – Split EP
Skullhead
01. Blame The Bosses
Violent Storm
02. Celtic Warrior
03. Unemployed Voice