Girlschool have been around a fair while now and like Motorhead (with whom Girlschool are currently touring) they have stuck to their guns to avoid making music to please the mainstream. Girlschool continue to rock as if the New Wave of British Heavy Metal only just happened.
Emergency is a song that dates back twenty five years, so it is unsurprising perhaps that this single shows little in the way of progression (except for the production, obviously) since 1980. To criticise the band for sounding dated would be unfair, Girlschool do what they do, and they do it well - with all proceeds going to the London Air Ambulance. In fact, Emergency is much closer to punk than metal (check out the wailing sirens on the intro - it's only the presence of perfectly executed guitar histrionics that belies their heavy metal leanings). On this evidence it would seem that Emergency is far more convincing than the majority of new punk and metal bands that would stipulate Girlschool and the like as their influences.
They may well be nearer to being in retirement homes than a girl's school these days, but this single (and its B-side; anthemic punk sing-along London) is shot through with a youthful exuberance that few half their ages could muster.
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