V/A Still No P.E.A.C.E. Still War LP
When I first heard of War Bad’s Still No P.E.A.C.E. Still War compilation, the infamous International P.E.A.C.E Benefit Compilation (commonly referred to as the P.E.A.C.E. comp) immediately sprang to mind. For those unfamiliar, a brief rundown: the P.E.A.C.E. comp was put out in 1984 by MDC’s Dave Dictor (in association with this very zine, MRR). It was a profoundly impactful album whose profits went towards various good causes including anti-nuclear groups, Food Not Bombs, and Greenpeace. It also featured a track list that included everyone from G.I.S.M. to WRETCHED to CRASS (and that was just on the A-side). It’s endlessly cited as a musical entry point for people the world over, and remains an untouchable piece of punk history for its stellar lineup and its message that it is in fact cool to give a shit. Now, fast forward 41 years and here we are in motherfuckin’ 2025, once again coming together to raise profits for a cause: the heinous terrorizing and starvation of Palestinians at the hands of completely unchecked world powers and their all too apathetic peers. It’s beyond the pale, to put it mildly, as anyone with eyes, ears, and a smartphone could tell you. And while I feel significantly less qualified to give a comprehensive history lesson on the subject, I have no problem saying that ignorance and non-action is not an option. So what can you do? Well, amongst many other things, you can skip the latte and buy a copy of War Bad’s Still No P.E.A.C.E. Still War comp. With an ethos that follows in the footsteps of the aforementioned ’84 P.E.A.C.E. comp, War Bad brings together a who’s-who of today’s best punk bands to support a cause that takes the brutal Palestinian genocide head on. Each of the 22 bands featured here have reputations that proceed them both sonically and in their clear-eyed messaging, providing a near-perfect snapshot of today’s punk scene that could only be made stronger if this thing were double (or even triple) the length. From the ghastly urgency of SPIRITO DI LUPO’s opening to the all-out attack of WARTHOG’s “Iron Fist” cover, this thing is a beast of a sampler platter that I would gladly serve up to anyone interested in getting into punk music in 2025. Time will tell if it holds the same place in hearts and minds that the ’84 P.E.A.C.E. comp did, but regardless, its impact will surely be felt for years to come. Dictor’s idea behind the ’84 P.E.A.C.E. compilation was to show how prevalent hardcore culture had become across the globe and how its raw music and leftist politics could be harnessed to create something that is much, much more than the sum of its parts. That is in essence what Still No P.E.A.C.E. Still War is: a spiritual predecessor that once again shows how the alleged “fringe” of society can come together for a good cause. Because it is in fact cool to give a shit.