Dead Elvis Dead Elvis cassette
Grunge-y punk mania here, with pissed-off lyrics slagging the rest of the goony world. Great juvenile fun.
MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL
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Grunge-y punk mania here, with pissed-off lyrics slagging the rest of the goony world. Great juvenile fun.
Pretty catchy melodic garage punk with a distorted guitar sound. Lyrically, I’m not sure what’s going on. OK.
Cool straightforward punk noise with lyrics about drug abuse, religion, personal issues, and more. “Family’s Only Family” stands out as a catchy tune.
Early punk sounds with fun barroom sing-along vocals. A total gas: you can almost see the beer spilling all over the place.
Two fast tunes and two slow ones, both with a lot of guitar and beat, though the latter gets old fast. The poppy pair have a R’n’B based rock structure, sorta like DR. FEELGOOD meets NOMADS on a so-so day. Plenty of potential, but lagging somewhere along the line.
You betcha! Awesomely weirdly produced noise thrash that just tears out your eardrums. Definitely insane.
100% speedmetal for the SOX now, and it’s pretty good, probably their most solid release. Sounding comparable to METALLICA and the ACCUSED, they have maintained their intelligent lyrical outlook, questioning religion, inequality, greed, oppression, etc. My only gripe is the slightly trebly production, but that’s minor. This is swell!
As a tribute to their European tour, Brazil’s CÓLERA releases this live tape of their solid, powerful punk sound. Production is very clear, making this one more than worthwhile.
The second demo by this mysterious Arizona band, playing a variety of styles from straightedge HC to rap to synth silliness to speedmetal, making fun of everyone and everything, except the Master Cheez, of course. Rad shit.
Pretty hot upbeat early style punk with a good sense of melody. Four live tunes and two studio ones.
This Minneapolis band blends a hard melodramatic rhythm with the typical complexly performed pop their town is known for. Ugly words, big buildups, and a hard drive make for a promising debut. Reminds me of WIRE at times.
Raging female vocals lead this HC frenzy. Sounds like a slightly more metal version of the early COMES. Intense.
Their name could be serious, judging by the lyrics to “Girl in Red,” but it could be a parody. Anyway, this is noisy punk and thrash with a metallic edge. Lyrics cover cops, skating, and moshing.
This is the legendary SF garage band that spent years preparing for this release. Although I’m partial to their rockin’ live show, this record is an adequate representation of the garage madness they’re capable of. Couldn’t live without it.
OK, this little gem features no less than 46 songs, all varying in style, content, and quality. From C&W to the harshest HC, all aimed to pierce your skin. GG fans take note.
A sexually offensive pic on the front (girl and gun mode), and an equally ridiculous essay on the back. Can’t figure this band. But the music is like a demented PIL meets early GODFATHERS bordering on industrial pop with very catchy melodies. Quite good.
Varied punk and pre-punk/post-punk styles. Two or three of the songs are fairly straight-ahead rockers with both ’60s and ’77 influences, while the others are more eclectic and slower-paced.
Metallish, hard rock-ish HC with tweedle-dee leads. Lyrically, I don’t know what’s going on, but they do have a song called “Suck My Cock.”
A repackaged “greatest hits” LP, this features “Wasted,” “TV Party,” “Six Pack,” “I Don’t Care,” “I’ve Had It,” “Jealous Again,” “Louie Louie,” “Gimme Gimme Gimme,” “Slip It In,” and more.
Early-style punk with an emphasis on melody. Lyrically, I don’t know what’s going on, but the music sounds good.
Good powerful thrash tunes from this Chicago band. “Not Just My Head” is a short blast, while “One Track Head” is a bit more complex and interesting, with loads of energy. An impressive start.
This is volume one of a “roots of punk” series, featuring Northern Ireland’s BEARS. They put out two 45s in ’77, one of which “bears” the name of the LP and rates in my top ten all-time punk list. However, that track on this live in ’77 recording is nowhere near as electrifying. Decent, but not necessarily magic.
Yet another HC band that’s pissed, full of brotherhood, and advocates a “love it or leave it” patriotism. “Back Off” is their by-word. See ya.
These guys make the CRAMPS look slick. Totally demented, rocking trash for all you retardos out there. A classic.
So-so hardcore without too much distinction. Competent musicianship, good lyrics, but just nothing special.
Some sloppy drunken punk rock for ya, with both serious and silly lyrics. Fun, but not the sort of thing you’d listen to often.
The first French speedcore release. AGRESSOR has less speed and more tuneage, while LOUDBLAST has the speed, more wanking, and even falsetto screeches. Gore themes, with a bit of politics.
Aside from a song or two, this live LP represents their latter sound, a rock-oriented approach. The songs are less anthemic and less gripping, more prone to length and dilution. It’s hard for me to relate to this approach, especially as 7 SECONDS was my fave for many years. And given my fondness for Kevin, it’s doubly hard to say I don’t really like this period of their work, never mind the thin sound on this LP.
Very solid punk and thrash with a hefty helping of innovation and originality. Sorta doomy, sorta metal-y, but all powerful. Includes a lyric book, but if you can’t read Swedish, you’re out of luck.
A comp of new (?) DC bands from rap to ’70s rock to speed metal. Acts include H.R., DOVE, PRESS MOB, and more, not much punkaroni, but one H.R. cut rocks.
These gals make the BEASTIE BOYS look like flaccid wimps, doing intelligent and hilarious acapella raps about macho goons, the FCC, poo, etc. With loads of funny between-the-songs banter. Totally rad, and the “special prizes” are yucky!
One of many emerging post-hardcore, offbeat bands that usually signs to SST or Touch & Go. Actually, post-punk or post-hardcore may not exactly be right, sorta more like pre…something, and I’m not sure I wanna know what. Intelligent doodling.
Garage rap is here and anyone can do it. Or so prove these guys. And they are really tough with songs/raps like” “James Dean is an Overrated Asshole” (“I’d kill him if I were able”), a song about a school chum called “Billy the Scab” who they want to die for various reasons, and of course a “We’re the Warlocks” anthem that all rappers must have no matter how stupid. This record is ridiculous but pretty funny.
The third in this sorta series, another monster with 41 bands, plenty of great punk, and of course, no info on any of the bands. I’m sure a lot of these tracks date back to ’83 and are by bands long gone as well as current groups like NOFX, MANIFEST DESTINY, CRINGER (who never sent in a tape and didn’t know anything about it till they saw the LP at my house!), LIFE SENTENCE, DEHUMANIZERS, CANCEROUS GROWTH, PTL KLUB, etc., and lots of vinyl virgins.
A solid comp with DISSONANCE, A.D.S., DEAD SILENCE, and more. Lots of energetic material (poetry too!!) with a message. Booklet included.
Risto Eronen has been doing a lot for the Finnish punk scene for years, but he’s now doing even more—putting out vinyl. This first release is a one-song-each comp featuring APARTHEID, IRSTAS, KUMIKRISTUS, VAPAUTUS, YTIMENJATKE, and NOJDANKENA. Lots of hardcore styles are represented, and I found the latter band’s slow but powerful attack the most refreshing. Watch for more.
A great title, and a pretty darn good tape, too. Featuring DECLINE, SCREECHING WEASEL, DISGRACE, SOCIAL DECAY, and more US acts with fair to good sound quality. Booklet included.
All Icelandic groups here, including S.H. DRAUMUR, SOGBLETTER, and more. Mostly straightforward punk, some more experimental, some on the commercial side. Generally pretty good.
Four bands that combine “tunes and speed” says the promo sheet. Well actually, what we have are four bands (JOYCE MCKINNEY EXPERIENCE, INCEST BROS, DECADENCE WITHIN, and NOX MORTALS) that play more traditional sounding punk—melody and medium-paced tempo. Female and male vocals on two bands, neat package, good stuff.
This series’ second go-round on Sweden, covering neo-’60s garage bands. This one features the HIJACKERS, HIGH SPEED V, UNDERTAKERS, SUBTERRANEANS, PRESCHERS, BANGSTERS, CORNFLAKE ZOO, and CRIMSON SHADOWS, capturing a variety of mostly hard-edged guitar punk à la ’67.
More tasty musical tidbits featuring EMILS, CHRIST ON A CRUTCH, DECLINE, and more, courtesy of Flush Productions. Lots of energetic punk tunes by hot upcoming hands!
COCKNEY REJECTS, ANGELIC UPSTARTS, and SHAM 69 from the older generation and a host of newer Oi! bands like INDECENT EXPOSURE, BRIAL, INTENSIVE CARE, SECTION 5, etc. Some OK lyrics, some shaky ones such as the Y.D.L. song, overall good catchy tuneage.
A hot comp featuring OUTO, CHICKEN BOWELS, SYSTEMATIC DEATH, GUDON, S.O.B., and LIP CREAM. Raging from start to finish, the OUTO and S.O.B. cuts are definitely the highlights, especially the latter who are unbelievable.
A pretty solid comp including everything from pop-punk to speedmetal to noisethrash. High points are FEED YOUR HEAD, DOOM, and NO FRAUD. Worth a listen. All proits go to No More Censorship Defense Fund.
This Scottish split LP (OI POLLOI and TOXIC EPHEX) has been out for several months, but I had a hell of a time finding one till recently. O.P. dish out their usual bass-heavy rage, and T.E. play melodic class punk, all of it good sounding. A fine indie product.
Their third twisted “holiday” comp, much in the vein of the previous LPs. Most of the bands are ’60s garage, blues, psych, featuring IGUANAS, GOREHOUNDS, SHARKY’S MACHINE, SENDERS, BROOD, etc., but my fave is the raunchy all-female STERILLES doing “Mrs. Claus has Menopause.”
Vol.1 of a worldwide HC comp series, with most of the songs being in a speedcore vein. Lots of the tunes have been released before, though several are re-recorded, and there are a few unreleased tracks as well. Included are VELLOCET, ACCUSED, DAMAGE (Finland), INFERNO, CAPITAL SCUM, STUPIDS (huh?), NO ALLEGIANCE, MANSON YOUTH, MANIACS, and G.R.B.
A three-song release that accompanies issue #10 of 11 Years On ‘zine. BLOOD AND THUNDER, HEAVY DISCIPLINE, and INSTIGATORS all do one, the latter being live. Last issue of this ‘zine, so pick it up now.
A pretty solid world comp of mostly wild punk and HC tuneage. Standouts included VISUAL DISCRIMINATION, EXTREMES, and more. Worth checking into. Booklet included.
Quite a diverse selection of material from acts like the STIFFS, INFECTION, F.V.K./EMG, and lots more. From slow, melodic punk to whirlwind thrash, it’s all here.
