For review and radio play consideration:
Please send vinyl (preferred), CD, or cassette releases to MRR, PO Box 3852, Oakland, CA 94609, USA. Maximum Rocknroll wants to review everything that comes out in the world of underground punk rock, hardcore, garage, post-punk, thrash, etc.—no major labels or labels exclusively distributed by major-owned distributors, no reviews of test pressings or promo CDs without final artwork. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!
A six-song release, mainly of pounding guitar heavy rock with late-’60s Detroit power and punk influences. Lyrics are nothing, but on one song, “Shake It Loose,” the band does produce something memorable in sound.
Full speed ahead power punk and hardcore with quite a few innovative bits and jarring stops/starts and tempo changes. “One Track Head” is a mind-blowing standout.
This UK band contains Ed of the STUPIDS, and, as expected, there’s a decided American sound here, but not in the same way. The music and lyrics have a DC-type “emo” approach, a powerful but ultimately laid back sound.
The latest EP by ATTANAS shows considerably more finesse and style than before, with occasional melodic concessions, but losing none of the high-sped HC power. These songs are short and to the point, and show some songwriting quality. Very good effort.
Very loose mayhem thrash. Rapid speed dirge guitar and machine gun drumming are joined with harsh, scrambled vocals. All the songs are fast and raw, putting this band in the ranks of DISORDER, NAPALM DEATH, and CHAOS UK.
Another in a spate of reissues, this one containing some classic retardo garage punk from 1980. Remixed a bit (not to its detriment) and powerful, it contains “Right Side of My Mind”, “You Stupid Asshole,” “Get Off the Air,” and two more gems. Get it.
This record is on a label called Heavy Metal Records, comes without a lyric sheet, sounds laden, but somehow has a glint of individuality. I had a hard time with the length of the cuts and their ponderance, but hopefully beneath all this weight and silliness lies some good lyrics and intentions. Hopefully.
WHITE FLAG has, on this live EP, documented their European tour with a clutch of fast, funny, and hard-rockin’ songs. The recording quality is adequate, no lyric sheet is provided (this band needs one), and all things considered, this is probably a good documentation on their tour. Actually enjoyable.
Three bands out of N. Ireland share this amazingly great record. ASYLUM, STALAG 17, and TOXIC WASTE absolutely kick ass, both musically and lyrically, delivery track after rack of powerful hardcore. Very convincing and necessary!
A way hot Aussie HC comp featuring ARM THE INSANE, NOBODY’S VICTIMS, and four more acts. Good material, booklet included. Nice job.
A pretty swell comp featuring some big names (DEAD MILKMEN, INSTIGATORS, etc.), and a host of smaller acts like BILLY & THE WILLIES, CIVILISED SOCIETY?, etc. Good stuff.
Yee…ouch! Another righteous comp from Flush Productions, featuring quality stuff from SEWER TROUT, IRSTAS, DISTORTION X, and many more. Consistently hot stuff here.
60 minutes of high quality HC power here. Outstanding tracks by ANGRY JOHNNY AND THE SNOTS, SHELL GAME, and CHRIST ON A CRUTCH. That’s a hint, so get this one, okay? Band info included.
Righteous gonzocore from HEIBER, CRINGER, DISSENT, QUOD MASSACRE, and a slew of other world HC acts. Damn good sound, cool lyric book, one rad tape.
Well, they’ve heard early PRETTY THINGS-type primitive R’n’B, especially the Jagger-like vocals, raw plunky guitar sound (though nowhere as grungy as the THINGS), etc. Out of Sweden.
Great thrash cover of the KINKS’ “Dandy”, a couple of slower tunes with a good snotty-sounding vocalist, and a recitation of the Gettysburg Address set to ominous sounds. Enjoyable.
The BYGONE ERA sound is just that, 78 all the way, relying on a steady and fast punk beat. WARNERS too are a blast from the past, with gruffer vocals and more rock-type guitars. Two songs each.
One of my favorite young, unknown Australian bands. They have the same kick and drive of a group like the HARD-ONS but they’re not as goofy. More somber in the style of the GUN CLUB or DREAM SYNDICATE.
Some good original singalong straightedge thrash from AZ. They mix it up well, plenty of hooks and positive lyrics you can relate to. If you like STALAG 13, UNIFORM CHOICE, etc. check em out!
Totally enjoyable stuff from the crooks, catchy rockin’ mid-tempo punk with oodles of energy and drive. Way bitchin’.
VIKTIMZ pride themselves on their highly sarcastic, “fuck-you” lyrics and high-velocity thrash attack. A variety of topics, from abortion and nuclear war to martians, is covered with adequate musical punch and fair production — but the attitude is the main attraction here.
Old fashioned punk both in musical style and lyrical content, mainly dealing with getting fucked (take that any way you want).
One track each from thirteen primal Aussie punk bands, most being off 77 era singles and most being hot! VICTIMS, RADIO BIRDMAN, ROCKS, NEWS, PSYCHO SURGEONS, RAZAR, LEFTOVERS, X, THOUGHT CRIMINALS, SCIENTISTS, and more. As many U.S. bootlegs claim Australian addresses, this release claims a U.S., but don’t be surprised if no one’s home.
A grand collection of Australian sludge/noise bands. Great names too — BUSH OYSTERS, PURPLE VULTURE SHIT, LUBRICATED GOAT. Also includes the last track ever by the now defunct GRONG GRONG.
A very on-target U.S. comp featuring tuneage by INSTED, SCREECHING WEASEL, FRONT, DIDDLY SQUAT, and more. Another righteous rad tape from this cool label.
Three bands share this tape: BACK TO BACK (CA) who have a hot clean thrash sound, YOUTH UNDER CONTROL (AZ) playing positive HC with energy, and LAST OPTION (AZ) dishing out fierce thrash with personal lyrics. Live records with booklet, great stuff!
A damn good comp of Icelandic acts ranging from straightforward punk to more conventional rock sounds. SOGBLETTIR, GULT AD INNAN, and the DAISY HILL PUPPY FARM stand out as the best.
This selection of neo-’60s bands covers Germany. Bands like LEGENDARY GOLDEN VAMPIRES, the CHUD, BEATITUDES, SHINY GNOMES, and more drop all over the turntable for your delight. Nothing too raving here, just fifty mike doses.
NEW DRUGS, the 5.6.7.8’s, SHUFFLE, and another band whose name is in Japanese present cowpunk, SHIRELLES/DOLLS-style early 60s stuff, and 77 punk. Weird mix to say the least, though the SHUFFLES’s “Working Class” has SHAM catchiness.
A six band comp which features the catch punk of ALLIGATOR PARADE, HALF OFF’s powerhouse thrash, and GOV’T THRASHER’s hot noise. A hot consistent tape.
Seven highly moshable tunes here, all showing some kind of searching attitudes. While there are still traces of the NY “hard” attitude, there’s much more of a human quality that’s replacing the naive “unity for unity’s sake” approach. Bands include YOUTH OF TODAY, SICK OF IT ALL, SIDE BY SIDE, BOLD, WARZONE, SUPERTOUCH, and GORILLA BISCUITS. Pick it up, and hope that as these bands mature they will prove less mercenary and display more emotional depth than the previous wave of NYHC.
First off, you get 70 minutes of MOTO STILL BIRTH recorded live at Jake’s last show. They’ve been around forever and yet no one seems to know who they are. They mix thrash, metal, punk, and even a little reggae and remain politically aware and totally incoherent at the same time. Plus 20 minutes of VICTIMS FAMILY, including three non-LP tracks.
What a wicked cool comp featuring the likes of DESECRATION, SONS OF ISHMAEL, LIFE SENTENCE, and many more. Prime choice North American acts. Booklet enclosed.
Don’t let the posi-punk title scare you, cuz this fucker rocks hard with acts like PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, HALF OFF, and FALSE LIBERTY. This rocks your gizzard!
This flexi comes with the first issue of Future-Now! UK zine and features one song each by HERESY, STUPIDS, and DEPRAVED (now called VISIONS OF CHANGE). All three songs are great, each with its own style of thrash, all backed by high energy and good intentions.
A pretty hot comp heavy on the HC and speedmetal with acts like SUBVERSE, DEATH SENTENCE, FRATRICIDE, and a slew of Canadian bands. Worth checking into.
An all-Japanese release for those who can’t locate the stuff. Contains a track or two from DEADLESS MUSS, SO WHAT, DETROIT, and FUCK GEEZ. Decent thrash material, nothing lame but little awesome from the current crop.
Three songs, all good garage/’77 punk with good production. Pretty decent lyrics, too, highly caustic towards retardo-punk attitudes. Cool.
This is simple, three-chord punk with basic production and messy vocals — all played in a moderate tempo. The four songs here sound uninspired and rather monochromatic, though I did like the harmonica break in “Control U.”
This duo of Spanish bands demonstrate a remarkable similarity to Finnish bands from 82 or so. U.G., with their ultra-fast, messy thrash sound, is reminiscent of that first BASTARDS EP; R.D.R., with more extended song structures but the same general style, recalls the first EP by RIISTETYT. Altogether, rather like a blast from the past, and recommendable for the U.G. side.
Really powerful garage rock’n’roll with lyrics that are unpretentious but not dumb. Sounds like 76 era pub rock’n’roll with some 77 hindsight. Title track is an apt anthem.
TOTALITÄR, with a grinding HC guitar approach and a tasteful speedcore edge, pummel out five tracks on this one. The closest comparison I can think of is ANTI-CIMEX, and the vocals on this one manage to convey a real sense of urgency and power. Very strong release.
A noisy and confusing blast of electrical air that throbs and throbs like a bad toothache. The only thing I could come close to comparing it to would be CABARET VOLTAIRE’s “Nag Nag Nag” era. Great.
Crossover stuff which leans a little more to the metal side. Powerful, hoarse vocals, can’t decipher the words, but “Punk Virgin” sounds a bit suspicious…
Hot straight thrash with personal lyrics. Tight, competent stuff with a good sense of melody and clean production. Good tape.
Metal damage, leads, and metal structures overwhelm whatever non-cliche aspects remain. Pretty driving, but hard to take or sift through to get any fun out of.
Great creative punk with loans of innovation and unique twists and turns. Angry personal and political words topped with tight instrumentation. Not generic by any means.
Echoes of ASTA KASK and 6-10 REDLOS reverberate through the eight tracks on this fourth release from this Swedish band. Melodic, driving pop-punk is the order of the day, and it’s handled with style and verve. Nice choruses, powerful instrumentals—a good showing.
Insanity. 39 loony thrash tunes which would make the most serious hard-ass punker crack a smile, and at 5.1025641 cents a song, it’s a real bargain. Song title of the month: “Skinheads Move to Hungary.”
The rambunctious pop-punk on this record has a pleasantly tough power chord instrumental sound (abetted by sloppy, but good arrangements), and screamed vocals over the whole thing. The two songs on the A-side rock, while the one on the flip is less special.
