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!
Political punk from Greece. This is ’77-style punk with a bit of a CLASH influence. Reconfirms my opinion that Greek, along with French, is the worst sounding language to work with in punk songs.
A real powerhouse band and album. Non-stop quality thrash, great sounds, and even hooks and choruses. Guitar gets out front a few times, but it’s restrained and the overall band sound is maintained. With titles like “Lost of Words” and “Not Worth Dawn” (they do mean “damn”) you can’t go wrong. Killer.
On their second LP, this German band upholds a uniformly good quality of energy, instrumental tightness, and anthemic lyrics. Overall, a very pleasant package, but on listening to the individual songs, nothing really stands out as unique or especially gripping. Just another buncha mid-to-fast tempo HC/punk songs with the slightest of core tinges.
Pop punk and thrash. The music’s good, song titles like “Fuck’n Girl” and “Nagality” leave me scratching my head, and it came packaged with a flexi from another band the JOKERS. Same planet, different worlds.
Hardcore, sort of like a fast PERSONALITY CRISIS. Rock structures, pounding beat, crunch guitar, semi-theatrical vocals. Heavy handed.
The really outstanding thing about this album is the remarkably flexible, yet plaintive female vocals which grace the songs. The instrumentals veer into a kind of bassy mid-tempo HC drone as the tunes progress, but with more distinctive material, this band could really excel.
This band frequently has flow, metalish intros, then launches into non-metallic straight ahead thrash. Five tunes, some catchy.
A three-song, lightweight pop-punk release. Comes packaged like the first PIL 7″. “Punk the World” it says on the back. I guess their approach is to lull em into it.
Missed this when it came out, but it’s well worth listing now. Very much in the English “peace punk” tradition, there are CRASS—like rants set to driving simple punk, poetic conversations and folky interludes a la CHUMBA. Well done.
Most of this month’s Japanese batch have been really poppy, as is this one. I guess it’s a trend. First metal punk, now this. But it’s not ace pop-punk. Just wimpy ass stuff. Aaagh!
A serious political band whose music has a lot of comparisons with CHUMBAWAMBA due to their hard-driving punk and light, mid-tempo poetic numbers. But this band tends toward a slow, melodic gothic sound which at times drags on. However, their message is strong and communicated loud and clear with female/male vocals and an inspiring booklet.
This Aussie outfit employs an approach to HC which emphasizes simple, riffy structures (frankly with not enough variety to keep my musical interest) abetted by the upfront guitar sound. The real highlights here are the exceptionally passionate words, and of course, the great cover art.
A five-song release of pretty high quality thrash. Lots of melody, though, no metal, tight playing, and lots of energy.
Sort of MC5 meets BIG BOYS and BUTTHOLES. Hope ya like wah wah.
Sounds like a rawer-edge Homestead band with a political consciousness (a contradiction in terms?). Very HUSKER-ish guitar, aggressive but controlled post-thrash: I think they’d be very at home in DC today. The final COR release, distributed by…
Straightforward basic driving thrash unaffected by other musical styles. I’d understand the words if I hadn’t failed my Spanish class. Good youthful energy.
Slightly metallic hardcore similar to POISON IDEA, but with a real sense of drama and passion. Lyrics are heartfelt and truly progressive. Hot stuff.
An eclectic album full of guitar pop. Most of it is quirky and the rest is countrified psychedelic. Occasionally, it even rocks out, but not nearly often enough. The guitar playing is very high quality, the musical structures are too clever for their own good. Someone should make the CREEPERS listen to the RAMONES’ Road to Ruin LP because a dose of cretinism is needed here.
While there’s no overt fascist ideology in most of the lyrics, the mentality is there, both on a more subtle level (the admiration of blind violence, the skin “look” and the inferences to racism in “White Cap.”) on the sleeve itself, graphics are by “KKK”, as well as plenty of iron crosses. Musically, pretty decent Oi sounds.
The second LP from CHUMBA is as lyrically on target as ever. They blend many musical styles, tempos and deliveries and top it off by putting it out on their own label. A superb effort with excellent results. Gatefold cover, too.
This is German thrash in a pared down American style — thirteen no-nonsense, short and to-the-point songs….terrific energy….riveting bass riffing….great guitar attack. This one has it all, so you’d be a sucker not to snap this baby up. (Great cover art, too!)
Three of the four songs are really decent medium-fast punk with a drum sound that seems like a machine til it does stuff a machine can’t. Catchy tunes, pounding beats, and good guitar. 75%.
Ninety minutes of enjoyable punk noise from one of Germany’s first punk bands. Lots of catchy originals, plus covers of “Paranoia,” the Bonanza theme, and more. Weeee!
Really great garage here, really pounding punk. Cool cover of the RATIONALS’ hit, plus two other ravers. No info on sleeve as to their origin, but they don’t seem to be the band from Wales. Ragin’ stuff.
Was expecting a bit weirder than the ’77 pop I got. Like wimpy CLASH? Wrong generation.
A “live in the studio” recording, this band is of the ’77 ilk, featuring a female singer, organ, and cover “Pretty Vacant”. Where am I?
Four ultra-catchy pop-punk tunes with a definite RAMONES influence without being copycats. Very basic, very rockin’, very good.
Mostly JESUS AND MARY CHAIN-trend stuff here. Pop, feedback, distant, a beat.
Andy Martin has always been a bundle of contradictions, and on this, their fifth LP, he comes off with his reactionary side, a perspective that would make SKREWDRIVER proud. There’s as much hatred, racist bullshit, and “white tribalism” here as on any LP by the aforementioned sickies, and this time the APOSTLES even sound like SKREWDRIVER. Very fucking sad.
Three fairly similar speedcore songs, short on melody and long on guitar squawking. Good lyrics, good intentions, but nondescript speedcore is even worse than nondescript thrash.
ABRATZK provide garden variety thrash on their cuts, with one pop-punky change-of-pace number that took me off guard and is quite good. On the other hand (and side), G.E. delivers amazingly intense HC thrash with spirited gruff vocals — a totally winning band. Two outfits to watch out for—and recommendable for the ELEPHANTS’ songs.
No lyrics sheet or song titles make it difficult to understand what this album is about. There could be some kind of underlying theme but the music resorts to loud repetitious thrash, speedcore, 70s rock, instrumentals, Italian movie soundtracks. Overall, this is good, but not very clear as to its message. What the fuck?
Good wholesome lyrics like the FEEDERZ and CRUCIFUCKS backed with thrashy punk rock. Songs are structured with enough great hooks to keep you on your toes. My faves are “Godarchy,” “Russians on TV.” And “Anal Roberts.” Good shit!
The greatest hits of Homestead. Can’t afford all those records? Get all the hits here. Included are: VOLCANO SUNS, BIG BLACK, NAKED RAYGUN, LIVE SKULL, DEATH OF SAMANTHA, DINOSAUR, SQUIRREL BAIT, SALEM 66, and many more.
A fine collection of known and unknown, previously released and unreleased psychedelic and psychotic bands of 1987. Nothing “neo” about this. Just hit after love hit. Features among many: HALF JAPANESE, SHOCKABILLY, ARTLESS, BONGWATER, FRED FRITH, KRACK HOUSE, STEVE TAYLOR, and ALLEN GINSBURG. Absolutely wonderful.
Compiled by the BUTTHOLE SURFERS, there’s two tracks each by said band. Steve Fitch, Daniel Johnston, and STICKMEN WITH RAYGUNS. It’s all Texas weirdness/bad acid stuff. Highlight is the latter band, whose sound is like the SCREAMERS meets FLIPPER.
Sort of interesting comp of mostly East Coast pop bands. I’ve never heard of (except homeboys TEN TALL MEN). From pretty catchy to extremely droll. A little electronics and a little psychedelia. SIGNS OF LIFE, TEN TALL MEN, BIG DIPPER, and EXPANDO BRAIN are the highlights. So-so.
A pretty solid world compilation featuring the INSTIGATORS, YOUTH QUAKE, UPRIGHT CITIZENS and more. Contains studio and live material. Good job.
Three separate EPs, three different sounds, three different color vinyls. PILLSBURY HARDCORE, PEACE CORPSE, and WHITE’N’HAIRY get their individual say here. Made for collectors, comes in a box.
This blows doors! Innovative powerful thrash with lots of spark and bite, great production, the works. My suggestion; get this tape.
Sort of a BUTTHOLES/BIG BLACK on the A-side, while the flip’s got a bit of BEEFEATER sound to it, though a bit more rock. Hard bite.
Pretty good thrash from this SoCal outfit. Lyrics mostly fall in the personal category: values, friends, etc. Fans of ILL REPUTE should check this out.
This NY-based band for the most part stays clear of the “straight edge mosh style” and goes for more of a melodic HC sound that at times creates some great rockin’ songs. The lyrics, however, are a mix of silliness, dark, and social-political. The most annoying point here is their narrow minded patriotic support for Vietnam vets.
Every one of these German bands (CHALLENGER CREW, UNWANTED YOUTH, SPERMBIRDS, JUMP FOR JOY, SKEEZICKS, PMA, and ANTITOXIN) deliver one song each, and great ones they are. It’s rare to find a comp that’s really consistently sold, but this one is. Put out by Trust fanzine.
Hot, hot, hot stuff here by UNSEEN FORCE, IMPACT, INFERNO, ELECTRO HIPPIES, and more. Informative booklet enclosed and this is a benefit for Animal Liberation Front. No excuses, get this!
Four Holland acts on this disc: LAITZ, BTD, KIKKERSPUUG, and LOUD WARNING. All take the hard and fast approach, with a bit of variation. Not too much originality shines through, but the intensity is present, especially on BTD’s material.
About seven years after the trend, along comes a sampler of NY area ska bands. Varying calibre, mostly rocking.
An OK European comp with THE UNACCEPTED, UNION CARBIDE, and more. Music is mostly hard and fast and comes with a booklet. Nothing special.
A five-band comp that features one song each from groups that span the length of this island nation. ACID REIGN, HOLOCAUST, DEFIANCE, and MINDFUCKERS all have a ’77 UK sound, and all the recordings are amateurish, though the latter has a most interesting track. NAZGUL is in the thrash vein, and attacks! Good cut!
A great, diverse benefit comp for the Leeds Hunt Saboteurs. Music ranges from punk to folk, most of which is powerful and backed up with good meaning. Included are UPRISING, CHUMBAWAMBA, AUTONOMY, ELECTRO HIPPIES, and CIVILISED SOCIETY?. Worth looking into.
