Apes of Wrath Stronzo flexi EP
Simple pop punk with female vocals and sung in English and Italian. Amateurish and charming, like KLEENEX or something. Fun.
MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL
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Simple pop punk with female vocals and sung in English and Italian. Amateurish and charming, like KLEENEX or something. Fun.
The package this band’s record comes in is actually a 36-page booklet, written in German, full of information on nukes, racism, censorship, etc. The songs are all mid-tempo punkers, most holding my interest. Obviously a committed band, definitely into it.
Good diverse punk that could use some tightening up. Lyrically, they stress intelligent themes while keeping a fun approach. Should turn into something good.
Pretty hot stuff here from this NY bunch: slow to fast HC with what sounds like good lyrics. Rather original, also worth looking into.
Hot, powerful thrash and punk with neat guitar gits from this Swedish act. Comes with a rad lyric book, but it’s in Swedish. Check this out.
You know what’s irresistible and charming about this record is that it reminds me of JOHN CALE during his best period, right down to the vocalist, and acoustic ballad and some of the crunchiest rock’n’roll with perceptive lyrics that I’ve heard since I bought Sabotage.
A six-song speedmetal release that is very well done. Will appeal to bangers, skaters, and crazy haircut freaks everywhere.
DAN is actually a four-piece band, and a good one at that. They play good mid-tempo pop punk with female vocals and a peace-punk edge. Well worth checking out.
Well-done and powerful, this EP has two speed tracks and two medium-paced punk tracks. Lots of oomph and good production make it stand out.
A four-song release with one ’77-type song, an upbeat pop punk tune, and two pop clunkers, not especially gripping.
Musically, this is a big change from their first LP. Their sound is now in a crunching METALLICA vein, heavy on the power, while still maintaining their intelligent lyrical outlook. Although I like this album, I was expecting a little more creativity from these guys and girl, rather than the pedestrian speedmetal fare.
A very hard-hitting release from this Australian combo. Other than the occasional wah-wah guitar, their sound hearkens back to ’70s rock and early punk. Very basic rock and roll with straightforward power and decent lyrics.
Very much in a CLASH vein without being directly imitative. They fuse early punk, pop, reggae and more into a 78 type lightweight sound. All songs in English, politically aware, comes with a free bonus single.
Not as much metal damage as I had expected, and though some of the songs are horror-oriented, the band says they’re phasing out of that towards political lyrics, which already show a strong anti-sexist, anti-fascist strain.
Sounds like an American influenced skate/slam band. Mostly quick, forceful stuff, with some “heavy” sounds thrown in. Good stuff.
BUTTHOLES-like in some ways, though mellower and artier at times.
Strong punk and thrash with both melodic and metallic influences. Lyrically, they cover both personal and rebellious topics. Although the vocals get annoying at points, this is worth checking out.
The guitarist from GRONG GRONG has a new outlet for his noise, a crypto-blues outfit. I found it pretty monotonous and uninspirational, but I know that people who go in for Down Under rantings will like it.
Catchy, driving midtempo punk tunes with memorable choruses is what you’ll find here. Lyrics cover vivisection, freedom, and the mundanity of the “working life.” Pretty good stuff here.
Japan is notorious for husky-voiced yellers, so it had to happen…a band with a name like this – who don’t have a husky-voiced singer. What they do have is a tight, melodic hardcore band with a slight metal guitar. OK.
The English equivalent of the MENTORS?
The A-side has a slight ’60s feel, while the flip is more in a ’77 vein, both with a straightahead pounding beat, pop singing, upfront guitar. Decent, but not a rave.
Pop punk, but at least there’s flair here (as compared to most of the Japanese pop punk I’ve heard recently). There’s an edge, a bit of punch in the delivery, and nice changes. Not awesome, but fun.
Horrible metal with hardly any punk influences left. Comes with poster and plastic record-carrying bag – give me a fucking break.
This new one, with a new guitar player, has a rich, pop-ish feel that the last few missed. But this polish and melody doesn’t mask the catchy hooks and rhythms these guys are capable of. Maybe it is the vocalist, but this reminds me a little of early GANG OF FOUR.
Reworkings of their songs off the Why March When You Can Riot?! comp LP. The A-side rages, a powerful fast punk tune, while the flip is a mid-slow tempo tune with a sax that failed to move me.
A one-song effort, a garage-y catchy punk/funk tune that goes on and on, but you won’t mind. Fun.
With a title like that, no review is necessary. It’s all true, and live.
From Wales, this band handles both melodic thrash and various punk styles, the latter which predominates. Lyrics are all in Welsh, a very strange looking language, but the music speaks well for itself.
A comp (whose profits go to Jello and Co.) featuring WIDE AWAKE’s powerful HC sound, BLOOD IMPULSE ACTIVISTS’ creative punk, MALCOLM TENT’s ranting poetry and more. Definitely worth getting.
A varied punk thrash and post-punk collection contains tracks from many of the bands you’ve read about in these pages. Included are ARMIA, DEZERTER, REJESTRACJA, ZENNA, SIEKIERA, ABADDON, and PROCESS. This is out on the state label, Tonpress, but might be available through…
A benefit LP for the Anthrax, the club which gave these early Connecticut hardcore bands their starts. All the songs were originally released as EP’s (long out-of-print), and included are C.I.A., VATICAN COMMANDOS, REFLEX FROM PAIN, LOST GENERATION, and VIOLENT CHILDREN. A limited edition release, this is the first for this non-profit label. Great stuff!!
A terrific idea: Mystic has decided to chronicle a series of local punk scenes in a “Sound of USA Cities” LP series, this one centering on Portland, Oregon. RANCID VAT, ANATHEMA, N.R.A., and other bands share this album, which varies severely in sound and song quality. Still, an interesting document.
UPSET NOISE specializes in mid-tempo punk with distinct speedcore influences in most of the guitar riffing and some of the wanking. Good for the style, I don’t have much of a sensitivity for this kind of punk, though I have to compliment the fine acidy album cover.
A “history of” cassette, containing cuts off all their records, and a couple of live cuts. Great sounding punk and HC, well worth getting.
A pretty neat neo-’60s release. 4 songs in all, full production that makes the sound clear but not wimpified. Cool guitar, slightly echoey psych feel, and a good cover of the EYES’ (the 60’s UK band much like the early WHO) “When The Night Falls.”
Circa ’82 SUBS, some released before, some not — all studio. Classic punk sounds from a band that dates back to ’77 and who sport a singer older than me. While they’ve never grabbed me, the SUBS have been a perennial fave on the East Coast. Eight songs.
Innovative punk with attention keeping twists and turns, and neato guitar effects. A good mixture of power, originality, and momentum.
The reigning kings of booger-rock transplanted from Texas to San Francisco debut their first platter. (Their first release was a home-made eight track tape, and this disc lives up to its spastic reputation.) It’s almost as if retarded children, discovering Captain Beefheart, decide to play in a rock band. Music to wet your pants by.
Instead of the typical Finnish piledriving thrash, this superior EP contains four finely crafted classic punk tunes, all in an anthemic vein. “Shout,” in particular, reminds me of the kind of nostalgic, melodic punk we all used to live. Highly recommended.
Recorded a month after their final show, these 8 highly produced tracks are their last word. Many of their varied styles appear here: reggae punk, eclectic extended tunes, medium tempo punk, medium-fast tunes. While by no means throwaways, there are no immediate standout classics. And then came CULTURE SHOCK.
Five covers here: BEATLES, PINK FLOYD, etc. The originals may be sedate, but these guys totally rock out on “Ruby Tuesday” and “Comfortably Numb”. Pretty neat.
This band had a blazing HC EP out many years back, then did some recordings in ’83 and broke up before it was released. They’ve regrouped, I believe, and put out these sessions finally. While the new songs maintain their power, gone is the straight ahead approach, and instead they come on with a highly produced, sometimes post-punk approach, sometimes a bit MISFITS like. Very big departure.
I ordinarily wouldn’t review this kind of music, but because it’s on a “punk” label and looks like a “punk” package, I just thought I’d mention… it ain’t punk at all, it’s metal.
A really good hardcore EP, with a really energetic sound. Not generic, but not really new either, they do thrash right with zaniness and good lyrics. “Drugz” is a standout.
Four tracks here, all in a bouncy pop-punk style with those irresistible choruses you can’t help but sing along with. What’s more, the lyrics are extremely funny, showing a real satiric bite and flair. I have a feeling that punks everywhere are going to be singing these songs to themselves for a long time to come. Terrific record!!
Rampant sarcasm and a less than tight, ripping hardcore style are the trademarks on this debut LP by the SHAVED PIGS. The song structures are not always distinctive in these simple tunes, but their cover of the ISLEY BROTHERS’ “Shout” (here entitled “Slam”) is delightful. Good album cover, too.
The hardcore on this album goes in some original directions, especially in so far as the song arranging is concerned, but the ultimate effect is rather monochromatic and unappealing. Nonetheless, strong energy and power abounds here, and the lyrics are very strange.
The A-side of the 45 is a mid-tempo punk number boasting great hooks and lyrics in the best SS-20 style, with good arranging and even a nifty Beethoven guitar break(!). The two songs on the flip are faster and more powerful. Another excellent record from this consistent band.
Henry’s kinda joke, I guess, as the “concept” here is a bogus title, “Henrietta Collins and the Wifebeating Childhaters.” Ok. Musically, a new wave tune and a mandatory (he was from DC) WIRE cover on the A-side, and four tunes on the flip, which are more like what I thought would be on the LP, sorta rap/spoken word set to music, including a thrashing of “We Will Rock You” only it’s “I Have Come to Kill You.” Liked the LP better.
