For review and radio play consideration:
Please send one copy of 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. We reserve the right to reject releases on the basis of content. Music without vocals or drums will not be considered. All music submitted for review must have been released (or reissued) within the last two years. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!
Another cool neo-60’s recording put together by YARD TRAUMA’s Lee Joseph, this one international in scope. Overall, it’s kind of uneven, but there’s some top notch stuff here, including AL PERRY’s funny garage cut, the LAST DRIVE’s raw, folk-psych offering, the BROOD’s haunting number, and so on.
Four British bands share this compilation 45. SATANIC MALFUNCTIONS and ACTIVE MINDS play hot and heavy thrash, while basic punk and folky approaches are mined by INDIAN DREAM and RADIO FREEDOM, respectively. A respectable, interesting EP made recommendable by S.M.
This triple 60-minute cassette comp features 22 bands from around the world, all of which have good recording quality. Lots of favorites, such as: KGB, DEPRAVED, APOSTLES, KINA, and many more. Also includes a band info sheet.
Another great effort from this king of punk satire, a great, fun-packed 15 band compilation. Features such notables as PLEASED YOUTH, DEAD MILKMEN, and F.O.D., to name a few.
Lots of 60’s influenced bands, though more can trace their roots back to the MC5 heyday than to earlier garage punk days. Some poppy stuff is here, as well as pop-psych influenced tunes.
A live comp of up-and-coming East Coast acts. Making appearances here are CANCEROUS GROWTH, PTL KLUB, and a handful of smaller bands. Good job.
England’s DISORDER and Norway’s KAFKA PROCESS share this LP. Both sides supply a great amount of thrash delight: honest, loud, and powerful. Each band has an average of five songs that are backed up with strong production without being slick.
A nice mixture of pop-punk, thrash, ’77, and even some ska punk thrown in, all delivered by Yugoslavian outfits. Comes with a booklet, neat package.
Here’s a Peruvian HC comp showcasing acts which range from frantic thrash to energetic ’77 punk, with varied sound quality. Most notable is LEUSEMIA, Peru’s answer to the RAMONES.
Despite the uninspiring cover art and the LED ZEPPELIN-like intro to the title song, this new release has all the UPRIGHT CITIZENS trademarks — tight, imaginative instrumental arrangements, plaintive lead vocals, memorable hooks, and generally on-target lyrics.
The female vocals here recall a mid-period SIOUXSIE, but not overtly, while the instrumental sound falls into that flanged British post-punk approach popularized by VIRGIN PRUNES et al. This is a good example of the genre, but by no means special.
I liked this band’s debut EP last year for its twanginess and scruffy vocals. Here, they have kept just a little bit of that while concentrating on the musicianship. “Thing…” is basically a somber instrumental, and the flip has a charming shit-faced singalong feel to it.
On the two zippier tunes here, they sound like GIRLS AT OUR BEST with a shade of BUZZCOCKS. On the other two, I fell asleep and can’t remember.
A reissue of the ’77 classic by Martin Rev (rhythm) and Alan Vega (vocals). SUICIDE pioneered this experimental but raunchy early punk sound, using effects in a psychotic VELVETS meets THROBBING GRISTLE manner with a dab of rockabilly. Get it!
The Spanish equivalent of MINOR THREAT? Well, they cover “Straight Edge” and they have a fast, clean sound. Lyrics in Spanish, fucking great stuff.
One of the greatest snarly teen voices in the neo-’60s vein, combined with a rockin’ R’n’B combo makes for hot listening. The addition of Farfisa doesn’t really help a lot, but the band is so astute that it certainly doesn’t hurt. Excellent.
Not quite as frantic as their fellow Italians NEGAZIOONE or INDIGESTI, STIGE favors a slightly melodic thrash sound, characterized by a hyperspace guitar sound. Good job.
A one-man band, believe it or not. Reminds me a little of the UK SUBHUMANS, with an energetic sound and impassioned political lyrics. Small booklet enclosed, great effort.
Varied musical approaches for this (relatively) long-lasting Ohio band. Fraser Sims and company prove they can do thrash, hard-edged mood music, funk-influenced beats, etc., with equal ease and power. Hard-thumping Midwest stuff.
The STAR CLUB are at their best when playing their trademark ’78 sound, with good guitar hooks and catchy melodies. This album is not quite as consistent as their last two, but contains a few flashbacks of their former glory, albeit without the characteristic grunginess. Okay.
Live, these guys impress with their tunes, energy, and performance. Here, you get a well-crafted pop LP. I know the HÜSKER DÜ comparison is uncool, but it’s so obvious, along with a REPLACEMENTS touch, that I gotta do it. Power-pop.
New wavy power-pop with saxophones and some funky elements thrown in. I don’t like this.
This outfit has a power-pop approach very similar to GET SMART or early ANGST, though the hooks almost (but not quite) connect on this three track EP. “I Made Love to A Vulcan” is pretty funny. Good sleeve, too.
This is a tough upbeat debut by an accomplished young band. There’s lots of heavy guitar sounds with swaggering melodies. At different times, I heard elements of the DOORS, LOVE, and the first record by the FLAMING LIPS.
A bunch of great country bumpkins with a swell sense of humor. There’s a goofy garage quality that made FLAMING LIPS so cool. They have a slight tendency to slip into ZZ TOP guitar riffs but the spirit of these guys make it forgivable.
The long awaited follow-up to their first LP is here and takes off where the other left. Classic SNFU songs are filled with catchy riffs, breaks, hooks, beats, howls, and laughs. These twelve songs rip from start to finish, and the band has yet to compromise their sound and ideas, and hopefully never will.
A real homemade job, just 300 pressed of this one-sided, hand-painted cover LP. A cleaned up CHEMOTHERAPY? Perhaps, but this is still grungy Midwest punk. No frills from this now-defunct Pittsburgh band, just basic garage democracy.
More typically an “Amigo” band, there’s a “big” garage-type sound here, straightforward pounding rock’n’roll and snarled vocals. Both sides rock. Heard this is the NOMADS under an alias.
This album sees the genesis of a much cleaner and more defined RAZZIA sound, with synth even making an appearance. The best songs here are engaging and passionate, and contain a measure of accessibility to compensate for the loss of power. This band is still a force to be reckoned with. Very good.
I’m always suspicious of records that only have song titles of three or less words. All the “tunes” here (except the title song) have just two words, and the music is equally imaginative. For the speed metal genre, it is pretty well done, but ultimately dulls the senses.
One side is way too pop for my tastes (as are many of their releases), but the flip has much more of a rockin’ feel, with a sound reminiscent of many of the bands on this label (NOMADS, etc.)
Your standard but well done Euro-thrash release — meaning lots of guitar, gruff vocals, and light on melody. Four songs, no surprises, but tight and loud.
A searing performance from this overlooked Boston outfit. About thirty minutes of insane thrash and even a funny interview on side two.
Cleanly produced garage punk which occasionally ventures into surf, funk, etc. Lyrics seem to be quite sarcastic. A fun tape.
Like RED KROSS, this band draws from 70’s hard rock for influences, combining guitar power-pop with punk crunch for maximum effect. Well done.
Fast melodic punk from these Swedish crazies. Includes five originals and a cover of “I Saw Her Standing There.” Fun.
Five songs in a punkish vein here, with good female vocals to boot. The operative track is “Fuck SACEM,” a steamroller in the tradition of the ELECTRIC DEADS with blazing guitar and great wailing, though the other songs are adequate.
Thrash, jazz, and funk up the butt, dude. A total crackup, right down to them saying Oi stands for Oppressed Intelligence. Too funny for words.
Just a ranting poet and a guitarist — great lyrics, but the guitar has so many special effects that it doesn’t add to the rawness that would make the lyrics really come to life. Have seen them live and they had a lot more impact that way. Still, the words are worth hearing.
This British band specializes in committed mid-tempo punk in an ’82 formula, sounding somewhat like a rawer DIRT with their alternating male/female vocals. Good nostalgia value here, but the formula is fueled with contemporary energy.
OTH combines a punky power chord song structure with cool rock’n’roll breaks to create a familiar and engaging instrumental sound. The individual tunes don’t leave much of an impression, and this is proven by the fact that the best song on this LP is a wonderful cover of “California Sun” called “Le Soleil du Midi.” Basically okay.
When they really get rolling, O.H.M. are an instrumental powerhouse, with loads of guitar abetting their thrashy tunes. The sung vocals definitely detract from the overall power, but this Danish band wins points for a sound that should be the envy of many a thrash ensemble.
Political pop punk with mod traces and CLASH influences. Well done but not on the edge.
One excellent song from these troopers, just to prove they still exist. Max Volume and Buzzsaw Iron Bill have been at it for years (only previous vinyl was on MRR’s Not So Quiet comp of ’82) and though this song doesn’t contain the humor of most of their material, it still rips. A freebie to Thrasher subscribers. More Max!!!
A supposedly “fun” album by this New York band, one of many that play good music (punk—as opposed to thrash metal—in this case) but who make it difficult to enjoy because of their advertised ignorance (homophobia, among others). Accompanying press release actually lauded singer Jimmy Gestapo for his “Donohue” performance, as well as containing his self-description as a “macho goon.” Real fun.
A re-release of a great punk record for those who missed the first time around. This matches their early 1980 7″ release with some noisy but spirited live tracks from their last show.
Powerful hardcore with a searing dual guitar wall of sound pushes this tape ahead of the pack. Reminds me of BLAST, even down to the determined personal lyrics. Hot release!
Kind of what you’d expect from German punk bands. They’ve got a nice HÜSKER DÜ-ish distortion on the guitar, but everything else sounds kind of tired. Sometimes, it takes more than just guitarwork to make a great record.
This is one of those things that looks better on paper. Basically a jam between the MINUTEMEN and BLACK FLAG back in early 1985. The one song written by Boon manages to hold its own, mainly because of the structure there, but the rest end up like some late night jam fest with nothing getting accomplished.
More fun for the fuzz-heads. Here, MIKE RUNNELS overloads the guitar distortion with a really good, catchy melody and manages to get the JESUS AND MARY CHAIN sound without the wimpy melancholy — and though I don’t think I heard any drums, you don’t really miss it.
