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!
G.I. is flooding the market with quality DCHC. “Plain to See” is awesome, and though these live tracks vary a bit in sound quality, most are rippin’. Only minor metally digressions, as the pure punk sound predominates and dominates.
A very well-produced and appropriately gloomy JOY DIVISION-influenced band. Don’t know if this is your cup of arsenic, but if you’re into such moods, then you’ll be thrilled to death to pick this up.
This band explores the same territory as England’s SCREAMING DEAD—this is atmospheric horror rock, albeit with much less of a rock energy. Of the five songs here, only “Pink Little Playhouse” combines catchy post-punk arrangements with GARGOYLE SOX’s trademark twisted lyrics. A novel release.
The new refined GANG GREEN has a lot more metallic influences in this approach. A new band with Chris’ vocals sounding different, is this still GANG GREEN?? Maybe GANG GREEN meets AC/DC, but no longer is the maniac speed evident. Good guitar work, but craving the old band. You decide.
Garage thrash meets industrial noise. Primitive sounds whacked out with rock’n’roll gusto, includes both studio and live recordings. Some songs are actually catchy, and I got to (I think) feel complimented by the tune “Reagan Dropped the Bomb (on Tim Y).” Crude, rude, and rockin’.
This 12″ single is reported to be going around at a pretty steep price, so people who don’t consider themselves fans may want to think twice. But it does have some pretty cool tracks recorded live: the LOU REED cover is a little bit better because it doesn’t seem to ramble as much. Nice psychobilly artwork by R.K. Sloan.
This band is walking the tightrope of trying to delve more and more into rock and post-punk while maintaining the punk power of their earlier years. Overall, they manage to pull it off here, with the one or two less exciting tunes made up for by a tasteful cover of early JOY DIVISION’s “No Love Lost.”
This one takes their last record one step further, because the band is harder and tighter than before. The title of this EP is ironic because the band does seem to have the same hard-charging structures as STIFF LITTLE FINGERS. Let’s see what they can do with an album, now.
Unusual hardcore, where thrash meets industrial noise with sometimes inspired moments. There’s straight thrash too, as well as FLIPPER-esqe music. All in all, a band to reckon with, despite their garagy live recording. Very intelligent lyrics, too showing that thrash can indeed be creative and manic today. Hey, they even incorporate surf music into it.
Side one features a couple of slower punk tunes with gnarly vocals and somewhat metalish overtones. Side two is an unbearably long “freak out” Á la IRON BUTTERFLY or some godawful downbeat hand.
This band can be lumped somewhat into the same style as the WILD SEEDS, ZEITGEIST, NOT FOR SALE, and the TRUE BELIEVERS. In reality, this band is just a real cool guitar band with an excellent sense of melody. Personally, I wouldn’t mind at all if they turned their raunch guitars up a little, but with their songwriting quality, it isn’t that necessary.
The second tape from these folks contains five studio tracks and some live material, and is no letdown from the high quality inventiveness of their premier outing. Punk with guts but incorporating weird changes that most post-punk bands utilize at the expense of rawness and exuberance—these guys keep it all.
Despite the clichéd HC name, this transplant from Chicago has turned out quite a decent demo. Fine studio recording brings their thrash to life. It rips.
Not only do you get the DESCENDENTS’ classic Fat EP on this one, but also the two songs from their rare Ride the Wild 45 and an additional compilation track. This is hard-edged SoCal funnypunk at its best, and a welcome return to vinyl. May be the band’s best record.
The layoff and new drummer has not daunted DRI a bit. They’re back as powerful as ever, with 25 songs as wickedly sharp as ever. There are a couple of slower metalish tunes (DRI are big with headbangers), but most are short sharp shocks, and include a couple of reworkings of tunes off their debut release.
How about a grungy country rock tune that sounds like an outtake of STIV BATORS singing with the DREAM SYNDICATE?
When last we reviewed CHILD SUPPORT, we weren’t sure what direction they’d head musically. I’m still not sure; this is a pretty mixed bag of poppish-punk, new wave, experimentation, pop-rock, etc. Lyrics are above par in theme and intelligence, but this record will probably only appeal to the more open-minded or dance-oriented (not one and the same) folks.
Those Stepe brothers will do anything to keep their names in print, even going to the outrageous length of putting a tape out. Decent garage quality sound here, and better-than-decent stop-and-go thrash. Funny “thanks to” and “a big fuck-off-and-die to…” on the enclosure.
More intense thrash from CAPITOL PUNISHMENT. They’ve been a unit for a long time, and it shows in the ultra-tight instrumental attack displayed here. The vocals are exceptionally gruff, lyrics are well-taken, and there are even glimpses of quasi-psychedelic elements (in “Elephant Man’) and Euro-thrash (the guitar riff in “Broken Home”). Check it out.
CANCEROUS GROWTH do a respectable, but by no means brilliant job with the mid- to fast-tempo thrash formula, replete with rebellious lyrics and gruff vocals. This kind of thing has been done before, but I really enjoyed their high-velocity numbers. Basically OK.
Eclectic really is an understatement; these guys go everything from ska to dirge to VENTURES-inspired instrumentals. There’s even a tongue-in-cheek hippie version of BLACK FLAG’s “Wasted.” This one’s not going to be easy to figure out, but it might just challenge you a little.
The BURNT recorded this album on an 8-track machine in a basement somewhere, and the songs explore a variable-speed thrash style with growling vocals. It’s a good piece of work, too; most of the songs are concise, to-the-point thrashers, and there’s at least one mini-classic (“Garbage Can”).
The title track of this four-song release has a loose, angry, experimental energy that reminds me of Wednesday nights at the Mab in ’78. Synth and drums predominate on this one, but if you like diverse, almost-experimental pop, you might find this sporadically interesting. They also have a strange cassette out.
It’d be simplistic to compare this combo to the HÜSKERS, but suffice to say that they both play extremely fast pop music. At that point the comparison ends, as BRAILLE PARTY play very cleanly, though they don’t sacrifice a lot of power for doing so…just a lot of raunch.
The A-side original is a great organ/fuzz ’60s punk cut with snarling vocals and back-ups. The flip is a superior cover of an old RICHARD & THE YOUNG LIONS’ classic. Hot.
This one’s growing on me. Neat garage punk and thrash showing lots of imagination and diversity. There’s weirdness interspersed between tracks (must be a Midwestern tradition), in the tracks, and in the lyrics. Singer Eric Fund Fournier actually sounds like LOVE’s Arthur Lee on “Young and Restless.” Cool.
Lately, more bands have been adopting the nasty ’60s punk style (as opposed to the wimpy psych pop or folk approaches), and BAD TRIP are among them. Here the quality is a bit uneven, ranging as it does from a way hot original (“Never Had It Better”) to a fairly lame version of the REMAINS’ “Don’t Look Back,” but they definitely have potential.
Decent older styles of punk (’77, GUN CLUB, R’n’B), but often ruined by “rock” excesses of guitar solos and plodding metal structures.
This is spare pop with a country tinge, with an emphasis on the melodic vocals. A little wimpy.
Fairly powerful, pounding punk somewhat reminiscent of the DK’s, though that only creeps in occasionally in vocal quality and riffs. Just a few songs here, but they show much promise.
GG will never change. Rockin’ early punk-style garage numbers and every combination of obscenity and sexual depravity. We decided a woman should review GG to see if he really is offensive, and I think that if you are offended with such absurdities as “I Wanna Fuck Myself” (“cause I’m the best”) or “Needle Up My Cock” or “Kill the Children, Save the Food” and don’t see the obvious ridiculous satire, you’re just as sexually repressed as GG. If you like to hear strings of cuss words for 45 minutes, find this tape.
It took me a little time to actually follow this, but this band challenges themselves as much as their audience as they couple time signatures yet perfectly catchy, with weird percussion like bottles, bongos, scraping metal, etc. Reported to be the MINUTEMEN’s favorite new band.
Most Northern European bands don’t put much emphasis on melody, it seems but these SCOUNDRELS certainly do. This is somewhat explained by a lot of medium-tempo punk tracks (as well as faster thrash), where tunefulness is more important. Well done. They love the GERMS.
Tuneful punk with pop influences. Quite melodic but done with a raw edge, clean professional production. Contains members of STRES D.A. and UBR.
Both fast and slow hardcore of a rather standard type. It’s all well done, but doesn’t quite have a real spark to it which could be more a matter of recording than the band’s fault. Decent, with plenty of potential.
These Twin Falls lads have really improved since the last time I saw them. Here, they display a rough-edged harmonious sound with lots of good riffs and catchy melodies. Definitely not thrash, but action-packed power punchers like YOUTH BRIGADE or the VANDALS. They could do well with some vinyl or some good studio recording.
Remember “TVOD” by the NORMAL? Well, this band is sort of in that genre, along with early HUMAN LEAGUE, etc. Lots of experimentation with electronics with a punk feel overall.
Fuck if this doesn’t sound like S.S. DECONTROL’s second release. It’s got that power thrash sound, with Springa-like vocals galore. Very well done, with political lyrics.
Totally excellent tape that presents a wide variety of powerful punk/HC styles. Bands appearing include: IDIOTS, BEDROVLERZ RIM SHOUT, DIE ANNER, NORMAHL, RAYMEN, SCREAMING DEAD, DER RIB, SEPTIC PSYCHOS, etc. Rips!
This international comp features mainly Finnish, Swedish, and Brazilian bands, with a sprinkling of US and Australian. Some of the bands are: BRISTLES, MOB 47, TA.S.K. W.D.M., D.T.A.L., MASSACRE, R.O.T.A., VICIOUS CIRCLE, RUIDOS ABSURDOS, and many others. Varying sound quality, all savage.
Yet another international comp featuring Swiss, English, French, and other bands. Mainly featured are HELVET DISORD, XPOZEZ, VERDUN, STAHLWILLE, and VICIOUS CIRCLE. OK, but the sound quality is not the best.
This is a great effort, totally mindblowing EP featuring POWERAGE, PERMANENT DAMAGE, HUMAN BEINGS, TA.S.K., CANCEROUS GROWTH, CCM, and RATTUS. Just the right amount of sonic speed energy to flail the fire at. A world sampler 7″ that scorches the wax right off some of these so-called sampler LP’s. Yea—I support this, it’s one of those rave reviews.
Rot’s international comp with 13 bands and 22 songs featuring the VARUKERS (always kicking ass), D.O.S., BLEED, OVERDOSE, OI POLLOI, ANGRY RATS, XXX, NO CONCERN, and more. Lots of good music in a melodic vein, some fast, most medium-paced. Enjoyable for a whole sitting. Check into this.
Maybe I’m getting spoiled by all the great Italian HC releases of late, because this comp just doesn’t reach the energy or excitement level I’ve grown accustomed to. Most of the bands here (BASTA, CANI, DIOXINA, HOPE & GLORY, ROUGH, SS20, KLAXON, among others) turn in older-style punk or Oi sounds that just don’t overwhelm. Even the normally excellent NABAT doesn’t really break through.
A split LP by Italy’s I REFUSE IT and CHEETAH CHROME MOTHERFUCKERS, this was originally released as a tape by the bands in ’83. I REFUSE IT combines punk, jazz, thrash, and experimentation in a unique way, while CCM attacks with an experimental thrash that sounds like RAW POWER meets DIE KREUZEN meets the MINUTEMEN.
Shesk and the Xcentric Noise R.A.T.S. continue to keep those creative juices flowing, this time with a British compilation. A well-diversified sampler with thrash mayhem from the STUPIDS, Oi-type sounds from SAMPLES and PROTEST, power Britpunk from DEATH ZONE, SELF-ABUSE, ATROX, and ANNIHILATED, and the post-punk melodies of QUEL DOMMAGE with crazy blurbs between each song.
Three fine Spanish outfits (ODIO SOCIAL, ANTI-DOGMATIKSS, and AUTODEFENSA) share this 15-song tape—and each of the bands have something special to offer. The basic mode here is highly political thrash, and the sound is so frantic and committed that I think these tracks could justifiably be on vinyl. This is a great job; buy it!
Two tunes each from these British anarcho-punks. MORBID HUMOUR are more vocally oriented with sparser, slower instrumentation while ANTI-SYSTEM turns in two ripping classic UK thrashers. Good on both sides.
Rockabilly, the punk of its time, meets today’s punk in Psychobilly, some of the results are recorded herein. While the METEORS (who appear here) broke this trend, tons of bands have followed. And while the genre is even more restrictive than punk or HC, it still sounds good, especially the RESTLESS, DEMENTED ARE GO, and ROCHEE AND THE SARNOS. Enjoyable rockin’.
A Polish compilation LP that features both HC and reggae bands. Surprisingly well-recorded for the most part, there are some strong tracks by PROWOKACJA, ABADDON, TILT, and DEZERTER, among others, but the standout track is the title song of the LP, done by SIEKIERA. Find it if you can.
