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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!
Japanese speedcore with a low-end recording. Scratchy growls are ever-present, with whiny guitars and deep bass plucks. MOBS’ style of thrash is in the GISM/ZOUO form, really spits out the distortion of the prominent sound. Fast, gritty, and abrasively intense, this six-song EP really charges the chaotic crunch. Another of the monster vocal hits.
Pretty English-sounding Japanese hardcore. Three tunes. Not really strong lyrically, but the production and musicianship are excellent.
Quite melodic and catchy folk punk (guitar and drums) that reminds me of the pleasing simplicity of NEWTOWN NEUROTICS. And like NEWTOWN NEUROTICS, Andy T. presents material (new on side one, retro on side two) that is intelligent and caring.
This is a comp of their first two 7″ EPs released by a new LA affiliate of this cool Australian label. In my opinion, they’re one of the hottest R’n’B, rock ’n’ roll, neo-’60s, psych-pop bands in the world (next to the NOMADS)…and the best from Australia since RADIO BIRDMAN, whose influence is felt here. It’s hard to pick a fave track, but “Can’t Wait Too Long” and “Slave Girl” are hot with great hooks.
This band should rule the world. They let other idiots do it, and LAUGHIN’ NOSE are much funnier. This band make the TOY DOLLS seem like the merry-go-round compared to the intense coaster. LAUGHIN’ NOSE is jovial, funny, and the lyrics will keep you rolling. Both these songs were on the Hardcore Unlawful Assembly comp LP, yet are still classics and worthy of any collection. No, this isn’t thrash, but hilarious antics in the DICKIES’ vein. Great!
This Japanese trio wails. The strong bass playing, tight drumming, and powerful guitar pull together into a hardcore experience that’s quite noteworthy. On both fast and slow songs, they grab your attention.
L’INFANTERIE SAUVAGE combines elements of pop-punk (in the restrained guitar work and sing-along vocal choruses) and Oi (in the chants that punctuate this EP) on the four-and-a-half songs here. This record’s distinctiveness feels good on the way down, but this band hasn’t quite developed the knack for writing songs that stick to the ribs.
The first track is in Tesco-territory, if you know what I mean—industrial “music.” Second track is a little more musical, and mercifully short. From Japan.
Hot Italian buzzbomb laced with metallic thrash-paced guitar whines and changes in tempo running to and fro. High-speed stuff that doesn’t get lost in the shuffle, with swift vocals, yet musically it offers a variance like HÜSKER DÜ. Overall production is low, but the music delivers potential goods. KINA are quick and effective, with enough pops to grow into big stuff.
A very hot thrash band with lots of energy, some good production, and lots to sing about (in Spanish). Recommended.
Two incarnations of the same band are represented on this 12-song tape, which plumbs a mid-tempo punk style in both live and studio recordings. Truthfully, I didn’t feel the excitement on this one, but the music’s OK.
One of the least mono-dimensional Finnish releases of late. KANSANTURVAMUSIIKKIKOMISSIO plays everything from gravelly punk Á la MAHO NEITSYT (“Pääni” and “Työlaisen Aurinko”) to post-punk (“Valaistu Risti”) to full-tilt thrash (“Kalinka” and “666”) to a host of annoying discordant numbers that don’t have any hooks (like “Meksiko”). The latter material unfortunately predominates, and the album is uneven, but there’s some fine stuff herein.
One of the hardest thrashing Italian combos are highlighted here, with tons of raging songs. The sound quality is good, and if you aren’t yet familiar with INDIGESTI’s material, don’t pass up the opportunity.
Predictable but competent skinhead anthems and lyrics. One ska tune, one faster punky tune, and a couple of Oi-ers. I guess “Oi Oi Oi” means “Oi Oi Oi” everywhere.
Powerful post-punk for the most part, but occasionally wimping out. The material that’s most gripping is in the JOY DIVISION tradition.
Oui, oui! This blasts and terrorizes in every form, a blitzkreig of maniac rhythms powering an assault of skillful mayhem. From France, HEIMAT-LOS combine a familiar French punk sound with a blizzard of thrash havoc, all worked extremely well and enjoyably pleasant. Sharp instrumentation, with a good mix. If you liked KIDNAP, you’ll crave HEIMAT-LOS.
This Japanese quartet starts off from almost a ’77 punk base, but sometimes gets a bit more adventurous, adding in discordant bits and gruffer vocals. All of it is pretty well-done, though—even the standard punk tunes.
Sometimes sounding like BIRTHDAY PARTY, sometimes CRAMPS-ish, sometimes like early punk, sometimes all the above at one—they can be interesting and annoying. The vocals are too “clean” for me, and the band’s restraint is frustrating, but those into less crazed stuff may appreciate them. (Not to be confused with the UK MAU MAUS.)
Raspy larynx shouting with a demonic flavor rises with heavy bass lines mixed high in this exceptional Japanese speedcore release. GHOUL mix speed, power, and continuous drum wallops to give a sound reminiscent of GISM, yet with a different drive of aggression. One of the better of the new Japanese vinyl blasters. Get it while you can—they don’t last long.
Thrash your brains out with this exceptional Japanese speedcore release. Full of ultrasonic quickness and metallic whines, GASTUNK rivets out three heavy barrages of good rhythms that are powerful and exciting. Featuring ex-EXECUTE singer Baki, GASTUNK does resemble a sound close to the EXECUTE, yet more metal guitar pieces. Really good stuff.
Unrelenting fury lashes out some speedy Japanese speedcore with overly gruff vocals. Wild, intense, and full of moving rhythms, GAI pushes the limits of foreceful power in the VARUKERS or DISCHARGE vein, yet the vocalist growls the flesh right off his throat. Great stuff to brainbeat to.
Nice book-type sleeve full of beliefs, lyrics, and art. The musical direction is a weird criss-cross of early FLUX and CRASS sounds, combined with dance-type rhythms, all this shoved into a wild arrangement. Has so much going on, you miss some. Very crazy sound-wise, very intelligent lyric-wise. Overall, a unique release.
Another hot-sounding release from the EXPLOITED (most all their records have gotten good reviews in MRR—can’t say the same about Wattle’s mentality), with both thrash and slightly post-punk rhythmic tracks really ripping. Oh, and thanks, EXPLOITED, for the “fuck off” on the back cover; coming from you, it’s a real compliment.
Although the thrash here is not anything new (admittedly, it is quite good and powerful, though), the lyrics are outstanding. It’s great to see a band sing about battered wives, on sex and morality. Intelligent and angry! Good sound quality, too.
This is the one band you gotta keep your eye on. After their all-out noisefests, they’ve decided to hit back with their version of pop music. The title track here is a neat little marching Arabic tune very similar to early CAN, and it’s been remixed by Adrian Sherwood to give it this incredibly heavy-footed rhythm. The two songs on the other side are a creepy Exorcist-style tune and a straight version of LEE HAZELWOOD’s “Sand” that would make NICK CAVE proud.
A three-song job: one outright excellent thrasher, one slower Oi tune (also good), and a mid-tempo hardcore number. All are done well, though I can’t really comment on the lyrics. Good production, from Japan.
One studio and one live side, this tape is better than most all this English band’s recordings. Side one has some great covers, such as “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “Wild Thing,” “Sonic Reducer,” and “Lexicon Devil,” all done with some amazing power and clarity. Cool.
Finally, an LP’s worth of mayhem from this great Aussie band. 26 songs pack this platter full of straight driving power punches with shouting vocals and whining guitars. Political lyrics with raw furious music in the true hardcore attack. Some variety, but mostly medium-paced with some fast throbbers. A classic like the BGK LP.
The A-side is sort of like METAL URBAINE meets ’60s pop-punk. The flip is snappier, and both sides combine cool rhythmic, pulsating, noisy rants with neat pop guitar licks. Very good, from France.
DEATH SENTENCE provides us with one side of studio demos and another of live tracks on this cassette. The studio recordings demonstrate that this band can pummel out thrash in a high-velocity DRI style, though both sides suffer from a certain muddiness in the taping. Still, keep your ears unplugged for this band—they have real potential.
A lethal brainbomb. Pack the ferocious chaotic attack of CHAOS UK and DISORDER, and plunge it headlong into the grinding speedcore of GISM, and you have CONFUSE. Hungry havoc runs amok with fast drumming and raw grinding guitar action, helps this explode into an onslaught of rapid-fire blitzkriegs. A brutal hammering that is intense and great!
CONFLICT does it again. Not only is the music sheer energy, thrusting chaotic charges of havoc, fully evident in the B-side with the DISCHARGE-style whines and wails, but CONFLICT’s undeniable power. Check out the fold-out poster and the band’s sincere critical stance, read what they have to say and how they care. Support this. Cheers to CONFLICT.
Great stuff from the UK again. Potent riffs with power and might, featuring a great distorted guitar sound that grinds with an echoing feedback. Raunched-out vocals, with a strong bass and good drum hooks, brings this effort into a fast paced charge of exciting melodies in the vein of early GBH or newer ENGLISH DOGS. With this being a four-songer, hopefully vinyl will soon follow.
There’s some really hot-sounding material on this live recording—lots of excitement and energy. But the recording is such that it renders a lot of that power defused, not unlike many bootlegs. For fans.
A female-fronted, slow-mid tempo punk combo, featuring melodic tunes and echoey singing (as opposed to screaming). Reminds me a bit of PENETRATION.
A three-song noise-thrash bonanza. Completely retarded-sounding vocals combine with repetitive, relentless, pounding thrash of the most garage-y kind to give you a few precious moments of pleasure. Fun.
Mid- to fast-paced punk tunes. While not thrash, they are really driving with lots of hooks and guitar power. Excellent production as well.
Calgary’s BEYOND POSSESSION have a knack for tight stop-and-go thrash with near-virtuosic guitarwork. While this outfit is more adept at arranging than songwriting, numbers like “Where’s the Matter” and “No Religion” demonstrate a preciseness (and rebelliousness) that makes this record a well above-average effort.
Ranging from CRASS-type minimalist punk rants with male and female vocals, to out-and-out pro noise, this is one of those bands that makes the metal-punk argument of “we’re just trying to do something different” look like the weak statement it is.
Psych of a lighter variety—nice touches here and there—a bit of surf, tempting little riffs, but ultimately a tease and no real satisfaction.
There’s not a band on Australia’s Big Time label I haven’t found worthwhile. As they’re really bluesy and slow-paced, these guys are a little hard to get into. Still, this is some of the coolest garage rock-blues around, and even a bit psychedelic at times. Not as psycho as SHOCKABILLY or as rockin’ as PANTHER BURNS, but still good if you’re in the right mood.
This four-song Japanese release is in the mid-fast paced HC vein, and although it’s pretty heavy-handed at times, there’s plenty of hooks, too. At times, there are too many metal leads for me, but overall they’re pretty punchy.
Starts off slow and raunchy, but works its way up to a frenzy. Lots of controlled noise and feedback, but not “noise” at all. Excellent hardcore from Japan.
Full of speedy, noisy thrash. High-quality sound and recording make this highly listenable. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the band throws in nice little touches here and there, making them one of the better “unrecognized” bands around.
A garagy and nifty area collection of some of SoCal’s thrashing young outfits. There are tracks by FATAL ERROR, MAD PARADE, CHAOTIC NOISE, S.O.S., ARTISTIC DECLINE, BAD INFLUENCE, MOX NIX, BLACK LABEL, PLAIN WRAP, LOVE CANAL…22 groups in all. Put out by FFF fanzine, and comes with mag insert.
I’ll skip the one track each by EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTS (funky weirdness) and TIMI (reggae), and flip to side two, which contains a track each by RAT AT RAT R and LIVE SKULL. The former delivers a brutal blow of semi-noise music, NY art style. LIVE SKULL take that genre a bit further, less noisy but more depressing.
A 7″ sampler of the best of Mystic’s recent 7″ series. Features RKL, ILL REPUTE, SCARED STRAIGHT, FLOWER LEPERDS, MANIFEST DESTINY, FALSE CONFESSIONS, and DON’T NO.
A nifty little live compilation that features the musical side of a five-day art festival held last year in New York. Lotsa homeboys on this one, like LIVE SKULL, SONIC YOUTH, SWANS, and the BEASTIE BOYS. Also includes two tracks from the FALL.
An international compilation cassette put out by Brian Walsby. Such luminaries as C.O.C., NO POLICY, UGLY AMERICANS, SLUGGO, ACCÜSED, UNIFORM CHOICE, VICIOUS CIRCLE, SCARED STRAIGHT, UNACCEPTED, etc. present anywhere from one to seven songs each, and there’s lots of raving thrash.
The latest sampler LP from the most prolific sampler label, this one contains tracks from some previous records (GRIM, DR. KNOW, Nardcore, Slimey Valley, Party Animal, SUBTERFUGE, etc.) and some future releases (AGGRESSION, HOLLYWOOD NOISE, Let’s Die, Cop II, Return to Slimey Valley). Can anyone keep track of all this?
