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!
Totally drunken, power-chord punk rock, folks. It’s straight out of the DEAD BOYS/STOOGES school of intense, fuck-it-all snarl and self-destruct. These Sacramento are good at it too. Recommended.
An organ-dominated neo-’60s band. “Yeah!” is a dippy instrumental with awful sax accompaniment, but the flip is a sharp ’60s punker with belligerent vocals and traces of psychedelic sound effects. The latter saves this debut.
This collection of B-sides, non-LP singles, etc., is really aimed at the hardcore garage fanatic who has to own everything (like myself). There’s obvious trash here (like “When I Was a Cowboy”), but there are plenty of others that are sheer genius, most notably “Riot on Sunset Strip,” “Get Away from Here,” and “Rari.” But, looking back, that’s what the Standells were usually like, brilliant one moment and mediocre the next. For what it’s worth, I’m glad this STANDELLS record exists, but if you’re not totally blown apart by the sounds of ’60s punk, then try to hear it before spending your hard-earned cash.
A four-song tape that delivers punky/moddish pop music. I found the vocals a bit too falsetto, and the songs run on a bit, but there’s some decent music here.
SPIKE HAYTRID hailed from ’81 or so, and were pretty trashy. SHADES OF GREY are much tighter, more powerful, and less poppy—but still trashy (in the good sense of the term). Both are the products of one Matt Burnett.
More geeks from San Pedro! Yeah! At first, their pop guitars make them sound as though they’d like to get on MTV, land a big recording contract, or imitate insipid Euro-pop bands. But you’ll soon see that this is just another bunch of self-indulgent weirdos (including Rob Holzman of SACCHARINE TRUST) playing a mixture of pop, post-punk, and jazz, with a slight dash of psychedelia and occasional keyboards and saxes. If you like TRAGIC MULATTO, you’ll love Slovenly.
Lightweight semi-psychedelic pop. SALEM 66, who appeared on the Conflict sampler, manage to produce some delicate, tasty tracks with folky guitar strumming. It can be downright pretty at times, but they’d need a lot more guitar firepower and punch to really move me.
A.O.D.’s drummer, members of NEW JERSEY’S FINEST, and other point some fingers at various outrages perpetrated on us all, ranging from New York’s “Lunkheads” to the corporatization of a town (Johnson & Johnson’s takeover of New Brunswick). Thrash that’s not generic, and delivered with oomph and wit. Excellent recording, too.
Heavy power-chord punk—without the metal. Some of this has a gloomy edge, but not the self-conscious JOY DIVISION type. Ultimately, they do rock hard, and the lyrics seem to be quite intelligent.
These here PEASANTS remind me somewhat of a more metallish version of DIE KREUZEN, with scratched-to-hell vocals and a fairly musical back-up. But the chunky rhythm detracts from their overall power.
Yep, live it is, as well as one intense noise rush for us lovers of pure electricity. The MUTES have that manic S.U.M. feel to them. They might suck with a clear recording, but this way it’s great.
The title cut here exemplifies the earlier MISFITS style, with its distinctive combination of melodies, roaring metallic guitars, and clear singing, whereas “We Bite” and the live version of “Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?” reflect their newer, thrashier attack. Together, they constitute an undeniably impressive slab of vinyl for ghoulies and ghosties and beasties that go bump in the night to party with.
MENTAL DECAY specializes in a raucous, somewhat raunchy hardcore attack reminiscent of A.O.D. and BEDLAM. The themes here are alternately humorous and rebellious, but I found clever numbers like “You Suck” and the near-classic “Love Story” the highlights of this entertaining disc. Fans of aggressive, stop-and-go thrash should snap this one up pronto.
A weird debut that ranges from abrasive, punkoid blasts (like “Terminal Art” and “Action Speaks”) to the worst excesses of atmospheric pretension in the later ZAPPA vein (“Now What Have I Done?”). Most of their material falls into a less than satisfying middle ground that combines elements of UK post-punk, horror rock, and soft San Francisco psychedelia. They need more focus.
Help these guys put out an LP by buying their tape! It’s not like you’ll be a martyr, because there is lots of great hard-edged, intelligent punk and thrash out there. I can’t wait to hear their projected album!
Here are some rousing numbers that prove to be a good follow-up to KILLROY’s previous 7″. They have a mid-tempo, somewhat ’77-ish English style that combines good arrangements, choruses, and that LA spirit (especially in “The Battle,” the title cut, and “The Scream,” which sounds like YOUTH BRIGADE). A little derivative, but an enjoyable effort.
Another New York noise outfit in the same ballpark with SONIC YOUTH, LIVE SKULL, and HOSE. The guitars put out a fearsome wall of metallic buzzing, while intense vocals spout off above the din. Personally, I like this band more than both their peers and their mentors (FLIPPER). Headache city.
A live recording with ten songs. It’s somewhat garagy in terms of sound quality, and since it’s live there’s a lot of wanking going on. The music is sort of jazzy, metallish thrash, with quirky parts and post-punky vocals that remind me a bit of SF’s old WOUNDZ.
Garage punk from Colorado. The drummer seems to be incredibly young (judging from the cover pic) and the guitar lead in the title number is so lame it’s cool, but the songs have entertaining lyrics and plenty of primitive drive and spunk. For fans of unprofessionalism (like me).
Hmmm. These guys are a guitar pop band with some psychedelic pretensions. They’re pleasant enough and a bit clever, but the songs don’t quite stick and the guitars could be heavier. The biggest problem, though, is that the songs often shift into a weak commercial pop mode just when they start rockin’ (as with “Double Standards”).
This album witnesses an evolution in G.I.’s style from thrash to a decided “rock ’n’ roll” approach, and is not the band’s best moment. Their hilarious cover of “These Boots Were Made for Walking” aside, the songs here are largely un-catchy and lacking in punch. The lyrics provide intelligent commentary on social/political issues, but I’m still disappointed.
The eleven tracks on this EP plow into a maniacal thrash attack with frequent metal lead breaks. The lyrics are remarkably funny, but the song structures aren’t as memorable as they should be. “Rock Jam” and “Zombies” are solid rockers, though I feel that GOD’S WILL can more effectively develop musical distinctiveness in the future. Pretty good.
Cutesy-pie pop version of the old JAYNETTS’ classic. The GIRLS are an all-female band who do pretty straightforward vocal and semi-instrumental adaptations. It’s not really bad, just unnecessary.
A classic US garage band with seriocomic themes dealing with adolescent life. The GAY COWBOYS have that irresistible mixture of precocious wit, raunched-out guitars, and demented vocals that I find irresistible. The primitive production and wacked-out guitar leads provide additional bonuses, and how can you ignore songs like “Big Fat Baloney Sandwich”?
Put out by Spamm fanzine, these are two of the current crop of Sacramento hardcore bands. FORCED TRADITION weighs in with their sarcastic, FLIPPER-metal “fuck you” approach; good noise. The LAMOS thrash out more, but the recording isn’t as clear. A pretty enjoyable excursion.
This four-song release came with the June/July issue of The B.O.B. The material is reminiscent of LOU REED’s early solo efforts—restrained, melodic rock ’n’ roll with lyrics that are on the esoteric side.
This is an excellent debut album that mixes and matches the best of the SoCal punk tradition. DECRY has that powerful, cleanly produced two-guitar attack and a knack for writing catchy melodies. Careful listeners will soon discern the musical influences of great bands like the ADOLESCENTS, THE CIRCLE JERKS, and M.I.A., and certain songs remind one of BLACK FLAG (“My Bloody Dream”) or the TOXIC REASONS (“Asylum”), but these guys are not mere borrowers.
Paul Mahern (ex-ZERO BOYS) comes forth with something completely different. It’s funky, poppy, jazzy, psych, and not too punky, but with just a taste of the old snarl in the vocals. For the eclectic-minded.
Perhaps not as continuously energetic as their fabulous debut EP, but CHRONIC DISORDER still manages to connect with some impassioned thrashers like “Eileen’s” and “I See Red.” My favorite, however, is a whacked-out send-up of JOY DIVISION’s “Isolation” (“Point/Counterpoint”), that shows this band to be quite versatile indeed.
What we have here is a bunch of medium-speed punk tunes with a melodic orientation. Songs like “Gun Control” and “Capital Punishment” (which has simplistic “law and order” lyrics) are straightforward numbers with good, strong hooks, but certain other songs are less memorable and lacking in energy. An uneven debut, but CIVIL DEFENSE has potential.
On BRAVE NEW WORLD’s tape, uplifting and intelligent lyrics about overcoming our societal problems are coupled with intense, driving, middle-paced music. The result is a punk/post-punk combo that hits home—they’re abrasive, musical, disturbing, and different.
This is the third weird-ass art-damaged band I’ve reviewed lately, but I find them to be more hard-edged and unique (and less self-indulgent) than the others. They remind me at times of the CRUCIFUCKS, SWELL MAPS, SACCHARINE TRUST, etc., as they utilize many types of instruments, tempo changes, breaks, moods, and styles (including jazz and rock ’n’ roll). There are also lots of eclectic lyrics that parody soldiers, heads of state, and people that think they’re cool.
I have always been a sucker for the BANGLES and their clean Rickenbackers and harmonies, so I therefore dig these vinyl grooves as well. No way as cool as their early stuff, but still enjoyable, to say the least. Also, considering that this is their first release on Columbia—”boo” says Tim Y—they could have done a lot worse.
No further explanation is needed about our dear friend Mykel Board’s insulting intent here. The title song is a droning yet rockin’ cover with a sax that isn’t bad at all; “How Much Punk Rock Do You Hear in Russia?” and “We Want Nuclear War” are remixed from the previously released German ARTLESS/GG ALLIN split EP. They sound much better here, and will probably go down in history as the two most witty punk rock things Mykel has ever done.
These little imps from west of the swamplands have come up with a really dense, “live” two-guitar sound here. Recorded while the band was in their underwear, they still manage to thrash wildly, humorously, and sarcastically. In the process, they prove without a doubt that there are more great items than pizza in the Garden State.
I half-expected this to be another uneventful American thrash record, but this EP contains some weirder material with unusual vocal inflections and some spastic structural shifts. “Service with a Smile” is particularly distinctive musically—dig the screaming guitar—whereas “Take from the Poor, Give to the Rich” provides some food for thought.
This French sampler contains a wide variety of punk styles—classical, garage, thrash, skunk (big in France), and drum-machine/synth punk (which the French seem to have cornered the market on). HUMAN BEING and HEIMAT weigh in with some choice thrash, and there’s lots of other good stuff from R.A.S., ELECTRONAZE, LES CADAVRES, the SUB KIDS, and a dozen more. Tres bien!
This compilation tape features some fairly unknown bands (TIN CAN ARMY, KATAFALK, V.N.W., VOICES OF PROTEST, MILZBRAND, and the MANIACS) that predictably display varying degrees of competency and power. The MANIACS and KATAFALK really kick ass; the latter prove to be an especially fine thrash band with lots of zip.
Some of these German hardcore groups are already reasonably well-known (INFERNO, the MANIACS, M.A.F., the SCAPEGOATS), whereas others are more obscure (ABZESS, VOICES OF PROTEST, TCA). Inferno leads a pretty good pack in terms of tightness and power.
A self-produced EP with material by four young Finnish garage punk outfits (PURKAUS, SOTAKULTTUURI, TERRORI, and PAINAJAINEN). The raw production further highlights the DIY raunchiness of the bands, all of which play more-or-less tuneless mid-tempo punk rather than thrash. PURKAUS is the best of a fairly inept bunch.
Not one of the New Underground series, but a new international compilation on Germany’s Weird System label. It contains two cuts each by RAZZIA, FANG, TERVEET KÄDET, RIOT SQUAD (South Africa), SAVAGE CIRCLE (Italy), SHIT SA (Spain), the INOCENTES, HYSTERIA (UK), and CIVIL DISSIDENT (Australia). The latter offers the most pleasant surprise—they’re a brutal thrash outfit—but the whole record smokes.
This New Zealand compilation consists mainly of live material by ’77-style punk bands. That’s not to say it’s bad, because there are some pretty cool tracks herein, especially by FINAL SOLUTION, RIOT III (who does some thrash), FLESH D-VICE, and ZYKLON-B.
Ten groups of varying punk styles and recording qualities appear on this compilation of South African bands. The most proficient and powerful are mid-tempo punkers POWER AGE, although the GAY MARINES, WILD YOUTH, and WILD JUSTICE also show promise. And, there’s an all-girl garage band called the LEOPARDS—Steve Spinali take note!
The cassette itself is only a small part of this package, which includes zines, literature, lyrics, pamphlets, addresses, etc., all relating to the horrors of animal slaughter. Even on the tape, all the tracks by the various bands (the INSTIGATORS, CHUMBAWAMBA, ANTIDOTE, ALTERNATIVE, ANDY T, and the LOST CHERREES, to name just a few) are interspersed with bits of information on this topic. Unfortunately, there’s very little punk music here; folkish and experimental stuff predominates.
A generally excellent sampler of Northern Virigina hardcore, metal, experimental, and ’60-inspired groups. It’s a well-recorded, non-profit project that contains band handouts by #1 PRIORITY, PUDWAK, MALEFICE, the STEEL KNICKERS, DEATH PIGGY, CONCENTRIC, MICHAEL, CAMP DAVID, YOM, and 007. Most of the material on side one is powerful and catchy, and PUDWAK’s “Boxhead” is a total classic with schizoid vocals.
A decent regional compilation from the California coast between SF and LA, very near the geologically unstable area where PG&E stupidly built its Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. The album includes various categories of contemporary music, from catchy teenage thrash (LOS CREMATORS, DEATH OF GLORY, and the CORRUPTORS) to garage punk (GROUP SEX, X-TORTION) to neo-psychedelia (PYRAMOD, MOOD ROOM) to ’77 punk (the USERS) to Finnish-style thrash (ASSAULT) to garagy mixtures of thrash and punk (the WIMPY DICKS and PEDESTRIAN ABUSE). The overall feeling is appealingly unprofessional, and the idea of giving new groups exposure is worthy of support.
The first Pebbles-type collection of lost garage/psych bands from the ’70s and ’80s. Compiled by Rat Race Kid, it features unreleased tracks by BILLY SYNTH and Australia’s LIPSTICK KILLERS. The icing on the cake is the first-ever vinyl appearance by ROCKET FROM THE TOMBS, a seminal mid-’70s Cleveland outfit that would later spawn PERE UBU and the DEAD BOYS.
This tape has a lot of hot material by the likes of MOX NIX, CANCEROUS GROWTH, ROSEMARYS BABIES, S.U.M., NERVE, N.O.T.A., the LEPERS, HUMAN SUFFERAGE, the CATATONICS, PSYCHO, and a half-dozen more. Some of it has been previously released, but it still adds up to fine listening.
Among the many ’60s reissue series, Back from the Grave has been the best because of its focus on the snarling teenage punk emanating from suburban garages all across America between 1965 and 1967. And fortunately, Volume 3 maintains this tradition of basement quality by presenting more of the most heartfelt adolescent rants about problems with gurls, gurls, and more gurls, accompanied by two-chord fuzz guitars, squealing organs, and ham-fisted drum beats. The obscure pearls by KEN & THE 4TH DIMENSION, SIR WINSTON & COMMONS, and MURPHY & THE MOB are just as cool as they can be.
Ian MacKaye-ish vocals, accompanied by crude, fairly standard buzzsaw thrash. CAPITLE play well, but they never really cut loose.
