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!
The PARTISANS are getting slower and slower with each new release. On this EP, there are two plodding numbers and one better mid-tempo ditty (“Change”). Aside from an occasional quirk, none of the songs are particularly memorable.
Trad punk bands like this are best taken in small doses on 7″er instead of entire albums. “In the Future” is weak, “Society’s Fodder” really picks up the pace, and “Friday Night Hero” tops it off with great power. All the songs express progressive and hopeful sentiments, though.
A brilliant mixture of modern punk and psychedelia. Despite SCREAMING DEAD’s trendy horror rock trappings, they manage to deliver highly distinctive songs with clever arrangements, strong hooks, and plenty of overall power. The frequent inclusion of mind-expanding organ runs adds personality, and the guitar playing is extraordinarily fine. One of this issue’s best.
Although this here album resides spiritually in the glorious British funnypunk tradition (which includes such diverse luminaries as the ALBERTOS, JILTED JOHN, the TV PERSONALITIES, JOHN COOPER CLARKE, the NOTSENSIBLES, the GONADS, JOHNNY MOPED, etc.), it’s more in the goofy ska vein from a musical standpoint. There’s too little raucous punkish stuff to appeal to the bash brigade, but anyone with a bemused sense of the ironic should enjoy SERIOUS DRINKING’s understated English wit.
It shouldn’t be necessary to describe the UK SUBHUMANS’ basic approach. Once again, their combination of semi-thrash tempos, peculiar guitar embellishments, and radical lyrics hits home, and in a 12″ format, the production accentuates their power. There’s a couple of turkeys on this record, but the roaring “Get Out of My Way” and the psychedelic “People Are Scared” really stand out; “I Don’t Wanna Die” is an OK Yank-style thrasher.
Well, the SKEPTIX seem to have found a label in their own country, and this new release again displays their tasty thrash attack. “Born to Lose” is slow and metallic, but the others zip forward and feature some nice lead fills. Their level of sincerity remains impossible to discern, but I have my doubts.
The high-velocity insanity of this debut album by the TOY DOLLS brings to mind the work of great funnypunk bands like the DICKIES and the NOTSENSIBLES. Virtuoso guitar work, unforgettable melodies, and patently hilarious lyrics raise Dig That Groove, Baby to instant classic status, especially clever ditties like “Spiders in the Dressing Room,” the title track, and “Glenda and the Test Tube Baby.” Spirited and (s)punky.
There’s a little bit of everything here. First, there’s a little punk, some acoustic “pretty” music interspersed throughout, and some moodier post-punk stuff too. Some of it reminds me of pre-punk rock groups like the STRAWBS. In any case, the punk material here is mostly mid-to-slow-tempo, rhythm-oriented, and not very fiery.
Anyone who promotes this hokey, moronic heavy metal shit has no fucking business criticizing any punk bands for their supposed “6th-grade naïveté.” Know what I mean? The sad part is that these assholes have more energy than a lot of current British punk groups.
The Pax label is doing some valuable work with the best of intentions. They’ve gone international on this, the follow-up to their Punk Dead? Nah Mate compilation. This time around, they include four uropean, eight English, and one American band (SAVAGE CIRCLE). Most of them are real strong, but CRUDE SS (Sweden), PSA (Italy), ANTI SYSTEM (UK), and the MAU MAUS (UK) really tear it up. There’s a total of thirty tracks, so don’t miss it.
A “Britskunk” record from Sweden. The BRISTLES combine Oi and thrash musical backings with English-style vocal phrasing, and the recording has a lot of abrasive power. The “Bristles Song” would make a classic Oi satire, but I think it’s meant to be serious! Loud and proud.
Throngs of grinding guitar intensity, distinctive disorderly grates echoing subcutaneous rips of emergent power. CRUDE SS defiantly blaze impetuous rawness, a sonic inferno of chaotic crunchers bolting forth storming drum booms and menacing guttural vocals. A brutal untamed force, unrestrained outrageous wailings of frantic guitar cavortion highlight this fierce arrangement that exhilarates to the maximum with a strong character of stimulating popularity. From Sweden this is rapidly delicious.
The proceeds from the sale of this 45 are going into the Vancouver Five’s defense fund, so that’s enough reason to buy it. Still, it’s a mixed bag musically. “Burn It Down” is a slow, boring rock song that I prefer to ignore, but their version of the SUBHUMANS’ “Fuck You” (written by Hannah, one of the Five) has spunk and power, which makes this a worthwhile audio investment.
This is basic meat-and-potatoes ’77 punk from Spain. Although ESKORBUTO sound slike dozens of older bands, the vocalist is exceptionally belligerent and the songs contain more highly memorable choruses.
Piledriving Swedish thrash in the SHITLICKERS tradition. This is the kind of record that makes you want to bash your head repeatedly into a wall. Brutal and uncompromising—one of the year’s best.
Well, Yrsa’s going to be irritated again, but I think this EP is exceptionally cool. It’s a fine example of fast ’60s garage psychedelia with that distinctive squeaky organ and a modern punk guitar attack. Like their countrymen the GATECRASHERS, FRESHLY RIOTS successfully evokes the rawest and most chaotic elements of the mid-’60s. Fuckin’ A!
This GEPÁ˜PEL tape is a one-man production. Niels de Wid played all the instruments on these eight songs, and also made the booklet. It’s interesting high-speed thrash (not unlike CRASS), interspersed with all sorts of weirdness and effects. Now, he’s found more band members, so the next GEPÁ˜PEL release should be even more solid.
Although the production here isn’t as guitar-heavy as it was on their Disinfection EP, this is another stellar HEADCLEANERS (HUVUDTVÄTT) release. They play thrash that’s manic and brash, but also very catchy and full of weird, searing guitar parts. “No Sense” is awesome.
It’s a bit alienating for a woman to review an album pronounced “Oi! The Boys,” and it doesn’t help that I can’t decipher the lyrics. Musically, the HERBÄRDS have a sound derivative of British Oi. Most of it is rather unexceptional, but “BMW” and “Schweinbach” are rousing tracks. Listen before buying.
The INOCENTES present brutal ’77 punk on the A-side of their first solo effort, while the flip contains three very powerful thrashers. All the cuts feature a roaring instrumental attack, and “Apenas…” also contains some quick bursts of searing lead guitar. Excellent.
This German release dates from ’81 and mainly features ’77-style medium-to-fast-tempo punk. However, it also has elements of post-punk (“Heil Satan”), reggae (“Verboten”), garage rock (“Ersatz”), and funny commercial intros (“In der Nacht”). It’s well produced, engaging, and—in all seriousness—lots of fun. We’d like to hear more.
The newest 7″ from Sweden’s LEATHER NUN features two compositions mining an atmospheric post-punk vein. “Primemover” uses a basic metal riff to underline restrained, understated vocals, while the flip maintains a slower tempo and showcases more demented lyrics. No revelations here.
’60s-influenced garage punkedelia from Canada. “Getting in the Groove” has that ’68 sound, with its raw, distorted guitars and arching vocals; “Oh No” is slower, “heavier,” and more rock ’n’ rolly, but features a terrific psychedelic lead break. A hip debut with a handmade cover.
NONCENS offer a relatively full spectrum of punk styles, ranging from a ’77ish approach (the title song) to blistering thrash (“Istid,” “Don’t Give Up,” etc.) to slower contemporary Britskunk (“Afghanistan”). It’s pretty uneven in terms of quality, but it does have its shining moments (“Nattsvart,” for example).
Genuine garage punk from north of the US border. Most of it is basic, raunchy, and medium in terms of tempo, though there are also spurts of thrash (in “How High?” and “Gleaning Ground”) and some rather disjointed pieces (“Q”). The lyrics are critical, and you can even hear a famous religious retard’s voice at the beginning of “That Number Again, Folks.”
Another release from South Africa! Like their fellow citizens RIOT SQUAD, POWER AGE plays mid-tempo older-style punk rock. They have a real chunky, bass-heavy attack and snarling vocals, but the most unusual thing about them is their appearance in the land controlled by the super-secret neo-fascist Broederbond.
Eleven more great songs from this Canadian unit. With their wicked delivery and tight, imaginative arrangements, these guys constitute one of the more talented young bands around today. Most of the songs are thrashers, but there’s some real weirdness in the vocals.
A weird juxtaposition of thrash and post-punk styles can be found within individual songs here. Sometimes it works well; at other times, it seems a bit awkward, especially when they lapse into an almost folk-rock style. Still, SILENT MAJORITY comes up with a new angle, and that’s what makes them interesting.
An excellent skatepunk band from Sweden. SLAM delivers solidly produced medium/fast thrash with bone-crunching guitars. Real cool.
The mid-to-fast-tempo punks on this, SLIME’s third album to date, range from melodic ’77ish material with catchy choruses to hardcore thrash. Most of it is quite good, but I particularly enjoyed the title track and “Junge Junge” (a cover of BUDDY HOLLY’s “Oh Boy”). As you might have expected, it’s another superior release from SLIME.
I don’t understand why reputed anti-Nazis would adopt a name with SS in it, but TAMPERE SS’s EP lives up to the high expectations generated by their choice cuts on the Propaganda ’83 compilation album. The band members have DISORDER and CHAOS UK logos on their jackets, so you can easily surmise that they produce raging thrash in the respected Finnish tradition, except for an occasional slow number like “Taisteluhymai.”
This is the most contemporary sounding release that we received from Spain. ULTIMO RESORTE blast out raw thrash with a garage-y sensibility and rough female vocals, along with an occasional post-punky number (“Johnny Mofeta”). “Cementerio Caliente,” with its irresistible “Hey, Ho” chorus, is especially hot. Recommended.
Standard ’77 punk. Spain’s LA UVI offer unexciting yet listenable material. Some of the lead breaks are cool, but overall this band needs a lot more energy to make in impression in 1983.
A fine example of raw ’77 stuff with dense, growling guitars and female vocals. The A-side is a take-off on the STOOGES’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” and it’s modified title—”I Wanna Be a Prostitute”—and iconoclastic lyrics apparently cause quite a stir among conservative Catholics in Spain. Musically speaking, I find the original composition on the flipside even more appealing.
Another compilation tape from Italy. This one includes material by I REFUSE IT, the CHEETAH CHROME MOTHERFUCKERS, PUTRID FEVER, INDIGESTI, CHELSEA HOTEL, PSA, NABAT, and RAW POWER. Tape compilations seem to be the rage over there, presumably due to the high price of pressing records. Not surprisingly, the quality varies considerably.
This tape has some wicked shit from seven hot Italian bands, including PRAVDA, SOGLIA DEL DOLORE, I REFUSE IT, WARFARE, IMPACT, OBSESSIONE, and the WRONG BOYS. Truly excellent.
A live recording of what must have been an incredible show. The bands that appeared were the WRETCHED, TOXICAL WARFARE, PLASTIC SURGERY, UPSET NOISE, EU’S ARSE, ISOLATION, 5° BRACCIO, and IMPACT. The sound quality is predictably spotty, but the excitement comes through.
39 ferocious tracks of initiative and unlimited distinction. A delicious meal that needs no silverware to swallow this spectacular cranium-crunching ensemble of unrestrained activity. Featuring bands the globe over… Australia, South Africa, Italy, France, Sweden, Poland, Denmark, Germany, UK, USA, and more with batter-ram assaults by POISON IDEA, RAZAR BLADES, UPRIGHT CITIZENS, POWERAGE, DESTRUCTORS, 5° BRACCIO, and the intensity continues. Pick this one up quick.
Side 1 of this compilation EP features RIVOLTA DELL’ODIO, who are sort of a sparser version of CRASS; the flip presents CRACKED HIRN, who have a fuller sound which is nevertheless extremely raw. Both bands share an anarchist/pacifist outlook, as have all the other bands on this label’s two earlier releases.
Four thrash bands at various levels of proficiency, recorded live at Ljubljana’s first-ever hardcore gig (see the Yugoslav report for more details). STRES D.A. are particularly awesome. A collector’s item, to say the least.
Though released by an American label, this tape features some of Italy’s most awesome bands. There are plenty of cuts each by 5° BRACCIO, RAW POWER, the WRETCHED, INDIGESTI, STAZIONE SUICIDA, RAPPRESAGLIA, and CRASH BOX. A great introduction to a lot of hard-to-get material at a cheap price.
A Spanish compilation album that mainly features the better-known, commercially oriented punk bands, according to our sources. Old-fashioned ’77 punk rules supreme here; the best examples of this genre are songs by KGB (“Maroto”—dig that ROTTEN-esque sneer!), URGENTE (the first half of “Dispuestos a Matar”), NO (“Chalado”), and the ESPASMODICOS (“1943″), whose singer sounds rather like Biafra. N.634’s thrashers provide the only evidence of a transition to musical modernity. Still, it’s a good sampler from another corner of the world.
Another Italian compilation on vinyl. It contains a few great thrash tracks by the WOPS, RAW POWER, UART PUNK, and the WRONG BOYS; DRULL, the U.D.S., PETROLIO, and LAST CALL provide some less interesting older-style punk. All in all, it’s pretty good, and it’s worth buying just for RAW POWER’s songs.
Fourteen different bands demonstrate that Sweden has become one of the most intense centers for hardcore music in Europe, along with Finland, Holland, and Italy. There’s some killer thrash here from the likes of HUVUDTVÄTT (the HEADCLEANERS), DNA, MISSBRUKARNA, ANTI-CIMEX, and others. It’s also got a neat folding sleeve, so order it today.
The title is stupid, but the music is definitely worthwhile. This album demonstrates that Germany has several ripe thrash bands, though it’s not quite up to the standard of Waterkant Hits. Here the NORMAHL offer slower, less distinctive songs; the HERBÄRDS do some funny Oi tunes; and INFERNO, CHAOS Z, and BLUTTAT produce some ripping thrash. A good value.
Three bands and a garagy production here. UPSIDE are so-so, NO JAP somewhat better, but the WRONG BOYS really come on with an aggressive thrash attack which I like a lot. 32 songs in all.
A historical curiosity more than a musical necessity. This band went on to become CODE OF HONOR with the addition of a new singer, and evolved out of the TOOLS and X-ILES. SICK PLEASURE’s vocalist is now in VERBAL ABUSE. The music here is metallic thrash punk that sings the praises of shooting speed, killing parents, and mental breakdowns; the dark side of the SF scene.
Two Richmond bands share this tape—HONOR ROLE and GRAVEN IMAGE. The former is a bit better recorded, but it matters little since both produce great manic blasts of hardcore hysteria. (Uh oh, I’m starting to sound like Pushead.) Send away.
A Chicago-area compilation with lots of styles represented. There’s plenty of thrash, some experimental stuff, and some punky pop. The sound quality isn’t the best, which tends to hurt the impact of some of these groups, but garage outfits like EVIL EYE benefit thereby. The other bands are BLOODY NAILS, NEGATIVE ELEMENT (now defunct), END RESULT, POLITICAL JUSTICE, VERBOTEN, the SEISMIC WAVES, KGB, GROAN BOX, ROTA, AOF, the ANTI-BODIES, BLOODY MURDER, NO RELATION, and ONO.
The third in the Life Is series. This one’s got two live GERMS classics to its credit, plus neat stuff by the MINUTEMEN, MODERN WARFARE, ANTI, MOOD OF DEFIANCE, HARI KARI, SIN 34, ARTISTIC DECLINE, and MODERN TORTURE. REDD KROSS disappoint with their “metal” number, and SHATTERED FAITH is so-so. Then there are nine more bands that get into electronics, folk, jazz, etc., for the adventurous.
