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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!
Totally hot HC-type tape, folks. No let-up, meat and potatoes thrash, delivered with commitment. Lest you howl “generic,” go to a new wave show, then go home and play this. It’ll be a breath of fresh air.
The debut EP from this Belgian band proves to be a fairly innovative thrash-oriented release. Rather than conforming to expectations, DE WULPSE VARKENS occasionally confound with an odd fusion of modern hardcore elements. It’s hard to describe exactly how they’re different, but it has something to do with their combination of intensity and sudden musical shifts. Worthwhile.
A forceful deliverance of catchy hardcore rhythms from Germany. Coming off with a speedy STRETCHMARKS or G.B.H. sound, PORNO PATROL punches out quick harmonies with jumpy choruses and vocals that dominate the overall sound. Four well-paced songs that kick the walls down. Lots of power and storming prospects.
The pounding, abrasive punk on this Japanese five-track EP seems rather fuzzy and ill-defined—which may be a mutual function of uneventful songwriting and lackluster production. The title track is fairly strong, but this is a severely uneven follow-up to their creditable debut.
More political thrash from Holland (except for the slower “Shoplifting”). NO PIGS don’t really break down any stylistic barriers, but their trebly buzzsaw guitars and flailing, high-pitched drumming provide plenty of brain battering. Some of the lyrics here are particularly incisive, so grab this if thrash still moves you.
We’re talking high-class stuff here. The second TARGETS EP affirms that their debut was no fluke, as they deliver very powerful punk/thrash with pop sensibilities, great hooks, and choruses. I’d compare them to an English equivalent of the DKs, combining the finest aspects of both influences.
For real, it’s like a humongous swatch of pounding electric noise. Every time you play it, your neighbors will wonder where you’ve got the ship boiler…will swear you are fucked up…will wish they are like you. This disc is quite simply the absolute nuts, plain as that.
A three-song Japanese Oi record. Musically, it’s pretty good, with power and lost of catchiness. But to really appreciate this disc, you’d have to read the lyric sheet; the most bizarre translation to English I’ve seen yet.
An Australian psychobilly group that shouldn’t be confused with the old DOLLS offshoots whose album was recently—and posthumously—released. These guys have a piercing instrumental attack and wild vocals, but the song structures are a little too derivative to really get today’s kids stompin’ on each others’ blue suede shoes. It’s still rockin’, though, so go for it if you like to howl.
Seven quickly delivered songs with wild guitar whines, definitely inspired by DISCHARGE (or a speedy MOTÖRHEAD), with convincing raw power and sonic steerings of chaotic disorder. Fuzzy, distorted guitar overpowers each number that feeds back into stomping charges of mayhem. A band to watch for.
While there are no innovations in the basic thrash formula here, EXISTENZ employs good energy and production quality to fuel this ten-tracker well above the level of their debut EP. This outfit follows in the VARUKERS mold, albeit with echoey vocals and less intensity; nevertheless, “Fight For Freedom” qualifies as a classic pile-driver in the best Swedish tradition.
A fine puzzle record in the grand tradition of MORNINGTON CRESCENT, which can be played at 33 or 45 with equal ease. The lyrics are ultra-gruff, like fellow Japanese GISM, but the instrumental backdrop has elements of both metal punk and mid-tempo rock, with prominent lead breaks. “Shit Babies” is appealing, but the EP’s title cut is more memorable, with its classic vocal choruses. Good record!
Great! All four tracks here have a different sound, and all are cool. It’s punk/post-punk/ska/power rock/psychotic wailing, all in one. Very special.
A “live” recording that does have a “Western” feel to it in the rhythms. Don’t like this as much as their Government Don’t Care single, but it’s still pretty rockin’.
An exceptional record that features rapidly paced power punches on one side, while the other has an approach with raw, haunting harmonies. Side A contains an odd mixture of vocals/instrumentation that works well, especially for audience participation; both lyrically and structurally, the songs are intelligently written. Side B shows the versatility of FUNERAL ORATION’s show, screaming post-punk moods. Fun Dutch music for an exciting listen.
On their debut release, Canada’s GENETIC CONTROL displays a pretty rippin’ thrash attack. It’s not exactly original, but the trebly production and frenetic tempo evoke mucho head-shaking and foot-tapping; a couple of good choruses (especially in “Love Rat”) and a crunching metallic break in “Urban Cowboy” serve to provide some diversity. Decent lyrics, too.
COBRA sounds something like a Japanese version of the TOY DOLLS, with their high-pitched vocals and studied pop-punk trappings. “Real Now” is a delicious burst of power-chord pop, but in fact the whole EP demonstrates fine songwriting abilities. Atypical punk for Japan, but strongly recommended.
Australian post-punk. CLUB OF ROME has that heavy, rhythmic approach with a deep bass, a loud, biting guitar, and fairly aggressive vocals. “Germany” is the more engaging of the two cuts.
This EP has one band with three songs. “Punk Islam” has lots of effects and an ethnic style that paints a vivid picture of Middle Eastern strife—it’s slowish, slightly catchy but still intense. The other two songs are better, mining a sort of UK peace punk style: “Spara Jurij” is the best, most rockin’ song here. An enclosed booklet discusses international war tactics: I wish I could understand it. Interesting and worth tracking down.
A bizarre mixture of five tracks appears here. There’s one experimental, a thrash instrumental, a cover of “Green Acres,” and two stop-and-go thrash songs. All are well done, especially the title track. Interesting.
Not to be confused with the English band, this Memphis outfit is a punk/metal/rock amalgam. The overriding emphasis is on the punk side, but there’s a lot of guitar wanking and soloing, and you know how excited I get about that. But find out for yourself.
A very noisy but interesting tape. While punk to the max, this garage outfit employs some “special effects,” making this effort varied and enjoyable. Hope they make a record.
Crypto-cowboy music, maybe? Bizarre guitar playing meets poppy no wave? Not exactly pop; not exactly punk. You tell me.
Listening to this, one gets the impression that Australia’s ACID DROPS are trying to fuse psychedelic and CRAMPSish influences, but the results are not generally satisfying. “Rattle My Zulu” lacks the raunchiness to make for effective psychobilly, and their cover of ’60s classic “Outta Sight, Outta Mind” isn’t up to the trashy standard set by the OUTTA PLACE’s recent rendition; only the punky title track, with its snarling female vocals, really connects.
While in the psychobilly vein that’s becoming more and more popular, these guys kick ass a bit more than most of their contemporaries. Even the slowest number, “Mini-Skirt Blues,” has got good power. Plus, they do a great cover of the COUNT FIVE’s “Double Decker Bus.”
If only this wasn’t November 6th (the day before this issue goes to press and, coincidentally, election day in the US), maybe I’d find this British “peace punk” outfit inspiring. But it is, and as I watch Reagan taking 49 states on TV, I can’t help but wonder why the SEARS or anyone else even bothers to try to increase awareness. Unfortunately for all of us, the world doesn’t operate on the basis of morality or, indeed, rationality. Oh yeah, their music is alternately haunting and powerful, so try and ignore my pessimism.
More rockin’ rollin’ from the METEORS. Both cuts here are uptempo numbers with raunchy vocals but overly clean guitars; the sound effects in “Electro” are particularly cool.
Another more-than-competent release from these lads. For your money, you get three medium-fast punk tunes, and one thrasher. They handle both styles well, though seem better suited to punk, making them sing-along-simple.
I’ve only occasionally enjoyed the British pop-punk of MAJOR ACCIDENT in the past, but this rather bootleggy sounding live LP sacrifices the primary merits of past recordings—production quality and layered instrumentation. Only for diehard fans of this outfit.
This is their first LP after two strong EPs and they’re lyrically and musically just as strong as they ever were. In the tradition of the RAINCOATS, their four female vocal harmonies really stand out—you’ll either love it or hate it. They do mostly somber, melodic ballads but every once in a while they pick up the pace and sound almost psychedelic. “Nervous Breakdown” is especially good.
Sorry kids, but I could only make it through one and a half sides of this “rock ’n’ roll” record. Not my cup of tea. Amazingly, though, Jeff actually liked it (I worry about that boy sometimes) saying it was “funny” and had “some OK music.”
Fucking egg, were you at that gig? Fucking 50,000 bleeding punks jammed into Madison Square Garden for this one-time performance. A wall of sound, the punks cheered and clapped all night, giant thrash circles, the pit, it was fuckin’! VAN HALEN was the opening act. But when CHAOTIC DISCHORD came on stage, the crowd went fucking apeshit. If you’re gullible enough to believe this fucking mess, then those thrashing CHAOTICs wanked a joke on you. Oh yeah, say “fuck” every other word. The best fucking novelty fucking thrash fucking album yet.
“Boneshaker Baby” is a real neat CRAMPS-type rave, rockabilly beat and echoes to the max. Boss. But the A-side is that post-punk dreck that I can’t handle at all.
It’s touching to see old bands hang in there, although I’m not too ecstatic about this case. Maybe I’d like a slightly less-produced version of some of the songs (way too clean and sparse for such slow-tempo stuff), but some of the songs are just plain lame. Splodge does a good job on the vocals though.
This third Big City compilation EP features solid, aggressive material by ULTRAVIOLENCE, ARMED CITIZENS, UNJUST, and in particular, NO CONTROL, who delivers a gripping mid-tempo blast reminiscent of the AVENGERS live. Some rowdy, biting material here (although some has been previously released, and all are slightly dated)—so give it a listen!
Three former members of Houston’s PISSED YOUTH moved to NY, joined with a fourth party, and put out a real gem of a thrash record. If you love fellow former Houstonites DRI, then you know what you’re in for here. Short, sweet, and vicious blitz attacks are the vehicle for their assault on hypocrisy, apathy, and fascist behavior. Get it!
Norb reminded me that on an earlier review of one of S.U.M.’s gnarly tapes, I said “I fear the day they get into a studio and we get to find out what is underneath all that noise”. Well, that time has come, and according to Norb, it’s “more noise.” Not quite. S.U.M. has managed to maintain their “noise” on this studio LP, but we also discover some great, frantic, crazed thrash “music.” No let down at all.
This spirited release contains loads of wildly satiric funnypunk, with dabblings into C&W, funky rock, and similar musical madness. A lyric sheet is desperately needed to enjoy this album (none is provided), but a few songs, like the hysterical “Mohawk Town,” provoke laughter without such assistance. In the same general mood as their debut 12″, and therefore recommendable.
They look punk, but sound more rock. There is some early punk-sounding stuff, but about half the material is sort of pre-punk or else has a lot of wanking guitar solos. Those songs that are “punk” are pretty good (and powerful), and those that aren’t are pretty bad. Note: not too enlightened (as in sexist).
The impression this music gives off is one of being on the “dark side”—whether by more traditional classic punk sounds or post-punk, the depressing element comes through. It’s all well done (tight and powerful), but it does leave me “cold” emotionally. Hmmm…who’s this Jack Rabid on drums?
This clever Michigan outfit is obviously obsessed with grade-B horror and sci-fi films. While I share their enthusiasm for such things, I think their music is a bit too campy and cute to transmit that genre’s combination of awe, humor, and fear into the aural dimension. The basic garage pop/punk/rock songs here could benefit greatly from a more distorted guitar sound. Comes with DIY 3-D glasses.
Hey, buy this gnarly thrash record and find out everything these guys hate: anarchy punks, speed punks, Henry Rollins, frat boys, rabbits, moms, commies, Reagan, and probably themselves. However, they do love “Kate,” the lucky girl. Music’s pretty cool.
To be creative, one needs not overtly placate our inherent need for aggro; this lot chooses the back way in much the same way a certain strain of barbed leeches swim into children’s rectums when they stop moving in the Amazon. A disc like this will languish on record shelves only because people would rather cop out on the tried and true rather than burn their big toe in the boiling hot-spring of newness. Your loss, fuckers.
“Wally Wally” satirizes the arch-conservative Wally George TV show with a disciplined power-chord attack, some studio gimmicks, and self-consciously funny lyrics. The flip is a spoken word/tape dub track. I admired the spirit of this 45 more than I really enjoyed it.
RHYTHM PIGS play good “meat and potatoes” thrash with surprisingly effective vocal harmonies and musical changes of pace. Most of the songs here manage to break the typical thrash mold without sacrificing a whit of power in the process. Check this one out!
These ORANGE DOE-NUTS from Kansas City present us with almost two separate bands. One side is pretty much an excellent thrash record, with snappy, rapid-fire clear-cut songs. But flip it over, and suddenly we’re hearing reggae, jazz, and experimental stuff. I realize we’re all a bit schizophrenic, but….
A new band that contains Tim and Chris (BIG BOYS), Mike Carroll, Bill (ex-HAPPY DEATH), and Jim (ex-EL B J). There’s a mixture of some of the best elements of ’60s punk (especially the vocals), ’70s punk (a cover of RICHARD HELL’s “Blank Generation”), and blues rock (Á la GUN CLUB meets CREAM). The beat is pounding, the guitars are powerful (slide guitar even!), and the production and execution are tight. They rock.
This varied album contains quite a few lilting acoustic tracks, some straightahead rockers, a bit of metal, and some really inspired lyrics. “We’re Coming Out” and “Favorite Thing” are exciting enough, but the remainder of this release lapses into lackluster, uninvolving pop. Severely inconsistent.
Somewhat disappointing, especially after such a long wait for a REDD KROSS R’n’R fix. Mostly all covers (STONES, BOWIE, KISS, etc., etc.), the only real killer for me, the only composition with that ol’ RK pizazz, is the only original, “Linda Blair.” Hey guys, don’t wait so long for the next record—and get back in your groove. Pin-Ups this ain’t!
Superficially not unlike SIN 34, KREMLIN KORPS opt for a more churning guitar sound and longer songs that emphasize personal politics. The compositions are OK, but not exceptional; the things which really make this four-tracker work are the rich instrumentals and sneering, satiric vocals. Interesting.
