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!
Cool, maan. “I Always Call” is a hopping psychedelic rockabilly blast that’s beyond all criticism. Imagine Sky Saxon and Tav Falco in the same band, and you’ll get the idea. Despite the quintessential ’60s punk vocals, the flip is an incredibly boring blues number, but the A-side is mandatory.
Former members of KARNAGE team up with new people and strike out in a new direction. It sorta reminds me of the new SoCal psychedelic bands, with some PiL, FLIPPER, and ADOLESCENTS aspects.
The long-awaited follow-up to their album, and it’s a good one—fast, catchy LA punk with great production. CH3 are still carrying on the tradition that put LA on the map.
A live tape from this Chicago-area band. Their material is basic garage punk with some heavy metal guitar riffing and fairly thoughtful lyrics. They have too much or a rockish bar band quality, but their songs are occasionally excellent (especially on their earlier demo). Time will tell.
More excellent DC hardcore, but with a Southern California feel. It’s got soaring guitar work, great touches of feedback, and bent notes. The production is also up to the high Dischord standard.
The first release by this South Bay band. It reminds me a lot of CODE OF HONOR, with the instrumentals going from thrash into reverse gear, and the vocals mixed way up front to accentuate the strong lyrics.
“Dead Beatles” is one nifty satire. It’s a raunchy garage punk offering with altered snippets of BEATLES lyrics, off-key vocals, and exaggerated psychedelic effects. The other song is faster, equally powerful, and just as funny. Extraordinarily brilliant, in my opinion.
Another release by the wild Hungarian with the bizarre material and the searing production techniques. All three songs here are dissimilar—the title cut is a churning metallic anthem that builds in intensity; “Hungarian” is a ballroom satire with hilarious lyrics; and “Mean Mr. Mommy Man” is an arty but profoundly creepy song.
At last! This EP is classic DC-style punk, with strong production and strong material. The arrangements are original, with both fast and slow parts and lots of effects, but no power is lost. These guys had fun in the studio, and although they came out a different band, they came out with a great record. Play loud.
Not quite thrash, not quite punk, not quite rock ’n’ roll, not quite identifiable, but strongly delivered. Jello says they’re great live.
Old G.G. doesn’t give up, but then why should he? This unclear live recording doesn’t quite pack the punch of his studio offerings, but it does feature some imbecilic between-song raps by way of compensation. You’d probably have to see G.G. in person to get the full effect of his tastelessness.
The third and reputedly final EP form LA’s HATED. Once again, they offer fairly standard older-style punk with good lyrics. The production is a bit flat here, but I’m sorry to hear that they’re breaking up.
ISM’s annihilation of the PARTRIDGE FAMILY hit (“I Think I Love You”) couldn’t be more complete; manic velocity, unrestrained instrumentals, and vocals shrieked at top volume combine to create instantly unforgettable funnypunk. The flip is a bit repetitious, but it’s more than made up for by the vicious David Cassidy-Shirley Jones lampoon on the front cover. Hysterical!
Sixteen tracks from yet another group with this name. Like the Boston version, this one plays totally vicious, manic, and tight thrash, the kind associated with the East Coast. Amazingly, these guys hail from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
This is one foot out of the heavy metal graveyard. It’s like a cross between FEAR and the DICTATORS, both instrumentally and vocally.
The punchy, evocative sound of the HECKLERS is really cool. Though eclectic—one can discern pop, thrash, rockabilly, and country influences—it’s got drive, imagination, and a well-defined rock ’n’ roll aesthetic. The occasional harmonica also adds distinction.
I don’t share Jeff’s fascination with scatological humor, but I really do like the music here. Side one is a remixed and remastered version of their Blud Sausage EP, and it’s powerful as hell. The other side, which features live cuts, is also of superior production quality. All in all, not bad for an “old man” like Tesco.
A weird mixture here. The geetars on the old NANCY SINATRA hit are restrained and tasteful, but on “Ego,” the MYSTERY GIRLS really cut loose with dirty rock n’ roll riffing Á la JOHNNY THUNDERS. Cool as hell.
A well-done UK Oi 7″, the third from this band. It’s musically good, great production-wise, but lyrically confused, to say the least. There are good anti-police and anti-government songs, but the pro-violence “Battle-Scarred Skinheads” put a chill down my spine. For those who don’t care.
Like their previous releases, this album evokes the ’60s, but their earlier fixation with surf music has been replaced with a folk-rock obsession. There’s some great material here, especially “Grammar of Misery,” “Shades of Today,” and “Eleventh Hour,” but there’s also quite a bit of chaff. If you like FLAMIN’ GROOVIES, you’ll go for the BARRACUDAS.
BLITZ slips into the tarpits of new wave disco with this single. The problem is that “Telecommunications” is bad discoid synth-pop—uninventive, wimpy, and with no good melodic hooks. The flipside is more interesting, but it falls into the trap of being artsy. I’m not opposed to a change in direction, but BLITZ sure missed the boat on this one.
BLACK, now called BLACK FIELDS, present an enticingly raw and unrelenting garage sound that closely resembles a CRASS sound or LA’s YOUTH BRIGADE. Not thrash or chaos, but very energetic punches of staggering impetuous euphoria.
While I enjoyed the workmanlike Lest We Forget EP, BLITZKRIEG’s mid-tempo, hard-edged punk approach wears thin on this record. Their anti-vivisection stand on “Conscience Prayer” is well taken, but the tirade against Britain’s economic woes, “Land of Failure,” seems to be the only moderately exciting cut here. All in all, fairly generic.
Wild, crazy, unrestrained maniac convulsions of savage feedback and chaotic harmonies. Raw unmatched strength monstrously screeches frantic fury at unrelenting full frontal thrashings. Features a new hard larynx vocalist, as this LP rates right up there with mates DISORDER.
Rough-arsed ruckus of rambunctious chaos, ear piercing and boiling feverishly as it hammers bellicose grinding commotional attacks. If this is what VICE SQUAD does without Beki as a way to burn their mates, then flush Beki and continue with this explosive mayhem.
The BLOOD may not be geniuses, but their debut A-side rises from the morass of Oi-punk and delivers a breakneck attack on religious excesses, complete with classical piano intro and flailing guitar riffs. While it’s good, the two tracks on the B-side are completely unnotable aside from their fast tempo and hard guitar sound. Still, it’s quite recommendable.
If you’re put off by the glaring deficiencies of the latest DAMNED album (Strawberries), this 7″ might be closer to your liking. The two B-sides are unsatisfying, but “Generals” could be the best pop song this band has delivered in a couple of years; a good emphasis on piano and guitar, along with politically credible lyrics, combine to create an arresting, well conceived track.
Strong production highlights these melodic mid-tempo punk songs. At first, they sound pretty generic, but for some reason they grow on you with repeated listenings, especially the title cut and “British Summertime.” Decent effort.
“Neutron Bomb” and “Forces of Law” are both OK, the first being the stronger of the two. The mix is really weird—the vocals and snare drum are way up front, while the guitar is in the background. “Wild Thing” is… well, you’ve probably heard that song by now.
This one is heads up for ERAZERHEAD. When they’re hot, they’re hot. “Zombie” uses the same riff as the RAMONES’ “Rock and Roll High School,” which makes it great fun.
A one-sided neo-psychedelic record anchored by a basic rock ’n’ roll chord progression. What makes it interesting are some hot acid-damaged lead guitar parts and the harmonized background vocal chants Á la BEAU BRUMMELS. I’m not wild about the lead singing, but it’s still a pretty sharp record.
“Discipline” is a great post-punk cut with a riveting drumbeat, a buzzing, distorted guitar, an irresistible chorus, and lead vocals reminiscent of the FALL’s Mark Smith. A super song, which isn’t even approached by the lazy B-side. The best GOD’S GIFT release yet.
Good basic Britpunk. Nothing here is quite up to the high standard set by EXTERNAL MENACE on the Total Anarchy compilation, but “Don’t Conform” has exceptionally heartfelt lead singing, and there’s a great chorus in “Someday.” Worth several spins.
More mid-tempo political punk from FALLOUT. The lyrics are extremely perceptive, and the songs start to click after a couple of listens, but they don’t exactly make you jump up and take notice. The music could use a shot of adrenaline.
The unmistakable Max Splodge touch adds a dimension of class to this third funnypunk single by the GONADS. “Lager Top” and “Sandra” are the kind of rowdy songs, complete with an abrasive guitar sound and Oi choruses, that make for great beer-time fun, if very little else. Gary Bushell’s presence here may be this EP’s biggest drawback.
In the UK tradition of superb bands like the SUBHUMANS, ANTHRAX, and the DESTRUCTORS, the ICONS OF FILTH saturate the mold, storming forth with powerful clamorous drum blows amplified by brutal raucous vocals and outbursts of whiny guitar licks. Fast music highlighted by an artillery of anti-system lyrical content, which makes this quite an enjoyable debut.
This band has not relation to the great ’77 punk group that released “Johnny Won’t Get to Heaven.” It’s a newer pop group that’s very similar to dozens of bands from the pop-oriented ’78-’79 period. It is a bit enjoyable, but it would need a heavier guitar attack and less mundane vocals to really be recommendable.
After two serviceable singles, the MOB must be congratulated for compiling a subtle yet affecting album’s worth of political pop ditties. This record may be inconsistent melodically, but the fourteen songs here have strong lyrics component and a simple instrumental approach reminiscent of the early MEKONS. This may not be thrash, but it is the kind of material that definitely grows on you. Good stuff.
Better than their varied debut EP. Now, they have a denser, more rhythmic post-punk orientation. “Waiting” evokes Bauhaus in their early “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” period; the flip is equally powerful, and includes some eerie sound effects. Interesting.
A five-track 12″ of classic garage punk. You don’t find too much of this stuff around anymore. Retarded, melodic, and real raunchy. The cartoon cover is cool.
This is a concept album in which each song is a take-off on an ethnic musical style. All are artfully executed, and they vary in speed, energy, wildness, effects, etc. I find this LP extremely inventive, original, provocative, and listenable. Four stars to LA’s ATILA the hairdresser.
If BEAST were English, they’d undoubtedly be big hits among the “positive punk” set (see UK section for more). As it is, they’re American and will probably be subject to well-deserved ridicule. If you add sax and a glossy horror image to a basic post-punk approach, you’ve got BEAST.
Good-sounding record. One side is highly produced thrash; the other is post-punk, but with an edge. The female vocalist screeches out songs that mostly assert that life is ugly.
Excellent standard thrash from Jersey. The mischievous lyrics and ultra-dense guitar whoosh really set this EP apart. “Status Symbol” is all-around great, and “Trans Am” is a hilarious put-down of the spoiled rich brats who go cruisin’ in their shitty gas guzzlers. I’m definitely looking forward to their next barbeque.
There’s nothing exceptional musically here—just OK thrash. The lyrics, unless intended as satire, have a naive quality that evokes ’60s optimism. I don’t know, maybe I’m getting jaded.
Older-style punk, aggressively done with inflections of thrash, Oi, and metal to break the overall medium-tempo feel. The vocals are literally spit out, and the high quality production gives the power chording a PISTOLS quality.
If you’re one of those people who aren’t wildly enthusiastic about BLACK FLAG’s current metal orientation, this should be like a manna from heaven. It might even be the last BLACK FLAG record you’ll actually kill to buy. The records include all unreleased material and feature each of their first three vocalists. Keith’s (“Johnny’s”) vocals may be the most distinctive, and Greg’s guitar tone might attain the most piercing extremes in the Dez era, but I personally prefer the almost ideal balance achieved during Ron’s (“Chavo’s”) tenure as singer. Enough bullshit, this is a mandatory purchase that demonstrates why BLACK FLAG once headed the US punk pantheon, so buy it and pin your ears back.
A four-song demo from a young Berkeley band. It ranges from thrash to classical punk, all done with flair and originality. Great start.
This album features a lot of thrashers, but there are a few metallish and/or mood songs, and one bluesy thang. The lyrics are very provocative, covering nukes, parents, society, genocide, computers, and in-scene backstabbing. It’s even got gut-wrenching liner notes by Malcolm X (no relation to Geza). Go for it.
Garden-variety thrash from the Sacramento valley region. There are some sparks of originality, and “Tim’s in the Marines (And He Can’t Get Out)” is done in such a regimented, repetitive manner that you can fully understand his plight.
