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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 third DIY EP from SIX MINUTE WAR, who’ve now incorporated a drum machine into their primitive mid-tempo material. The song structures are a bit more experimental, but a wistful amateurishness serves to lighten the doom and gloom. “Weathermen” is haunting and exceptionally appealing.
An unnotable amalgam of punk and post-punk influences, this latest single from TWISTED NERVE features a very distanced guitar sound reminiscent of late-period UK DECAY. Unfortunately, the material here seems monotonous, and an occasionally interesting effect doesn’t rescue the record from ordinariness.
An unexciting band that shouldn’t be mistaken for Scotland’s TWISTED NERVE. This record showcases a basic punk-pop-rock sound, but lacks drive, hooks, and, ultimately, interest. Sluggish is the most appropriate word.
More “positive punk.” Again, the heavy treated drums stand out, but this time the undistorted quasi-psychedelic guitar takes precedence over the bass. The singing is in that really awful New Romantic style that’ll appeal to new wave disco trendies. All in all, it’s OK post-punk, but certainly nothing to lose sleep over.
The A-side isn’t quite up to their usual standards, but “Too Much Talking” wails with an amazing guitar, and makes it all worthwhile. Pick it up.
Outrageous cranks of nitro-injected rapid explosions surge jarring uncontrolled vigor into charging intensity. Fast, powerful chords of raw persistence push the VARUKERS past their first two releases. A dynamite demo—if only a record company would decide to use it.
Oddball stuff, not unlike SWELL MAPS or the early TV PERSONALITIES. It’s not different, but it packs a bite, especially “Family Traditions.”
Oh no, the VIOLATORS have followed BLITZ down the path toward JOY DIVISION-clone material, with some imitation SIOUXIE vocals thrown in for good measure. I love the ’60s melodies on the A-side, but it’s sad to see all these recent punk bands adopting a slick, gutless sound. I vastly prefer their last 45.
Three modern bands that revive the roots of punk. The MILKSHAKES have that early KINKS or Merseybeat sound; the STINGRAYS belong to the METEORS/CRAMPS school of psychobilly; and the CANNIBALS hearken back to the ’60s punk of the early PRETTY THINGS or maybe the SEEDS or maybe the SHADOWS OF KNIGHT. These aren’t just copies—they reflect the genuine spirit of those eras. Great record.
Like those from the first installment, the bands here haven’t released any other vinyl yet. And true to the No Future label, this is a mix of punk and Oi! bands. Some of them are mediocre, but CADAVEROUS CLAN and IMPACT make this record worth the £2.50.
This Dutch band has evolved from the remnants of the NITWITZ into a more intense outfit capable of delivering many kinds of punk—classical, thrash, heavy metal punk, etc. All the tracks here have tremendous power, and some of them actually show an MDC influence. Very good indeed.
Three songs here, all thrash. There’s no new ground broken, though it’s got some great drumming and excellent lyrics. Let’s see where this young band goes.
Raw and aggressive, and two of the three tracks have real coherence and power. It’s pretty fast-paced, but not quite thrash. The A-side is slower and more rock-oriented; obviously, I prefer the flip. Look for this one.
Great thrashed-out noise from Holland, with just the right amount of raunch and sloppiness. The driving music picks you right up and slaps you around the room. There’s a bit of heavy metal damage at the end of “Feminist,” and the extraordinary female vocals are kind of lost in the rush, but this EP is hotter than scalding water. “Nothing” is best described as awesome.
Brazil’s version of DISCHARGE meets Finnish hardcore. Actually, they do have a few slower “classical” punk songs that are really great, too. Good, intense stuff.
This is an EP of HUVUDTVÄTT’s (the HEADCLEANERS’) first two half-sided 7″ers. Side A is HUVUDTVÄTT with Swedish vocals, very quick assaults of blistering thrash with two songs featuring a flute solo and a violin solo shrieking along with the speed. Side B is HEADCLEANERS with English vocals, still more flailing doses of intense speed. Great Swedish hardcore.
Much like their first EP, but recorded better. The music is raw and fast—like the DREAM POLICE—but the poppy, SIOUXIE-like vocals sort of put me off. Fortunately, the instrumentals by this Danish band carry the day.
A blur of indecipherable thrashing noise. KAAOS seem to have caught the germ that RIISTETYT just got rid of—lack of integration between the vocals and the instrumentation. The amazing “Uskonsota” really tears up the pavement, but most of the songs get lost in the jet-stream, and the guitars should have been mixed louder.
Garagey punk with thrash and experimental overtones. The songs may be sloppy, distorted, and poorly-recorded, but LAST WARNING have plenty of spirit. I dislike some of their post-punk material, but this tape is worth a listen.
Not the more ferocious Finnish thrash, but rawer with a ravaging harsh guitar and bass sound. Has a crunching persona in its quality to be turbulent with the bulldozing power of boisterous insistancy. Features Walde, who now drums for TERVEET KÄDET.
This is what the IRON CROSS EP sounds like on 45 rpm. The same drill press guitar is joined to gravelly singing and primitive production, a combination that’s light years ahead of crap like the BUSINESS. NABAT almost change my mind about Oi with this nasty entry.
A pop-punk classic, especially “Reisefieber,” which sorta sounds like a male of LILLIPUT’s “Die Matrosen,” with its unbelieveably catchy melody punctuated by whistling. And dig those bagpipes! The flip is almost as enjoyable and memorable, so look for this.
The obvious comparison is DOA. Slower, metalish, anthemic punk with traces of the WHO! The lyrics are sharp.
Another Dutch basement tape from Er Is Hoop, this one featuring three bands. TOTAL CHAOZ are a methadrine thrash group with a female singer; the PUKES are a messy, unformed punk band; and the ASPERITYS are basic punksters that do too many covers. OK for a first effort, but all these amateurish outfits were recorded a bit prematurely.
Far fuckin’ out, maan. This is a groovy psychedelic piss-take by a bunch of Nehru-jacked Aussies. The A-side parodies bubblegum psychedelia by loosely covering “Crimson and Clover,” the old TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS hit, while the flip treats that song in strange studio ways, turning it into a real mind-blowing flashback. Wow!
Put this band right up there in the European thrash-king sweepstakes. With this entry, Germany finds itself well represented. Awesomely powerful music that puts their earlier stuff to shame. Also, any doubts about O.H.L’s alleged “fascist” politics are again disclaimed here—one of the band members has the Jewish star of David on his leather jacket. Good news.
From the looks of the cover, I thought this album would be Oi. Nein. It’s powerhouse thrash, unlike their previous amateurish garage material. Wunderbar! Another amazingly strong release from Rock-O-Rama.
A strong Canadian release by Winnepeg’s STRETCH MARKS. The material ranges from thrash to classical punk, and it has some heavy metal guitar embellishments. I think it’s real entertaining, especially the hilarious “Dog’s World.” Don’t miss out.
Jagged post-punk with some poppy vocal elements. These Danish women are sort of reminiscent of British groups like DELTA 5 or the early PASSIONS. The music is angular and the guitars have that nice raw quality which alone makes post-punk bearable these days. Good first effort.
This tape features ten bands from Italy, some of them punk, some fo them thrash, and most of them Oi. My favorites are FALLOUT and 5° BRACCIO, who totally cut loose. The WOPS and NABAT bash out some Oi, if that’s your cup of campana.
From Italy with interesting sleeve packaging, a 7-song sampler that presents bands from many free-minded European lands. Italian bands SOTTOCULTURA, KOLLETTINO, and 5° BRACCIO jolt forth a monumentous thrash attack of havoc. Speed merchants STROMSPERRE wail from Germany and KAAOS fire a split-second barrage from Finland. Also, there’s TOTAL CHAOS from the UK and a slower, more relaxed song by IRAH of Italy. Impressive.
A sharp Danish band that specializes in raw, nasty garage thrash. The recording is ultra-primitive, the lyrics are strong, and the vocal delivery is intense and committed. In other words, a must.
A good follow-up to the great Grito Suburbano compilation. CÁ”LERA return with more nifty punk sing-alongs; the other three bands—PSYKOZE, RATOS DE PORÁO, and FOGO CRUZADO—don’t seem quite as distinctive on first listen. For one thing, their basic thrashing power is so weakened by the poorly mixed guitars that it’s really hard to judge their potential power. It’s always better to err on the side of an overly loud guitar mix, but this is still an inspiring effort.
A real potpourri of styles here, ranging from weird, disjointed, punked-out numbers (“Cuban Homo Farm” and “Plastic Rows”) to rhythmic African chants (“Jumping Through the Jungle”) to awful art-damaged shit (“Rats Tied to Trees”). You’d have to be schizoid to like everything on this EP. Maybe SILVER ABUSE ought to try playing at mental hospitals.
Five songs from some of the former FARTZ. They still maintain the mania of the past line up, but combine it with a slightly more metal sound that sometimes reminds me of BLACK FLAG, sometimes of DISCHARGE. Excellent.
Now down to a three-piece, this outfit has tightened up considerably, producing a classic guitar-highlighted tape with good hooks, a thick sound, and plenty of tension. Not as funny but better produced, the Unaware sound good at slower paces and thrash speed.
This young band was pissed when they were described last issue as FLIPPER-like. They do have some similarity in the distorted, raunchy bass lines and vocals echoes, but they are much more spirited and furious in tempo. Sort of like the CHURCH POLICE (just kidding, guys).
Four bass-heavy songs that combine elements of earlier metal-punk and thrash. A couple of them are real good, and the lyrics are surprisingly decent. The production is chunky, but a bit inconsistent. Not to be confused with the defunct band from South Lake Tahoe which appeared on the Not So Quiet compilation.
More heavy-metallish horror rock from LA. Not as bad as some, and the title cut is pretty good, but still…
According to the lyric sheet, Youth In Asia recorded this after one rehearsal. I can tell, but it’s still OK. The lyrics are excellent, especially in “Used” and “No More Middle Class.” Keep working at it!
Goofy California beach nerds put out an absurd amateur record. “Surf” is a mildly entertaining “rap” rip-off, but it’s the flip that makes this one worthwhile. “Boyfriend Girlfriend” is a chunky, bass-heavy rocker with stuttering speeded-up background vocals and a pronounced echo, similar to “Criminal Mind (Duddle)” by Chicago’s MEATY BUYS. I hope that’s helpful.
Eight groups from the Berkeley area, all very young and in various states of existence or non-existence. The tape quality is very garagey, and the material includes some thrash and some pet rock or “mind rot.” The whole thing was recorded by Aaron and Jesse, those two youngsters who put out Tedium fanzine, and all other teeny zines that you literally need a microscope to read.
For some reason, this New York punk group sounds more English than American. Maybe it’s the somewhat restrained drumming, or the deeper guitar hum. In any event, the YOUNG & USELESS aren’t too tight yet, which gives them a certain charm. The lyrics are very questionable, but hopefully age will bring more wisdom—these guys are real young.
“Twist” is mid-tempo post-punk with a quasi-psychedelic feel, but it’s neither atmospheric nor punchy enough to satisfy me. The flip remedies the latter problem with a ringing ’60s guitar, and consequently comes off better. Still, I’d wait till their next release before coming to any definite conclusions.
There’s quite a conglomeration of styles and sound quality on this South Bay compilation. It’s got thrash, heavy metal punk, garage punk, pop-punk, old punk, etc. The eight bands featured are FACTION, GRIM REALITY, RIBZY, EXECUTIONER, the BRUCES, WHIPPING BOY, the UNAWARE, and LOS OLVIDADOS.
This Albany, NY compilation is like the ones that used to come out two or three years ago. It’s got a bunch of local bands playing diverse styles of music—’77 punk, punky pop, punkabilly, post-punk, etc. There’s a lot of so-so stuff, some quality stuff, and one thrash outfit (CAPITLE). A sampler in the truest sense of the term.
Just when I thought SoCal was getting a bit stale, along comes this great 4-song EP with one cut each from KENT STATE, MODERN INDUSTRY, MOSLEM BIRTH, and MANSON YOUTH. All four present intense, unusual, and diverse styles of contemporary punk, tinged with deep cynicism. This isn’t LA schlock horror rock, but the real thing—the horrors of living today. Buy and die.
A compilation with most of the Seattle area’s great bands, past and present. Some of it is pretty garaged-out, but it’s all worthwhile, a necessary addition to anybody’s collection. Includes the FARTZ, the REJECTORS, SOLGER, the ACCUSED, POISON IDEA, FIRING SQUAD, etc.
A fabulous cover design on the ADICTS’ second album doesn’t help an affable, yet insignificant, collection of pop-rock ditties reminiscent of a cross between the early ADICTS and ADAM & THE ANTS. The single (“Chinese Takeaway”) is catchy enough but most of the songs have a cloying style and no thematic depth or personality. It’s OK for parties, I suppose.
This band has a style that works well enough in a 7″ format, but is too unimaginative to sustain an entire album’s worth of material. There’s nothing really wrong with the ABRASIVE WHEELS. They have a fast, powerful, well produced sound and some good songs—it’s just that their music doesn’t normally reach out and grab you. Here, the possible exceptions are “Danger, Danger,” “Voice of Youth,” and a couple of the cuts from previous 45s.
