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!
Boston really loves its rock ’n’ roll. MISSION OF BURMA aren’t hardcore or the typical Boston bar band. This first album is faster and louder than their other stuff, at least most of the time. The almost accidental meshing of the guitars is better than ever.
Too bad—the music is really tight and furious, and some of the songs are well taken, but this young band is plagued by the same lyrical problems that many other hardcore groups have in the area of regressive sexual attitudes. Punks have gotta get beyond stupid sexual stereotyping and homophobia. Those are the predominate values of the society we supposedly despise, so why carry them into our own? Fortunately, there are some positive ideas expressed here, especially in “Abort the Mission.”
CHRON GEN’s polished ’77-style pop-punk may not be very exciting to listen to, but their emphasis on accessibility and politically astute lyrics make this EP an above-average one. “Outlaw” draws an especially convincing point on fashion vs. content in contemporary punk, while “Behind Closed Doors” addresses the subject of abortion somewhat ambiguously.
An Italian band that occasionally sounds like the REACTORS or—dare I say it—a smarter VKTMS. A feisty Englishwoman belts out some modern rock material—punk, reggae, and post-punk. With such a wide stylistic approach, it’s not too surprising that S.I.B. don’t really excel at anything. The best songs here are examples of classical punk with real power, like “My Secret Life,” “Listless,” and “You.” A few worthwhile moments, but nothing earthshattering.
OK, you’ve been reading in these pages how great Finnish punk is, so order this compilation of almost all of the best bands (save RATTUS, LAMA, KOHU-63, and a few others). That’s all the proof you’ll need. One band after another comes charging at you and demonstrates why this relatively small and out-of-the-way country is the tops in European thrash. Includes cuts by the BASTARDS, ANTI KEHO, KAAOS, NATO, TERVEET KÄDET, RIISTETYT, 013, MAHO NEITSYT, APPENDIX, SEKUNDA, and DACHAU. A must.
One side is all American bands, including BLACK FLAG (their first EP), BAD BRAINS and SACCHARINE TRUST (previously released material), and the ANGRY SAMOANS (one oldie and two unreleased cuts, including the infamous “Poshboy’s Cock”). The German side contains four strong hardcore bands, including TOXOPLASMA, RAZZIA, CHAOS Z, and the NEUROTIC ARSEHOLES. This is a great idea for linking international punk scenes. Bravo!
Nifty garage punk from the real Northern California. Some of it’s fast and some of it’s slow, but all their material shows potential. “Raygunomics” is a definite classic.
You know something is happening when it penetrates the South. This har’ is a Tennessee band that really rips, sounding a lot like 7 SECONDS to my ear. Rednecks retreat!
More demented experimental punk from this bizarre fellow’s band, though the punk element is only pronounced on “Guncontrol” and “The Army Is Calling.” “Africa” has, as might be guessed, strong African and reggae influences, while “Star” is a slow psychedelic piece. Interesting, but not for everyone.
The long-awaited return of ex-CRAMP Brian Gregory. Does his new band also feature primitive punkabilly? Unfortunately not. Instead, we get an atmospheric post-punk sound complete with haunting female vocals, a sax, synthesized sound effects, and a squeaky clean guitar. The horror themes alone remind one of the CRAMPS, so listen to this before you buy.
One of the finest underground bands I’ve ever heard. The CRUCIFUCKS have more going for them than any group could ask for, including amazingly sharp lyrical barbs, insane Jerry Lewis-style vocals, sheet-metal guitar, innovative bass and drum interaction, and unique overall arrangements. The tempos vary, but every song is brilliant, especially “Establishment” and “Hinkley Had a Vision.” Mark my words, you’ll be hearing a lot more about these guys in the very near future.
The first album by this Southern California band lives up to and exceeds previous expectations. The sound has been polished since their first EP, but you still won’t find a better metallic guitar attack anywhere. New favorites for old fans are “Halloween,” “Until Lately,” and the title track. A “punk” record.
This New York outfit pounds out a stirring anthem directed against the stupidity and regimentation of our “educational” system (along with a mouldy JOHN FRED cover song). It’s medium-fast older-style punk rock with great lyrics and catchy choruses in the early SHAM 69 vein. You’ll flunk unless you give it a listen.
This Maryland punk band lies on the wrong side of the fine line between endearing primitivity and musical ineptitude. Still, the lyrics are strong and the vocals are great, so all these guys probably need is more time to practice.
Heavy metal intros that blast wide open into rather unusual thrash, though we’re at the point were there can’t be anything too innovative in the hardcore scene, aren’t we? Anyway, it’s the emotion and enthusiasm that count, and this has it.
This new release lacks the dirty, manic feel of their classic debut album. Maybe it’s the production, loss of bass player, or more country twang, but the magic only happens on a few cuts. Second Album Syndrome strikes again.
Detroit drives in with an intense thrash band that incorporates a synthesizer sound Á la SCREAMERS and vocals not unlike that great LA group. These guys have a better idea.
The third release on the Down There label is by transplanted Arizonans GREEN ON RED. Like ex-labelmates the DREAM SYNDICATE, GREEN ON RED play intense neo-psychedelic music. While the DREAM SYNDICATE use guitars to propel their madness, GREEN ON RED use keyboards and guitars together for a more textured sound, sort of like TELEVISION meets ?.
After reading the hype about this Arizona band, I expected to hear great garage punk. Instead, I found wimpy new wave music with cutesy-pie female lead vocals. The uptempo “Pump-Rama” and the title track are OK songs in the B-52’s tradition, but the only things really interesting about KILLER PUSSY are their name and their trashy lyrics.
This is weird. “Zulu Beat” has conga-style drumming, XTC-type vocals, a bass run lifted from any number of ’60s psycho-punk songs, a restrained sax, and a couple of instrumental rave-ups. The flip pretends to be noisy rock ’n’ roll. Nothing to lose sleep over.
A new hardcore band from Portland. The material ranges from thrash to garage punk and their sound, while not terribly original, is nice and gritty. Unfortunately, the lyrics are really stupid, being sexist (“Devil”), violence-prone (“Pop Your Head”), and, despite their protestations, racist as hell (“Go Back”). These guys could be good after a few consciousness-raising sessions.
Real intense debut. The A-side shows the standard thrash sound mixed in with some weird rock guitar, but my favorite cut—”CCTV”—features some great fuzzed-out guitar that has a wonderful prolonged feedback ending. Good noise!
This is a great Bay Area garage band. I mean, this is such a good example of the genre it could be from the Midwest! Hilarious lyrics and a grungy sound make the MOHAWKS appealing as hell.
The MEAT PUPPETS have nothing to do with punk or psychedelia. This is thrash in a wind tunnel. It’s so frenzied, it moves as fast as the human brain. Your opinion is genetic. It depends on what you ate. Or what your mother ate.
Punk and thrash from NONE OF THE ABOVE. Mostly slower songs, but great crashing guitars and lyrics.
A great new New Jersey group with an intense female vocalist, slashing guitar chords, and top-notch lyrics. “Fuck the Past” proves that NO THANKS rank right up there with the best.
Ferocious like MINOR THREAT or SS DECONTROL, only they come from “mellow” Oregon. Can’t wait for some vinyl.
Five new songs in REALLY RED’s very distinctive style. After four 7″ records and one LP, if you don’t know what they sound like, you’re really blowing it. Great driving, rocking, hypnotic songs with political lyrics as sharp as they come.
Five songs by this San Jose group, consisting of two women and two men. Great snarly vocals in the snotty tradition of ’60s punk and Darby Crash. The arrangements are snappy and the sound is distinctive, maybe as a result of their five-string guitars. Look for a record soon.
Radical teacher at local school is let loose in a recording studio and manages to produce a politically astute critique of Reaganomics within a humorous garage punk format. Pretty good for amateur hour, but grittier guitars could have turned these entertaining ditties into minor classics. Maybe next time.
This is the Northern Cal SCREAM, not the better-known DC band. It’s a four-song release with two god-awful songs that show their not-too-distant heavy metal past, one decent thrasher, and a totally great and refreshing stop-and-go classic called “Gov’t Primer.”
Extremely abrasive metal noise supposedly stimulated by listening to the STOOGES played “backwards, forwards, and sideways.” Well, I believe it because this is definitely brain damage material. The lack of real vocals won’t help them commercially, but I doubt if they’ll give a fuck.
Pretty standard thrash, although sometimes it breaks the norm. What really stands out here are the lyrics. They’re standing out right now… from my garbage can! It’s where they belong, sexist, homophobic macho goon-squad bullshit better left to the rockers and metal crowd.
This band from upstate New York used to be called the MISFITS but changed their name for obvious reasons. Their vocalist sounds all the world like Pauline Murray from her PENETRATION days. The band combines punk, thrash, and rock and roll.
A totally great debut. It’s not thrash tempo (unless played at 45, which sounds good, too), but it has very powerful, driving songs with doom-filled scenarios of the deterioration of human values. unfortunately, it’s all too true—this is the real “horror rock.” Too bad there’s no lyrics sheet.
Some thrash classics here like “I Hate My Toes” and “I Wanna Be Beaver Cleaver.”
This record has that distinct modern LA sound, at times reminiscent of TSOL, GUN CLUB, and the CIRCLE JERKS. All in all, an enjoyable, upbeat debut.
A much faster and more enthusiastic follow-up to this Ohio band’s kwiet KINKS-ish debut. Great ’60s pop vocals, hooks aplenty, and heavy guitars make this a sterling record. Really impressive, but I wish to hell Bomp would do a better job distributing their subsidiary labels—you can’t get Voxx 45s anywhere in the Bay Area and the situation probably isn’t much better elsewhere.
An amazing garage psychedelic 45. The bittersweet vocals, simple chord progressions, and crude guitar tones on “I Want…” remind one of innumerable underground classics from the mid-60s without plagiarizing any particular band. The flip is more “psychedelic” in the modern post-punk sense of the term. Great debut.
A new sampler of mostly unknown New York groups. It features stuttering thrash by the MOB and SQUIRM, but most of the music and themes are rooted firmly in the garage punk tradition. The best garage group is ISM, who should get kudos for both their political lyrics and the best song title of the year—”Moon the Moonies.” The HEADLICKERS, BUTCH LUST & THE HYPOCRITES, and KILLER INSTINCT have more of a rock/heavy metal origin, but the latter are real fast. This record is uneven but it does contain some gems.
Cleveland is a city of neuroses, both real and imagined. This record proves that the city still has the best psych-garage bands. An old PAGANS track is featured, as well as great stuff by the WOMANHATERS, OFFBEATS, MENTHOL WARS, and more. Even the “artband” track is gonzo.
Akron and Cleveland hardcore including ZERO DEFEX, URBAN MUTANTS, and the OFFBEATS. This stuff exemplifies why the Midwest is fast becoming the center for intense music.
A hot little tape put out by Oops! fanzine, featuring some great garage thrash by Clevo and Akron bands like the BEATOFFS, the OFFBEATS, LOUD AS FUCK, the DUMBSHITS, the DEFNIKS, the DISSIDENTS, and ZERO DEFEX. Only midwestern bands could come up with song titles like “Turds with Corn in ’Em.” Great.
Mostly re-issues, but with a few unreleased cuts from the What label vaults, one of the earliest LA labels. This contains gems by the GERMS, DILS, SKULLS, CONTROLLERS, EYES, and later stuff by KAOS. A must for those who missed these older California punk 45s, now impossible to find.
Pretty uneventful outing. The A-side sounds like a ’78 US punk band imitating a ’77 UK band; the B-side is more modern-paced, but unimaginative.
Pretty good—I’d give it a B-, as the drums drag a bit. Sounds a lot like GBH, with themes to match.
Excellent, powerful release. The A-side is slower with classic soccer chants, and the B-side is a real killer.
This is perfection? No way, it’s a thoroughly unsatisfying debut album from CHARGE. And sneaky, too. First, they put out a brace of punk 45s and then lure everyone into buying a long-player’s worth of very different material. Herein lies rhythmic music with annoyingly precious vocals that should be placed somewhere between post-punk and experimental punk, the closest comparisons being UK DECAY, THEATRE OF HATE, and (gasp!) ADAM & THE ANTS. These guys have played punk rock like “Gasman” here since ’78, so they’re entitled to change styles if they want to. On the other hand, we don’t have to keep listening to them.
Coming so close on the heels of their Christ — The Album, it’s almost too much to digest. The title song is a catchy headbanging attack on the jingoistic British attitude towards the Falklands/Malvinas crisis. It has created a hoopla in the English press, who amazingly have supported CRASS against Parliament’s cries of “treason.” The flip features Eve and will please fans of Penis Envy. CRASS may be accused of preachiness, but their unrelenting critiques are having an impact.
Eight tracks from the best of the UK post-DISCHARGE thrashers, though this new stuff isn’t as amphetamine as their earlier releases. That should give you a good idea of their sound. If it doesn’t, stick your finger in a socket for similar results.
