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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!
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.
Good basic Britskunk with no real surprises. I mean, the chorus on “New Punks” actually has “Oi, Oi, Oi” in the background. ANTISOCIAL show off some drive and a nice dense guitar attack, but nary an original idea.
Tedious metal-punk with annoying double-tracked female vocals. To put it another way, mundane muzak for punk people. I’ll take GIRLSCHOOL any day, and that’s not saying a helluva lot.
Despite the dumb heavy metal graphics on the pic sleeve, I think this is easily peculiar enough to transcend this month’s crop of standard Britpunk. It’s a weird mixture of common elements—real gravelly Oi vocals, staccato CRASS-like choruses, slow/fast guitar-heavy music—anchored by a distinctive fuzz bass. Description won’t suffice; you’ve got to hear this one for yourself. I love it.
They picked up the pace a bit since their debut 7″. Although the riffs sound alike on all three of these songs, they’ve tightened up enough now that it’s not much of a hindrance. Good English punk ’ere, lads.
If you ever wondered what would happen if Pete Stride’s punky-pop compositions were recorded in a 24-track studio, this single provides the answer. The result is good snappy tunes driven by DISCHARGE-like power, a hot combination. The lyrics on the A-side are well taken. ERAZERHEAD, make a note of the change.
The A-side is from ’81 and is post-punk similar to that of their former sister band GANG OF FOUR, minus the funk. The ’77-period flip is a trashy, amateur treat which makes this 45 worthwhile.
This offbeat record displays a good hand for social satire on the title track, which is basically a spoken poem over an acoustic backdrop. The flipside, however, compensates for a throwaway number with a vaguely wimpy, but nonetheless engaging pop-punk composition (“Nuclear Attack”). Interesting.
Northern Ireland’s OUTCASTS have been carrying the punk standard since ’78, and I’ve always been a big fan of theirs. So it really hurts to say that their second album is something of a letdown. Their earlier punky pop sound has gradually mutated into a churning, militaristic, metallic juggernaut with lots of hooks and inherent power, but little humanity. Moreover, eight of these twelve tracks have already been releases, their new versions of old classics like “Frustration” really pale in comparison, and “Sex and Glory” is the only newer song that really stands out. The OUTCASTS have lost their innocence, and the results are at best mixed.
This album contains at least one track from each of their three previous 7″s. ONE WAY SYSTEM focus on the more traditional punk styles, which they handle well, but they also play a few thrashers. A pretty good record, though not exceptional.
The realm of death. Frenzied punk creative guitar feedback frightfully shrills terror and morose. Echoing drums pound shimmering insanity, evil. Haunting vocals taunt vivid lyrical descriptions of fear, anti-God, and anti-system. True music to reality’s horror show. Sullenly slower but poses the same brilliance as RUDIMENTARY PENI. Psychotic fold-out cover art is exceptional. Worth your interest.
Both consistent and powerful, this debut album by the PARTISANS contains a bevy of fine composition exploring themes of social protest and youth rebellion. An exciting version of “17 Years of Hell” accompanies new streamrollers like “No U-Turns” and “I Never Needed You”—possibly the best material this band has ever committed to vinyl. A lyric sheet would have been appreciated, but it’s more than made up for by the twelve straightforward, unpretentious punk anthems here.
Strong guitar pop with some superficial post-punk effects. This 12″ is somewhat overproduced, but the ringing guitars and overall catchiness make it more than worthwhile. PRESSURE’s sound reminds me of early FINGERPRINTZ, and that’s A-OK.
Noisy and somewhat annoying, this latest effort by RED ALERT fails to approach the standard set by themselves or most other “skunk” bands recording in Britain nowadays. Both compositions here are musically undistinctive and, surprisingly, quite messily produced.
This 12″ sounds simultaneously over-produced and under-recorded, but the good music still makes it through. There are a couple of dragged-out mid-tempo numbers, but there’s a find dirge (“Holocaust”) and a few real kickers.
A primitive, garagey sound permeates this 6-song cassette by horror rockers SCREAMING DEAD. Perhaps not as stirring as their Valley of the Dead EP, this tape still contains abrasive standouts like “This Is the End of the World” and “God of Love.” It comes complete with a ghoulishly illustrated booklet and a SCREAMING DEAD button.
Although their first EP was good, this new release shows progress. Two of the songs here are SUBHUMANS-type thrashers; the others are slow and steady. Sensitive lyrics and lots of commentary on the sleeve make this a must.
You’d never know that over five years had gone by from listening to these two skinhead anthem by reformed proto-Oi band SKREWDRIVER. They still sound the same, though perhaps a little less melodic in the guitar arrangements, and their seminal influence on the modern Oi groups is everywhere apparent. Singer Ian Stuart practically wrote the book on the sandpaper sneer that’s so omnipresent today; unfortunately, he also set the ideological tone for the more reactionary groups around now (the LAST RESORT, the 4-SKINS, SPECIAL DUTIES, etc.). I detest SKREWDRIVER’s values, but I can’t stop singing along with these damn songs. What a dilemma!
A Welsh band whose tastes run a whole gamut of punk styles, but seem to focus on the US hardcore approaches. The songs, which are much longer than the typical American ditty, are rather rough and have a charm all their own.
