PUNK'S NOT DREAD

 

"punk's not dread"

Year:  1991

Country:  UK

City:  City

Label:  Rhythm Vicar

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  12

Time:  24 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Punk Hardcore

I consider it a crime that this album hasn't been reviewed yet, it is a classic punk album. The Exploited, along with Discharge and G.B.H. were one of the most influential bands of the U.K. punk scene in the early 1980's. And they have also been an influence on the almighty Slayer. This album is full of raw, three chord aggression, and it's being delivered by a bunch of leather jacketed punks with colored hair. What's not to love?

This album is easily worthy of its rating. It starts off with the classic "Punk's Not Dead". It kicks off with a drum beat and is then accompanied by some aggressive guitar work provided by Big John Duncan. This album has some anti cop songs such as "Cop Cars", "S.P.G", and "Son Of A Copper". All three of those are on the fast side, and all three are quite catchy. There are also some slower songs as well, such as the anthem like "Exploited Barmy Army", "Dole Q", "Sex And Violence", and "Ripper". Politics and social problems are very common throughout the album. Songs like "Free Flight", "Army Life" and "Blown To Bits" are good examples. "Mucky Pup" is a cover, the original was done by Puncture. This cover is quite good.

The music itself is a little on the raw side, the guitars are dirty sounding. But this is punk we're talking about here, so it's no surprise. The bass is relatively audible and the drums are your typical punk drumming. And last but not least, The Exploited is fronted by the man with the big red mohawk himself, Wattie Buchan. His shouted vocals with the Scottish brogue fits everything perfectly. The overall production is not very good, which amusingly is considered a virtue in the punk scene. This is a pretty lengthy album considering it's punk, but it's okay considering there are fifteen songs here.

I think that this is an essential punk album. There are other punk albums I would recommend over this for someone new to punk, but this is also a great start. I think anyone who is a fan of angry music, be it hardcore punk, thrash metal, black metal, or whatever, should give this album a listen. And then before you know it, you'll be painting The Exploited on the back of your leather jacket

( *Review by Sleeping Finger ).

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POPOL VUH

 

"aguirre"

Year:  1975

Country:  Germany

City:  Munich 

Label:  PDU

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  5

Genre:  rock, electronic

Style:        Krautrock

Unlike many film soundtracks, Aguirre genuinely holds up to the test as a standalone album away from the context of the film. Popol Vuh’s music functions excellently as ‘passive listening’, however, paying close attention to the album can indeed evoke powerful imagery that is totally separate from the film that it accompanies. Its transcendent tone is felt from the opening track Aguirre I, which begins with a rather angelic feel to it, before escalating to a darker, somewhat more menacing atmosphere. To me, the images it conjures up are of the final judgement, a notion that is common amongst much Abrahamic theology, in which the listener feels almost pulled back and forth between contrasting hellish and heavenly ethers. The pan pipes at the end of the track almost convey an irrelevance to the investment the listener might have had put into his or her drastically swinging emotions whilst listening to the song up until that point. The Vuh then continue to lull the listener into a false sense of security with Morgengruss II a beautiful, chilled out track with wonderful twanging guitars, before heading back into the unfinished business of the opening track as they jump to Aguirre II.

This song starts the same way as Aguirre I does, but this time the ominous otherworldly ambience is replaced by a much more hopeful and optimistic electric guitar solo. This call-back to the opening song is a way of rewarding the listener that they survived the grim and scary experience of the first Aguirre I and in light of this, they were now being rewarded for their endurance with relaxing and cheerful music. The subsequent track Agnus Dei, my favourite song on the album, starts off with the an oboe solo more akin to what might be heard on a classical music composition, however, the piece momentarily seamlessly flows into a more punky twang reminiscent of Patti Smith, before blending the softer sound of the oboe and potentially a flute with an electric guitar and drums to create a deeply enchanting sound that surprisingly works brilliantly.  Perhaps the biggest curveball of the album is Vergegenwärtigung, the nearly 17 minute track that follows it, which sounds more like a soundscape that might be selected to accompany a particular aspect of a niche modern art exhibition. It is different from the music I am usually into, however, as a passive piece of listening it works as the ghost-like quality it gives to the album, due to the wind-like sounds that can be heard from presumably a synthesizer, create a spooky mood which can really be admired as a diversion in style from the three tracks that proceed it. “Overall, whilst this album as a piece of ambient music is at some points jarring, it is most successful on taking the listener on a sonic voyage."

Aguirre III finally lifts its audience out of the desolate world Vergegenwärtigung may have left them in and even though it is somewhat foreboding in its style, it is considerably more active and vibrant, allowing the listener to feel like they can trust that the album and the journey that they have been on is finally culminating for better or worse. Overall, whilst this album as a piece of ambient music is at some points jarring, it is most successful on taking the listener on a sonic voyage. Much like Brian Eno’s work on the ambient half of David Bowie’s album “Heroes”, the album show real musical nous and does so in not curtailing to the masses in simply being a piece of instrumental music that simply pleases its listeners. For Popol Vuh to be spoken of in the same breathe as legends Eno and Bowie is certainly testament to the brilliance of this album (*Review by Joel Dwek & Danny Wiser ).

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"letzte tage -letzte nächte"

Year:  1976

Label:  United Artists

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  8

Time:  40 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Krautrock

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BRUTALITY

 

"screams of anguish"

Year:  1990

Country:  US

City:  Tampa, Florida

Label:  Nuclear Blast

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  10

Time:  47 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Death Metal

Debut album by Brutality finally available on vinyl again!

Brutality is a Death Metal band from Tampa, Florida. Formed in 1986 as Abomination, the band only recorded one demo under the name before changing it briefly to Darkness and eventually to Brutality in 1987.

Originally released by Nuclear Blast in 1993, Screams Of Anguish hasn't seen a vinyl release since 2014 and it was about time this absolute death metal classic is available on vinyl again! Fans of Morbid Angel, Deicide, Death or Nocturnus will definitely be pleased while enjoying some Screams Of Anguish.

"It takes literally milliseconds to catch a whiff of what Brutality are cooking on their debut. Right out of the gate, Jim Coker’s drums blast their way into existence, an offering of complete and total audio punishment. Don Gates and Jay Fernandez aren’t slouching on guitar, either, keeping pace with the manic drum work throughout and interjecting enough thunderous chugs to put a smile on many a Bolt Thrower fan’s face." -Heavy Blog Is Heavy.

Screams Of Anguish is available on Svart exclusive transparent orange/red marble vinyl and classic black vinyl. Release date October 27th.

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"when the sky turns black"

Year:  1994

Label:  Nuclear Blast

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  10

Time:  46 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Death Metal

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"in mourning"

Year:  1996

Label:  Nuclear Blast

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  9

Time:  47 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Death Metal

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CAN

 

"tago mago"

Year:  1971

Country:  Germany

City:  Cologne

Label:  United Artists

Format:  CD, 2 x LP

Tracks:  7

Time:  40 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Krautrock

German experimental rock band formed in Cologne circa 1968, initially as Inner Space and becoming "The Can" when fronted by American vocalist Malcolm Mooney. Can are well-known as one of the key pioneers of Krautrock, particularly during the era when fronted by Japanese singer Kenji "Damo" Suzuki who "turned their sound towards a crazy mixture of improvisation, noise, mantra and funk rhythms". They were constantly at the forefront of the Krautrock scene during their 10+ year history, composed music for films by directors including Roland Klick and Wim Wenders, and had an international hit with their pop satire single "I Want More" (1976).

The first Can member to go solo was Holger Czukay, and after Can split keyboard player Irmin Schmidt established a successful solo career. Other Can members also went solo and/or participated in other projects. In 1986 Czukay, Karoli, Mooney, Schmidt, and Liebezeit reformed, resulting in the album "Rite Time" (1989). In March 2003 Can received the German music industry's Echo Award for lifetime achievement.

Posthumously for some members, Can continue to inspire today and are blessed with a huge collection of tape recordings that have not seen the light of day. The Lost Tapes is part of this legacy, released in 2012, also known as Holger Czukay's pension fund. A new series is taking shape in the form of live recordings by long standing Can fans that shows the depth and wealth of the bands musical resolve.

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"ege bamyasi"

Year:  1972

Label:  United Artists

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  7

Time:  40 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Krautrock

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GRINDCRUSHER

 

"Grindcrusher - the earache sampler"

Year:  1989

Country:  UK

City:  Nottingham

Label:  Earache

Format:  2 x LP, CD + Single

Tracks:  11

Time:  30 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Grindcore, death metal , industrial , punk

"Grindcrusher" is a great sampler of late-'80s thrash metal/death metal/grindcore sides from the pioneering English label Earache. Primarily focused on British and European acts when this collection was released, Earache brought originators like Napalm Death, as well as other standout bands such as Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower, and Entombed to the metal limelight. Along with impressive cuts from these groups, this collection also includes a load of quality material from the obscure likes of Old Lady Drivers, Cadaver, Lawnmower Deth, and Repulsion. As the names evoke both menace and even a bit of camp, so does the music, with Godflesh pummeling the listener with jackhammer percussion and ultra-demonic vocals on "Streetcleaner," and Lawnmower Deth undermining all the gloomy seriousness with their tongue-in-cheek "Satan's Trampoline." The variety continues with stripped-down hardcore from Repulsion, the relatively straightforward Judas Priest-metal-stylings of Hellbastard, and even some industrial dance music from Mighty Force. Jazz experimentalist John Zorn's brief stay on the label is represented by Naked City's eclectic thrash montage, "Osaka Bondage," while equally innovative grindcore is heard on clever, multi-textured offerings by Carcass and Sore Throat -­ Old Lady Drivers deserves special mention here too for the keen sense of grotesque wit that went into a song title like "Colostomy Grab-Bag." Grind Crusher is an intense and galvanizing set, perfect for those curious about the fringe subgenres coming out of the marriage of metal and hardcore punk ( *Review by Stephen Cook ).

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FAILURE

 

"obstinate"

Year:  2024

Label:  No Time Records

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  10

Time:  12 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Power Violence

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"failure"

Year:  2017

Label:  Here And Now!

Format:  CD, LP, cassette

Tracks:  10

Time:  20 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Power Violence

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CARNIVORE

 

"retaliation"

Year:  1987

Country:  US

City:  New York

Label:  Warner

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  12

Time:  36 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Speed Metal

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"idem"

Year:  1985

Label:  Warner

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  8

Time:  36 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Speed Metal

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HARDCORE HOLOCAUST

 

"Hardcore Holocaust (peel sessions)"

Year:  1988

Country:  UK

City:  London

Label:  Strange Fruit

Format:  CD, LP

Bands:  9

Tracks: 25

Time:  41 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Hardcore Punk

Featuring a mind-boggling 118 tracks across three discs, this compilation brings together some of the most extreme music ever recorded for John Peel’s legendary BBC Radio 1 show. With a mass of ground-breaking material from 1987-90, this is the single most comprehensive history of grindcore ever released.

Peel’s relentless quest for the cutting edge took him to places where lesser DJs feared to tread. In the mid- to late-80s, his quixotic journey led him to discover an emerging wave of new UK bands taking punk, hardcore and metal influences to a new extreme. Dubbed grindcore, their distorted, hypersonic outbursts laid the groundwork for some of the most uncompromising music of our age.

Napalm Death weren’t the first OTT hardcore outfit to be championed by Peel, but they were by far the fastest and easily the most influential. All manner of extreme hardcore and metal was later inspired by their pioneering noise. The band’s first Peel session, recorded in September 1987, was a whirlwind of speed and sonic chaos. With tracks such as The Kill and Dead clocking in at around three seconds and ten seconds respectively, nothing quite like it had been heard before. Two further Napalm Death sessions are included here and are mandatory listening for those interested in the genesis of today’s extreme metal scene.

Disc one also features sessions by Extreme Noise Terror, the high-velocity hardcore band who famously performed 3 a.m. Eternal with The KLF at 1992’s Brit Awards. Like Napalm Death, their vitriol was directed at the military-industrial complex and the evils of corporate control.

The second disc opens with two sessions of crude grindcore/death metal from Carcass, who subsequently cleaned up their sound and became one of death metal’s most important innovators. With song titles like Crepitating Bowel Erosion and Reek of Putrefaction, they steered clear of politics, preferring instead to explore a mire of nightmarish gore.

Bolt Thrower’s rumbling, bottom-heavy death metal rounds out disc two, making way for a diverse final disc featuring Godflesh’s industrial noise metal, Unseen Terror’s metallic grindcore and a return to straightforward hardcore with Heresy and Intense Degree. With comprehensive liner notes from Napalm Death drummer Mick Harris, an explosive chapter in UK music history finally has a tribute worth the name (*Review by Greg Moffitt ).

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