RAISED FIST

"stronger than ever"

Year:  1996

Label:  Burning Heart

Format:  CD, LP

Tracks:  9

Time:  18 min.

Genre:  rock

Style:        Hardcore

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"fuel"
Year:  1998
Country:  Sweden
City:  Hertsön
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  11
Time:  25 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Hardcore

Sweden has a penchant for producing some great skate-punk bands. Millencolin, Satanic Surfers, No Fun At All, Randy, Astream, Adhesive.... They've been also known to produce some decent hardcore bands (ok, legendary - Refused anyone?) Raised Fist fits in quite well. Raised Fist started out as a typical hardcore band, recording a good EP in You're Not Like Me, yet nothing that able to force it's way into a congested American hardcore scene. Stronger Than Ever, the follow-up EP gave them a bit more of an identity, as they infused a bit more melody, along with more agression. Finally, after a long wait, they recorded a full album. Fuel is a bit of a paradox. It contains some of their slowest material, as well as some of their heaviest. They continue in the direction taken by Stronger Than Ever. The album starts off with a bit of a strange song in "Monumental", which changes pace & tone at least three times before it is finished. The next song, "Reversal", begins as a very average song, and ends with a guitar riff that, while not very technically difficult (any hack with a guitar could play it), is simply astounding, so good that when playing it live, they decide not employ the accompanying lyrics, and just play it as a solo (quite effectively I might add). "Reversal" is followed by "Pretext", one of my all-time favourite songs. This song alone is worth the price of admission. Probably their slowest song, yet one of the most agressive. The screamed lyrics over palm-muted guitar makes you wish you could understand even one fucking word either of the the singers says.

The problem with the album is after "Pretext", with the next eight songs (making eleven in total, saving you some mental math). These are all very good songs, and any one of them would be a standout on a compilation, yet they lack the originality that the first three have. They all employ the same sort of musical devices - palm muting, start/stop choruses, tying together different segments with killer bass lines....in much the same manner. This all adds up to some great head-bangin' fun, but you tend to lose track of where you are in the CD.

I can't think of an appropriate way to wrap this up, so I'll just finish by saying that if you're into bands like Snapcase, or the heavier Boy Sets Fire stuff, or just hardcore music in general, you'll definately want to pick this up. Even if you're not, but are looking for something new, give it a shot...you never know.... (*Review by Layawayplan ).

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"ignoring the guidelnes"
Year:  2000
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  13
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Hardcore








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"dedication"
Year:  2002
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  11
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Hardcore







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"sound of the republic"
Year:  2006
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD
Tracks:  12
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Hardcore







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"veil of ignorance"
Year:  2009
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD
Tracks:  13
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Hardcore







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"from the north"
Year:  2015
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  11
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Hardcore

Brilliant, brutal and blunt. In a world of skewed social standards, the organised chaos of hardcore has never felt so relevant. Punk legends Raised Fist have once again turned their hands to their own brand of punk that exemplifies vitriol at its catchiest and imitable. Spitting venom and face-melting riffs in every direction, ‘From The North’ breaks 2015 wide open and vows to seek revenge for last year’s wrongdoings.

Owing their existence to the lyrics of Rage Against The Machine, Raised Fist have consistently translated the aggression of their peers and their 21-year experience into some of the catchiest punk going. The Swedish five-piece has matured with age in all the best ways, compressing the relentless energy and rage of all their previous releases into their sixth studio offering ‘From The North’. There’s no stopping hardcore, at least, as long as these guys have any say in it.

“Let it be said, they should be fucking dead”, screeches vocalist Alexander Hagman, hurling lucid threats of “time is running out for you, my friend” to demonstrate the most menacing lyrical content to storm the hardcore scene in recent years. The record’s defining line “circling like fucking maniacs” from ‘Depression’ will doubtlessly blow apart any venue on their upcoming European tour. Accomplishing the feat of showcasing each band member in turn to which hardcore should aspire, the beautifully chaotic ‘Gates’ allows Modin’s relentless drums to translate a livid frustration rivalled only by Tikkanen and Holmgren’s tricksy leading lines throughout.

Anthemic album-stealer ‘We Will Live Forever’ takes matters into its own hands, combining seemingly effortless defiance with raucous, roof-raising riffs. The supercharged vocals of ‘Flow’ play a timeless game of cat and mouse with the earth-shattering opening line of ‘Man On Earth’, completing an 11-track battle cry for the perpetually downtrodden.

Cementing their message that “we still don’t give a fuck about the gig you’re playing”, ‘From The North’ raises both fists and yells against the social state, making waves hardcore has forgotten it was capable of. Raised Fist have raised the bar incomprehensibly high for 2015 – your move, Stick To Your Guns (*Review by Stepan).

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"anthems"
Year:  2019
Label:  Epitaph
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  10
Time:  28 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Hardcore








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DISCHARGE

"end of days"
Year:  2016
Country:  UK
City:  Stoke On Trent
Label:  Nuclear Blast
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  14
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock

Style:       Punk        D-Beat

 

I had low expectations for End of Days, and ended up being pleasantly surprised. I have always loved Discharge's early material, but their albums have been pretty hit or miss for the last three decades or so. That being said, it's impossible to deny the British bands influence. Their pacifist politics inspired a whole generation of anarcho punk bands. Their driving rhythms and brutal approach inspired countless metal bands. Unfortunately, at some points along the way, the groundbreaking crust punk band was reduced to playing pedestrian heavy metal. Fortunately, "end of days" is a rock solid slab of fast punk. It's much closer to the band's classic output ("why?", "hear nothing, see nothing" and "never again") than their clunky 90s metal stuff. It's essentially 14 ripping, two minute tracks.

The songs are short, fast and angry with minimal, repetitive lyrics. It's a formula that's always worked well for Discharge. It can be grim and humorless, but doesn't come across as too preachy. The raging diatribes and protest songs cover all the topics you would expect. There's songs against the state (New World Order, Hung Drawn and Quartered). There's songs against war (Raped and Pillaged, Looking at Pictures of Genocide). There's songs against religion (Meet Your Maker, It Cant Happen Here). There's songs about police brutality and drug abuse (The Broken Law,  Infected).

The current version of Discharge seems to have great chemistry. New singer Jeff Janiak spits out the lyrics with no regard whatsoever for melody. If anything, his voice is even better and harsher than that of longtime frontman Cal Morris. Guitarists and brothers Anthony Bones Roberts and Terence Tezz Roberts crank out one metallic punk riff after another. Both were part of the classic lineup, although Tezz was the drummer (and is largely credited with creating the D-beat sound). Classic era bassist Royston Rainy Wainwright is still holding down the bottom end. Even relative newcomer and drummer David Proper Caution has been in Discharge for a decade. (yes, they all have nicknames AND wear their own band's T-shirts.) I kind of figured these guys were a one (or two) man band at this point, and was impressed by how authentic this version of Discharge is.

It's probably worth noting that Discharge and Broken Bones (originally formed by Bones and Tezz after the first Discharge break up way back in 1982) are essentially the same band at this point. There's always been a fair amount of sharing, but currently Broken Bones is just Discharge minus Rainy. The bands sound similar, but Discharge has always been an overtly political band, while Broken Bones anger was of a more personal nature. When it came time to make a new LP, they went with the greater name recognition of Discharge. (or maybe the material dictated it.) The band does seem to be experiencing a career resurgence. Their postponed, but now rescheduled US tour has been drawing a ton of interest. End of Days goes a long way toward proving that they still are. Excellent album (*Review by Tom Trauma ).

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"disensitise"
Year:  2008
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  16
Time:  40 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Thrash








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"idem"
Year:  2002
Label:  Universal
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  12
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Thrash

"discharge" is the self titled comeback album by the punk pioneers. The album represents one of the more successful re-formations of a group that managed to miraculously carry some of its old energy into a new era, which is a mean feat for a group whose spark was pure adolescent rage. Some ones describe this album as a comeback to the roots of thrash metal, characterized by its overall aggression, fast tempo, simple and repetitive percussive beats and low-register guitar riffs,  characterized by palm muting. Philosophically, thrash metal developed as a backlash against the Conservatism,  often deals with criticisms of the Establishment and concern over the destruction of the environment, war, etc. identically to punk lyrical themes. It was the last album to feature vocalist Cal Morris, who collaborated in this album just in its studio work, neither live concerts nor videos, promos, etc. These thirty minutes were recorded during june of 2001 but put on the market on 2002. Distributed and promoted through record label "Sanctuary" (a subsidiary of major "Universal"), the album became in one of the most successful Discharge albums.

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"shooting up the world"
Year:  1993
Label:  Clay
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  10
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Punk Metal

In 1993 they released "shootin' up the world", which continued Cal Morris new vocal style, but the songs were significantly heavier than on "massacre divine". The album retains the metal direction, although experiments with strange lyrics, several changes of tempo and innovative structures, coming close to mix of: avantgarde, metal and punk, at times. Difficult to compare, but the album can to remind bands as: Voivod, Celtic Frost or Ved Buens Ende, in their more experimental albums. Cal assembled further versions of the group, but they definitely disbanded few months later.

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"massacre divine"
Year:  1991
Label:  Clay
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  10
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Punk Metal

In 1990 Cal reunited new members and released "massacre divine", which retained the metal sound, though with a noticeably harder edge than on "grave new world". Cal Morris again changed his vocal style, this time to rougher growling, similar to Brian Johnson of AC/DC. These ten songs combining punk, metal and funk, which can to remind: Primus or Faith No More. They toured widely in support of the record, including their only visit to Japan, but the tour was negatively received and the band just recorded their next studio album "shooting up the world" and disbanded late 1993.

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"grave new world"
Year:  1986
Label:  Clay
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  8
Time:  35 min.
Genre:  rock
Style:        Heavy Metal

Let's face it: if you've even heard of this album, chances are you probably hate it. Most people do. After all, Discharge were practically the kings of the UK hardcore scene back in the day and made a slew of nihilistic punk albums people (rightly) regard as classics, like 1982's Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing. But in 1986 Discharge changed tack somewhat - they reinvented themselves as a Sunset Strip-style metal band (as evinced by the photo above!). And their fans were almost universally disgusted. Gone was vocalist Cal Morris's gruff bark, replaced by a reverb-drenched falsetto. Gone too were the band's short sharp songs, which made way for extended tunes jam-packed with guitar solos and crunchy riffage. Their lyrics changed too, from brutal minimalist social commentary to something approaching hippie rhetoric. When Discharge toured Grave New World in 1986, they were insulted, heckled, attacked and despised at every show they played, both here in Britain and in the United States (as you can hear in recordings embedded or linked to below). And to this day, few people have a good word to say about the album.

Me though? I love it. In fact, I think it's one of the best records I've ever heard. I love Discharge's aggressive musical take on '80s hair metal and I enjoy Cal's banshee wail (well, on record at any rate - it's definitely better with a bit of reverb, as the live material below will demonstrate).

And so I wanted to create the page to bring together a selection of resources for fellow fans of Discharge, Grave New World or both, so that they could hear the truth in all the tales of hostile audience reactions, band tension and Discharge's alarming (but little-discussed) time as a metal band. You can find line-up and record label info on the album's Wikipedia page. Discharge disbanded few months later still in 1986.

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"never again"
Year:  1984
Label:  Clay
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  17
Time:  30 min.
Genre:  rock

Style:       Punk        D-Beat

"never again" is the second full-length album released by Discharge, in 1984, and is their first compilation album. It should not be confused with the EP of the same name. It includes tracks from their eponymous debut album, and from their previous EP's (extended plays). All tracks are remastered, and remixed, and is considered by Allmusic guide as "a great introduction" to the band. The cover is a work by John Heartfield from 1932 entitled "The Meaning of Geneva, Where Capital Lives, There Can Be No Peace".

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"hear nothing, see nothing,

say nothing"
Year:  1982
Label:  Clay
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  14
Time:  27 min.
Genre:  rock

Style:       Punk        D-Beat

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"why"
Year:  1981
Label:  Clay
Format:  CD, LP
Tracks:  16
Time:  22 min.
Genre:  rock

Style:       Punk        D-Beat

Discharge started early 1979 in Stoke-on-Trent city, the home of the pottery industry in England and is commonly known as the Potteries, with the local residents known as Potters. Their bottle kilns are well known for their original forms, which designed the old Stoke skyline since XIX century. This bottle kilns silouhette was often used in the first Discharge era artworks (1979 - 1984) and is also the logo of record label "Clay" owned by Mike Stone. The band recorded a demo tape and some singles until 1981, when it issued their first debut album "why?".

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