Top Ten NYC/New Jersey Hardcore Punk Albums

New York, New York... that city my home state happens to be attached to. Like Boston, it is a haven for flat-brim hat and Tapout t shirt wearing, bulging tattooed bicep flexing douche-core bands. And like Boston, some of my favorite bands are the main culprits in helping to create this monster that calls itself hardcore. But never mind that, let's focus on the awesome side of this late-blooming American hardcore punk scene. Oh and some groups from New Jersey... everyone knows they're New York's radioactive landfill. Hell, the only way out of there is to make some kickass music (i.e. Bruce Springsteen or Frank Sinatra). And if I seem prejudiced, I am. Because as disturbing as The Jersey Shore is... that IS the reality of New Jersey, just add a shitload of smog, industrial parks and crazy drivers.

Honorable Mention: New York Thrash Compilation, Gorilla Biscuits, Crumbsuckers, Youth of Today, Cause For Alarm, Abused, Even Worse, Undead, The Mad, Murphy's Law and WarZone. Heads up, neither Nausea or Bad Brains will appear on this list. Nausea is a crust band so that is a different kettle of fish for me. And Bad Brains is harDCore from DC. They may have kickstarted the scene and recorded their debut album in NYC but they are a DC band just like MDC is a Texas band even though they moved to San Francisco.

1. AGNOSTIC FRONT - Victim In Pain

"WHY AM I GOING INSANE? WHY AM I THE ONE TO BLAME? WHY AM I THE ONE TO FUCKING BLAME!?!?

This is the quintessential New York Hardcore Punk album. No American hardcore collection isn't complete without this and the super short and thrashy "United Blood" EP [which are packaged together on the latest reissue of "Victim In Pain"]. This is easily Agnostic Front's finest hour and, in my opinion, Roger Miret's finest moment as a vocalist. He doesn't sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger puking up his spleen like he does on later releases. It's so powerful and amazing that almost everything else they did later disappoints you. Their lyrics are especially strong and don't fall victim to reactionary sentiments (see 'Cause For Alarm's song 'Public Assistance') and are quite intelligent. This album just rips from end to end and I highly recommend the reissue with the 'United Blood' EP.

"Totally ferocious, headbanging thrash from Agnostic Front. This LP is infinitely better than their debut EP "United Blood". The lyrics here are really strong, unity and brotherhood type lyrics. If you're not going wild smashing up the place while you're hearing this fearsome platter you must be numb. It's hard to pick a favorite cut on this and everybody's playing is top notch. One of the all time best thrash LPs. Fuck what people say about Agnostic Front, listen to this!"

-Greg C. (from Task, June 1985)

AGNOSTIC FRONT ~ Victim In Pain

2. MISFITS - Walk Among Us

"BRAINS. BRAINS FOR LUNCH. BRAINS FOR BREAKFAST. BRAINS FOR BRUNCH. BRAINS AT EVERY SINGLE MEAL WHY CAN'T WE HAVE SOME GUTS!?!?!?"

Catchy and bass heavy riffs? Check. The inimitable Jim Morrison style crooning of the one and only Glenn Danzig? Check. Woah-Oh chorus lines? Check. Apolitical good time b-horror lyrics? Check. In other words, it's perfect! How can you NOT fall madly in love with this album? It is PERFECT. It's ghoulish fun at its best and while they may have equaled it in their career they have never beat (though their last single 'Die Die My Darling' does give it a run for its money). From the manic madness thrash of '20 Eyes' to the Oi! piss-take 'Braineaters' these '77 originals decided to throw out angsty teenage lyrics and political stances and just have a hell of a lot of fun like every night was Halloween.

MISFITS ~ Skulls

3. Adrenalin O.D. - Let's Barbeque

"OLD PEOPLE TALK LOUD. WHAT? OLD PEOPLE SMELL BAD. WHAT? OLD PEOPLE WALK SLOW. WHAT? OLD PEOPLE COMPLAIN."

This is the kind of music like the Toy Dolls, the Vandals or the Adicts that zines love to call "funnypunk" and funny it certainly is. These Jerseyites have a twisted sense of humor that runs through their material. The music is speed of light thrash complimented by lyrics ranging from silly ('Old People Talk Loud') to humorous semi-serious social critique ('Trans-Am', 'Suburbia' and 'House Husband'). A.O.D. is all fun and is a welcome relief from all the very serious minded bands that dominate the NYC/ New Jersey scene.

"Excellent standard thrash from Jersey. The mischievous lyrics and ultra-dense guitar whoosh really set this EP apart. "Status Symbol" is all-around great, and "Trans Am" is a hilarious put-down of the spoiled rich brats who go cruisin' in their shitty gas guzzlers. I'm definitely looking forward to their next barbeque."

-Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rock'n'Roll, May/June 1983)

ADRENALIN O.D. ~ Suburbia

4. NIHILISTICS - Nihilistics LP

"STEAL FROM THE RICH BUT DON'T GIVE TO THE POOR. I'M NOT SATISFIED WITH WHAT I GOT. I'LL ALWAYS WANT MORE."

This is another case of truth in advertising. Just look at the lyric sample above. This is brutal, nasty, dirty and fucked up punk rock. Obviously these guys are not among the wealthier residents of their home of Long Island and if they are they are lying quite well. It sounds like grimy and mean like their lyrics. I don't know if these lyrics are satire (albeit much less tongue in cheek and sarcastic than the brilliant Dead Kennedys) or just someone purging some undiluted hatred from their soul. Either way, this album [repackaged with their debut EP as "13th Anniversary"] rips and commands your attention and demands your respect, or at the very least, your fear.

"Even though I don't always agree with their opinions, the Nihilistics provide more food for thought than 90% of today's hardcore bands. And their music is as brutal, uncompromising, and cacophonous as their lyrical assault. This great album is jam-packed with raw, intense blasts of a furor borne of futility. It certainly doesn't make for easy listening, but it rivets your attention and makes for provocative listening, which is ultimately a hell of a lot more important. A mandatory purchase."

-Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rocknroll, October/November 1983)

NIHILISTICS ~ Welfare For The Rich

5. REAGAN YOUTH - Youth Anthems For The New World Order

"FINAL SOLUTION TO ALL NEW ARYANS. DEATH TO THE NAZIS AND THE KU KLUX KLAN. ANARCHY IN THE FATHERLAND. ANARCHY FOR ALL NEW ARYANS. NO MASTER RACE IS GONNA RULE THIS LAND."

Ok. Let's get this straight first. Reagan Youth are not Reagan fans and are definitely NOT white supremacists/separatists. They hate conservatism, nationalism, racism and fascism with a burning hatred. They use these visual cues as satire. RY is one of the most criminally underrated punk bands in America which is a damn shame considering their strong anarchist stance and catchy songs that you can sing along to as you go ape. Absolutely required. [This was later packaged with 4 more songs as 'Volume 1' which was later packaged with the more metal leaning 'Volume 2' as 'A Collection Of Pop Classics' which is essential listening and buying].

"The long-awaited REAGAN YOUTH record is finally out, and it's well worth the wait. They've produced an ultra-primitive, trashy attack with an amazingly raw guitar sound that reminds me of Florida's F. Add to that a social consciousness willing to confront both reaction and apathy, and it's impossible to fail. Their anthemic theme song "Reagan Youth" brilliantly captures the mindless idolatry of today's young Republicans, and the other tracks are almost equally appealing. A must."

-Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rocknroll, March 1985)

REAGAN YOUTH ~ New Aryans

6. THE CRO-MAGS - Age of Quarrel

"YOU'RE GONNA TAKE A FALL. AND I DON'T CARE AT ALL. STAB ME IN THE BACK. SOMEONE I TRUSTED. LET'S SET THINGS STRAIGHT. DON'T TREAD ON ME."

The Cro-Mags are one of the bands (like Agnostic Front or Sick Of It All) who define New York Hardcore past and present. It is a hardcore punk album with the heaviness of a metal record and not as much the crossover/speed metal sound they used on their next album 'Best Wishes' and beyond. Another thing that distinguishes the Cro-Mags from their peers is their spiritual beliefs. While religion and hardcore haven't always been exclusive (their mentors the Bad Brains are Rastafarian after all), it is quite unique that John Joseph and Harley Flanagan of the Cro-Mags are sincere practicing Hare-Krishna's. The title of the album is actually a reference to a Hare-Krishna prophecy. However, this album is like the little guys in orange robes who hand you flowers at airports. This is a brutal album that while having spiritual overtones (i.e. 'Do Unto Others') is about survival on the mean streets of New York City. Hard hitting and damn good. [Age of Quarrel can only be found as a two for one deal with their second album 'Best Wishes']

CRO-MAGS ~ Don't Tread On Me

7. PRONG - Primitive Origins

"THE WAYS OF YOUR WAY. I'M LOST IN DISBELIEF. HOW CAN YOU BREATHE FREELY AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU SEE?"

The only thing that I can think of is that Prong KNEW what they were going to do. Prong is more widely known as one of thrash metal's more progressive and technical bands but on "Primitive Origins" they were slightly metallic and very heavy hardcore punk. This album gets dismissed by many critics just like the Beastie Boys punk years as an interesting novelty with little musical value. But like the Beastie Boys early work, this album is unfairly judged in the light of their later work. You can't compare a raw and punky album like 'Primitive Origins' with a progressive thrash classic like 'Beg To Differ' just like you can't compare 'Polliwog Stew' with 'Licensed To Ill'. This is metallic hardcore at it's best.

PRONG ~ Primitive Origins

8. URBAN WASTE - Self-Titled EP

"EVERY TIME I GO OUT AND HANG OUT WITH MY FRIENDS, IT ALWAYS ENDS UP THE SAME OLD WAY WITH A NIGHT STICK ACROSS MY HEAD. POLICE!!! BRUTALITY!!!"

Urban Waste belongs to a small group of bands who based their approach and sound on low sound fidelity and speed. While many bands recorded that way out of necessity, some bands tried (i.e. Bristol U.K.'s Disorder) for that approach and were able to record it just right so it was as raw and crazy as possible without taking away from the songs. Urban Waste is one of those bands and this, their first and only release, is an absolute essential.

 "Intense adrenaline blasts with some choppy, discordant lead breaks. Urban Waste create quite a guitar wall-of-sound, and the songs start to click after only a couple of listens. They also deserve to win an award for the funniest and cleverist "sexist" song in ages ("Banana-Nut Cake"). Get it."

-Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rocknroll, July/August 1983)

 

 URBAN WASTE ~ Police Brutality

HEART ATTACK - God Is Dead

Heart Attack, like the early work of Prong and The Beastie Boys, is unjustly relegated as a novelty due to the future indie pop career of its lead singer Jesse Malin. It is also considered the first thrash punk record from NYC "unless you consider the Bad Brains a New York outfit." (Jeff Bale, MRR). Fast loud and snotty thrash punk with aped Brit vocals and a killer attitude. A must have.

"Don't get this confused with Hard Attack. Heart Attack is one of the greatest New York hardcore bands. They're incredible, a teenage trio that will blast your ears off. They've got the fresh intensity that it takes to make the most exciting kind of hardcore sounds. Their music is loud, fast, and very powerful. The record starts off with "You," a ferocious fuck you song. Both this and the second song, "Shotgun," use the title as a shouted group chorus, which kinda makes them sound like some of the Brisith Oi stuff, but overall both have a very distinctive sound. However the flipside, an atheistic anthem called "God is Dead," sounds a lot like the Circle Jerks. But it's great in its own way. An outstanding record."

-Tim Tonooka (from Ripper, December 1981)

10. Sick Of It All - Blood, Sweat & No Tears

"FREEDOM - A RIGHT I'LL ALWAYS HAVE ONE THAT NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY NO MATTER WHAT IT IS THEY TRY."

Sick Of It All is the quintessential metalcore band. Along with positive straight-edge bands such as Youth of Today and Gorilla Biscuits, Sick Of It All dictated the direction of NYHC in the late 80's and set the tone for modern hardcore. While I generally shy away from this brand of punk which has become a breeding ground for macho shitheads, this album rips. It also doesn't hurt that while it is heavy it is WAY more punk than metal. Something that isn't true of their later work. And an awesome cameo from 'Blastmaster' KRS-One is an awesome addition to an already stellar hardcore record. While I may not like the style that this album spawned, I cannot deny that this isn't an amazing album.

SICK OF IT ALL ~ Bullshit Justice

Top Ten Death Metal Albums

Ahh... Death Metal. Some people think anything with a screaming singer is death metal. But last time I checked screamo scene pussies are NOT Death Metal. Death Metal has changed quite a bit from it's roots in thrash metal but it's still those first classics from bands like Death, Possessed and Cannibal Corpse that bring the pain most deliciously. There are many amazing bands who are not represented here such as Grave, Massacre, Cryptopsy, Atheist, Nile, At The Gates, Unleashed and Dismember etc. There are also albums by the bands on this list that are amazing and are landmarks in the genre, like 'Human' and every other album released by Death, that do not appear on this list. This is due to my personal tastes, as I prefer my death metal to be rawer and thrashier more often than not.

1. DEATH - Scream Bloody Gore

"DRINK FROM THE GOBLET, THE GOBLET OF GORE. TASTE THE ZOMBIE'S DRUG, NOW YOU WANT MORE. DRIFTING FROM THE LIVING, JOINING WITH THE DEAD. ZOMBIE DWELLING MAGGOTS, NOW INFEST YOUR HEAD. ZOMBIE. RITUUUALL!!!"

Chuck Schuldiner was Death Metal personified. While he was really a nice quiet guy with a love for horror movies and extreme music, no single person did as much for the genre as Chuck. Besides possibly inventing the term "Death Metal" (there is debate as to whether Possessed did so first), Chuck and the revolving door of players in Death perfected their art for years with demos and released 7 albums from 1987-98. Every one of these albums were genre masterpieces that never failed to thrill and progress with each new release. Also, through his obsessive tape trading, he not only promoted his own band but many of thrash, death and grindcores founding fathers (at different points he struck up musical partnerships with the members of DRI, Repulsion, Canada's Slaughter and Terrorizer and former members went on to form bands such as Autopsy and Massacre). This album doesn't showcase Chuck's later philosophical side and is firmly rooted in horror and gore lyrics (Especially on my personal favorite, the Bruce Campbell gore-fest worshiping 'Evil Dead') and the music compliments it so very well. Such a brutal and perfect album made by a truly amazing person. RIP Chuck we'll see you on the other side.

DEATH ~ Evil Dead

2. SEPULTURA - Beneath The Remains

"CITIES IN RUINS, BODIES PACKED ON MINEFIELDS, NEUROTIC GAME OF LIFE AND DEATH... WHO HAS WON? WHO HAS DIED? BENEATH THE REMAINS!"

Sepultura was the greatest thing that Brazil has given the world. No joke. While their blackened thrash EP's and their debut full length 'Schizophrenia' were groundbreaking, it was this album that cemented their place in music history. Some classify this as a thrash album and other do not. I never felt comfortable placing this album alongside of Slayer, Dark Angel and Kreator. I've always felt that this album was very rooted in thrash with it's guitar style and political lyrics but was exploring and creating the death metal genre as it went. This album is like Slayer's 'Reign In Blood' in many ways. Other than a slow intro at the beginning of the title track, this album is full throttle, full tilt, full bore and no bullshit. It takes no quarter and is all too often forgotten.

SEPULTURA ~ Beneath The Remains

 

3. POSSESSED - Seven Churches

"UNLEASHED MEN OF SIN. HATRED HELL WITHIN. SINNER'S HATE WILL DIE. THE EXORCIST!!!"

The album begins with Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells' better known as the theme from the landmark horror film 'The Exorcist'. If that and the album's minimalist and evil artwork haven't clued you in as to what this Bay Area band is about... well, good luck in life with your powers of discernment. One of the things I've never understood about this album is why people haven't cited it as a major influence on Black Metal as well. Everything is here for it. Lyrics about evil, tremolo picked guitars, lo-fi production and reverb out the wazoo, other than the guttural vocals, it seems like a great template for proto-Black Metal. Either way, this is an awesome album that oozes with malevolent atmosphere and should be required listening for all metal heads.

POSSESSED ~ The Exorcist

4. DEICIDE - Deicide

"WE ARE WHAT WAS AND SHALL RULE AGAIN. DEAD BY DAWN, CHANTING DEATH THE ANCIENT HYMN. THIS IS NOT REAL, I AM NOT THE CHOSEN ONE. TRAPPED IN THE SPELL OF THE NECRONOMICON."

From the band Amon (whose collected demos are on the Deicide's CD 'Amon: Feasting The Beast' a really good album for your money.) the band Deicide was formed. This album is made up entirely of songs from Amon songs  and the practice behind these songs is evident. Lead vocalist/bassist Glen Benton has been the creative vision and walking PR agent for this band since day one. From burning an upside down cross into his forehead, shooting a squirrel while being interviewed at his home and declaring himself a Satanist (most likely for the publicity), Glen has always managed to keep Deicide in the spotlight. His vocals are so demonic with and WITHOUT the vocal effects on this album that the Religious Right was convinved he was genuinely possessed. Decide for yourselves and see why Deicide is one of the founding fathers of Death Metal.

DEICIDE ~ Dead By Dawn

5. CANNIBAL CORPSE - Eaten Back To Life

"THEY ENTER YOUR TOMB. MAGGOTS!!! BEGINNING TO FEAST. MAGGOTS!!! CRAWLING ON YOU. MAGGOTS!!! NOW THEY EAT YOU. MAGGOTS!!!

If there is one Death Metal band EVERYONE knows of, it is Cannibal Corpse. The biggest reason for this is their name, their unprecedentedly gory artwork and their unbelievably inhumane lyrics. Coming from Buffalo, NY (and not the Death Metal havens of Florida and California) Cannibal Corpse quickly became the face of death metal for mainstream media and the face of Satan for the Religious Right. They also were along with Massacre a major part of the shift to what is now considered typical death metal vocal styling (or "cookie monster" vocals). While many do not agree, I find 'Eaten Back To Life' to be their most fun, enjoyable and rocking album for a few reasons. 1. Their sound was still tied to thrash metal in the best way 2. Chris Barnes was still their vocalist and 3. This was when they were just out to have some gory fun and didn't take themselves too seriously and become a parody of themselves and the genre. Like a good cheesy B-horror film, it delivers the thrills, chills and laughs that we all crave.

 CANNIBAL CORPSE ~ A Skull Full Of Maggots

6. AUTOPSY - Severed Survival

"STRICKEN WITH A HORRIBLE DISEASE, MANKIND FALLS VICTIM TO DOOM. A FESTERING PLAGUE SWEEPS ACROSS THE EARTH. ROTTING DEATH... MORBID CURSE."

Autopsy is one of those unique sort of first wave bands that straddles the line between Grindcore and Death Metal. Very much like Terrorizer. Except it has some truly blistering guitar solos that place it in the death metal category annnnnd it just feels more Death than Grind to me. So there. Arbitrary decision making up your ass, bitch! Sorry about that. Anyways, while the "genre" or whatever may be ambiguous (Hell, these genres didn't even exist they were just making noise and people started calling it stuff.) what is not ambiguous is that this album is heavy as osmium (consult your periodic table of elements). Gore obsessed with great dynamics switching from a grinding mid-paced drive to a hardcore paced blitzkrieg. It's like Glenn Danzig said, "All murder, all guts, all fun."

AUTOPSY ~ Charred Remains

7. ENTOMBED - Left Hand Path

"DEAD. DECEASED. BUT LIFE GOES ON. I WILL BE THE ONE WHO WON. MY CHARRED BODY WILL DECAY BUT MY SOUL WILL BE FLOATING ANYWAY."

Just like Amon changed their name to Deicide and revamped their legendary demos for their first album, Sweden's Death Metal pioneers Nihilist broke up after releasing some well received demos (which can be found with the first Entombed demo 'But Life Goes On' on the CD 'Nihilist 1987-1989') and reformed and rerecorded many of their works as Entombed. Sweden is renowned for it's development of melodic death metal or "The Gothenburg Sound" but this is not that. This is unhindered guttural brutality. While much death metal sounds the same, I can always tell when this album comes on just by the grimy and heavy as hell guitar tone and Lars Petrov's vocals that seem like listening to Repulsion's Scott Carlson from inside his throat. The single best Swedish death metal release from the most important Swedish metal act aside from Bathory.

ENTOMBED ~ But Life Goes On

8. SUFFOCATION - Pierced From Within

"I AM YOUR SAVIOUR. SHAPELESS TO YOUR PERCEPTION. FOR I AM YOU. PIERCED FROM WITHIN."

I don't usually get into technical death metal. I usually find myself listening to brutal or classic death metal. However, like everything else there is always an exception to the rule. New York City's Suffocation is that exception. While many technical death metal bands just spend their time wanking about and showing off how talented they are (or how eclectic they are ala Atheist's second album 'Unquestionable Presence') Suffocation shows off their chops and complex song structures but also tempers that display with unrelenting brutality in their performance. There are many tempo changes from blitzkrieg death metal assaults to slow or mid pace lapses that build tension but never fall into the lame "hardcore breakdown" territory so prevalent in heavy music today. Complete with cookie monster vocals, it is easy to see how Suffocation was truly a game changer in the world of extreme metal.

SUFFOCATION ~ Pierced From Within

9. OBITUARY - Cause of Death

"THE KILLING GENTLY: DISSECTION OF THE LIGHT. THE ROTTING OF THE SOUL."

Obituary is, along with Death, Massacre, Deicide and Morbid Angel, one of the Florida Death Metal originals. Their first 3 albums, 'Slowly We Rot', 'Cause Of Death' and 'The End Complete' are all death metal classics. Obituary differed from their Florida peers in one key regard however, Obituary was not interested in being heavier and faster than everyone else, they just wanted to be heavier. This is due to a great amount of influence from Switzerland's Celtic Frost who were a thrash band but weren't greatly concerned with speed as they were with menacing presence and heaviness. In fact, their reverence of the Swiss metal gods was so great that they include a cover of Celtic Frost's classic song 'Circle of the Tyrants'. While this cover certainly illustrates the creative influences owed to Thomas Gabriel and company it also showcases their unique brand of death metal and John Tardy's inimitable growling style.

OBITUARY ~ Circle Of The Tyrants 

10. MORBID ANGEL - Altars Of Madness

"GATHERED FOR A SACRED RITE. SUBCONSCIOUS MINDS ALLIED. CALL UPON THE IMMORTALS. CALL UPON THE OLDEST ONE TO INTERCEDE."

Last but certainly not least is the debut of one of Florida's finest, Morbid Angel.Led by lyrical stylings of David Vincent (Bass) and Trey Azagthoth (Guitar), Morbid Angel is a band that was obsessed with being extreme as possible and as evil as possible. Their lyrics about Satan, Hell, Occultism and ancient immortals (in true H.P. Lovecraft fashion) can give the best of Norway's Black Metal inner circle a run for their money, and the hoarse and deathly vocals of Vincent and Azagthoth make this a perennial winner. Morbid Angel released a few more classics such as "Covenant" and "Blessed Are The Sick" but this remains their master work.

MORBID ANGEL ~ Chapel Of Ghouls

 

Top 5 Pacific Northwest/Rocky Mountain Hardcore Punk Records

The Rockies and Pacific NorthWest have also had their fair share of intense hardcore punk (and other extreme/fringe genres as well). It's a shame that documentaries about the punk scene such as American Hardcore just barely acknowledge the existence of punk/alternative music outside of grunge bands or possibly Poison Idea. Here is where I will try to make a bit of improvement on that situation. There's more to this region than Starbucks and rain. Hardcore punk have very deep roots here and this is just a sample.

Honorable mention: bands that did make to the list include Solger, White Trash and the legendary straight-edge band 7 Seconds

1. POISON IDEA - Pick Your King EP

"SHUT UP. LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY TO YOU, CAN YOU BELIEVE ANY OF IT'S TRUE? PHONEY LEADERS STEAL YOUR MONEY, THAT AIN'T FUNNY, THAT'S THE GOSPEL."

Poison Idea is one of those rare bands like Negative Approach that just exude hostility from every pore and are utterly unique from all other hardcore bands. What also makes this band unique is the insightful and poetic lyrics of the late (and rather hefty) singer Pig Champion. While their later albums (such as 'Kings of Punk' and 'Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes') benefited from a thicker and heavier production, this album is lean and mean sounding. It is a perfect record without any weaknesses, just pure adrenalin, angst and aggression. The record's cover on one side is the face of Jesus while the flip side has the picture of Elvis. No matter which king you pick, there is one one pick for the kings of Northwest hardcore. Need I say more?

 "I reviewed their demo tape tow issues ago, and now I have a chance to rave again. This soon-to-be-released EP has thirteen thrashing songs which run into each other at breakneck speed. Keep your ears peeled."
-Tim Yohannon (from Maximum Rock'n'Roll, March/April 1983)

POISON IDEA - Pick Your King [Full EP]

2. ACCÜSED - The Return Of Martha Splatterhead

"LIFE SHOULD BE UNCHAINED A PLEASURE WITHOUT DOUBT KEEP MATERIAL WEALTH I'D RATHER HAVE MENTAL HEALTH."

 AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Okay, the Accüsed are an amazing band. Like really amazing. The are one of the forgotten cornerstones of crossover thrash. Hey, my own band is straight up Accused/Cryptic Slaughter worship. That's how much me and my friends love this band. And there's good reason. The drums are pounding, the guitars are grinding, the bass is galloping (as the bass player this excites me greatly) and the vocals are batshit crazy!!! Lyrics range from teenage angst to politics to gore and the music ranges from hardcore attack to thrashing assault. Also, they are made of the who's who of Washington Punk Rock including former members of The Fartz and Solger. And they are still going today. 

"You missed last time, so don't miss this chance, 'cause this firebomb rips with that kind of crazed ferocity of speed, lightning-paced and raw deliverance that cranks the rug out from your feet. The dentist rips teeth from your jaw as Blaine tugs at his frenzied vocals in a passionate form of chaos, and the band giggles with nerve-smashing thrash. The original plus eight new tracks to light up your neighborhood."
-Pushead (from Maximum Rocknroll, June 1986)

 ACCÜSED ~ Return Of Martha Splatterhead

3. SEPTIC DEATH - Need So Much Attention

"FROZEN IN IGNORANCE I CAN'T UNDERSTAND. SCREAMING ON THE SCREEN SHOUTING ON THE TUBE. GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE HAVE TO BE FREE. THAW!!!"

Brian 'Pushead' Schroeder is a talented visual artist, record producer, music critic and musician who has been one of the world's greatest connoisseurs of extreme punk music. Many people have said, with alarming accuracy, that critics are the ones who have failed at the art they review or are pretentious assholes. Well, I have no idea if Pushead is an asshole or not but he doesn't just review records, he's a fan and a student of records and he really did his homework combining the best of the best and adding his own colorful touches to the palate of what is known as Septic Death. Totally unique yet straight forward. A classic in every sense and an awesome listen. [This was later repackaged with extra tracks and reissued as "Now I Have The Attention, What Do I Do With It? under his own label Pusmort Records.]

"Heh, heh. After Pushead's wisecracks at the beginning of his column, I can't wait to review his band's record. Unfortunately, it's good. Oh, well. Actually, it's ferocious. It combines the manic attack of the Boston bands with the recklessness of the best Finnish and Swedish thrash groups. Being a perfectionist, the Pus has worked long and hard on his debut, with excellent results. It should serve as a lesson for many young bands--wait until you've got it together before going public. This shreds."
-Tim Yohannon (from Maximum Rock'n'Roll, March 1984)

SEPTIC DEATH - Thaw

4. THE FARTZ - Because This World Fuckin' Stinks

"YOU'VE GOT A BRAIN, YOU'VE GOT A BRAIN, YOU'VE GOT A BRAIN. USE IT!!!"

The Fartz are generally known as one of two things. 

1: That band the guys in the Accused played in. 

2: That band Duff McKagan (Guns n' Roses, Velvet Revolver) played in back when he was a punk.

Even though they have a really juvenile name, The Fartz are actually quite a political band with a serious message and a passionate hatred of Reagan. Their fast, raw and precise thrash attack is truly something wonderful and they deserve to step out of The Accused's/Duff McKagan's shadow and get the props that they so richly deserve. [Alternative Tentacles rereleased this record with their World Full Of Hate record and other tracks with the comprehensive career CD 'Because This World Still Fuckin's Stinks' which is totally worth getting.]

"My favorite release of 1981, and that's saying a lot given the quality of the competition. The Fartz thrash so hard and fast that they leave most hardcore bands behind in a cloud of dust, but they still manage to exercise a lot of brainpower. This EP is as intelligent, frenetic, and intense as any you're likely to hear, so get it now before it's out of print."
-Jeff Bale (from Maxumum Rock'n'Roll, July/August 1982)

THE FARTZ ~ You Got A Brain

5. BUM KON - Drunken Sex Sucks

"IT'S A SLOW DEATH... I WANNA DIE..."

Colorado's Bum Kon is one of those bands that even punk aficionados can go a lifetime without ever hearing about. But the people that know about Bum Kon (named after a Korean serial killer) LOVE them. They're another lo-fi thrash punk band but they are quirky too. There are lots of little things that they do that are outside the box that makes them so enjoyable and these experimental tendencies were explored later on their following albums and it is a damn shame that they are hardly remembered at all. Thankfully, however, Maximum Rocknroll magazine saw fit to re-release it with a whopping 20 bonus tracks and advertise it in their fine pages and spread the word about this forgotten band that never wuite got the attention they deserved all those years ago. Check it out. You'll be happy you did.

"Raw thrash emanates form Colorado's Bum Kon. They have a frenetic instrumental attack and intense vocals, but the generally poor production doesn't always highligh their potential--note, e.g., the variation between the muddy title song and "The Draft," which has a much hotter sound."
-Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rocknroll, June 1984)

BUM KON ~ Forced Away

Top 5 Midwest Hardcore Records

When people think about hardcore punk, they think of L.A., N.Y.C., Boston and D.C. When you think of the Midwest, other than Detroit and Chicago, you think of "amber waves of grain", farmers, Bibles and, as Die Kreuzen said, "Cows and Beer".

Kinda like this...

Anywho, the Midwest not only had a punk scene (like 1977 original punkers the Dead Boys) but some of hardcore's most important bands came from here! And of course there were sizable scenes in Chicago and 'Detroit Rock City' there were many other bands spread all over that used their isolation to their advantage and created their own loud fast sounds and did not follow what was fashionable in the "scene" with great results.

Honorable mentions must go out to Screeching Weasel, Hüsker Dü, The Replacements, Zero Defex, The Pagans, Big Black, The Effigies, The Fix, Crucifux, Meatmen and Impulse Manslaughter (whose album 'He Who Laughs Last, Laughs Alone' is a real thrashing treat).

1. NEGATIVE APPROACH - Negative Approach EP

"DON'T ASK ME STUPID QUESTIONS I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO. DON'T TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS CAUSE I'LL JUST IGNORE YOU. SICK OF TALK. I'M SICK OF TALK. DON'T TALK TO ME AT ALL."

Okay, let's get this over with... UGLIEST FUCKING COVER EVER!!! When I look at Linda Blair's face on this it scares me more than when I was actually watching that scene in The Exorcist! Whew... that's over. Now... Negative approach lives up to it's name. Very angry, spiteful and pessimistic. Not unusual for hardcore but like fanzine writer Barbara Rice from Truly Needy stated "something sets N.A. apart from the others... the band is great but John Brannon's vocals stand out. His voice sounds like a fleet of Mac trucks rumbling down a gravel road." Enough said. This music isn't just angry, it's straight up HATEFUL and MEAN. Negative Approach doesn't want to be your friend, they want to club you over the head like a baby seal. [You can find this EP and their excellent LP 'Tied Down' on their complete discography CD 'Total Recall' released by Touch & Go Records.]

"Another Touch & Go midwest classic along the lines of the Fix and the Necros. All then songs are manic, even when they aren't totally fast, but, uh... the lyrics will make you understand their name, because they're sick sick sick of all this pressure pressure pressure or something something something."
-Tim Yohannon (from Maximum Rock'n'Roll, January/February 1983)

NEGATIVE APPROACH ~ Can't Tell No One

 2. DIE KREUZEN - Die Kreuzen LP

"I DON'T THINK FOR YOU. YOU DON'T THINK FOR ME. I WON'T CHANGE YOU. AND YOU, YOU CAN'T CHANGE ME!!!"

This is an album that defies easy description. Apparently Tim Yohannon at Maximum Rock'n'Roll thought so too since is the review he wrote of it (and I quote) "This is fucking great! This is fucking great! This is fucking great! This is fucking great! This is fucking great! This is fucking great! This is fucking great! This is fucking great! This is fucking great! This is fucking great! This is fucking great! This is fucking great!" Well... what can you say after that? Squeling feedback, vocals so raw you can almost hear blood splattering the mic, complex bass-lines and song arrangements all thrown together at blinding speeds and even when they aren't breaking the sound barrier with their untamed velocity they remain powerful and intense. After this they became a sort of mellow post-punk band. I really don't know what to say about this album because it just seems to be shallow and pale compared to the listening experience it gives.

"This is probably one of the most savagely brutal assaults of thrash ever recorded. Very fast and powerful music with vocals that are about as raw as you can get without vomiting blood. There are 22 songs here including reworkings of all 6 songs from their "Cows and Beer" EP and the 3 cuts they have on the "Master Tape" LP. There is no letting up on this one - turn it up!"
-Greg C. (from Task, March 1985)

DIE KREUZEN - Rumors

 3. ZERO BOYS - Vicious Circle

"WELCOME TO THE VICIOUS CIRCLE!!! WELCOME TO THE VICIOUS CIRCLE!!!"

Zero Boys started out as garage/punk combo with their EP "Living In The '80s". While that was a pretty sweet record, this is where the Zero Boys truly took off. What you get is the snotty 1, 2 punch of the Circle Jerks blended with some amazing pop sensibility and melody. This album is not only great but it is a really fun album to listen to. Any time. It's a shame that a band this good and catchy is nearly forgotten by the world. One of the best forgotten classics of American hardcore. [The reissue of this album includes 8 tracks from compilations and some of the stuff from their old EP]

"The best band from Hoosier territory since the Panics and the early Gizmos. The Zero Boys have managed to combine elements from the 60's punk-Stooges axis of their first EP (especially the great vocals) and 80's thrash without losing anything in the process. This well-recorded album is varied enough to hold the interest of punk aficionados from all eras, no small achievement."
-Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rock'n'Roll, July/August 1982)

ZERO BOYS ~ Vicious Circle

4. ARTICLES OF FAITH - What We Want Is Free

"BAD ATTITUDE'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD SINCE I WAS JUST FIVE YEARS OLD. AND DIDN'T BUY WHAT THEY HAD SOLD. RIGHT IN MY PLACE."

YEOW!!! Articles of Faith is a helluva band and this, in my opinion, is their best ever and that is saying a lot. Very political writing and impassioned singing from vocalist Vic Bondi. Articles of Faith has one characteristic other than their viciously catchy and fast political thrash attack that makes them unique. Their production is such a close facsimile of the high-treble yet crystal clear production of D.C.'s Dischord Records (run by Minor Threat frontman and straight-edge originator, Ian MacKaye) that you could almost swear that they were signed to Dischord as well! Dischord style production is amazing for straight-forward speed of sound punk rock without any metal influence. It doesn't make the music suffer as it would with a more metallic punk band such as Discharge or Broken Bones who require low frequencies for full power. It gives a crystal clear picture of the sound and vocals which is great for this record since the songwriting, performance and lyrics are sheer class. [This record can be found on Complete History Vol. 1 which when combined with Vol. 2 collects all of AoF's recordings from the 1980's.]

"A really solid guitar-bass-drum attack anchors these highly intelligent blasts by a new Chicago band arising out of the ashes of Direct Drive. The singing is gravelly as hell, the music fast yet tight, and the songs infectious. A sure winner."
-Jeff Bale (from Maximum Rock'n'Roll, November/December 1982)

ARTICLES OF FAITH ~ Bad Attitude

5. NECROS - IQ-32

"STUPID CORN ALL IN ROWS, SIT AROUND AND WATCH IT GROW. YOU'VE GOT NOTHING TO SHOW. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, IQ 32!!! IQ 32!!!  IQ 32!!! MIDWEST FUCK YOU!!!"

 Like Articles of Faith, this band has a very speedy and treble heavy hardcore attack. However, unlike AoF, the Necros were signed to Dischord but suffers from lower production values even though it was recorded by Ian MacKaye himself. That does not stop the Necros high speed and infectious rants about high-school, prejudice, peer pressure, war and how much their hometown sucks from bringing the rage and ruin to your eardrums. Teenage attitude on vinyl and it's great. Also, make sure to check out their first full length LP 'Conquest For Death' which has a better quality (and heavier) production and some killer songs to boot!

"This isn't very original, it's very DC-influenced but the Necros really are a great band. They have a lot of energy and they have progressed a great deal since the last single. "Race Riot" is one of the best songs of the year by far."
-uncredited (from Decline of Art, 1982)

NECROS ~ IQ-32 EP