About the downloads.

Don't ask me to upload old records since they can all be found on a P2P service that's totally free.
Read more about it here

tisdag 29 mars 2011

Blood stained brindle performing Let's get back to work.


The band playing live Obriens in Boston in 2009.

Blood stained brindle - Let's get back to work EP (2009)

Tracklist:
01. N.A.F.T.A.
02. Blood stained brindle
03. Downbeat the ruler
04. Flip the switch
05. Let's get back to work
06. Soundbyte culture

Released by Teenage Heart Records as an online EP in 2009.

A band from Boston that has been around for some time but never released anything until now. Paul Rosso from The pinkerton thugs used to be a member at one point and it also features members from Tommy & The terrors. They draw heavy influences from old British Oi! but also from modern American streetpunk. They sound somewhat like a mixture between Cock sparrer and Flatfoot 56. Since im not a big fan of any of those two bands i was suprised about how much i actually liked this band.

They start the Ep of with a song about the North American Free Trade Agreement or more commonly known as The Downfall Of The Working Man. I knwo what you might be thinking now. A band that used to have Anarchist Paul Rosso as a member and does songs about nafta but don't worry "the reds" get as much of a beatin as the whitecollars do on this EP. My favourite songs on the EP is Downbeat the ruler that has both an accordion and what i think is a violin. The other one is the superb song Let's get back to work that has a really good chorus and reminds me about Cock sparrer when they actually did good music.
I look forward to hearing more from this band.
9/10

Know your enemy E000.

I have decided to add a little feature to the site that will go under the name of "Know your enemy" and unlike what many people think it has nothing to do with Lars Fredricksen. It will feature some bits and pieces from the Swedish culture, music-scene and other things that is completly unrelevant to a site about American punk. I will only tag the posts as ¤Know your enemy¤ so it will not mess up the nearly perfect structure i have created in the tagcorner to the right.

måndag 28 mars 2011

The pinkerton thugs - End of an era (2000)

Tracklist:
01. The times
02. Factory life
03. Never say die
04. Youth
05. Another story
06. I remember
07. Where the money goes
08. No heroes no justice
09. Brighter day
10. Together
11. Don't thread on me
12. Never again
13. End of an era

Released by Go-Kart Records in 2000.

A damn great album that i think many diehards have missed. After a really bad first album and their extreme leftwinged politics many (atleast the majority off you that read my blogg) might have slagged this group of without giving them a second chance. I know i did. I listened to their first album hated how they sounded and what they stood for and then just ignored their name whenever it poped up in fanzine's etc (i did that mistake with bands such as Blanks 77 to). A friend of mine thats not really into punk at all got me this record as a gift from a second hand shop thinking he really scored the perfect gift. I smiled politely and put it away and didnt even give it a listen until a month after. I was surprised and at first thought my taste had developed over the years but listening to their first record again i realized it was actually the band that had matured. Like someone mentioned in the comments on the last upload it is mostly thanks to Mikah actually learning how to play that guitar he played with on the first records. He has also gotten more time on the vocals on this album and i prefer his rougher and raw vocals over Paul's voice. All songs from their The times 7'' are here and great as they might be its actually three songs by Mikah that are the best. First one being the rock'n'roll track Where the money goes (with handclaps and all) and like someone mentioned its easy to hear the bands influence by rockabilly on this track. The other tracks are Never again and Never say die that both have great lyrics about unity and brotherhood and my guess is they both go in the theme of union songs. The band has now reformed and are playing shows again and if they release anything new i damn sure it sounds like this album.
9/10
The record is sold out from most places but is still availible from Amazon.com.

lördag 26 mars 2011

The pikerton thugs - The times 7'' (1999)

Tracklist:
01. The times
02. Don't thread on me
03. I remember

Released by Go-Kart Records in 1999.

This is basicly where i started liking the band. The sound has changed tremendously and is now more melodic than before. Strange since there is no new lineup for this release whatsoever (Paul plays guitar, drums, some of the bass AND did the cover art haha) but might just be the band maturing.
All these songs would be released on their later album and this one basicly worked as a preview during that long time that labels often take to finish releasing an album.

Great punkrock without the political overtones of their previous albums.
8/10
This EP is still available through Tower records for about 9$.

fredag 25 mars 2011

The pinkerton thugs & The ducky boys - Another day another story 7'' (1998)

01. The ducky boys - Another day
02. The pinkerton thugs - Another story

Released by Police Records in 1998.

I have never understood the thing with The ducky boys. Ok they have one of the most kickass names ever but no song they have ever done has ever spoken to me. They are to slow and their singer sounds to blurry. The song by the Pinketons is not really that great either so i'll just throw this up here and have it out of the way.
5/10

The pinkerton thugs - The pain and the pinkerton thugs (1997)

Tracklist:
01. One day
02. We build our own prisons
03. Russia
04. The deal
05. The social monster
06. Cruelty free
07. For the warriors
08. The struggle continues
09. Battlecry
10. Ballad of the slaughterhouse
11. Propaganda by the deed
12. The coldest war
13. In the town where i was born

Released by V.M.L. Records in 1997.

Great cover but not so great musical content. To much political propaganda backed up by not so great songs and all it leaves you with is empty speeches about the same old tired fight against big brother and other topics that bands like this likes to protest against.
I often like bands that change lead vocalists on the various songs since the records feel a bit more diverse but not even that can save this album.
Sure some songs like Battlecry (a great rebelious anthem against authority) and Propaganda by the deed sticks out but the list of awefull songs is longer. The deal is one of the cheesiest and awkward songs i have heard in a long time and adding knowitall songs like The social monster and the song In the town where i was born and the bad sides of the album quickly overshines the good.
I love the End of an era album but this is nothing for me.
5/10

onsdag 23 mars 2011

Asta kask comming to USA.


One of the longest running and also one of the greatest punkbands from Sweden is now on an all out US takeover.
Here are the tourdates if you are interested.

Tourdates:
Friday May 20th Seattle,WA at the Morgue w/ Arctic Flowers and Snuggle

Saturday May 21st Portland,OR at the East End (21 and up)

Sunday May 22nd Portland,OR at the East End (all ages)

Tuesday May 24th Arcata,CA at the Big Tree

Wednesday May 25th Sacramento,CA the Fire Escape w/ Monster Squad,Earslaughter,Rat Damage and DCOI!

Thursday May 26th San Francisco,CA at the Eagle Tavern w/ Young Offenders

Friday May 27th Berkley,CA at 924 Gilman St. w/ Monster Squad and Airfix Kits

Sat May 28th Los Angeles,CA THREATFEST at the BLVD w/ Rayos X,Mundo Muerto and Rough Kids

Sunday May 29th Long Beach,CA at dipiazzas w/ Germ Attack and Mata Mata

Monday May 30th Phoenix,AZ at the Inner City Youth Center (17 South 32nd st)

Wednesday June 1st Denton,TX at Rubber Gloves w/ The Marked Men, Toys that Kill and Teargas (Australia)

Thursday June 2nd CHAOS IN TEJAS at Emo's

Dont know them? Get to know them.

The pinkerton thugs - Life, liberty & the pursuit of shit 7'' (1996)

Tracklist:
01. Murdered by the FBI
02. Suburbicide
03. Freedom
04. The warfare division
05. Shit
06. Punching numbers

Released by Police Records in 1996 and later re-released by Nefer Records in 1997.

A very melodic and upbeat record with a lot of ska influences.. For a band that runs an anarchist organization on the side of their band it's surprisingly organised and happy to my great relief.
This is their "first sound" and it would later change but i think it's on popfriendly tracks like the song Freedom that this band is at their best.
Well worth a listen.
7/10
As far as i know this EP is sold out.

tisdag 22 mars 2011

The pinkerton thugs (Introduction)

A punkband from Maine that was started back in 1994 by friends Paul Rosso on guitar and vocals (he also played drums on most of their recordings), Micah Smaldone on lead guitar and backup vocals and James Whitten on bass. They went under several names before sticking with the name Pinkerton thugs in 1996. This was the bandtrio until in 1998 when Tommy Gatton joined the band on drums after helping them out live on occations.
Even if the band was extremly political and they where behind the collective called Anarchist Liberty Union that distributed extremist propaganda at shows and political protests it never really destroyed their music if you ask me.

The band wasnt that longlived and ended in 2001 after releasing 2 records and 3 Ep's (the band did some re-union shows in 2007 and 2008 but nothing more became of it as far as i know) but this was far from the end for most of the members carrer in music since most of them went on to play in other (and often bigger) bands.

Paul Rosso was a member of the band The unseen during most of Pinkertons carrer but he also went on to play in The vigilantes (great band) and also had his own solo project called Paul & The strings in 2003 after leaving The unseen.

Mikah Smaldone was the first one to leave the band directly after their last record in 200. He had numerous bands after this like the rockabilly band The Racketeers, hardcore band Cops & Robbers (with Tommy Gatton) and also released a couple of folk/blues albums by himself.

Tommy Gatton went on to form the hardcore band Cops & Robbers with Mikah but also went on to play with such bands as Righteous Jams, Cut the shit, Ironsides and The Prowl.

måndag 21 mars 2011

86'd - Don't fuck with the punx 7'' (2003)

Tracklist:
01. Budweigle blues
02. 86'd
03. Void
04. Black label blackout

Released by Communichaos Media in 2003.

This is NOT the Oi! band 86'ed (what was exactly what i thought when i ordered the record). It's actually an all female fronted riot grrrrl punkband from NY. I am happy that i made this misstake though since this is not the band i would have bought a record from if i knew what it was but they are actually quite good. The fact that it was released by a Swedish label doesnt make it worse either. To be honest i dont know much about the band and i wont really put any effort into knowing more. Simply uploading this record for you readers since i couldnt find it anywhere else and it would otherwise have laid around collecting dust.

The girls play a typical pogopunk with some slower parts here and there. Where most femalefronted bands fall is the fact that girls have a tendensie to sound a bit retarded when doing punkvocals but this band is an exception. Zero as she is called does the job perfect and avoids the higher tones that kills most songs by bands such as Ny Rel-X and the likes. Even if the artcover looks like it was made by a 13 year old girl who was in the makin of revolting against her parents (society) and is childish to say the least but it doesnt show of on their music.

It has two good songs. The fastpaced "crucified" song called 86'd and the slower song Void. Void is the one that kept me from sellin of the record (since it doesnt fit in with the rest of my collection) and it has some really simple yet good lyrics.
This band was a surprise and i think you all should give it a try.
7/10

Brute force - Yesterday, today and forever 7'' (1995)

Tracklist:
01. Yesterday, today and forever
02. Nothin but trouble
03. Above the law

Released by Sunwheel Records in 1995.

Ok. Can someone please explain to me how Zionism and communism blend into each others? Yes the cover is one of the most graphic (and stupid) one's in my collection. The proud white warrior has slain the communsit jew dragon (WTF!?!). Did i miss out on that much when i dropped out of high school? Maybe it's ME being ignorant but i cant really see the connection between the two and to be honest all i can remember when hangin out with syndicalists and communists in my younger days is that their blind hate for "the greedy jew" was the only thing that connected their beliefs to facist beliefs of those that this redneck band had. Probably this band has just played to much Final Fantasy and made up their own little world after that.

Anyway on to the review. First of all if your looking for punk or Oi! look elsewhere. This is basicly facist rock n roll and as good as it might be it even made this hardboiled nonpolitical face blush a bit with the artcover. Thats basicly where they stop being extreme though. The lyrics are not really that in your face and even if they manage to slip in some political messages most that would have heard it without seing the cover would probably have put it straight into the Rock genre.
The band sound better then most of their counterparts even if the AC/DC influences gets a bit to obvious sometimes.

Dont even know if i am breaking some Swedish laws by posting this record (like you Yanks we dont have something called freedom of speech here) but what the hell.
7/10

lördag 19 mars 2011

Brute force - Demo's and bandintroduction


Out of the ashes DEMO 1993
01. We don't burn
02. Unsung heroes
03. Out of the ashes
04. The warriors
05. Join the boys

94 DEMO 199401. -Untitled song-
02. Above the law
03. Highway to hell (AC/DC cover)

A classic band with members from all over New York. They started around 1990's as an Oi! band but like many other bands of their kind they ended up more of an RAC band in the end putting more weight in "fighting the neverending Zionist beast" than making good music.
The band consisted of Ben on vocals, Chris on guitar, Lewis on rhythm guitar, Dave on bass (he also did the zine called Look to the future) and Tony on drums (take note that this is the 1994 lineup and there was a bit different lineup on their first demo. Sorry to say i have no idea who jumped in and who jumped off prior to this lineup.).
They released their first demo called Out of the ashes in 1993 that got a good reception and the label Oi! Core Records was showing intrested in releasing their first EP. They also played live with many of the top names in the scene such as Anti-heros, Forced reality, Y.D.L. and Immoral discipline.

In 94-95 something happened though and some of the original members dropped out and with the new members a new political agenda also came. They released their second demo around this time and long gone was their Oi! sound and they seemed to have adopted the bad side of Brutal attack with cheesy ballads and even doing an AC/DC cover. The biggest change though was in their lyrical content that instead of skinhead brotherhood now spooke of racial unity and that everlasting struggle against Zion etc etc and whatnot.
They got a deal with the WP label Sunwheel Records that released their first and only release called Yesterday, today and forever.

Review:
Out of the ashes sounds really good for being a demo and even if its just two of the songs that really sticks its a great showcase of a good Oi! band that could have (if history played out differently) taken it's place among the same Oi! gigantes they played their first shows with.
Best song is Out of the ashes that has both great rhythm and a really nice chorus. Unsung heroes is also good but Ben's singing on this song can get quite annoying if you forget the charm that a 17 year old demo brings with it.

Their second demo is something totally different. Think if Ian Stuart would have done the lyrics for Bon Scott and gotten ZZ Top to play the instruments (actually doesnt sound that bad now when i think about it). Anyway. First song is a joke where they try to sound like post-77 era Skrewdriver in a ballad about their motherland Germany (do i have to go on).
Above the law that would make it to their 7'' is actually a good song and reminds me a lot about 90's Brutal attack and it also gladly lacks the previous songs croccodile tears for the poor white race (the slaves didnt work unless we told them to, it was tough times i tell you).
Finally they finish the demo off with a cover of Highway to hell and if you have ever been at one of those pubs that sell a pint for under a dollar (you know it's not more than 1,5% alcohol in that watered out sorry excuse for a beer but it's just so cheap) then you have probably heard a better AC/DC song by your local cover band.
As usually when i review old demos i dont grade them since their timeline and history has a grade of its own.

torsdag 17 mars 2011

onsdag 16 mars 2011

Convicted - No more asking DEMO (1997)

Tracklist:
01. No more asking
02. Midnight shadows
03. Never forget
04. Calloused
05. Death of my soul
06. Turn your back
07. Call to arms
08. All present
09. Pushed
10. Symbols
11. Paradise12. Disillusioned
13. Glass eyes
14. Toe to toe
15. Anthem
16. Martyr
17. Why?
18. Jesus

Released by the band sometime in the late 90's.

(Update: One of the members friends got in contact with the site and added some new information that can be found in the comments section. Will try to learn more about the band.)

Travis Condor who used to run the label American Defence Records sent me this record. He just like me knows nothing of the band and its a mystery how a band that sounds this good can be completly forgotten by the Oi! scene. All he knew when sending it to me is he got it a while back and that it was a band that was based in Florida.
Haha yep. Thats all we know. How's that for a band introduction.

At first listen i thought it was Brian Dana from The unruly on vocals, actually the whole sound reminds me a lot about that exact same band with a pinch of early The bruisers and Soldier 76 thrown into the pot.

If i had any hair i would have been pulling it by now cause both the band and the record is nothing more than a mystery to me and hearing the perfect paramilitairy drums on songs like Call to arms and the singers painful growling on tracks like Never forget or the catchy bass on songs like Paradise i dont only want to know more about the band i fucking must. Sure they borrow a lot (a loooot) from other bands and it's clear to hear but they do it good and in the end every song has it's own feel to it so it never sounds copied.

As you all understand i really really want some info on the band.
Try and google the band and ask your friends with a longer history in the scene about them and you will soon start to wonder if they really actually existed or if this is just a big joke made up by that dirty Swede Bernando.
9/10

Those unknown - Distribution 7'' (1995)

Tracklist:
01. No time nor place
02. What we're sayin

Released by Pogo Stick Records in 1995.

Did the discography for Those unknown a long time ago but forgot this EP for some reason. Both tracks where featured on the full-lengths but it's just a to damn great album to skip just for that.

After Bill McFadden i think Bill Owens is my alltime favourite vocalist in American punk. There is just something in the way he delivers the lyrics that grabs ahold of me and makes me want to sing along even if it is a wednesday and there is no work at the warehouse so i should be worried about all the money im missing out on today instead of sittin here singing along.
It doeasnt really make it worse that the rest of the band is on top from beginning to the end and that this EP has some really thought through musical construction.
Most have already heard the songs on their CD's but download it anyway (if not for the music then you can do it for the topless photo of Bill included in the sleeve, who am i to judge).
10/10

Introducing the new lineup for Broken Heroes.

Scotty sent over some pictures from the first gig with the new Broken heroes lineup
Here they are from left to right: Joe on drums, Andy on bass, Scott on vocals, Pete on guitar and the last man to the right is Tim also he is on guitar.
The band is waiting for their split with Armed suspects to come out on Oi! the boat any day now and they are also working on a completly new full-length that they plan to release in the end of this year.
They also got got a new band t-shirts pressed for Shop Shogun so check it out and be on the lookout for their new records.




tisdag 15 mars 2011

The traditionals releasing a new record.

For us that listened and loved the tracks from their latest demo they are now finally releasing their next album. It will be called Steel town anthems and is already available through Amazon. They also do a European tour to celebrate the release.

Empire falls & Attack - System of charity 7'' (2009)

Tracklist:
Attack
01. You don't stand a chance
02. System of charity
03. Coming home
Empire falls
01. Seekers of truth in an age of lies
02. Audience attacks
03. Dooms day
04. Revenge (Black flag cover)

Released by Load, aim & fire Records in 2009.

For some time now Empire falls have been leaning a bit to much on the fence and i guess this release can count as their quick leap to one side. Starting of as a straight edge HC band then turning into rightwinged punk and now sadly enough they do a split with one of the most extreme hatecore bands out there. I can easily say the "rumors" about Bryan getting it on with C18 is now out of the closet.
As hard as i listened though i cant say i found any racist lyrics on the record. Dont know if this is Attack trying to fitt in to the evergrowing new skinhead scene or if it's Empire falls new attempt to reach out to the hatecore scene after not really being welcomed with open arms in the nonpolitical scene.

As much as i love old British and German RAC and never judge a band by their politics i have always had a hard time with bands like Attack that to me represent most things wrong with the scene today. Even so i will try to be as objective as i can when reviewing the record. (No Attack will not be featured on the site other than this split with EF)

One positive thing with the release is the fact that you get a CD with the EP since most people today (including me) view vinyl more as a collectors item then a way to play music. Instead of pulling out my turntable and started ripping (i hate doing that) i simply just popped the cd in the computer and put away the vinyl in my evergrowing collection of dustcollectors. Great idea.

Attack starts of the split and all politics out of the way i have to be honest it's far from good. Sure they have some nice guitarparts but i cant understand the parts that are offbeat. Is it their sound or is the drummer just eating crack before recording? The song Comming home is ok if i have to pick one song.

Empire falls sound as they often do but the songs featured on this split are surprisingly weak in my oppinion. Their first song is actually really good though but i cant shake the feeling that i have heard this song before. Maybe it's influenced by some old song that my everfading braincapacity has pushed back into the clouds of history or can it be that they havnt really evolved much in the last years? You be the judge.

All in all its a flawed release and i really hope that EF could go back to making splits with bands like Antagonizers and leave this whole C18 crap out of their musical studio. Well guess its a freedom of speech and i leave it up to you people to like or dislike.
5/10

måndag 14 mars 2011

Patriot - Hooligan holiday 7'' (1993)

Tracklist:
01. Bail me out
02. R.S.V.P.
03. Yuletime stomp

Released independantly by the band in 1993.

Atlast after 2 weeks of reviewing Warzone (they are great and all but hardcore has a tendensy to make my ears bleed after a while) it's finally time for some good old Oi! on this site. I will start by completing some old discographies by uploading some records that i just bought or missed uploading when i did that group.

I bought this record by a collector in the states and it's a really rare gem that i dont believe even exists anywhere on the internet untill now. This was their second release and damn it's a great one. I had never heard the track Bail me out before and i must say that its one of the best songs ever by the band. As always they have a very rhythmic and happy twist on the Oi! sound. R.S.V.P. would be added on their second full-length in 1996 and the track on the EP i think most have heard before.

On their B-Side is the song Yuletime stomp that is a happy ska-inspired christmas song and the only reason why this EP doesnt get a 10/10 point. Its not bad at all but i think it's a bit to childish to even make it onto a B-side by this great band.
9/10
This record is sold out since way back and if you can find it for sale anywhere you are a lucky man.

Warzone - Fight for justice (1997)

Tracklist:
01. Locked out
02. I won't follow
03. Kicked in the head
04. Nothing to lose
05. Brother and sisterhood
06. Going psycho
07. Rebels till we die
08. Murder in the first degree
09. Contempt
10. Fear of regret
11. Ground zero
12. Marked for life
13. Out of touch
14. Hopeless nation
15. Grand theft
16. Nation on fire (Blitz cover)

Released by Victory Records in 1997.

The last record by the band before Raybeez died and i am glad that it is the last release by the band period. Many bands that have cult status often loose a member and try to restart the band years later with one original member and often sound like shit but since Ray was Warzone i guess it was impossible to do even if they wanted to.

This record is actually my favorite Warzone record and i guess thats because its probably the one that sounds most punk of them all.
Some really good songs here starting with I won't follow that has some really good lyrics and Kicked in the head that delivers some pure aggro HC the way it should be. The track that stands out the most is their Oi! flirtatious song Rebels till we die that shows how great it could have sounded if we could have gotten a Raybeez Oi! sideproject.
Another good song on the record is actually not on the backcover so i guess we can call it a "hidden track". It's a slow cover of the old Blitz song Nation on fire. Even if it's not as good as The bruisers cover of the same song it's still a solid song.
8/10
The record is still available at:
Victory records

lördag 12 mars 2011

Sound of revolution video


The vidoe for their 1996 song Sound of revolution. Sorry to rain on anyones parade but this video was actually put together by Victory Records after Raybeez died. The pictures in the video are taken from many great moments in the history of defiance but the hippies from the hardhat riots have nothing to do in the video and i cant think that Ray would have wanted them in there either. Go HERE to read more about MY views of the hardhat riots.

Warzone - The sound of revolution (1996)

Tracklist:
01. S.O.S.
02. United worldwide
03. At war with reality
04. Murdertown
05. Throw me a line
06. Countdown
07. Sound of revolution
08. The snake and the lion
09. Free at last
10. We won't forget
11. Warzone

Released by Victory Records in 1996.

Their first real record with new material since 1990 and even if this album stayed a but to long on the mastering table it's far from the overproduced bullshit that was featured on their selftitled album. This is a band that sounds best when they play live and even if i am not a big fan of hardtohear HC the chants and backup vocals sounds a bit to perfect and digital on this record.

Anyway a good record that features one of their most famous songs and also my favourite by the band namely Sound of revolution. A great track that really sticks out from the other tracks by the band with its slower pace and bit more Oi! inspired melody.
Almost as good is the track War with reality that reminds me a lot more about Bad brains than Agnostic front (wich is a good thing).
A great album that would have been even better if they could have stayed away from perfecting the backup chants (they are meant to sound raw and unpolished thats what they are there for).
7/10
Record can be bought at:
Victory records
Crucial attack
Core-Tex
Megastore

torsdag 10 mars 2011

Warzone - Lower east side (1996)

Tracklist:
01. War between races
02. Take a stand
03. Under 18
04. Will you ever come back
05. The real enemy (Business cover)
06. Wound up
07. Always - A friend for life
08. We're the crew

This is a re-recording and re-release of their Lower east side crew 7'' from 1987. It was released by Victory Records in 1996.

Not being a big fan of the first release this is a big a big step up and the additional tracks they added makes it even better.
Their track War between races was a track that was easily overlooked on the original release but in this re-recorded state it's easily one of their best songs. They declare their love for/influence by Oi! on this record by doing a cover of the old classic by Business. As tired i am of hearing the constant cover of this song and others like Chaos, Violence in the streets and Skinhead girl i was happy to listen to it after re-listening through their hardcore records the last weak. It has a typical slow Oi! rhythm just like the original and sorry about saying this (all 69 trads out there will be flamming now) but i would actually choose Ray's vocals over Fitz's anyday (never been a big fan of that band anyway).
They end the album with their crewsong called simply We're the crew. A great HC track where the band shows love for their homebase.
8/10
The CD is available for purchace at these spots:
Victory records
Interpunk
The limit records
CD-Universe
Amazon.com
Indiemerchstore

Warzone & Cause for alarm - Black and blue and still true Vol.1 (1995)

Tracklist:
Cause for alarm
01. Reflection
02. Beyond birth and death
03. Eyes of war
04. Prison life
Warzone
01. Bullshit authority
02. Do you know what you're fighting for?
03. (She's a) Skinhead girl warrior
04. Free at last

Released by Victory Records in 1995.

Warzone finally found their sound again even if its a bit more punk this time around. This time with fellow HC legends in Cause for alarm. Both bands have a clear HC punk sound on the split that i welcome after to many years of Warzones noizy hardcore and bad overproduced metal crap. I know i never grew up with Warzone but this is the sound that i prefer by the band.

Cause for alarm delivers four ok songs with good drums and all but they dont really have a sound that captivates me.
Warzone has added a pinch of Oi! into their sound for this record, a choice i welcome with open arms. Great singalong parts in the choruses and Raybeez in his prime. Their first song is called Bullshit authority (no its not another song against Spanish bullfighting) that starts off with PIANO!!!! though they dont include the piano in the rest of the song to my great disappointment. Second song is called Do you know what you're fighting for? and is the best song on the whole split.
All in all a good record and a good showcase of Warzones things to come.
7/10
This record is still availible for purchase at:
Interpunk
Rebellionshop
RecordshopX
Amazon
Indiemerchstore
RevHQ

tisdag 8 mars 2011

Warzone & Right direction - Live in Europe 7'' (1995)

Tracklist:
01. Warzone - Judgement day
02. Warzone - War between races
03. Warzone - Reggae moonstomp
04. Right direction - A bull's revenge
05. Right direction - Chuck
06. Right direction - Stupid reasons

Released by Your! Records in 1995.

Another live record but this time it is a split with the Dutch band called Right Direction. Also this one is less focused on music and more focused on politics with Raybeez actually speaking more inbetween the songs then he actually sings.
He claims to be against all that "PC bullshit" but at the same time he goes on and on about being straight edge, anti-sexist, anti-racist and basicly the only thing missing from this PC-FEST 1995 is talking about animal cruelty..... oh wait the song A bull's revenge is a song by a Dutch band attacking one of the most cultural events in Spain known as bullfighting aha ok that makes sense.

All politics aside they deliver some music to. Warzone's song War between races is a fantastic song that has been in their portfolio since the early days and also one of their best song. Their song Reggea moonstomp on the other hand has the band doing a intrumental ska song that is far from musically impressive and it has Raybeez toasting Jamaica-style (yes i know i feel as awkward as you probably do about that) against violence and rasicm.
Right direction has a quite skilled singer but dont really stand out among the samesounding millions of HC bands that exist. Oh did i mention that they have a song against Spanish bullfighting (what the fuck is that all about)?
5/10

Warzone - Old school to new school (1994)

Tracklist:
01. Can i get a witness
02. Wasted life
03. Drug X Free X Youth
04. Parasite
05. In search of...
06. Break down the walls
07. Crazy but not insane
08. Face up to it
09. Judgement day
10. In the mirror
11. As one

Released by Victory Records in 1994.

Their fourth real full-length and in my oppinion they are ten times better then on their last album but still not as good as they where in their last years. A bit of an inbetween album in my oppinion.

This record had a big lineup change from the last one with one of the freaks from the CKY/Jackass circus playing guitar and even writing some of the songs on the album (Tim Glomb). First part of the album isnt really that good but the album picks up at the song Crazy but not insane. Even if the album is far from the "comeback album" people expected after their 1990's mistake it's nice to hear the band actually playing hardcore again.
Still we all know they can do better than this.
6/10
This album is not really that hard to get so just google it if you want to buy it.

måndag 7 mars 2011

Warzone - Live at CBGB 7'' (1993)

Tracklist:
01. Face up to it
02. Feels like one thousand years
03. Judgement day
04. In the mirror
05. As one

Released by Victory Records in 1993.

As far as live albums goes i am not a big fan but when a band like Warzone that was known for their great performances released it i have to include it in my discography.
Even if the A side is a bit weak the B side really shows what a great band it was. The song Judgement day in this live version is just awesome.
Long gone is the overproduced glammetal from the 90's.
7/10

lördag 5 mars 2011

Warzone - Selftitled (1990)

Tracklist:
01. No regrets
02. Judgement day II (you're time will come)
03. Young and unaware
04. No- i don't want to
05. Wound up
06. Mission
07. Hold on
08. Out of control
09. On the run
10. Jay takes a break
11. Under 18

Released by Caroline Records in 1989 or 1990 (i have no idea).

I know Warzone is a drugfree band but someone had been smoking a lot of crack when they came up with this album. It hurts me everytime i listen to it. Think the most cheesiest softmetal band and add one of the best live HC vocalists to try some sort of rap over the the music. Not as great as it might sound.
I often love when bands go outside the frames and try to reinvent themselfs (i am one of those people that loved Blitz's new wave era) but this new style they tried to adopt isnt good anywhere.
I like some metalbands like Witchfinder general (ever since i first saw that cover with the naked women when i was a kid), Bedemon and even some Black Sabbath but the style that Warzone adopted is the bad side of metal and believe me they made it even worse.
I know a lot of people actually liked this album and if you do i am sorry but you are either retarded or a sado masochistic cunt.

Lets atleast try some sort of a review on the album.
Lets start with the drums or should i say the lack of them. They dont even sound real but more of a drummachine and even if the guitarplay is really advanced on this record (not in a good way) the drums are as simple as they can get.
Some songs are ok at some points like the song On the run that is a really good song until some sort of a church choir comes in after 2 minutes and destroys the whole song over yet another flaming guitarsolo.
Bottom line this is bullshit music for bullshit people and head my warning and stear clear of this album.
2/10

fredag 4 mars 2011

Raybeez is guest at The morning show.

In the 80's it was a big media drama about the skinhead scene with Oprah, Regis and Geraldo all taking up the subject. They care about numbers and since it had been a whole lot of killings and beating by nazi skins some skinheads thought it was a great idea to get on tv and defend the culture. All it ended in was making sharps, trads and non-political skins lock like middleclass rebelious kids and Geraldos nose being broken.

This show was one of the few that didnt really make it into a circus and they had Raybeez and Todd of Warzone talking and actually let them make their point without interupting them every second. Raybeez comes of as the down to earth and peacefull guy i trully believe he was but the one running the show is Natalie (the blond) that at the time was dating Gestapo of Murphys law.



Warzone - Demo (1990)

Tracklist:
01. Out of control
02. Judgement day II
03. Young and unaware
04. Hold on a little longer
05. On the run
06. Under 18
07. Wound up
08. Only the strong survive
09. Untitled
10. Untitled II

Have no idea if this demo was released in 1989 or 1990 but who gives a toss.
This is the demo that would result in their third album that is known as the insane metal experiment that most of their fans have learned to forgett about. Good that i am here to remind you.

Unlike the selftitled album this demo resulted in the demo still leans more towards the hardcore sound but somewhere here and there the guitarists gets a bit to much room and goes mad with some guitarsolo that is totally uncalled for if you ask me.
Also missing from this demo is the hiphop influences that appeared on the later album. Cant say i am sad about this neither.

The first song on the demo is really good and i wish they could have just pollished these songs in the studio and released them instead.
5/10

Bleach battalion doing 2 shows this month.


Warzone - Open your eyes (1989)

Tracklist:
01. Open your eyes
02. Dance hard or die
03. Face up to it
04. Always - a friend of mine
05. Racism: World history part I
06. Back to the school again
07. The American movement
08. Fight the oppressor
09. Decieve us no more
10. Striving higher for a better life

Released on LP and cassette by Caroline Records in 1989.

Have been busy for the last days with work and whatnot and also found a new addiction in a site called Tradera (sort of like Ebay but for us Swede's) where i have cleaned out my cellar of old videogames, comics and other bullshit that i didnt know i could get a lot of money for. Found myself posting auction's that would last a week but went in and checked it every 15 minutes anyway. But now i will focus my freetime to this site again.

This was their second record and it is very simulair to their first one both in sound and lyrical content. A lot of the songs are from their early days but now re-recorded for a much better soundquality.
99% of you who read my blogg already has the record so i wont waste my time on writing to much about it.
All in all a good and classic record with some intresting lyrics and picking favorites i have to choose the song Dance hard or die.
7/10

tisdag 1 mars 2011

Warzone - Don't forget the struggle, don't forget the streets (1987)

Tracklist:
01. Intro bust
02. It's your choice
03. Crazy but not insane
04. Fuck your attitude
05. As one
06. We're the crew
07. Don't forget the struggle, don't forget the streets
08. In the mirror
09. Skinhead youth
10. Growing up, the next step
11. Judgement day
12. Fighting for our country

Released by Fist Records in 1987.

This album is a classic in so many ways. Not only is the name of the album one of the most recycled hardcore phrases still used today by top bands but the cover-art is just perfect in so many ways that my nonartsyfartsy skinheadbrain cant understand but try hard to do for the sake of looking like an intellectual (did i spell that right haha).

Even if i think many of the tracks sound to much HC for my taste it sure has some classic and great songs. My favourite one being It's your choice (just love the way Raybeez sings the chorus).
Most NYHC diehards would give this one the top score but i am not one of them.
8/10