This is the first full length album from DISCONVENIENCE, and it's available on both LP and CD, with the LP inner sleeve having assorted photos of Umeå scenesters and the CD booklet some additional band photos instead. Both have the 10 new songs, but the CD has the bonus of their last 7'' EP on it too (see review archives). It's a pretty short record but that's a good thing. Too many bands release lengthy CDs with half a million filler tracks on them.
This is somewhat faster than their previous releases, but the guitars are still very RAMONES inspired so they've maintained a 1977 feel even if the pace is more of a UK82 type thing. Mohawks aside this ain't ONE WAY SYSTEM or EXPLOITED.
Strangely this opens with the weakest tracks but it quickly picks up with three great songs; I'm A Pervert, Nazi Pope and Grab Twist Pull. The last one's about Umeå's serial rapist Hagamannen, this generation's Yorkshire Ripper.
Vocally Emma has improved her deliverance and Rille even adds the odd short guitar solo here and there. The recording featured new drummer Viktor, who has since been replaced too. Even though this probably isn't as accessable as their last effort there's still a sweetness to it. Check it out.
This is a straight reissue of the bands first LP with their first single added.
The album itself was a collection of live and home recordings with a surprisingly good sound quality. The first song is a live version of the single Consider Museums As Concentration Camps and that's always a great little song. Hating My Father is a perfect mix of punk rock guitar and raw white noise. Other tracks like Jesus, No More Children and Metaphor Of Love are both lenghty and less catchy and/or memorable, and you need to be in the right mood for them. Nothing is probably the closest they ever got to early PIL, and it might remind you of Death Disco.
What's cool is that they managed to add classic guitar riffs to a lot of the songs and making them work with the lyrics in a perverse way, as in Terrorist which features All Along The Watchtower. ''There's so many people I wish were dead''.
If you're unfamiliar with the band this could be described as THROBBING GRISTLE meets THE GERMS first gig, with everything mentioned above added. It has a chaotic, improvised feel even though a lot of the songs are based on one repeated loop. I think it's very inspirational stuff and I like it a lot.
As always with a Hotbox Review release the packaging is top notch, with old artwork, flyers and photos plus good liner notes by someone involved with the band. Guitarist DAN WORKMAN has detailed their early years in a 12-page full colour booklet.
CULTURCIDE may not be every punk rockers favourite band but if you're into old school noise or collect ancient punk rock this is a near must. The original LP is very hard to find and I'm really happy this is available again.
DESTRUCTORS were a fairly well known band in the early 80's UK punk circuit and the DESTRUCTORS 666 features singer ALLEN ADAMS who mostly played bass in that band. They are probably best remembered for the song Jailbait with it's ''underage, underage, underage sex'' chorus. RADICUS is a new school band from the same town; Peterborough, UK.
The CD has 3 songs from each band, with RADICUS opening it. They suck. Dull MTV stuff in BILLY TALENT vein with very soft metal hardcore touches.
DESTRUCTORS 666 do a new version of one of the early DESTRUCTORS EP tracks - AK 45, then follow it with a cover version of MC5's Kick Out The Jams. This song doesn't suit the band's playing style at all, and it immediately lands flat on it's belly. I think I remember them releasing a STOOGES song in the 80's too. Their last song is a new original called Dig My Grave (45 Rave), which is a hard rock song with some 50's flavour. It's not bad at all, but if a band can only come up with one new song for their new CD - that's a bad sign.
There are some other D 666 split CDs out too. Don't know if they have more new original stuff on them, but this is a 6-track CD with one reviewable song. D 666 should ditch RADICUS, get back in the studio and give us some more new stuff.
(I mentioned the Yorkshire Ripper in the DISCONVENIENCE review. I might be wrong here but I think that back in 1979 ALLEN ADAMS was in THE BLANKS and their Northern Ripper 7'' got them questioned by the cops investigating the case.)
This was recorded back in 2001/02 but released after guitarist/singer DYLAN MAUNDER died in 2005.
Musically this is slow to mid-tempo US punk rock not unlike the DEAD BOYS' second album. Most of their own stuff is surprisingly well written and good. The whole thing has an old feel to it without sounding dated at all. Both the guitars and vocals are great and helps add energy to what could have been a way too slow record.
Out of the 14 tracks the CD features 3 with guest performers. CHEETAH CHROME, who plays on 6 of the songs, does High Tension Wire. DE DE TROIT sings on In My Mind and RICK WILDER handles vocals on Vietnamese Baby. Though not bad none of these tracks stand out and the band could easily have pulled this off without the added celeb's. The front cover was painted by DEE DEE RAMONE and guitarist PAUL KOSTABI by the way.
The lyrics are standard stuff for this genre - ''I live a horrible life / Yeah'' and ''I sleep in the alley / Where the darkness waits / With blood on the floor / And tools hanging from my arms'' - but they seem honest and they're delivered like they mean it.
If you're into old school guitar based punk rock this is not to be missed. It can actually compete with the old heroes which is extremely rare.
