MOTHER’S RUIN were one of the earlier swiss Punkbands. Although, from what it seems and what I heard, quite a bit of energy was put into the project of making them “big”, the band didn’t really get much attention outside the swiss mini-universe.
Maybe this is because the band never sounded better than on the first 50% of their debut 12″. “Godzilla” and “Plastic” are freaking catchy tunes, and especially the latter definately has more than just a bit of THE AVENGERS in it (check the pix - the band’s singer even had the same looks, well, sort of). The flip is okay, same league as the band’s other releases. I guess you too will forever think of MOTHER’S RUIN as the band with that godzilla tune.
Godzilla.mp3
Plastic.mp3
Cannibals.mp3
Can’t wait.mp3
BIG BLACK. Driller meets sledgehammer.
Il Duce.mp3
Big Money.mp3
Songs removed after complaint of T&G
Recorded in 1981 and not released until 1995, Texas Punk Rockers PLAYTHINGS are virtually unknown today. Maybe the idea of pressing a mere 200 copies (on clear vinyl, by the way) of this didn’t help the band much in gaining poularity? And now imagine they had put that out in 1981 with a press run of 200 - it would have been the other way ’round. People would pay a couple hundred quid for this and you’d find PLAYTHINGS on one of them nifty bootlegs.
“The Church of God (the utterly indifferent” starts off great but is simply too long. Th flip, “I can’t face it”, is great though! Catchy Punk, leaning towards a poppish feeling - like a rougher and tougher version of The Nervebreakers maybe (or a zillion others). Almost PeterPop!
The Church of God.mp3
I can’t face it.mp3
From satanism to left-radicalism in one hour! Blimey!
One of the most controversial Punk bands ever and certainly the most censored one in Germany. SLIME had a huge following during the 80s and in a way delivered the soundtrack to those riotous years. Much like TON STEINE SCHERBEN, they literally coined a whole phraseologyy. Simple truths, black and white thinking and especially a disturbing cult of violence (euphemestically called “militance”) followed them during their initial 4 or 5 years as a band and outlived SLIME. In their later work, they switched (like most of the left radical scene) to an unbearablly moralistic overtone.
Looking back now, it’s only this 7″ which I can still find enjoyable and it’s actually only one song from it that I really like (”Ich hasse” - that speeding-up part would always get me, no matter which band uses it!). The LPs, especially “Yankees raus”, make me sick in the head, I can’t fucking stand them anymore. And because I’d have to puke if I’d ever have to hear “Bullenschweine” again, I’, leaving that one off here.
Bullenschweine.mp3
Iran.mp3
Hey Punk.mp3
Ich hasse.mp3
And some more Black Metal. Not of the easy listening type this time, ‘though. Massive VENOM copying too, but unlike BULLDÖZER (posted a few days ago), this has no MOTORHEAD influence at all, instead I think there’s quite a bit of HELLHAMMER thrown in. Still - and if it weren’t so, I wouldn’t post it - NME has a sound of its own. “Lethal Dose” and “Unspeakable” are the winners, the latter has a really spooky atmosphere when you hear the voice recorded backwards - an old element of Satan-Metal aesthetics, but it can still work pretty good when done right.
I received this Demo from one of the band members of NME in 1985 and was seriously impressed! We started tape trading and writing each other regularly, until suddenly he disappeared. I guess you all know what happened. I must admit that when I heard of his release and realized, that the band was active again, same name, same songs, I didn’t know what to think about it. It seemed macabre. But then again, what do I know?
On NME’s website, you can download plenty of songs - and they’re worth it very much! The material is extremely (!) aggressive, is played at the right speed (not too fast, not too slow) and features some really interesting guitar work - that “Children of the Grave” cover with the chopped up riffing is amazing and so are the new versions of the old songs.
Let me know if there’s need for excerpts from the original LP. And greetings to Kurt and NME! All the best to ya.
Of Hell.mp3
Lethal dose.mp3
Unspeakable.mp3
Acid Reign.mp3
PS: If anybody out there cares to try and take out the tape noise out of these recordings, I’d be very much interested in hearing the results and learn how that is done.
From Albany, NY, came THE VERGE. This great 7″ has 4 calm, atmospheric Post-Punkish songs that won’t be everybody’s cup o’tea (check the da rhyme). If you’re into later MIDDLE CLASS, EMBARRASSEMENT or generally speaking - GANG OF FOURish rhythm-ism, this is for you!
I bought this a long time ago because of the beautiful cover alone. It was 1.- Franken only and I thought, what the hell, this LOOKS good. I never really got into it though, so this ended up in my sales box for it stood there for quite some years. I thought nobody would buy this anyway. When I recently went through that box, desperatly looking for records I could sell to pay rent, I stumbled across it and remembered how much I liked the foldout postersleeve on thick paper. I unfolded it, looked a the picture of the 3 yong men with instruments in their hands - and just like so long ago, I KNEW I would like this! And right I was - it’s great, but maybe it takes a while to get into this. It’s music for elderly people who enjoy themselves on their couch with a good bottle of wine and decent music and much more so, than at a punk concert. And it’s quite the opposite of, say, ULTRAVOX, which Peter is about to post. “I shake my head, I don’t know what to say” (Agent Orange, “The last goodbye” on “Living in Darkness”)
This is the printed innersleeve:
Tradition.mp3
Understand.mp3
Picturesque.mp3
Hypocrisy.mp3
This is posting number 150! I’ve become a really active blogger as it seems and I hope you’re still there after so much Satanmetal!
Just around the time S.O.D. (”Stormtroopers of Death”) released their “Speak english or die” LP, Sweden’s SOD put out their 7″! And that’s pretty much where the similarities end. Don’t get me wrong - I love S.O.D.’s LP, but I do know that this is something one shouldn’t say in public when being known for having been a left radical for long long years of “fighting the system” (fuck, I shouldn’t post when drunk, seriously). Blablabla, this is swedens SOD debut 7″ - a scorcherer of a motherfucking burner! 6 songs of heavily politcally (morally) charged HC THRASH (as we used to call it back then). Great friggin stuff! And check the cover artwork by John Heartfield (born Herzfelde), a german antifascist artist, inventor of the political photo composition, int he ‘20 and ‘30 of the 20th century).
I’m currently selling this on eBay - go here to see all my items for sale. You’ll get to see some shit you’ve never seen before, I swear.
Now get ready for some head cleansing with SOD - and here’s the rare insert for you:
Besides my Head.mp3
Nonchalerad svält.mp3
Statsmanipulation.mp3
Styrd Värld.mp3
Religiosä Fanatiker.mp3
Moral.mp3
Repost from March 3 2006. Added some words of wisdom and audio files. For use in satanic rites only!
I admit - sometimes I feel ashamed of myself. You can’t seriously like this, I happen to think in those moments. And whenever it hits me like that, it’s about a Metal record. Same story here. The cover, the song titles - who can possibly take this seriously? But then you put it on and the raw energy takes you away - incredible! Just like the movie with Vincent Price which lent the boys the name for the band.
A lot more unpolished than the groups other releases, the A-side is maybe the best they ever did (along with the first LP “Death Penalty” which had a cleaner version of “Burning a Sinner”). Total BLACK SABBATH slag-off, totally predictable - yet so full of charme and teen-angst; the same teen-angst basically that inspired Punk and Hardcore, only that it was articulated in a more traditional fashion on this single. A true classic of the NWOBHM genre although I know many from my generation who think the band is overrated today. In fact nobody really cared too much about WITCHFINDER GENERAL when the NWOBHM was happening; they were merely one band among others and clearly overshadowed by, for example, ANGEL WITCH - which was and is justified, I think. WITCHFINDER GENERAL’s record covers were too corny, too theatralical.
But looking back now, it has gained pattina for good. It seems like the band had much more to offer than what met the eye at first. They definately had their own flavour. They emulated the old BLACK SABBATH feeling in a unique way, so that in the end, WITCHFINDER GENERAL transcended the old scheme into something that already bore the shapes of what was to come next (that was TROUBLE, WAR CRY and SAINT VITUS basically).
The follow-up to this was the hillariously great “Soviet invasion” 12″. The title makes it clear - these guys weren’t exactly left radical communist satanists and the pro-death penalty song on the totally unironically entitled “Death Penalty” LP delivered further proof. Dude, it’s Mettttaallll! Oh yes, the “Soviet Invasion” 12er - I don’t know whether it was the band’s idea, the producer’s in the studio or the label’s, but on two of the songs, they added fake live sounds which made it seem like they played in front of thousands - or almost so. Isn’t that the greatest thing about Meddal, as seen on the backcover of BULLDÖZER: You always get more than you could possibly ask for!
Burning a Sinner.mp3
Satan’s Children.mp3
This rare 7″ was repressed a few years ago on a german label. I think it had the same cover only inverted.
Re-post from April 3 2006. MP3 files added for educational reasons.
Italys BULLDÖZER 7″ from 1984 is what I call a genuine copy (of VENOM and MOTÖRHEAD). I remember when it came out, a local record store had a few copies of it and everybody was trying to get one. BULLDÖZER were doing the right thing at the right time - metal and HC kept getting closer and so it was only logical when I saw BULLDÖZER live in Milan shortly after, sharing the same bill with NEGAZIONE, DECLINO and some other HC bands. What a marvellous gig that was! A.C. Milan, BULLDÖZERS singer, played bass too but they couldn’t find a microstand for him in the squat, so some dude held the micro for him during the gig. In the other he kept a bottle of beer that was being replaced with a new one in increasing tempo.
The two songs here are equally good - basically built around one riff that sounds so perfectly like VENOM on “Welcome to hell”, it’s criminal. Relentless power and that kind of very crude brutality that most kids of today wouldn’t probably even recognize as such with their full of pro-tools bullshit.
The band had some more releases of which I only have the first LP (”The Day of wrath”). nothing comes close to this 7″ though.
This glorious platter has been repressed in 2001 in a limited edition of 1000 copies with a new “improved” (hahaha) backcover.
If memory serves right, there were two pressings of the original version. Anybody knows more about this?
Addendum: Here’s the back of the repress - enjoy the boys in full color!
Fallen Angel.mp3
Another Beer (is what I need).mp3
VOID! The best D.C. band? Most likely! The feedback on the guitar alone makes me wanna do things. THINGS! The split LP is mandatory. And so is this! There’s also a WILD live 7″ boot and I have an unreleased tape of a live gig where they’re so damn drunk it’s not funny anymore. Not sure whether this was really autzhorized but anyway - it contains the 1981 demo. Some well known german label had this 7″ on CD, you know. when this came out I was very happy cause unlike others, I don’t like worn out tapes too much. What else can I say on such a rainy day? Clear vinyl, first press of 500. Did I mention this is essential? Turn up loud, masturbate hard & headbanging til orgasm!
Organized Sports / Annoyed.mp3
Controller / Revolt.mp3
Condensed Flesh.mp3
Black, jewish & poor.mp3
War Hero.mp3
Get out of my Way.mp3
Go south.mp3
MOTHER’S RUIN were one of the earlier swiss Punkbands. Although, from what it seems and what I heard, quite a bit of energy was put into the project of making them “big”, the band didn’t really get much attention outside the swiss mini-universe.
