RAW POWER- You are the Victim LP (Meccano Records, Italy, 1983)
photos currently down Another great scanner and photoshop job by me … get me an lp-size scanner gawddammit!!!
Somebody recently begged for this: RAW POWER from Italy had 2 albums, a couple of tapes and a so-so 7″. The rest you can forget. Even the re-issue of this sucks shit compared to the original sound, but I admit that this is purely subjective.
Never ask me which one I like better: “You are the Victim” or “Screams from the Gutter”. The crazyness and total over-the-top feeling of the latter is intriguing, but the first one has so much charme and warmth with its rumbling sound (the bassdrum KILLS) and the bad mastering job.
As you will probably know, this first LP is pretty rare, ‘though it’s interesting to see how much its value has come down during the last 2 or 3 years. Still it’s tough to find with only a few hundreds ever pressed and pretty poor distribution ooutside of the european mainland (honestly, you could walk into more than one record store in Switzieland and buy it for a regular price until the mid 80s and even then, it turned up quite regularly. But that won’t help you much, I know). The pressing quality of this is pretty cheap, with quite a bit of vinyl-noise and all, still – it’s perfect for what it is.
Live, RAW POWER were one true force yet were totally unbelievable to watch with their 70s rockers outfit and the bandanas. I remember how some punks yelled at the guitarist for his wanking and posing (never figured out whether this was some sort of joke or serious – but it fit perfectly!). However, I think most people were just too impressed by the band’s unstoppable force, especially during the “Screams from the Gutter” era.
Enjoy, hounds of hell! And don’t forget to put on your bandanas.
Politicians.mp3
Police Police.mp3
Corrosive Water.mp3
Raw Power.mp3
Burning Factory.mp3
Hate.mp3
State Oppression.mp3
Don’t let me see it.mp3
You are the victim.mp3
Repression.mp3
No Card.mp3
Death Seller.mp3
Power.mp3
Nihilist.mp3
Blinker wrote:
Screams from the gutter is better but yeah it’s nice.
[Reply]
Posted on 28-Dec-06 at 4:35 am | Permalink
Peter - KBDRecords wrote:
Screams… is good but this is way better. Amazing!
[Reply]
Posted on 28-Dec-06 at 4:50 am | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
It rocks and it rolls!!!!!!
[Reply]
Posted on 28-Dec-06 at 5:06 am | Permalink
antid.oto wrote:
Grazie Erich!
[Reply]
Posted on 28-Dec-06 at 5:15 am | Permalink
Erich wrote:
Prego, prego, Antid.oto!
[Reply]
Posted on 28-Dec-06 at 7:51 am | Permalink
haizman_brain wrote:
I saw them play in Seattle with the Accused – in their Italian rocker garb (and the guitar player’s awesome afro) they destroyed!
[Reply]
Posted on 28-Dec-06 at 9:59 am | Permalink
Slobodan Burgher wrote:
I agree this is one hell of a good record which was played a lot back when it came out…
[Reply]
Posted on 28-Dec-06 at 2:20 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
Great!
I can’t play the last song however. And why are some missing?
[Reply]
Posted on 30-Dec-06 at 2:18 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
cuz he’s a fag.
[Reply]
Posted on 30-Dec-06 at 3:16 pm | Permalink
rich wrote:
Nice.
I also like the liberal use of cowbell.
I haveta agree that ‘Gutter’ is much more savage.
What was it with Eye-talian hardcore back then/ Both Raw Power and Negazione where nuckin’ futz!
have you got any Negazione?
The EPs they put out before ‘Lo Spirito Continua’ is completely crazy.
[Reply]
Posted on 13-Jan-07 at 3:18 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
Raw Power made also a tape in 1983 (known as the ‘Brown Studio demo’) that is sort of an alternate version of this LP (and often better). The tape was reissued in 1996 by Grand Theft Audio (USA) together with the ‘Last white Christmas’ gig set.
I don’t think the guitarist pose was a joke, he was totally into HM.
Rich: and dont forget Negazione’s side on the Mucchio Selvaggio tape!
Fernando
[Reply]
Posted on 03-Feb-07 at 12:24 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
PS I forgot, the title of the foresaid reissue is ‘Burning the factory’ (GTA, 1996).
Here’s the tracklist of the 1983 demo: Power – For me / Police police – Destroy / I hate the system / Bastard / Burning the factory / No institution / No future / 3,2,1 / You are the victim / Rwa power – Fuck authority / X / You shock me / Destruction of society / Racist money / Hate / Chicken song.
‘Fuck authority’ was the song that made RP famous, thru its inclusion in the ‘Welcome to 1984′ comp. (Tho I dont know if the version was the same as the one on this tape.)
Best Italian HC: yes, Raw Power and early Negazione, plus CCM, I Refuse It!, early Wretched, Peggio Punx. Crazy stuff.
Fernando
[Reply]
Posted on 03-Feb-07 at 12:48 pm | Permalink
Lee wrote:
This band tore it up. One band a lot of people have never heard are a band called Infezione. I have a demo tape by them, and MAN, do they rip. Hyper fast Italian thrash, even more raw and intense than Wretched and Raw Power, and more out of control than Negazione.
[Reply]
Posted on 22-May-08 at 3:36 pm | Permalink
Mr Phreek wrote:
Hey Erich,
I thought I’d finally thank you for this. My dad found the “Music on Fire” BCT comp for $1 and gave it to me when I was a teenager. The Raw Power tracks really stood out. Besides, they were the best quality tracks on the tape.
By the way, are those tracks different recordings than what’s on here?
I saw the Raw Power comp on Emusic, and I’ll definitely be buying that!
Thanks again, I’ve been dying for decent recordings of these songs for like 15 years!
-Chuck.
[Reply]
Posted on 08-Feb-09 at 8:02 pm | Permalink
Roc wrote:
Never thanked you for putting this up. I was looking for the cover picture but its not here now. Too bad my vinyl has a much better sound quality than these mp3s and you skipped a few good tracks.
[Reply]
Posted on 26-Mar-09 at 12:30 pm | Permalink