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Category Archives: American Utilitarian Hardcore

STAINS- s/t 12″EP (SST, USA, 1983)

14-Feb-11

The third in the series of all the Hardcore Punk bands named STAINS continues (see this and this): Imagine a cross between early Black Flag and Verbal Abuse and this is pretty much what you’ll get: STAINS. Incredibly brutal and aggressive, yet catchy fuckshitupism. The singer adds a lot of extra power to the riff-barrage, [...]

TMA- What’s for Dinner LP [Version 1 & 2] (Jimboco Records, USA, 1984)

02-Jan-11

An album of undeniable mongo-qualities: Straight in your face, short, obnoxious yet not un-poppy tunes that make you smile. Songs with choruses like “I’m in love with Nancy Reagan” and “Suck my dick, surf nazi” are instant hits and there’s plenty of them on this somehow overlooked lp by New Jersey’s TMA. Their followup, “Beach [...]

ARTICLES OF FAITH- What we want is free 7″EP (Version Sound, USA, 1982)

21-Nov-10

There were times in my life, when I had an almost erotic relationship with ARTICLES OF FAITH. To me, this band represented everything that Hardcore should be (or could be), when I first heard the colossal “Wait” EP and the epochal “Give Thanks” LP.  Sometimes, I make it seem too easy, methinks, when pointing out [...]

CITIZEN’S ARREST- A Light in the Darkness 7″EP (Wardance Records, USA, 1990)

16-Nov-10

INFEST had hit the Hardcore planet like a huge fucking meteor and CITIZEN’S ARREST rode on top of the first tidal wave that rolled across the vast land. When INFEST were clearly rooted in the early 1980s Hardcore movement, including all the nihilism and crude aggression, CITIZEN’S ARREST were a child of the 90s. The [...]

Podcast: SPIN RADIO UNDERGROUND: FEAR Live & Cover Versions Special (Spin / Enigma, USA, 1985)

31-Oct-10

In the mid 80s, SPIN MAGAZINE produced a series of radio promo double lps, every one of them featuring one main artist with a live concert, plus a full radio broadcast. To my knowledge, there are at least four of these double albums around, one with CIRCLE JERKS, one with MINUTEMEN, one with JESUS & [...]

WEHRMACHT- Thrash Metal Tape (SM Tapes, Switzerland, 1986)

11-Aug-10

Prior to the «Beermacht» demo, Portland’s WEHRMACHT released this cassette through the swiss SM-cassette label of Röbi Zollinger (founder of the legendary «Speed Airplay» radio show). To my knowledge, this was the first ever official WEHRMACHT release. Quite funny actually, when you look back, how dedicated the handful of swiss scene activists were in pushing [...]

Mystery Band IV: THE ENERJETICS- [almost] 1983 Demo (New Jersey, USA)

12-Jul-10

ENERJETICS from New Jersey – Finally a new Mystery Band! It’s always a great pleasure when a demo of a to me unknown Hardcore band from the golden era surfaces. And even greater the pleasure is, when the demo is of such quality. Please go over to Dave’s excellent Rocket Science blog and listen to [...]

V/A REAGAN REGIME REVIEW- Compilation 7″EP (Selfless Records, USA, 1992)

11-Jul-10

What else could I come up with after the Touch and Go – Book review? This comp. came together with an issue of Touch & Go. Unfortunately I can’t find the zine no more, but I believe it was an anthology of sorts. However, all tracks on this sampler may be as good or as [...]

THE DESECRATORS- Speed up the Death Process LP (Pro-Anti Records, Switzerland, 2010)

08-Jun-10

This is one of the most astonishing records I heard in a long, long time. It was recorded as a demo in 1986, on a shitty 4 track recorder, in 4 hours and with the cheapest gear. Not that it would matter though, cause you will always be able to tell a great band from [...]

TAR BABIES- Face the Music 12″EP (Bone Air Records, USA, 1983)

02-Jun-10

I didn’t expect comments like some of those I received (I deleted the worst of ‘em) in the last entry (POWERAGE). Frankly, I had no idea we have such idiots here. Not that I’m a p.c. kind of guy: I love it when opinions clash and there’s nothing wrong when it gets a bit rough [...]