Jerry's Kids - Kill Kill Kill (1989)

Jerry's Kids - Kill Kill Kill (1989) Taang! Records

This was one of the first 'crossover' records I ever heard. And dear lord did I hate it when I was 15.

The dumb soloing, the stupid lyrics, the abandonment of the frenetic punk energy found on the 'Boston, Not L.A.' tracks. I hated everything about this record, especially 'Breathe and Fuck', Jesus wept. What a turd.

I've listened to it a few times over the years since then, each time becoming more bearable.

But what do I make of it now that i'm fond of metal? Is it even THAT metal? Well...

I'm gonna say it...this isn't metal. It's not really even 'crossover', it just doesn't chug. Sure, it has a butt full of, admittedly metal, solos. But no real metal-as-fuck riffage.

Its kinda surfy in place, its kinda rocky, and it has some metal flavoring, but to be honest, the majority of it is hardcore. So why the hell did it rub me up the wrong way for such a long time?

To be honest, I cant really put my finger on it. After listening to it a few times I actually like it.

I mean, it doesn't rip like 'Boston, Not L.A.' or 'Is This My World' but it definitely has its moments.

'Breathe and Fuck' is the first sign of slowing down, and at track three, maybe its too soon to change pace. While its nowhere near as horrendous as I remember it being, it's very long for what it is.With that said, it shows off a more experimental side to the band, which should never be discouraged.

I'd say that tracks like 'Breath and Fuck', 'Tired Eyes', 'Don't Belong' and 'Satan's Toy' show the experimental side in full motion, with Hendrix-style guitar work/wah effects, sound-clips, and longer arrangements on offer. Most of the other tracks are like a mixture of the 60s like guitar playing meshed with hardcore pace. And they mix it up pretty well, its not like a total convergence of those two approaches. Tracks like 'Bad Trip' and 'Back Off' start off with slow intros that eventually race into intense speeds. There is definitely some ripping hardcore here, it's just meshed in between more ambitious structures.

Sure, Rick doesn't sound like he's just escaped a mental asylum. The band isn't a dyed-in-wool 30 second hardcore holocaust. And they aren't as rabid in their approach. But if you take it for what it is, its not bad. Its a band expanding on their sound in an original manner. I can't say I've heard many 80s punk releases that mix punk, surf, metal, and rock, all into one cohesive record.

Would it be better if 'Satan's Toy' wasn't on the bad side of 6 minutes? would it be better if they cut down on the soloing? would it be better if they got rid of some songs? If you want a straight up hardcore record, then sure. But regarding when this record came out, 1989, Jerry's Kids were

fairly faithful to their roots while experimenting with their increased musicianship. Thumbs up.

Linky Link:

https://mega.co.nz/#!hEIH1LjD!GZcif_UyaS6jKixGu9re5KaMAhpHGaDU3YpkVr9cVhc

Here's a cool press release!

Gang Green - You Got It (1987)

Gang Green - You Got It (1987) Roadrunner Records

So, if 'Another Wasted Night' was just a full on punk record with some dubious experiments with commercial rock, what is 'You Got It'? In the year of 1987 did Gang Green go through their 'metalmorphosis' like many of their peers?

The short answer is: not really, but kinda in some ways. A weird answer for sure, but then again, i'm a weird guy. The thing about Gang Green is, Chris' guitar work never strays into super heavy rock ala Sabbath which SSD and DYS did. At the same time, he doesn't venture into the chugging rhythms of Metallica and Slayer which many 'crossover' bands aped. He sticks firmly in the punk rock meets AC/DC territory, and writes songs that he can sing over. And, indeed, his vocals have improved a lot since 'Another Wasted Night'. Even though the songs are much longer, all of which being in the 3-4
minute region, they don't get boring.

As expected, the soling is pumped-up ten-fold. For sure, Chris rips some tasty leads that save the record from becoming too monotonous. In 'Another Bomb' there's some clean guitars, which makes you think 'ooooooh, power ballad time', but they eventually give way to the ripping punk assault. On the metal side of things, there's the drumming. Like on '19th Hole' from 'Another Wasted Night', there is a lot of double kick work going on here, which I graciously welcome. Guitar wise, there's some tremolo picking here and there and some Maiden-esqe harmonies on 'Party With The Devil'. Other than that, there's not really any metal here.

After hearing 'Another Wasted Night' some years ago, I was put off from discovering the Gang Green back catalog in fear of hearing a complete rock/metal car crash,. Because lets be realistic, they were never going back to their highly influential speedcore attack. If anything, they were going to further their rock style.

Turns out I've been living in fear for no reason. 'You Got It' rips.

Linky Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!YFwSGIBB!T68ezzMX0Vd18B9isTKCUnF5sgVgC1w-npagTNlz1-Y

Gang Green - Another Wasted Night (1986)

Gang Green - Another Wasted Night (1986)

When I was younger, this was another record I just never 'got' after hearing their early material. Those tracks from 'Boston, Not L.A.' ripped shit up, they were some serious fastcore violence, unparalleled until Siege decimated everything.

On this outing Gang Green opt for a mix of punk and AD/DC love. What I didn't like when I first heard this was the vocals. He's singing? UGH! What happened to the throat shredding, petulant, bratty vocals of 'Boston, Not L.A.'? Couple that with the, by comparison, snail pace, really bummed me out.

With time on my side I can appreciate 'Another Wasted Night' and take it for what it is. They evolved from their (much loved!) spastic early material to a more melodic, rocky, song-based approach.With that said, I feel like i'm selling this record short. Its still punk as fuck, in-fact, its a total punk record.This isn't a metal record, its not a 'crossover' record, its not a rock record, its a punk record that treads on hardcore territory. You've got to admire the balls, the kings of hardcore slowing it down and writing-gulp-songs? Fuck, I didn't see that one coming!

For Gang Green, the initial reception was nowhere near as brutal as SSD or DYS experienced. In some ways that surprises me considering those keyboards on 'Voice Carry'! This is probably due to Gang Green valiantly sticking to punk while injecting a raucous 'rock' approach (as opposed to 'metalling' up). Couple that with the reworking of their hardcore classic 'Have Fun' and the generally good tunes, I suppose I get it. Yeah, I get it! This is a good record! Even for a guy who doesn't drink, 'Alcohol' is a ridiculously catchy tune!

If you're expecting Gang Green to RIP.IT.UP. at warp-speed, you'll be disappointed. Once again, as with SSD and DYS, this is about the songs, not the speed.

Linky Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!MZZjzIBS!uO0zTHcth-pfhJBCS7pRiBKsf3g21tPo2qGkKvPe0i0

DYS - 1985 LP

DYS - 1985 LP/ 'Fire & Ice'

How does one follow up from SSD's 'How We Rock'?
With another controversial Boston punk release, obviously!

To preface this review, check out the Dave Smalley interview with 'Dissonance Radio' that covers
the Boston Crew, DYS, 'going metal', the infamous'salamander', Dag Nasty, straight-edge, politics, Down By Law, and artistic growth. http://dissonance.libsyn.com/7_15_08_dave_smalley

DYS were part of the 'Boston Crew', a bunch of straight-edge mostaphios who were allegedly violent to those who didn't agree with their politics. I can't comment with any authority as I wasn't even born then. What I can say with confidence is that DYS put out a seminal record 'Brotherhood' that stands ground as one of the best hardcore records ever, heck, best punk records ever, actually...one of the best records ever.

By the mid eighties many-a-punk band started 'evolving', this usually meant adding guitar soloing, placing melody and songwriting over brutality, and favoring dynamics over sheer speed. Naturally, many people branded this direction as 'metal'. This has always bugged me, why can't you become better at your instrument within the punk lexicon? Why does learning how to play different rhythms and techniques have to be considered 'metal'? Especially for 'hardcore' bands, do you know how boring it would be to write the same stuff for 5+ years? As much as I love it, it doesn't leave any obvious routes to take for expanding.When people criticize hardcore bands for branching out, testing out new rhythms and approaches, it weirds me out.

I've seen people call this self-titled, aka 'Fire & Ice', a 'Master Of Puppets' rip-off (the hell, seriously? 'Master...' came out in 86'), a terrible metal record, a sell-out, a 'hard rock' record, and a betrayal. It makes you wonder what goes on in some people heads, it really does.

I'm just gonna put it out there, Dave Smalley sounds great. Unlike SSD, in which Springa kept his guttural shouts, Dave shows off an impressive range, all but abandoning his shout. I can see why this would be seen as 'metal', or sell-out, but who cares if the songs are good? Not only is Smalley's range good, his tone is great, very much reminiscent of his Dag Nasty work. Due to the vocals, and some of the guitar work, this record reminds me of 80s 'emo' but with a lot more chugging and solos. Which, at least for me, is a good thing. Much like 'How We Rock' the rhythm guitar work is pretty much heavy hardcore, but unlike 'How We Rock', the guitar solos are tasteful and keep in minor keys.

So lets tackle this beast, track by track:
As the opening track, 'Late Night' has a lot to prove for the 'new and improved' DYS. While being one of the shortest tracks, 'Late Night' condenses many of the different approaches into one song, with its shifts in tempo, guitar lead breaks and ambitious melodic vocals. Admittedly, its not the strongest song here, so don't judge the whole record by it.

'Echoes' and 'The Loner' properly show off the riffy, Sabbath-ish, elements, with some-gasp-metal riffs. If anything, these tracks are what the record is all about. Its punk, its rock, its metal, all rolled into one.

I suppose one of the biggest controversies is the ballad 'Closer Still' which is placed, slap-bang in the middle of the record. As for someone who likes ballads that build up into a heavy tune, like Metallica's 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)', 'Closer Still' is well written, it has a nice texture to it, good dynamics, a epic solo, and features fantastic singing by Dave. As far as heavy ballads (note: not power-ballads) go, this is a really good tune.

'Which Side Am I' is a good indication of the 'metal' aspects. There is no denying that riff, that's for sure. Its a pretty long tune at around 5 minutes, with the obligatory guitar solos. I can see where the Metallica comparisons lie here, especially with the theatrical main riff. For some reason I get a 'Creeping Death' vibe from it.

'No Pain, No Gain' and 'Held Back' are straight up Boston hardcore, no doubt about that. It's strange that they are kept to the very end of the record. You'd think the hardcore tracks would be up-front. With that said, there is a good amount of solos chucked in for good measure and some stop/starts. Instead of reverting to shouting, Dave continues to sing on these decidedly more frenetic cuts.

The closer 'Graffiti' has a  real Sabbath feel to it, with the mighty groove riff looming over like
a monolith. Sure, it speeds up but soon breaks down into the swampy goodness. A good way to end this controversial release.

So how to summaries? While this is often lauded as one of the worst cases of 'going metal' in punk history, but in reality, its a good record. While it is stylistically different to 'Brotherhood', it shows a band reaching out for a bigger horizon while sticking to their roots. While the cynics may believe the hardcore tracks are there to appease their core audience, i don't think its out of hand to think that they were just evolving from being mean-ass Bostonian hardcore to something more ambitious. This isn't 'crossover' as we know it in-terms of DRI, Ludichrist, et all. Like SSD, there is a mix of punk, metal and a healthy dose of rock. This isn't about speed, its about songs.

Linky Link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!1URxAZiD!Ct19aTFjgO9JElIokgoabRPmPnEQamBUz_gFIRZjLdA

SIEGE - Drop Dead

SEIGE were a hardcore punk band from Boston who played astonishingly fast for their time. This EP was recorded in 1984, basically on the tail end of hardcore's initial lifespan. I've heard people mumble about Grindcore when SIEGE are mentioned, possibly down to the huge influence they had on Napalm Death and Repulsion. From how i see it, this is particularly fast hardcore, no metal riffs here, possibly apart from Grim Reaper but then again i'd consider that Flipper worship as opposed to heavy metal.

The vocals are borderline screamy, which is always really cool to hear from this era of punk. If your a fan of thrash (as in fast hardcore) or power-violence you will probably eat this right up! If you like your hardcore melodic and catchy, this may not be your sort of thing, but, then again, there's no harm in trying. Now go fucking listen to it, dick.

Drop Dead is an insanely fast track with screamy vocals right from the get go.
You can definitely see the influence these guys had on power-violence and grindcore.

Conform has a Black Flag vibe to it, you know, very heavy and kinda 'wastey'.
If this song was a person, it would stagger into your nearest pub, puke on your girlfriend, beat you up and after that, publicly masturbate in front of a children s school...during recess, and not give a single fuck at all.
This track flip flops from the heavy Flag-like main riff to blasty hardcore. Fucking rad, maaaaaaan.

Life of Hate is one of the shortest tracks here and is typical hardcore. Not much else to say really.... urhm....how's your day been, bro?

Starvation is yet again a short hardcore track with a sloppy solo and a nice bass lead section.

Armageddon is the shortest track here and it's absolutely punishing! Aside from constant blasting we get a small break in which we get one of those bass interludes that are so popular with power-violence bands nowadays.

Walls is probably the closest to 'conventional' hardcore. Almost sounding like 'is This My World' era Jerry's Kids at moments.

Sad But True, no not the boring Metallica song from the early 90's, this is hardcore with savage vocals. And who can forget that sloppy-ass guitar solo!

Cold War opens with a d-beat and then opens the floodgates of U.S hardcore in typical SIEGE style. Did I mention it has a d-beat?

Grim Reaper is one mean-ass song, very Flipper-like with it's repetitive, slow bass line and noise guitar playing. On top of that, there is a saxophone playing free-form solos over the top, ala Sex Bomb. Vocally there are obvious delay and reverb effects, which makes the guttural pre-death metal vocals sound insane; like looking inside a tortured persons head. If the Flipper comparison isn't enough, the track length is the best part of 7 minutes...Holy fudge.

Direct Link
http://www78.zippyshare.com/v/73047754/file.html

Cut & Paste Blog
http://cutnpasteyoface.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/siege.html