Red Cross 1981–1982 No Message LP
Richmond, Virginia’s RED CROSS serves up a potent dose of early ’80s hardcore punk with their album 1981–1982 No Message. Originally intended as their debut LP in 1982, the album was shelved when the band broke up before its release. It later appeared in a very limited cassette run, but this marks its first appearance on vinyl after over 40 years. The fourteen tracks, clocking in at about twenty-five minutes, are a straight-up blast of early hardcore energy, with some songs sounding like they could have been missing tracks from This is Boston, Not L.A. The singer’s voice sometimes carries a bit of a Tesco Vee snarl. The album kicks off strong and fast, but the momentum stutters a bit on Side B. It wraps up with a live track and a humorous radio spot, providing a touch of nostalgia. Members went on to form the mighty WHITE CROSS, making this release an interesting document of Richmond’s hardcore lineage.