This Norwegian outfit displays their political commitment in a highly distinctive HC style: gruff vocals bark over a mid-tempo series of smoky minor-chord progressions, with a very occasional hook to sustain interest. This album tends toward unpleasantness, though the band’s desire to communicate makes this an effort well worth supporting.
Gut-piercing guitar ferocity drives this excellent release by A.O.A. to the limit, zooming mayhem with shouts of vocal bellowing. Five songs that deliver well-organized rhythms and arrangements with grinding speed and velocity. Another UK release to capture your mind and hold you captive in sonic ecstasy. Tim, where do you find these excellent bands? On C.O.R., of course!
Yo to Chaos and the gang. This album tears me flesh away and sends shivers up the spine as that raw, unrelenting sound of CHAOS UK squeezes me brain boggen in sheer utter delight. Even though this is a new line-up (except Chaos on bass), the intensity and drive that charges forth is mayhemic insanity. In all of the punk globe, only two bands exist that put forth this burly sound, and both are from the same town. Yea, it’s great!
A split LP by Italy’s I REFUSE IT and CHEETAH CHROME MOTHERFUCKERS, this was originally released as a tape by the bands in ’83. I REFUSE IT combines punk, jazz, thrash, and experimentation in a unique way, while CCM attacks with an experimental thrash that sounds like RAW POWER meets DIE KREUZEN meets the MINUTEMEN.
Some speedcore trappings, managed in an entirely tasteful and powerful manner, make the thrashy songs on this album very creditable on a musical level; bands like BROKEN BONES should look to the SOX with envy. The socially and politically responsible lyrics, however, make this one into both an intelligent and very listenable record. Very good.
A split LP by two savage Italian bands, NEGAZIONE and the late DECLINO, this originally appeared as a split tape in ’84. Highly energetic thrash with charged political lyrics. Dynamite stuff, and COR’s done a service by releasing it.
The DEPRAVED do it again! While there aren’t as many standout numbers here as their debut LP, there’s crunch and lyric spite to spare on this one. Imagine British thrash with catchy riffing and memorable vocals choruses, and you get an idea how special this record (and band) is. Very strong!
Great! Who are these guys? Awesomely powerful English-style thrash meets almost a DC-like hardcore approach meets DOA at their best! Great lyrics to boot.
Sounds like a rawer-edge Homestead band with a political consciousness (a contradiction in terms?). Very HUSKER-ish guitar, aggressive but controlled post-thrash: I think they’d be very at home in DC today. The final COR release, distributed by…
COC-like hardcore from Belgium. At times, the drumming seems to lag a bit, but overall, you’ll find some pretty inspired and aggressive power thrash. There are more weird guitar bits thrown in than you’d find on most such records, and the production is top notch.
LUNATIC FRINGE employs repeating guitar figures to create an effect of intensity and drive within their songs, not unlike ANTI-SECT, but without all of that crushing power. Still, much of this EP works by sheer insistence—especially the fine rocker, “Con-formity.” Good British HC.
A mass exhilaration of fast melodic thrash with a flare for noisy guitars all wrapped up the complete raw package greets you to the latest C.O.R. split effort. Sturdy and lasting with all might, both bands peel off a collision of chaotic riffs. A.O.A. storms wildly at a rapid pace, while OI POLLOI pushes a sonic wave of harmonious velocity, fast and fun.
On this great Scottish release, AOA sport seven songs centered around a fast thrash sound that is well defined by all the instrumentals; the vocals are shouted and keep up to the music’s pounding pace. OI POLLOI shred out all six songs, all of which are no less than enthusiastically executed — clear, melodic, hard-hitting music. Raging!
Yeeeoww! Definitely the ultimate hardcore/metal crossover, ONSLAUGHT charge with a hard-hitting assault of ferocious rhythms that melt the hair off your scalp. Heavy and fast, this UK sledgehammer barrage pushes an awesome guitar grind with great vocals and continuous action. Intense black speed torpedoes that rifle headlong into severe untamed abrasive vigor. Incredible stuff on COR.
I really like this Scottish outfit’s first vinyl offering. The title cut is sort of a folky, undistorted garage pop song with moody anti-war lyrics; “Do They Care” is a strong early CLASH-style punker; and “System of War” is a beautiful and melancholy mid-tempo chant. Varied and evocative.
POTENTIAL THREAT’s second release continues the aggressive thrash-paced mayhem with good female vocals. Storming music that is nice and fast, well-approached with strong lyric structure and verses. POTENTIAL THREAT is a tight outfit and should please many.
Will the headbangers like this? Musically, it’s that old thrash/metal half the time, and slower-paced metal at others. Lyrically, it’s not “satanic” at all, and instead covers political topics in a manner more complex than, say, DISCHARGE. I guess the main problem for the metalheads will be the female singer (best part of the record). Can they handle it?
This LP brings together a good deal of APOSTLES material that is no longer available elsewhere. The songs are diverse stylistically, side A being more experimental, but they all share a primitiveness that is irrepressible. The lyrics remain provocative, if not always logical and free of contradiction. Recommended.
Can you dig a title derived of a stupid English punker’s desire to keep up with the hip MRR scene reports, but just being trendy? Yep, the STUPIDS stop at nothing to be bonkers, while the three-piece light the house on fire, then tell the firemen it was BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN who went thrash. Fast, fast, faster, the STUPIDS punch it all through the wall with that superb sound.
Incredible thrash from the UK, without even a trace of the traditional UK sound. Sonic mayhem, quick and vibrant with great vocals and split second attacks, enough to be one of the best HC releases in ages. Packs the punches like the original Dischord releases did—it’s that insanely good. Stick on side A, “Elephant Man” scorches down the eight-song attack. Excellent!
Their second big ‘un is as ripping as Peruvian Vacation, again with a decided North American feel to their hardcore approach. Lots of melody, but not at the sacrifice of power or energy. You can guess what the lyrics are like.
The XPOZEZ have been around for quite a while and still do not get the exposure they need. This four-song EP should do the job. It is well-recorded, -written, and -performed. Straightforward punk in the YOUTH BRIGADE/GBH category, but with a unique vocal styling that keeps your ears on the song. Good lyrics, good music, good record—what you expect from C.O.R.
Quite a collection of many of the hottest UK hardcore bands. Includes one of each by DISORDER, CHAOS UK, CONCRETE SOX, RIPCORD, ELECTRO HIPPIES, GENERIC, STUPIDS, DEPRAVED, POTENTIAL THREAT, OI POLLOI, and many more, as well as non-UK stuff by CCM and VICIOUS CIRCLE. Rips.
