Livin' In The 80s: 80s Hardcore On Bandcamp

FOD Love Songs SRA Records I’m not exactly sure who runs the SRA label (Dave Rochon from F.O.D. maybe?), but they are from Philly, and they have most of the F.O.D. (Flag of Democracy) releases for sale. F.O.D. are my second favorite Philly band of all time (behind Ruin). They had this manic touch to them, with some seriously depressing songs at times. This version of the release is an extended version, featuring as extras the two tracks they did for the quintessential Philly Comp ‘ Get Off My Back’ , and an entriely different set of takes that were rejected for the final versions. A great package. A cassette version features the extra tracks, and the originawl 8 tracks have also been repressed on 7” Link: https://srarecords.bandcamp.com/album/fod-love-songs

Necros Sex Drive/ I.Q. 32/ Conquest for Death Originally Dischord/ Touch & Go 1981, 1983 One of the classics of American HC. It’s a must have. The band rereleased the three important records digitally plus a live set from 85. In retrospect, maybe not the most original song writing, but they played it tight and with conviction. Link: https://necros.bandcamp.com/album/i-q-32-ep Link: https://necros.bandcamp.com/album/conquest-for-death Link: https://necros.bandcamp.com/album/sex-drive-ep

Suburban Death Trip Mind Shattering Power Blasts Demo Iowa Basement Tapes Originally released: 1985 Connecticut had several great record stores, one being Record Breaker in Manchester. There, I found an original copy of this very rare gem by Iowa’s own Suburban Death Trip (later Sonic Disruption Theory, or just SDT) Years later, I vaguely recall parting with the tape on eBay or something like that, something I’ve regretted ever since. In stepped Iowa Basement Tape Archives, a project from Kristian Day, who also runs the radio show component to these releases. As the disclaimer states, Kristian does his best to secure approval for releasing the records. Finding this again was amazing. But what does it sound like? Original, spastic, slightly metal sounding hardcore with some fun bits, and themes of anti-religion, war and farting in the bathtub. Link: https://iowabasementtapes.bandcamp.com/album/mind-shattering-power-blasts-demo Suburban Death Trip Psychodelic Discore Iowa Basement Tape

Various Artists T.O. Hardcore 83 TOHC83 Originally released: 1983 TOHC83 is essentially a bunch of self-released vintage recordings put on Bandcamp by Brian McCullough, formerly of Youth Youth Youth (who also have a release on the page) This comp here is pretty self explanatory, featuring tracks from seven different Toronto area bands from the first wave. I’d say nothing here is atypical or surprising for a 80s hardcore tape, with all bands turning in some decent tunes. Chronic Submission is probably a standout here in terms of their use of rhythmic changes, sonically reminding me of S.O.A. a bit. This is a great document of the region, and a good get for deep HC heads. Youth Youth Youth is also featured on this tape, but they also have their own anthology release on this imprint by… The singer I think. Link: https://tohc83.bandcamp.com/album/various-artists-t-o-hardcore-83

Neos Three Teens Hellbent on Speed Supreme Echo Super fast hardcore from Victoria, B.C. that calls to mind a slightly sloppier, humorous version of D.R.I. or other speedcore bands, and perhaps a pre-cursor to bands like Spazz. This release covers their two first 7”s and a bunch of other tracks. The vinyl has a pretty nice booklet if youse can grab it. Link: https://supremeecho.bandcamp.com/album/neos-2

Corrosion of Conformity Eye for An Eye Candlelight This is the classic first release by C.O.C. While I prefer ‘Animosity’ (also on Bandcamp - https://corrosion-of-conformity.bandcamp.com/album/animosity) you can hear the early sound really developed at this point, following the early work done as the band No Labels. Eric Eycke does a great turn on vocals, which are more in line with this releases’ hardcore sound. The songs rip, featuring tight rhythm, meaty guitar, distinct bass lines, and plenty of HC lyricism to carry you through the 20 tracks. Plus, this digital version has the Mike Dean versions (released originally as it’s own E.P. on Caroline) No questions asked, you will go buy this. Link: https://candlelightrecordsuk.bandcamp.com/album/eye-for-an-eye

Stimulators Loud Fast Rules! Frontier Records NYHC institution Harley Flanagan is the chief draw on this rereleased vinyl, which comes in a nifty package., though I stuck with the digital version. This is more of a KBD release, and not hardcore, but still rocks, nonetheless. Released on the Frontier label, it’s a great historical document, just not my favorite. Link: https://frontierrecords-stimulators.bandcamp.com/album/loud-fast-rules-ep

Subhumans EPLP Pirate Press Records Yes! One of my new favorite bands, I only knew a few of their songs in the old days, but discovered their discography recently, and it is a winner. This first is a collection of their first four 7”s, showing the band at their most “hardcore”, meaning slightly more conventional structures and sounds, but even then, still different than a lot of material around it at the time. They are a great mix of anarcho/ Crass/ experimental/ aggro at this point, and all the material spans 1981-1983. Their entire discog is up right now through their own page, so I may not review all of them, but just know, they are fucking awesome. Link: https://subhumans.bandcamp.com/album/eplp

McRad Lion Pure Not Like You Records This excellent discog from Philly’s McRad leads with their first 12”, ‘Dominant Force’, a blast of competent skate punk, followed by a few comp tracks, etc. and some ska/reggae mixed in. (No Guns reminds me a bit of the Clash for sure.)There are also tracks from the Thrasher Skate Rock comp and a dub featuring HR of Bad Brains fame. Their second album, ‘Absence of Sanity’ is their best offering, and burns with a great mix of NY style metal tinged hardcore and occasional tinges of melodic California style Punk that was yet to break huge with the Hot Topics crowd a decade later. The song writing is tight, catchy and mature and only falters with the second to last track, ‘Words of Life’, which is another one of those cringeworthy white boy reggae songs that wears it’s obvious Bad Brains worship on the sleeve. One could argue that the crunchier songs do have a bit of BB’s ‘I Against I’ vibe, with more hooks and groove than the first wave HC every band w

Ruin He-Ho/ Fiat Lux Southern Lord Southern Lord put out this double LP by my favorite Philly band, Ruin. These guys were very distinctive from the beginning. I was first introduced to them by one of my tape trading pen pals from Philly back in the day, and all the bands on that tape stuck with me, but particularly Ruin. Their sound was hard to pin down, but they mixed styles, some slow and dirgey, some ripping HC, always lyrically thoughtful and personal in nature, they never good big because they walked their own path. The recording quality of the second record, ‘Fiat Lux’, is much clearer, and the songs are more accessible but catchy as all get out. They could have slotted in nicely with mid to late period Die Kreuzen and been a college hit. Link: https://ruinsl.bandcamp.com/album/he-ho-fiat-lux

Agnostic Front United Blood Bridge Nine Records This is the first Bridge Nine Records version with just the original 10 songs as they appeared on the first release. They later released a longer version with outtakes, etc. This is a classic of NYHC and should be in your collection. I recently saw one of the originals at the Las Vegas Punk Museum. They go for a coupla grand now. My biggest beef with this version (also available as a physical copy) is the lame cover art. Though the physical reissue does have all of the cover and insert art, they used this goofy art instead. And the digital download doesn’t have any of the insert art on PDF. Link; https://bridge9.bandcamp.com/album/united-blood If you’re looking for more 80s goodness from this label, they’ve also got: Antidote - Thou Shalt Not Kill - classic first wave NYHC 7” Project X - Straight Edge Revenge 7” - if you’ve got the edge Underdog - Matchless - their discography, they also sell just the first 7” by itself A.F.’s Victim in

Hüsker Dü Savage Young Dü Numero Group The second Hüsker release on Bandcamp is a lot to unpack, so I’ll keep it short and tell yoou that if you love this band even just a little, but prefer the early stuff, you must go buy this right now. I bought the physical copy because it’s just a meaty, beautiful package of early pics, informative liner notes and three discs of the early material, including the ‘In A Free Land’ and ‘Statues’ singles, the ‘Everything Falls Apart’ 12” and most interestingly, an alternative version of ‘Land Speed Record’, their seminal live album, which has most of the same songs on a different date during the same period, but are a little more clear perhaps? Also has various other session and live tracks. An amazing document! Link: https://huskerdu.bandcamp.com/album/savage-young-d

Hüsker Dü Extra Circus Numero Group What can be said about the Hüskers? I’m not gonna try, but I am going to review one of the two releases they have up for sale, Extra Circus, which is clearly a set of extra tracks from the Metal Circus sessions that didn’t make the cut. You get five tracks from the session, the first two of which (‘Heavy Handed’ and ‘You Think I’m Scared’) rip out of the gate, and remind one of the more hardcore periods of the band, circa ‘Land Speed’ record perhaps. Track three, ‘Won’t Change’ anticipates ‘Zen Arcade’ sonically, with it’s morose melodacism. Track 4, ‘Is Today The Day” could have easily nestled in with the ‘Everything Falls Apart’ album. Finally, track 5 is an early version of ‘Zen Arcade’s’ ‘Standing By The Sea’ which, while not as polished as the final album version is still one of those Hüsker tracks that make you want to bawl your eyes out with a sense of loss that you didn’t even experience, but takes you to that place anyway. Magnificent docume

Various Artists Spit On It Cassette Art Classics This label was one of the first I discovered after signing up for Bandcamp. They’re truly a classic label dedicated to DIY cassette releases that ran a wide gamut of music including predominately electronic, industrial and experimental music. But occasionally would release a HC/Punk tape. Spit on It was released in 1985, and featured 8 bands contributing a few tracks or so of HC/Punk tinged with different styles, some more rockish, some more synth-based or experimental, but all distinct. As in most tape comps, this is a lo-fi affair. The digital downloads come with jpegs of the J-card art, and a link to Hal McGee’s notes on each of the releases and how they came to be, etc. Worth checking out his labels if you want to find more out there stuff, and not just punk. Link: https://cassetteartclassics.bandcamp.com/album/spit-on-it