Published Reviews

SSR7001 / SSR-01: Direct Control Nuclear Tomorrow EP

Remember back in the day when hardcore bands were still catchy and had "songs?" Then check this shit out. DIRECT CONTROL's homage to early 80s hardcore is both infectious and totally ripping. Pages ripped straight out of the Jerry's Kids / Offenders book of fast-as-fuck yet catchy hardcore. After the last couple of years of ho-hum hardcore, this is a treat. Awesome.
- from Maximumrocknroll

Iím not joking when I say this is one of the best new hardcore bands in a long time. Well, fairly new. Following up a demo and a killer, self-titled 7î, Richmond band Direct Control have released an LP and 7î at around the same time. Early 80s-styled hardcore played with reckless enthusiasmóloud, fast and kicking ass from start to finish on both of these records. The LP gets started with their call to arms ìDirect Control,î leading into an anti-Reagan rantóyeah, anti-Reagan but this oneís called ìRonnieís Dead,î to keep things up to date. Getting political on the likes of ìHerd The Cattleî and ìWar All The Time,î while other songs explore personal interactions, assholes in the punk scene and even an ode to the music itself (ìLike It Fastî). The 7î is slightly rougher-sounding but continues in the same vein. Five more shredders and once again mixing up the lyrical content, from the pessimism of ìNuclear Tomorrowî and ìWorld War 3î to the pro-skating sentiments of ìWicked Sick to The Gills.î A straightforward sound but skillfully played, with catchy guitar licks and clever nicks from such bands as Poison Idea and the Circle Jerks. These guys are the real fucking deal.
- Al Quint: Amp #37

An early Corrosion of Conformity-ish song about kleptomania with tiny bits of metal lurking far behind the punk. A JFA-inspired song about calling out folks who carry their skates instead of “murdering ledges.” A song about the holocaust that most of the punk world thought Reagan would have brung us. This would all smack of a wee too much of early ‘80s bandannaed nostalgia if Direct Control was a spoken word troupe. Thank your pull top cans and tight shorts they’re not. They tow in some of the best straight-ahead, no-bullshit hardcore this side of, well, DS13, Career Suicide, Cut the Shit, Minor Threat, and Charles Bronson. Much harder to pull off than just talk about: addictive, fast, and not a note wasted. Direct Control looks back without being a throwback. Comes, appropriately, on bile-yellow wax.
- Todd Taylor, Razorcake

SSR7002 / SSR-02: Koro 700 Club EP

Another reissue for this classic record nerd essential. Is this the best 7" I've ever heard? Possibly. The lyrics, vocals and delivery are by themselves some of the best. This is some very sarcastic and annoying hardcore. Then on top of that the music is so fast and punk sounding. Again if you want a great review go read MRR. If you want my opinion go buy this right now, put this down and go find it.
- from Mindless Mutant #2

I have been rabidly obsessing over this 7" for the past 15. I only have a bootleg of this killer slab until the amazing folks at Sorry State reissued this platter. Yes the music may have been sped up in the studio; but who the hell cares because this 7" will leave you speechless, stunned and drooling once the stylus hits the grooves. Eight blistering songs, filled with catchy riffs and choruses capturing all that teenage angst. The band is fuckin tight!! How the hell does a bunch of kids in Knoxville, TN create a monster of a 7" in 1983? After all of these years I finally have a great sounding copy of this 7" with the original cover art and lyrics. 8 songs in less than 8 minutes. Buy yourself a bunch of these because you need one in every room. Thank you Sorry State; you have made my year. This is hands down teh best record / reissue / whatever I have purchased this year!!!
- from Equalizing Distort Volume 6, Issue 8

Knoxville, Tennessee's Koro released a single EP in 1983. Practically since then, the record has been scarce, sought-after, and shrouded in rumors and mystery among hardcore fans and collectors. For good reason--it's astounding tight, a near-unbelievable mix of killer riffs, speed and intensity that renders most every other band attempting to play hardcore, before or since, obsolete. Really, it's that good! After two bootleg versions, the EP has finally seen legit reissue, and aside from a couple minor grips (slightly different track order, sleeve opens on the wrong side), it's a perfect job. So check it out, and stay tuned also for the upcoming 12" of unreleased Koro material from the same label.
- from Maximumrocknroll #281

SSR7003 / SSR-03: Rabies Disease Core EP

Total Los Angeles '81 style. Snotty teenage vocals, Ginn-esque guitar leads, melodic walking basslines--for real, these could be six missing tracks from Wasted Youth's Reagan's In sessions. I caught this band at Gilman several months back and was very impressed. Clearly Rabies draws their influences from bands who started before any of the members were actually born, but I think the result captures the wild spirit of the early LA scene well enough. A great EP worth checking out.
- from Maximumrocknroll #279

Skate-thrash-punk and repeat. Actually, these guys have a ìJealous Againî period Black Flag feel, as well and letís not forget the bass calisthenics for ìThe Man With The Flute (Is Drilling My Head)îóhuh? Thatís about as poetic as they getóotherwise, you have sentiments such as ìI have RABIES and I fucked you mom.î I remember how snotty some of those skate punk kids could be and carry it over into whatever band they chose to start. Rabies fit that bill and fit it well.
- from Suburban Voice Blog #28

Wow, a pleasant surprise. Sounds a lot like California skate rock stuff, mixed with early Black Flag. I like this a lot, very lo-fi recording which matches the music well. If you like skateboarding and early 80's hardcore (and why wouldn't you?), then you should check this out.
- from Bleeding Edges blog

This 7" was Released about 2 years ago, but i have only just got a copy and i thought it was good enough to warrent a (late) review.

As far as skate punk bands go, there are not to many good ones around (well, not from recent years), but i think Rabies are very very good. The 7" is made up of six tracks of pure sweat, blood and vomit. It is also shows you can still make good songs that are one minute long and very fast!

Side A consists of Why You're Crying, You're Gonna Blow and the title track, Disease Core. The first two tracks are very simular to 80's hardcore skate bands like Suicidal Tendancies and Gang Green but without the generic echoed vocals which many bands of that time had. Disease Core makes you think you should visit the hospital after hearing it, it's a great song with lyrics like "I have rabies and fucked your mom" and if any other band were to say that you'd think whatever, but this band sound saw raw that you think they would!!!

Side B consists of The Man With The Flute (Is Drilling Inside My Head), which is a slower longer song than the previous tracks and not quite as strong. Why and Gonna Fuck You Up, are also great tracks.

All in all its a very good release, its a million mph of hill bombing fury and its as if Rabies were only aloud to listen to skate punk and hardcore, and forced to eat razor blades and rat poison from birth!

4.5/5

- from Shot in the Foot Blog.

SSR12001 / SSR-04: Koro Speed Kills LP

If you're not familiar with this band you're living under a rock or listen to Total Chaos. This is great unreleased material from Koro. Some songs on the 700 Club are on this 12" as well. It's the same ripping Koro which makes this release a must have. Also what comes with the lyrics sheet is a long and interesting interview that makes it worth buying just for that. Once again a great job Sorry State Records has done, and watch out for the Rabies LP coming up soon.
- from Mutated Arms #1

Impossible to find, even when it came out (took me six months!), the 7" EP by Knoxville, TN's Koro was an enigmatic obscurity taht, unlike the suggestion of the band's moniker, has only grown larger in impact and influence with time--a precisely played, intricate yet hyper attack of youth-driven 80s hardcore. This eleven-song LP is culled from cassette demo recordings that were done after the legendary EP and clock in around six minutes longer than the eight minute eight-song 7", replicating four of the EP tracks. What the slight difference in song length suggests and delivers is extended compositions and quirkier songs mixed with the same manic thrash drilling. This sullies a bit compared to teh crystal clear and direct impact of the EP; the songs are bogged down by mid-tempo musical complexity and/or "growth" ("Feelin' Pretty Minimal"? Oof! Not minimal enough!), the thrashing has a slightly more muted, measured, and looser delivery, and the cheap cassette rawness (even doctored up pretty well by mastering) is a detriment opposed to an asset. As each fragmented piece of the 80s hardcore puzzle gets thrown under the microscope, this particular artifact holds up--strong enough as a raw demo, and a fun way to view a classic band with very little documentation from a different angle--but is a weaker vision than the band's classic EP. Comes with a well-done, extensive, and informative interview detailing the history of the band.
- from Maximumrocknroll #284

SSR-04.5: Cross Laws Can't Sleep cassette / cdr

Cross Laws play great mean thrash, pissed and straightforward, with clear vocals and good drum sound, without a waiver in their anger or conviction. OK, there are a few mosh parts to skulk around the pit, but then you'll all be back to the spin cycle in the washing machine, counterclockwise!
- from Maximumrocknroll #286

This is a demo 7", part of a box set of which only 250 were pressed. I am sorry to say but I bet this is long gone by the time this zine gets back from the printer. A one-sided record of raw and filthy sounding hardcore punk. Six tracks in all; buzzing guitars, shattering cymbals, and snotty shit-faced vocals really make this a very cool release. Get it (if you can)!
- from Maximumrocknroll #291

Fuck! Cross Laws are back to annihilate your week! The new Can't Sleep EP on Get Revenge Records was originally released as the Can't Sleep cassette from November 2006. This violent attack is continuing the chaos initiated on last month's Behind the Curve EP by Cross Laws. Mr. Daniel Lupton, commander-in-chief at Sorry State Records, plays the blistering guitar on this fucker.

Cross Laws assault your fragile reality immediately with the first track, "Always Be This Way." The song takes you to task. Read this: "Say no to my own negativity / Say no because I just don't get it / Say no because I don't understand / Say no because I don't belong." Fuck yes! This song pricks the sensibility of alienated youth.

Song two is "Fuck Up and Quit" with these pointed lyrics: "You spot another victim, another life for you to ruin / Like a hunter seeks its prey / You know exactly what you're doing." Cross Laws paint a bleak picture of our world. "Diagnosis" leads into "Acceptable Loss" with these black and depressing words: "Now it's your turn to be a pawn in the war game / Funny, you thought you were a knight / Confess your sins to the bishop / before you get shot up in the fight." Fuck! Cross Laws continue their disturbing assessment of our culture with the fucking storming punk riot "Can't Sleep." The final track, "Workers in the Hands of an Angry Boss," has lyrics such as the boss "fucking with my head." Fuck! Cross Laws reduce the listener to a helpless pile of protoplasm! Obtain this seven-inch for a dose of horror-laden truth from Get Revenge Records.
- Bruce Roehrs, Maximumrocknroll #291

Some killer hardcore from North Carolina of all places. There seems to be some awesome stuff from that area that's for sure. This is some old style hardcore that sounds like it could have come from Italy in the early 80's. 6 songs, all awesome. All fast paced, I wish this had lyrics, maybe I just did not get any with mine. But the song titles are cool and seems like they are on the same page as me, so I hope to read some lyrics in the next release from this band. This demo has been pressed to 7" to try and hunt that down.
- from Slash and Burn #4

They sent us the same thing on both CD and tape, but I ain't gonna review this twice, if you catch my drift. One for the car and one for the house I suppose. I don't mean any of that to a slam, as this is some solid raw hardcore, straight forward with no bullshit fiddly bits. One of the highlights of this batch for sure, so make sure to but out the highlighter and mark up your precious SF&L. (This was also Mike's #1 demo pick for this issue.)
- from Short Fast and Loud #17

This demo blew me away! Ripping 80's hardcore thats comparable to many midwest 80s hardcore bands but they remind me most of Negative Approach. If you dig Cardiac Arrest, Formaldehyde Junkies, Wasted Time, or any oldschool hardcore band, youll like this. They dont do anything new, but who cares? They're just playing the music they love. They're playing in St Louis in mid-March. Can't wait.
- from Hey Ronnie! #1

SSR12002 / SSR-05: Rabies Test Your Might LP

Snotty west coast skate ën destroy punk and picking up where the 7î left off. The production is bright without getting too flashyóit enhances Rabiesí burning properties. Also, thereís no way I would have known that ìPlateauî was a Meat Puppets cover if I hadnít read the credits and Rabiesí version is a high speed dismembering of the Puppetsí laid back acoustic-flavored composition, at least until the end. The other cover is by Magnolia Thunderpussy, an 80s SST Records band and, while I remember the bandís name, I donít remember the song. Itís another changeup, an oddball ending to this searing album. To steal from Agression (another skate punk band) a bit, these guys have found an effective way to release intense energy.
- Al Quint: Suburban Voice Blog #33

Southern California's Rabies have been pretty active as of late. I liked their first EP quite a bit, but I feel this LP gets a bit boring for me. It's fast hardcore punk with nice breaks, but something is mising and I just can't figure out what it is. There are several songs that help save this record--"Deathbox Destroyer," "Stairs of Shame," and "The Teeth." I think it just lacks power and intensity overall. Perhaps this would have been a better 7"; I bet it also comes off way better live.
- from Maximumrocknroll #288

I really loved their 7" that came out last year, so I jumped when this was finally available. Rabies play some fast skate punk with lots of mid paced beats, and noodly guitar leads. The noodly weird parts are cool in short supply, but on an LP I want to hear more of a balance between weird and just old skate-core. Maybe with the 7" being shorter it seemed fresher, but this is still a great LP from these young go-getters. If you're into current shit like ANS or earlier Bones Brigade, or the classic old Nardcore stuff, check it out.
- from Bleeding Edges blog

SSR7004 / SSR-06: Christian Club Final Confession EP

If there wasnít a lyric sheet with this single Iíd have no idea just how harsh this record was. With songs railing against Catholics, Jehovahís Witnesses and Christians in general, this isnít a record to play your religious Grandmother, no matter how open minded you think she is. These guys play hyper-fast, brutal hardcore and throw around lyrics like ìSaint Mary was a whore and so are youî. This is a record for people who might like their Koro mixed with anti-religious sentiment. Good stuff. I donít know much about the band, but the Sorry State site says this record is a posthumous release which is too bad. That cover is perfect for a t-shirt too, just a thought.
- from Strange Reaction blog

Another rager from Sorry State records... the label which brought you the Koro reissues and the Rabies LP. This is one seething slab off hate directed towards anyone and anything related to Christianity. Blazing old school influenced hardcore is the back drop for the tongue-in-cheek lyrics to tracks like "Fuck Jehovah's Witness" and "Jesusfish Asshole". Sometimes serious, sometimes silly, either way these folks do not like Christians. Several of the band members are trading off on vocal duties which lends some variety to the band's sound... some of this reminds me of early Citizens Arrest and other parts make me think of a rawer Caustic Christ. Either option sounds good to me, as does this platter of wax. Cool cover art to boot which looks like a Nick Blinko drawing on a Crucifix record. Pick this up, as well as anything else this label releases... you won't be disappointed. Mike M.
- from Quick Fix May 2007 issue

Christian Club were a four piece from San Diego that started in 2003 and ended in 2006. Theyíre schtick seems to be that ALL their lyrics were really anti-christian which is, usually, good for a giggle but in this case itís a one-laugh joke (like the b-flats) that gets less interesting each time until you kinda wish theyíd made more effort or just sung about something else. LikeÖ FUCK! I mean FUCKING FUCK! anti-christianity in punk/hardcore is about as played out as anti Reagan/Bush stuff and I mean strike me down if this is too far out on a fucking sycamore limb but I kinda think that if you canít find at least a half interesting way to put this shit across then fucking donít make it the focus of your WHOLE fucking band! Ohhh and another thing why the fuck are we focusing solely on Christianity still? I mean I know weíre still rehashing a lot of music from the ë80s but that doesnít mean we have to act as if itís the same socio-political environment as the ë50ís! Thereís a whole fucking plethora of bum religions that are all just if not more whacked-out and repressive as Christianity and I fucking know that Christianity is the easy target cos itís stereotypically followed by white people and that a lot of so called anti-rascist little punk rockers get a little worried when the target ainít the same skin tone as them but fuck organized religions (and I stress the word organized) world-wide are doing fucked up things on daily basis and it doesnít seem to rate a mention because Bad Religion didnít base their logo around it. I would have been so siked if Iíd opened the lyrics to this 7î and each song had been about a different religion; Christians, Buddhism (donít let those fuckers off), Muslims, Scientologists, Hindius fuck even followers of the church of Satan are deadshits so why not paint em all a deep shade of fucked? Huh? However lyrics aside letís talk about the band and their music: They had a bunch of demo CDRs and another 7î which was released before this one. I know pretty much shit all else about them except they shared a member with Life Crisis whichÖ wellÖ actually itís a pretty good thing to know cos Life Crisis are, in and of themselves, a pretty good thing.. This 7î is a posthumous release and fuck it has most of the ingredients to be absolutely fucking great but falls a little flat andÖ shitÖ it has taken me literally weeks of listening to work out why I think this but I reckon itís the fact that each side of the record begins with two or three tracks of scathing, fast and absolutely fucking rockiní80ís style hardcore but then the last tracks on both sides are kinda mediocre so the excitement you get when the needle drops kinda gets fucked over before it rises from the grooves again. SucksÖ but I suppose since they knew this was going to be the last release so they wanted to include everything.Well tempted to tape it and omit some tracks cos if this was a four track 7î instead of six it would be close to a classic.
- from Screaming Bloody Mess

This San Diego band were around for three yearsóthey had a previous 7î on Get Revenge Records--and here are the last rites for Christian Club. Clever? Nah. Every song has a bug up its ass about religion, taking aim at Jehovahís Witnesses, Catholics and people who put Jesus fish on their cars. Revved-up thrash with brute force and rage and pissed-off vocal tradeoffs.
- Al Quint, Suburban Voice Blog #41

I know this band shares a member with life Crisis, and share some of their blistering fast thrash influences. Sounding similar to early Poison Idea and maybe even Citizen's Arrest, and not pulling any punches on their stance against religion. Another band that broke up too soon.
- from Bleeding Edges Blog

Another fine example of the unstoppable hit machine that is Sorry State Records; purveyors of quality and purism in hardcore. The title track is sure to pop up on a best of compilation down the road; amazing production, all from a band who apparently just broke up.
- from Switch-Boarde zine #1

CL-01 / SSR-06.5: Cross Laws Behind the Curve EP

Cross Laws self-released its first 7-inch, 45rpm record March 20. By March 22, it was sold out. The Raleigh/Carrboro hardcore trio made something special with Behind the Curve: An obvious acknowledgement of the band's influences, Behind The Curve doesn't simply rehash and reenact them. Instead, Cross Laws has made its own classic hardcore record, one that doesn't acknowledge whatever kind of timeline the world has bell-curved. This record reveals no sign of it being released anytime after the Reagan administration, from its terrifically coarse four-track recording to its Xeroxed and hand-numbered packaging. Behind the Curve isn't just great in an endearing way, though. This is great hardcore in its execution and presentation. There are no bones about it because this band has sucked them absolutely dry. They've sucked them dry.

The disc's opener, "Buried Alive," is an exercise in hemorrhaging, a minute-and-a-half fit of rage that provides a new definition for "straight-forward" (well, at least until the following 20-second title track). "I don't understand trying to keep up with a bunch of fucking people I don't give a shit about. I don't care if I'm behind the curve," screams Dennis Duffy.

Indeed, Cross Laws is angry about everything. They have no problem driving the point home, and nailing it to your face. Duffy barks orders over his own incessant low-end bass punch, while Daniel Lupton spits strings of power chords and simple solos. Matt Lavallee cripples his drumset, pounding a 4/4 mayhem at breakneck speeds.

"Don't Call This Life" and "Cross Laws" converge on the B-side to create a raging two-and-a-half minute opus, erudite in its simplicity and effect. It's a straight shot out for new masters of an old domain.
- from The Independent Weekly

Cross Laws has just released a 7î that follows in the footsteps of bands like Wasted Time and Government Warning that play an early eighties style of fast hardcore. There are five tracks here that will blister your ears, some more than others, with ìBehind the Curveî being the best song here. The recording is rough though, that's what makes this record sound pretty good. Apparently, the seven inch has an initial small pressing but should be repressed shortly so that you can check it out now. Dave K.
- from Quick Fix May 2007 issue

No muss, no fuss hardcore punk in a stripped-down format from this trio. Looking around at all the books, magazines, records and CDís in this room, itís easy to relate to Dennisí plaint about being ìBuried Aliveî by ìmurderous mountains of pulp and black ink.î The playing is sometimes rudimentary but itís the clichÈ of the sum being better than its partsóthe bandís roughness is enjoyable. Only 300 copies and theyíre apparently sold out of it. I guess I was a little ìbehind the curveî in reviewing this. Sorry. According to the Sorry State website, some distros may have it and they have a CD-R with this EP and ten more songs.
- Al Quint, Suburban Voice Blog #41

More new hardcore from North Carolina, a la Double Negative. These kids are a trio and sound pretty raw, with a touch of youth crew aggression that sort of dates their involvement with the music they play. Gleefully messy, with a recording thatíll make you tired by side two. 300 numbered copies and itís already gone from where I sit. Better than most young sloppy bands, and has potential to clean up and become something massive in the near future.
- from Dusted Magazine

From their inception, the onslaught wielded by North Carolinaís Cross Laws was likened by some to that of Articles of Faith. While elements of their early Eighties-style racket do merit some comparison to the AOF assault, the seething chaos of their outbursts belie surlier influences- the sort of middle American hatred surge typified by N.O.T.A. or the convulsive blur of Koro, for instance.

ìBehind The Curveî, the debut 7? from Cross Laws, oozes suburban discontent and vitriol from every pore with the relentless zeal and raw delivery that are hallmarks of the genre. Its unadorned volleys are unleashed in four chord spasms, replete with hammering rhythms, blazing leads, and vocal ferment that builds to a rabid snarl. The persistent pummeling is complemented by intermittent melodic leanings, reflecting guitarist Daniel Luptonís love of the OC hardcore-esque razor barbed hook. Songs like the opening ìBuried Aliveî and the mid-paced dirge ìDonít Call This Lifeî reflect this fusion of dissonant ripping and harmonic proclivity.

In less capable hands, the merging of upheaval and infectious clamor might have yielded forgettable results, but Cross Laws pull it off in spades. Far from the retro-core posturing of similar efforts, ìBehind The Curveî transcends mere tributary rehash with a ferocity all its own.
- Mike Ramek, Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing Blog

A band from North Carolina that reminds me a lot of ARTICLES OF FAITH meets NEGATIVE FX. This is the band's first EP but their second recording. Since this has come out they have had two other releases. There are all sorts of pictures of the singer wearing a KORO shirt, but I really feel like listening to early JERRY'S KIDS or AOF after listening to "Behind the Curve." I don't think it is a coincidence that CROSS LAWS have a song called "Don't Call This Life" and JERRY'S KIDS wrote "Is This My World" and AOF wrote "In this Life."
- Stephe Perry, Equalizing Distort Volume 7, Issue 4

The woefully limited (I don't even have a copy) debut from this short-lived North Carolina hardcore band. Songwriting and production clearly recall the greats of early'80s US hardcore, and this five-track EP is delivered with that extra, essential bit of intensity that pushes a good record into the "great" category. The second-to-last song bleeds into the last one with this weirdly-reverbed guitar chord that for some reason is really cool and distinctive-gets me every time I listen to it.
- Chris Hubbard, Maximumrocknroll Best of 2007 Feature

(combination review with Harpoon Guns: s/t 7"): Someone recently pointed out, in a more coherent manner than I'm capable of at this point, the garage rock scene has produced far better punk records over the last couple of years than the hardcore scene has over the last decade. I'm not going to agree, but there's no arguing with the Harpoon Guns, who's jangly guitar sound roots them in the garage, but the velocity of their music and the general attitude is in the proverbial "streets," if you wanna argue that's where punk belongs, haha. Cross Laws pretty accurately illustrate my point. They sound like Harpoon Guns with a little more aggression, which is to say they sound like a good old fashioned thrash hardcore band (with a nice NY bass sound). I like this record, and could imagine one of these tracks on a BCT cassette, in between a couple of equally great tunes. Pretty limited?
Distort #15

CL-02 / SSR-07: Cross Laws Ancient Rites EP

a now disbanded band that didnt exist to long but managed to get better on each release they did this one included. This one is limited to 500 instead of 300 so you may be able to actually find it unlike the previous record. This band sorta reminds me of if the fix could have been better recorded and been faster,recomended to the fullest(sorry state records)
- from Mutated Arms Blog

I am to understand this is the final Cross Laws record. They can almost call themselves the Crossover Laws at this point. AMIRITE??? (Sup, Earles. Had to bite that style.) Thoroughly catchy and raging hardcore, benefitting from a fairly hot recording and an aim to change it up a bit. They came a long way.
- from Dusted Magazine

Cross Laws released 3 7"s (one of those being a demo) within a short amount of time before breaking up recently. "Behind the Curve" seemed to sell out immediately, maybe since it was limited to 300- maybe because it rules. By the time I heard it was out, it was already gone, luckily I happened to find one at a shitty record store by me. This record picks up where the demo left off with real stripped down early 80's style HC in the style of mid-west bands like the Fix and Negative Approach. Ancient Rites, which was their final release has that same raw sound, but with a lot more melodic parts that are similar to early Articles of Faith. By no means is it any less raging, just a little different. This band broke up way too quickly, but hopefully we'll see some new noise from these guys soon.
- from Bleeding Edges blog

This is the second official EP from CROSS LAWS. They honed the sound just right on this one. It's perfectly raw as if every piece of equipment and possibly even the recording space were all transported from 1982. the buried melodic guitar bits are my favorite part of this band--every now and then they crest out more overtly and that's cool too. The six songs on this fly by, and then I am ready to play it again because it's that good, every song. I keep thinking that I am bored with the early 80s revival, but occasionally I am surprised by great records like this.
- from Maximumrocknroll #295

Sophomore slump be damned: on”Ancient Rites”, their second EP on Sorry State, North Carolina’s Cross Laws maintain the urgency and brutality of earlier material, but have reworked their sonic onslaught into a sprawling, faceted juggernaut. Their midwestern/SoCal hc worship has mutated into a darker, catchier barrage, more intricate and punishing than what came before. Naysayers take heed, however: while they’ve expanded in leaps and bounds over (slightly) earlier material, the stripped down RF7/Bad Posture/Koro-style ripping is well accounted for throughout this effort, though bolstered by brooding melody and more elaborate musicianship. As should be expected, these seven bouts of hc/punk wrath rupture like so many lanced boils in rapid succession, though the musical ferment is laced with saccharine burn not unlike that championed by Agent Orange at their “Living In Darkness” prime. The vocal work, an especially rabid Jerry A. meets “Damaged”-era Rollins snarl, adds venomous emphasis to these hymns of discontent. Cross Laws function like ike a well oiled machine here, delivering some of the tightest, rawest, most infectious hardcore in recent memory. Mind melt.
- Mike Ramek, from Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing blog

Another dose of no bullshit hardcore with an old-school feel. As always, it’s tough to come up with nuanced descriptions but I’d argue there’s a Midwestern feel here—Articles of Faith’s flail, for instance. “The Relic” made me think of a rougher version of that band’s “American Dreams,” for instance. In other words, there’s rawness but also a hint of melody in the guitar playing. Guitarist Daniel Lupton runs the fine Sorry State label and this fits in perfectly with the type of records he generally releases. If I could offer one minor point of criticism, it’d be the playing is sloppy from time to time but not to the point where things fall apart.
- Al Quint, from Suburban Voice Blog #54

This is the third EP by this band, but it's only with this record that I finally got to hear them. And holy shit, if their other two records sound anything like this seven-song fucking nugget of raw NOTA/POISON IDEA-inspired punk, then I need to seriously start looking at people's trade lists.
- Bob Goldie, from Maximumrocknroll's Best of 2007 Feature

Cross Laws were a North Carolina band that weren't around for a very long time but found enough time to put out three 7"s. This is the third. While the other two were full hardcore anthropology this is a little different and is a gut-burner. Still hard punk but a bit of a different beast, maybe a little more melody and the speed is lessened a little. Don't get me wrong its rough as guts with bedroom wall production and some classic gruff vocal chords. The record seems to vibrate; you can hear the jams bounce off the walls and feel the condensation rising. Hardcore. "It's never enough to me to do well for myself and be happy with my life - I've got to measure up to some non-existent heroes who beat me to the chase." Ain't that the fucking truth.
Cows and Beer #2

It's hard to explain what CL sound like. Kinda a more varied SOA mixed with Husker Du in their 'LSR' phase. I have yet to really get into this. Just fast and vicious tunes.
Dehumanised #1

This is CROSS LAWS fifth release and I first heard about the band in MRR but their name kept coming up in the interview I did with DOUBLE NEGATIVE. I think they are part of that Raleigh scene in North Carolina. A scene that is built around house shows and loads of new bands. "Ancient Rites" sounds heavily influenced by bands like KORO and NEON CHRIST, but I could be transferring something on them because their label put out the KORO reissue and NEON CHRIST has started playing out again. I hate to say that their sound has that early eighties American hardcore in it, but it does. It also has a little bit of that euro thrash in it. The band cites INFERNO as an influence, which I wouldn't totally disagree with. It's fast and furious and I would never accuse them of re-hashing a sound. They are building on the spirit of the time when hardcore was in its infancy. It was a heyday period for that scene so why not let it start as your building block? But I can't help thinking of them as the bastard son of NEON CHRIST and KORO.
Equalizing Distort, Volume 8, Issue 3

I missed out on the first 7" this band did since they only made 300 copies. But it was just the demo, which I had on tape, and it was great. Raw and simple hardcore. This is more together and it seems they have gotten more comfortable playing with each other. These songs are way more intense and in your face. North Carolina has some ripping bands and this is one of the best. This only has 500 copies so don't miss out.
Slash and Burn #5

Hardcore punk for fans of the No Way and Grave Mistake rosters. Love it or leave it.
Hey Ronnie zine

SSR-07.5: The Obtruders: Demo tape/cdr

This is a demo from some skate obsessed teens from the holy grounds of Nardcore: Oxnard, CA. And they sound like total slobber core to me. Fast sloppy stuff with a slurring, mumbling vocalist. Screaming and spitting incoherent crap left right and centre. The music has plenty of energy, the sound is ruff, but listenable, not rat shit ruff. The vocals have a slight hollow, echo sound that makes it scream early eighties HC. No lyrics but with such classic titles like "Canned Jams Make Me Wanna Spew Chunks," "Get Gnarly," "Scrambled Face" and "Myspace Whore" who needs them. They finish things with a Spermbirds cover of, you guessed it, "My God Rides a Skateboard." Overall it's pretty cool.
Dumb Hardcore #1

One of the better tapes I've heard in a while. The Obtruders drop a heavy skate punk vibe by way of Oxnard and as you listen to it each song seems to get faster as you work your way through it. The occasional ripping guitar solo is peppered throughout. The singer has a good rant on him and chucks out some harsh voice breaks. From the skeg on the front eating concrete to song titles like "My Board," "Skateboard Insurrection" and Spermbirds cover "My God Rides a Skateboard" these dudes definitely gleam the cube. My appetite is seriously whetted for an Obtruders 7" - a winner for Sorry State. Check the interview with them in this rag.
Cows and Beer #2

Fucking raging hardcore punk from North Carolina. Heavy influence from the Nardcore gods mixed with some goofier elements. 12 songs, 15 minutes. Interview next issue will tell you all you need to know. GET GNARLY.

What Gives #2

SSR-08: Bored to Death Bored to Death EP

8 song 7" that really came out of nowhere. Never heard anything of this band just saw they were japanese and the song title being from a government issue song i couldnt resist. It rages from start to finish the only flaw of the record is if your color blind and cant tell that your red vinyl is actually pink. If your a fan of DC hardcore this is one to pick up. If you a fan of hardcore in general pick this up. limited to 300 from what i recall.(sorry state records)
- from Mutated Arms Blog

Japanese kids emulating poppy '80s thrash, and they really get the balance of riffs, rage, and humor where it needs to be for this sound to work. A few songs spike it up a bit with some metallic parts, but mostly just bop along to weather-beaten early DC hardcore, all smiles. Excellent Engrish lyrics that are full of rad thoughts and laffs (“Pose As a Skate” rules the hardest: “Ready for the skating/Realize that/I hate sports”).
- from Dusted Magazine

Bored to Death are a new band from Japan who play a more American style of early 80's hardcore (DC), almost like Total Fury. The recording sounds like it was run through an old boom box, and sounds real gritty (which is a good thing). The songs are real good and catchy, and naming your band after a Government Issue song helps too.
- from Bleeding Edges Blog

You just can't go wrong with an eight-song EP from a Japanese thrashcore band that pilfered its name from a GOVERNMENT ISSUE song, now can you? The music is super fast, the production is low budget (and I mean that in a good way), and the singer belts out nasal blasts of barely intelligible lyrics in such a way that you'll be left drooling and wanting more when the record is over. These boys from Sapporo display an unabashed love for early Dischord hardcore bands, but they also show their own country's thrash contributions just as well. Imagine SMASH YOUR FACE and TOTAL FURY mixed with SOA and YOUTH BRIGADE (DC). My favorite song on here is "Pose as Skate," an earsplitting denunciation of kooks who ride around with unscratched boards. You should already know by now that you need this, so write it down!
- from Maximumrocknroll #295

I remember someone had an MRR column called “In Praise of Generic Thrash” or something like that. Well, this is the kind of EP that deserves that kind of praise. This is standard US style thumpa-thumpa thrash, for the most part, by this Japanese band. The cheesy 7 Seconds-ish “whoaaa-oh-oh” during the chorus of “I Don’t Care” makes me smile, as does the sputtering guitar solo on “Borderline.” None of these four guys look as though they’re old enough to shave yet (well, the drummer has sideburns) and their boisterousness is endearing.
- Al Quint, from Suburban Voice Blog #54

DC hardcore worship from Japan. Pretty well done but it gets repetitive. I'd take legless bull over this any day.
Hey Ronnie zine

SSR-09: Crossed Eyes Rattled EP

Kids from North Carolina who play in hardcore bands (one dude here was in Cross Laws), applying the breathless, verbose emo template to raging basement pop-charged hardcore. In some ways their snotty sound lends itself to the current crop of bands playing power-pop like a punk band (Marked Men, etc.) but they're really aiming for the angsty melody of a group like the Observers (or now, I guess, the Red Dons). The lo-fi sound works against a band this busy-sounding, but song-wise I'm pretty into it; just ignore the scene-baiting lyrics. 500 copies.
- from Dusted Magazine

This is the debut from the pop punk phoenix that rose from the ashes of Raleigh's Street Sharks. And when I say pop punk I mean that the music that lies here within contains melody which is often lacking and overlooked these days. This is the stuff fanzines like Razorcake go apeshit over. Smart lyrics and crisp art direction to boot. Soon to be Sorry State Records best seller.
- Greg Barbera, from Hopeless Cases blog

This is a little different than the average Sorry State Records release, and is a lot more pop-punk sounding. Luckily it's the kind of pop-punk that I like (not the border line emo or alternative sounding stuff). Similar to bands like the Observers, but with a more blown out recording sound. There's a lot of sing along parts, and I could totally see these guys going over well at a New Brunswick basement show.
- from Bleeding Edges Blog

Shit, I nearly walked out on this gem. It just goes to show you not to turn your back to fate my friend--bad things happen. Atmospheric punk rock, soaked in that heavy, foreboding sound as perfected by THE OBSERVERS, driven with the punk rock edge of THE PEDESTRIANS and some of the straight-up pop hooks of THE ADVERTS. Five tunes of classic-sounding punk perfection. I can feel the hype already; best damn thing I've heard in years.
- from Maximumrocknroll #295

I avoided this thing based on the description thinking it would be like the Ergs cause i hate the ergs vocal style. To my suprise this thing fucking rules , Imagine Marked Men and Observers get into a blender and that blender gets dropped off in North Carolina. Then you would have Crossed eyes, Never doubt the almighty Sorry State! Picked up at Amoeba records in the record section of all places for 3.99.
- from Mutated Arms blog

This North Carolina trio take a page from the likes of the Observers and The Vicious and have a semi-poppy/semi-nervy take on ’77 era punk only Crossed Eyes aren’t as mannered-sounding in the vocal department. The lyrics have a sardonic quality—taking on self-righteous white guilt for “Broke Bike,” for instance. Other songs are about seeing through phoniness and fakery, as well—then retreating back home or to the nearest bar. The songs bash along nicely with a surging hookiness and the lower fidelity (though not lo-fi) recording quality works to their advantage.
- Al Quint, from Suburban Voice Blog #54

This record has been getting a lot of hype from MRR, so I figured I'd check it out. Neat punk with a garage-y tinge. I can't think of any comparisons but if you like the slower stuff on Fashionable Idiots like the Retainers, Shoot It Up or the Catburglars, you'd dig this.
Hey Ronnie zine

SSR-10: Double Negative: Raw Energy EP

This band's LP should have been an easy top-ten last year, but the vocals and recording inexplicably killed it for me. In contrast, the second I heard this 7" I knew I had to get ahold of one instantly. The true sound of frustration, fury, dumb rage--just the best kind of hardcore, in other words. It's got the wild abandon of the best Italian hardcore combined with the brutal fucked-up times of early COC or fuckin' KORO. One side was recorded with a single mic in a practice space and it's just so dense and raging and gone. This is one of the best hardcore 7"s of the past few years, just fucking great timeless mutant music for malcontent types. The packaging is awesome too--cool clear vinyl and a silver gatefold cover. You need this record.
Maximumrocknroll #302

Fuck! DOUBLE NEGATIVE (ex-SUBCULTURE) from North Carolina, has mounted another blitzkrieg attack on you fucks! The punk'n'thrash on this EP is so fucking rough and tough you will be reaching for your jockstrap around your ankles. You will crash through "Raw Energy"" and "Excited About Myself." This is unhinged old-school styled thrash-and-burn that will ring true with you old headbangers. Fucking punk as fuck!
Bruce Roehrs, Maximumrocknroll #302

Negative Points:

- Ridiculously large thank you list, not even in an ironic way. Pretty disheartening to see I'm not on it.* I'm in two minds whether to do a good review. I jest.

Positive Points:

- Fast, thrashy, hardcore punk in the vein of Void, and loads of 80's hardcore bands I can't even think of right now.
- Probably my favourite 7" in the past few weeks.
- Packaging is illuminating. You can actually tear it apart and it makes a stencil of their logo. Although taking it apart would probably decrease its eBay value in a few years. Ooooh decisions. - Nick [Sorry State]

* There is literally no reason why I would be on the thank you list whatsoever.
Salad Days blog

Very similar to Corrosion Of Conformity in sound and featuring drummer Brian Walseby who produced artwork for a slew of bands including 7 Seconds - Walk Together, Rock Together Lp. I think the average age of this outfit must be 40, and it totally rules. Anyway the record cover is a huge 4 panel fold out and has an almost metallic feel due to the predominate silver colour. Also the front cover is perforated and can actually be used as a stencil for spray painting the bands logo wherever you would want to! The record itself has no labels which I think works with the artwork and colours used.
Never Ending Game blog

Following last year's monstrous LP, this is their new EP. Production wise, it's a lot more raw sounding than the LP. Hell "raw" is right there in the title. The A side has a lot of weird echoes and overdubs, but the 2 songs on the B side are killer. I think I liked the LP more, but this some ripping shit here. The packaging on here is top notch as well, and the price was the same as a normal 7" (unlike those stupid Youth Attack releases).
Bleeding Edges blog

This is another outstanding barrage of noise and complicated parts driven hardcore. I hate to continue to say it but they totally remind me of “Eye for An Eye” era C.O.C. There hardcore is very impact driven and complicated with it’s twists and turns, but not so complicated that you can’t enjoy it. Not like DILLENGER ESACPE PLAN. More like early C.O.C. And Kevin still sounds like an early Blaine Cook more like when he was in the FARTZ. All the right things about hardcore before it was ruined by crossover. And if three great ragers wasn’t enough the punch out spray paint stencil that the cover becomes is ingenious. In an interview I did with them Scott talked about wanting to make a logo that could be spray painted easily on walls kind of like the FUCKED UP logo. Well this packaging is an attempt to make that easier. What can you say about a release so over the top like this
Equalizing Distort zine

On top of the pristine heavy-weight vinyl and intricate packaging, this 7” contains nothing but full-blown, teeth grinding hardcore punk. Like a lingering hangover, it makes you want to punch yourself in the face, if nothing else but for your own good. In times so contaminated with disgusting human traits, watching this clear vinyl spin around circles to the soundtrack of complete anger is pretty damn close to purity.
- Daryl Gussin, Razorcake

Last year’s The Wonderful and Frightening World of Double Negative LP totally tore my head off, and I’ve been seriously anticipating some new material since shortly after its release. The Raw Energy 7” is said to more accurately recreate the band’s intense live spectacle, and it is indeed a raw, piercing, destructive six minutes of Void/early-C.O.C.-esque hardcore. Desperate, angry, and raging.
- Dave Williams, Razorcake

Pretty slick looking record here! These guys LP was totally crazy shit, yet this follow-up EP sounds more controlled. Basic hardcore with nods to DISCHARGE... MECHT MENSCH maybe... and almost "soulful" vocals. That may be a shitty description, hardcore vocals aren't really "soulful" most of the time, but this guy sounds like he's baying at the moon all wolf-like and shit. Killer packaging with a punch-out band logo on the cover. The only drawback to this EP is that it sounds like shit, barely "used cassette demo quality," very rough.
Short, Fast and Loud #20

SSR-12: Instängd: Mitt Svar Pa Ingenting EP

Debut Ep from this new Swedish band (with, judging from the photos, some ex-members of blah blah and the blahs)-six tracks of primitive, aggressive, blown-out punk rock bordering on hardcore. Mitt Svar Pa Ingenting is deceptively simple on first listen, but with each successive spin of this platter I understand a little more than Instängd have got something good here. Though these folks clearly have their own take on things, this reminds me of some of those Danish bands that were all the rage in the early '00s; perhaps something like HUL would've put this out if they hadn't broken up. The closing track is the strongest-a mostly mid-tempo stomper with a totally weird and awesome effects-driven guitar lead. Definite mix-tape material (do people even make those anymore?). Can't wait to hear the next one.
Chris Hubbard, Maximumrocknroll #298

A new band from Sweden with members of Regulations/ the Vicious/ ETA/ etc... This band sounds like if Mob 47 was doing a set of The Kids covers. All the lyrics are in Swedish, so I don't know what they're talking about, but the music is good. I was kinda expecting something a little faster like the early ETA stuff, but this is good shit here.
Bleeding Edges blog

TB, Inc. had a meeting last Wednesday in the Terminal Boredroom. We discussed pensions and the downsizing those clowns over in design management have coming to them, and finished the meeting talking about how shitty European hardcore is (we’re a bunch of meat-eating sports fan, and, you guessed it, wear our American pride on our sleeves). It sounded sort of like: Man, all of that Scandi-hardcore sounding like it’s made by a flock of blind marionettes really gets my goat. Learn how to drum. And how not to mix it so loud. No wonder we run this planet. Cheese fucking Louise. So I get this Instangd EP in the mail slot adjacent to my luxurious sunlit office, I walk in, Melanie gets me some espresso, and I toss this thing on the spindle and just start biting my nails and pissing my pants and wondering how my prior conceptions of haphazard, dispassionate European hardcore could fall to the wayside with one little assumedly by-the-numbers Swedo-bore to file away in the catacombs of its like. Somewhere between Regulations’ enthrallment with early-‘80s West Coast USA boy-sass (member sharing is afoot) and their native Sweden – some steady but not overkilled rhythm, mechanical dementia like only the Nordic know how, and tastefully thought-out vox accompanying the music like a blonde Swedish escort guuurl (what I find tends to be the Achilles tendon of proper homage to the forefathers of this strand’s locale, shitting the bed sometime between Terveet Kädet’s 3rd EP and that blasted “Horse” LP – yuck!). Genuine recall of the psychotic tension that made Kriminella Gitarrer so menacingly off-kilter and Massmedia such an interesting Scandi interpretation of bounciful punk rompery. The most effective, jarring mechanicalism of recent memory propping up possessed wide-eyed spiels echoing down dirty, frozen Umeå alleyways. I guess my narrow understanding of this stuff (which doesn’t hinder arrogance apparently, eh, eh, eh) would incline me to liken it to Amdi Petersens Armé with more complimentary enunciation and vocal placement (complete with those gnarly Scandi tongue vibratos). I don’t know what they’re singing about, but who fucking cares, it’s probably about war and things us suits shouldn’t really worry about until our assets are in jeopardy. Buy this record with the cash you’re raking in from that Termbo stock of yours. (BG)
Termianl Boredom Zine

Total punk flavored massacre here from Denmark (I believe). These guys are psychically chanelling old as fuck 80s European hardcore. They have this shit down to a science. Blaring raw guitar force, that overwhelms the rest of the band, shows the way, but the vocals make this a lesson in pure hardcore punk. Half spoken snarling shit rife with disgust. Yeah, this band rules.
Short, Fast, and Loud #20

SSR-12.5: Logic Problem: Demo

Logic Problem is the newest vehicle of some ex-members of the recently-defunct Cross Laws. I'm definitely hearing the Fix in these songs and that's not a comparison I throw around lightly. Seven tracks of fast and hooky hardcore with plenty of little stops and starts thrown in to break things up and snap some necks.
Justin Briggs, Maximumrocknroll #298

I bought the EP off Nick and Seth for two bucks, right off that was a cool thing in my book. I have to admit I had heard the tracks before since Nick had sent me them online. Something about getting it on cassette and listening to it on a tiny cassette deck really made me treasure it more. I will admit the production kind of irks me. I wish I could hear everything better. The vocals cut through kind of loud for my taste. I can't really hear bass and I wish the guitar would be louder, but all in all I like the tape. I like the music but I don't think the production really shows the talent of this band. Daniel from Cross Laws plays bass on this. If you are a fan of bands such as Government Warning and Carbonas, pick this up. I say those bands, but I feel that Logic Problem brings more to the table than just that. I am looking forward to more things by them in the future and hope they play more in this area. If nothing else, the guitar player (Nick) drives 3 hours to practice, so buy this cassette to pay for his gas.
Self Aware #1

SSR-13: Smart Cops: Self-titled EP

If you were into LA PIOVRA at all, check out this record. SMART COPS is the next great hardcore export from Italy and they play a kind of rock-infused hardcore that you'll want to shake your ass to as well as circle pit. Truly brilliant stuff.
Maximumrocknroll #302

Also available on Sorry State Records this month is the SMART COPS EP. This shit fucking kicks some punk rock ass! Side A starts off with "Sudore America" and segues into "Il Vile E Il Futuro" and "La Soffiata." Fucking punk rock you fucks! Side B features "Quel Dubbioso Manganello Rosa," "Alla Frontiera" and "Tra La Reclute Un Pessimo Seggito." Fuck yes!
Bruce Roehrs, Maximumrocknroll #302

Six tracks of high-octane Italian trashy hardcore punk comprises Smart Cops' first 7" on Sorry State Records. Similarly with a few other related bands, with the exception of a few, Smart Cops don't sing in English, which is also nice, and it also means I can bond further with my Italian friends by asking them to translate for me. Kicking in in just under eight minutes and, with the creds of having ex-La Piovra/Ohuzaru/Endless Inertia members, this band are good.

Anything else I can say? Not really, although if you're a fan of aforementioned bands (although Smart Cops only really sound like La Piovra) you'll probably know/know of this band already. They're also better than Azriel, Jake. Fans of the Fashionable Idiots discography will lap this up in a split-second. On your marks...Go. - Nick
Salad Days blog

Rising from the ashes of Italian punk-hardcore powerhouses La Piovra and Ohuzaru, Smart Cops is a brand new band from Italy who started in late 2007. It didn’t take a lot of time for them to find a good record label and release some good music as Sorry State Records took this evil deed. With a name such as theirs, there was no doubt that their music and lyrics would have been as funny, and that’s exactly what this band is all about! The 6 songs featured on this 7″ will give you a good dose of snotty and catchy punk hardcore with an amazing rock’n'roll feeling added to it. The top-notch side of this record are andoubtly the lyrics, all in Italian and focused on teasing cops in the most sarcastic way, which is fully backed. Song titles are as good and as funny. This 7″ will fit the tastes of people into bands such as Career Suicide, Government Warning and Angry Samoans. Be on the look for these guys, they have tons of shows booked plus a European tour with BanxThis! and two US tour coming soon.
Soulcraft MMVIII blog

Members of La Poivra make up this new band, and I would say they carry the torch well. Smart Cops continues with the rock and roll influenced thrash core style, but I think lacks in some of the guitar work. The lyrics are in Italian, so I don't know what they're saying, though I do like the layout.
Bleeding Edges blog

Italian band with people from the late, great La Piovra and Ohuzaru. As with La Piovra, it’s a fast/rough hardcore punk attack with a whole lotta snot. There’s a mid-tempo thump for the righteously rockin’ “La Soffiagta” and “Tra Le Reclute Un Pessimo Soggetto. No idea what it’s about but I suppose I could punch it into a translator. I’ll tell you this much—if Italian is one of the romance languages, the Smart Cops are trying to refute that tradition. Their tradition is punk fuckin’ rock and that’s something worth preserving.
Suburban Voice Blog #67

Electric punk rock with hardcore tendencies. These Italian dudes blare through some six tunes of excitable punk but it's a bit too clean for me. I waited for this to really kick my ass but it never quite got there, though the first song on the B-side (a long title in Italian) captured what I was looking for. I need more of that and less nice punk tunes. For fans of Peligro Social and that ilk of pogo-able, harmless punk.
Short, Fast, and Loud #20