The Complete Short Punk Reviews Archive

Click "read more" below for a complete archive of reviews:

Adolescents - The Complete Demos: 1980-1986
A Wilhelm Scream - Ruiner
The Blackout Pact - Hello Sailor
Burden Of A Day - Pilots & Paper Planes
Buzzov-en - Welcome To Violence
Dropkick Murphys - Singles Collection Vol. 2
Dropkick Murphys - The Warrior's Code
Fair - The Best Worst-Case Scenario
Grace Gale - A Few Easy Steps To Ensure Heli-Camel Safety
Greeley Estates - Far From The Lies
(HED)PE - Back 2 Base X
Hoods - The King Is Dead
The Killer - Better Judged By Twelve Than Carried By Six
Kill Your Idols - Live At CBGB's
MDC - Magnus Dominus Corpus
Nekromantix - Brought Back To Life Again
No Use For A Name - Keep Them Confused
Paramore - All We Know Is Falling
Pointed Sticks - Perfect Youth
Plow United - Narcolepsy
The Shocker - Up Your Ass-Tray
Since Remembered - Coming Alive
The Soviettes - LP III
Stretch Arm Strong - Free At Last
The Fire Still Burns - Keeping Hope Alive
Valencia - This Could Be A Possibility
Various Artists - Masters Of Horror Soundtrack
With Honor - This Is Our Revenge

Read more!

The Killer - Better Judged By Twelve Men Than Carried By Six (Organized Crime)

The Killer is a band from Chicago, and this is a re-release of their 2004 CD. It includes 4 new tracks along with a DVD of a live show. Their style of hardcore is brutal in both riffage and vocals. There's no posing, no posturing, just in your face old school hardcore.

Grade: 83

Read more!

Since Remembered - Coming Alive (Blood & Ink)

Since Remembered does an excellent job of combining old and new. They have a definite old school hardcore feel, but also mix in modern melodic hardcore. It's raw, fast and aggressive, but is still very groove oriented and melodic. The vocals are higher pitched than you usually hear, which is another thing that makes them distinctive.

Grade: 81

Read more!

(hed)p.e. - Back 2 Base X (Suburban Noize)

hed(pe) is back with another dose of hip-hop flavored with punk and metal. It's innovative, and even though a lot of people don't like rap vocals with their rock, Jared Gomes varies his rapping style, able to be both harsh and aggressive and smooth and groovy. The lyrics are sometimes social and political, other times juvenile and fun.

Grade: 80

Read more!

Greeley Estates - Far From The Lies (Record Collection)

The Arizona band Greeley Estates combines mainstream pop punk with harder edges. They play both sweet, melodic singalong songs and harsh, screaming post-hardcore ones. A lot of times you'll hear both styles in the same song. The CD is an appealing combination of hooks and aggression.

Grade: 83

Read more!

The Shocker - Up Your Ass-Tray (Go Kart)

This is an updated version of the 2003 album by The Shocker, which is Jennifer Finch from L7's group. It's a blast of punk and new-wave flavored rock with gritty vocals and ridiculous lyrics. It's a raucous and fun album that also includes a cool cover version of Ice-T's "Body Count."

Grade: 84

Read more!

Burden Of A Day - Pilots & Paper Planes (Blood & Ink)

Burden Of A Day is a solid screamo band. Their songs are emotional and melodic with a combination of screaming and singing vocals. They also have some intense guitar riffs and several breakdowns. It's a nice blend of angst and intensity. If you're a fan of bands like Thrice, The Bled and Underoath you'll dig this album.

Grade: 85

Read more!

Fair - The Best Worst-Case Scenario (Tooth And Nail)

Talented producer Aaron Sprinkle is also a very talented musician. His band Fair's debut album is packed with beautifully understated emotional rock songs. They are very melodic, but you don't realize just how catchy they are until after you listen to the CD and find the songs sticking in your head for days.

Grade: 88

Read more!

After lying dormant for several months, this site is active again. I had been publishing my punk/hardcore type reviews elsewhere, but I've decided to return them to their original and rightful home. I have a bunch to catch up on, so look for a lot of new reviews in the next several days. After that I'll try to post them on or near their release dates.

Read more!

Valencia - This Could Be A Possibility (I Surrender)

With their debut album Philadelphia's Valencia are poised for big things. The pop-punk band has a gift for writing songs that are the musical equivalent of crack. One listen and you're addicted. Their songs are packed with nonstop hooks, crunchy guitars and memorable choruses that stay in your head for days.

Grade: 92

Read more!

With Honor - This Is Our Revenge (Victory)

With Honor has a different approach than many hardcore and punk bands. They combine old school hardcore punk with melodic singing and optimistic lyrics (posicore). There are still plenty of hardcore style vocals and shoutalong choruses, but the melodic singing adds another dimension to their sound.

Grade: 81

Read more!

Blackout Pact - Hello Sailor (Astromagnetics)

The Colorado six piece's debut full-length was produced by Thursday frontman Geoff Rickly. It's catchy punk rock with emo and alt rock influences. Mike Herrera has a unique raspy sounding voice, and there are some excellent harmonies and fun shout-along choruses. This is a rousing and emotional debut CD.

Grade: 88

Read more!

Various Artists - Masters Of Horror (Immortal)

This is the soundtrack to the Showtime TV series of the same name, a 2 disc set of new and unreleased material from punk, hardcore, rock and metal artists. Some of the names you'll recognize include Funeral For A Friend, Thursday, Avenged Sevenfold and The Bled. A highlight is It Dies Today's version of the Depeche Mode song "Enjoy The Silence."

Grade: 89

Read more!

The Fire Still Burns - Keeping Hope Alive (Blackout)

The debut EP from New Jersey's The Fire Still Burns is an impressive one. It's aggressive punk rock that is still really melodic. They have elements of old school punk while still having strong musicianship. The choruses make you want to sing along while the music makes you want to mosh.

Grade: 90

Read more!

Nekromantix - Brought Back To Life Again (Hellcat)

This is a re-release of the Danish psychobilly band's 1992 album Back To Life. Uptempo punk influenced rockabilly combines with creepy lyrics straight out of cheesy horror movies. Nekromantix's music is dark, but very catchy and tongue in cheek. It's a perfect Halloween CD, both scary and fun.

Grade: 82

Read more!

Kill Your Idols - Live At CBGB's (Blackout)

Originally a limited edition, Live at CBGB's has been re-released. Kill Your Idols are a New York hardcore punk band influenced by groups like Minor Threat, Bad Religion and 7 Seconds. This recording of a 2000 concert captures the raw passion, melody and aggression of the band's live shows.

Grade: 84

Read more!

Plow United - Narcolepsy (Blackout)

If you missed Plow United in the mid '90s, the Delaware punk band's catalog is being re-released. Narcolepsy was the trio's final album, a mixture of punk and thrash that could be compared to groups like Rancid or Jawbreaker. It's a quality release and a worthy addition for punk historians.

Grade: 84

Read more!

Stretch Arm Strong - Free At Last (We Put Out)

Just because a band gets more melodic doesn't mean they are "selling out." What's wrong with a catchy chorus? On Stretch Arm Strong's latest effort they have plenty of hardcore elements, but ratchet up the pop punk hooks and melodic vocals. Their combination of lyrical sincerity and musical melody is an appealing one.

Grade: 87

Read more!

Grace Gale - A Few Easy Steps To Ensure Heli-Camel Safety (Blackout)

Grace Gale is a band with a sense of humor. Their music is hardcore with some metal and rock influences. The vocals are a little more screechy than your usual hardcore screams, and you'll hear melodic vocals here and there. It's their funny lyrics and great song titles like "Part Time Gravedigger, Full Time Scumbag" that set them apart.

Grade: 83

Read more!

Hoods - The King Is Dead (Eulogy)

Ten years into their career Hoods have released one of their best albums. It's old school hardcore packed with intensity, angry vocals, chunky riffs and breakdowns. They also add enough polish and metal elements to appeal to metalcore fans without alienating their original hardcore fan base.

Grade: 85

Read more!

Punk Attitude DVD

A must own DVD for early punk fans. The 2 disc set chronicles the rise of the movement, and includes both the east and west coasts of the US in addition to the UK. There are also more than 3 hours of bonus material including additional interviews, artist bios and updates and several featurettes.

Grade: 97

Read more!

Pointed Sticks - Perfect Youth (Sudden Death)

Pointed Sticks were a short-lived Canadian pop/punk band, and this is a re-release of their 1980 album. 25 years later it holds up really well. The production by Bob Rock (Metallica) is great and the songs are very hooky punk rock with a new wave flavor.

Grade: 88

Read more!

A Wilhelm Scream - Ruiner (Nitro)

A Wilhelm Scream influenced by several different styles of music including punk, hardcore and metal. They've taken those influences and put together an album that will have a lot of appeal. They have great melodies and harmonies, but add in some heavy parts and guitar solos which keep that harder edge. Great album.

Grade: 93

Read more!

Paramore - All We Know Is Falling (Fueled By Ramen)

Paramore is a young band with a bright future. Lead signer Hayley Williams is just 16 and has a powerful voice. The band's songs are pop punk with emo and rock influences. They are packed with poppy hooks, but you'll also hear plenty of loud guitar riffs and solos.

Grade: 86

Read more!

No Use For A Name - Keep Them Confused (Fat Wreck Chords)

Skate-punk veterans No Use For A Name have been around since 1987, and have been releasing albums since 1993. Their latest is a diverse collection of punk, rock and pop with a variety of tempos. They write great songs, and deserve to break through to the next level.

Grade: 87

Read more!

The Soviettes - LP III (Fat Wreck Chords)

The Soviettes are an energetic punk rock band from Minneapolis. Their music is raw but catchy, blending punk attitude and riffs with melodic singalong/shoutalong choruses. The songs are all fast, and even though it 's a party atmosphere the Soviettes still manage to cover a few serious topics in their lyrics.

Grade: 82

Read more!

Dropkick Murphys - The Warriors Code (Hellcat)

The Boston Irish punk band Dropkick Murphys continue to masterfully mix punk rock and traditional Irish music. They have a gift of making every song into an anthem. Their songs are full of energy and spirit that makes you want to grab a pint and sing along.

Grade: 95

Read more!

MDC - Magnus Dominus Corpus (Sudden Death)

This is how punk used to be: raw, political and intense. Old school punkers MDC return with a dose of hard hitting hardcore punk. Their songs are full of political and social commentary and dark humor along with the fast melodic music. They're not afraid to speak their minds, and that's what punk's all about.

Grade: 88

Read more!

Dropkick Murphys - Singles Collection Vol. 2 (Hellcat)

The prolific Boston punkers dip into the archives yet again with a collection of b-sides, cover songs and compilation tracks from the second half of their career. It's appropriate that Shane McGowan appears on "Wild River", since the Dropkick Murphys' style of Celtic punk is influenced by the Pogues.

Grade: 86

Read more!

Buzzov-en - Welcome To Violence (Alternative Tentacles)

Buzzov-en were a North Carolina sludge punk band with a penchant for out of control live shows. Their last album was in 2001, and Alternative Tentacles has gathered some of their early releases for this retrospective. Their early stuff has a lot of influences, from punk to crust to noise rock to metal to hardcore.

Grade: 83

Read more!

Adolescents - The Complete Demos: 1980-1986 (Frontier)

This is exactly what an '80s punk album should sound like. The sound quality is horrible, and even the studio tracks sound like they were done in one take. That's not a criticism. The Adolescents were an angry and intense band, and the songs on this album are raw and played at warp speed.

Grade: 85

Read more!