Rational Animals - Bock Rock Parade

Rational Animals - Bock Rock Parade

These dudes sound like the perfect blend of Black Flag and Black Sabbath. This came out in the fall on Katorga Works (which is one of the best labels going) and it totally caught me by surprise with it's awesomeness. Bock Rock Parade is a total fucking beast of an album; It's punk, it's hardcore, and it's fucking metal. There is some serious Ginn worship going on here. This is one of the better records I've heard all year. Do yourself a favour, pick this up and play it real fucking loud.

LEATHER

Leather - Anchorite 7"

Leather - Sterile 7"

Leather ride the perfect middle-ground between hardcore and grunge. This is dirty, fuzzy and pissed-off shit. Leather sounds like Pissed Jeans with John Joseph singing. Jade Tree just released the Sterile 7" and it fucking slays so go buy it (Jade Tree needs the money). Sterile is more melodic than Anchorite, but both are equally rad releases that are totally worthy of your precious time.

Sepultura

Sepultura - Beneath The Remains

Sepultura - Arise

Sepultura are perhaps the greatest thing to have ever come out of Brazil (besides Pele and butt implants, natch). They had two rad albums before these and two after, but these two albums are their only truly essential releases. Sepultura seamlessly blend hardcore, death metal and thrash into one pissed-off assault on your eardrums. The band will always be loved and remembered because of these two albums and their radicalness. Max Cavalera has the perfect voice for heavy music, so in your face and aggressive, and on top of that guitarist Andreas Kisser just fucking shreds all over the place. Legendary Florida death metal producer Scott Burns recorded both of these albums (although only Arise was done at his Florida studio, Morrisound) and unlike a lot of his work the drums here don't sound like someone banging away at a typewriter in the least.

Dr. Know

Dr. Know - This Island Earth

Dr. Know - Wreckage In Flesh

After having released several albums and EPs on Mystic Records, Dr. Know signed to the Metal Blade subsidiary Death Records in 1986 and released their debut for the label (This Island Earth) later that year. This Island Earth is more hardcore than metal, but by the time the follow-up Wreckage In Flesh was released in 1988 they were a full-on thrash metal band. I love it when punk and hardcore bands go metal. Metal Blade's house engineer/producer Bill Metoyer even did the recording of Wreckage In Flesh. These are by no means classic releases, just rad mid-80's punk/metal albums from one of the best 80's labels, Death/Metal Blade who's roster at the time was un-fuck-withable (Cryptic Slaughter, C.O.C., D.R.I., The Mentors, Ugly Americans and Beyond Possession).

Gang Green - You Got It!

Gang Green - You Got It!

Gang Green were a Boston hardcore band who went thrash on this release. Along with SSD, DYS and The F.U.'s they were part of the first wave of hardcore in Boston during the early 80's. This is their debut for Roadrunner Records after having released albums on Taang! Records. You Got It! came out in 1987 and it featured future Mighty Mighty Bosstones bass player Joe Gittleman. Lots of songs about partying, drinking beer and getting totally rad. Their two favourite lyrical subjects were Budweisers and skateboarding.

Sacred Reich

Sacred Reich - Ignorance

Sacred Reich - Surf Nicaragua

Sacred Reich - The American Way

Sacred Reich - Independent

Sacred Reich hailed from Phoenix, AZ and were around from 1985-2000. They were signed to Metal Blade Records who released these four albums (although Surf Nicaragua is actually an EP and Independent was co-released with Hollywood Records). Their debut album Ignorance is my favourite even though the follow-up, The American Way, is widely regarded as their best. Bill Metoyer (Slayer, C.O.C. and almost every Metal Blade act) produced the hell out of Ignorance and The American Way and they both totally shred. Like most thrash acts of the time their lyrics were about politics and social unrest. Well above average thrash metal. The video for American Way was also featured in the film Encino Man, which I believe was some kind of documentary about urban cavemen.

Coffin Break

Coffin Break - Psychosis

Coffin Break - Rupture

Coffin Break - No Sleep 'Til The Stardust Motel

Coffin Break - Crawl

Coffin Break - Thirteen

Coffin Break were a late 80's/early 90's grunge band from Seattle, WA. Their first three albums (Psychosis, Rupture and No Sleep...) were released on C/Z Records. The band then signed to Epitaph Records who released their final two albums (Crawl and Thirteen). They called it quits in 1993. As fas as I know all these albums are out of print (though possibly still available). Coffin Break were a little too punk rock for the grunge crowd and a little too grunge for the punk crowd. Great tunes that any fan of 90's Seattle will definitely love. Every album from these guys was recorded by legendary grunge producer Jack Endino, and as with anything he has done it sounds raw and rad. If you like Mudhoney, The Buzzcocks and Seaweed then you'll love Coffin Break.

Stäläg 13 - In Control

Stäläg 13 - In Control

Finally some more nardcore that wasn't released on Mystic Records. In Control differs from most nardcore in that it was recorded in a real studio and doesn't sound like ass. This is their only full length and it is a serious rager. Guitarist Dave Casillas went on to play in NOFX for a minute and here he seriously shreds. Stäläg 13 were influenced by Minor Threat and 7 Seconds (especially their clean vocal approach). This is not only one of the best nardcore albums, it is one of the best hardcore albums of all time. This here is the 2003 re-release of In Control that Dr. Strange Records put out and I'm pretty sure its still available, so do yourself a favour and pick it up because it seriously slays.