Annihilation Time

Annihilation Time - I

Annihilation Time - II

Annihilation Time - III: Tales Of The Ancient Age

Annihilation Time were a hardcore band from California with some serious rock leanings whose sound reminds me of Black Flag mixed with Thin Lizzy and Motörhead. They broke up a couple years ago, which is a total bummer. The guitar work from this band was fucking awesome and there is some serious riffing on these albums. Lots of songs about partying and getting totally rad, which I can relate to (full disclosure: I get totally rad). I'm not sure what the members are up to now but hopefully they're getting another band together. If you like RKL, Suicide File and Turbonegro then you'll no doubt be into Annihilation Time.

Rich Kids On LSD

RKL - It's A Beautiful Feeling 7"

RKL - Keep Laughing

RKL - The Best Of RKL on Mystic Records

RKL - Rock 'N Roll Nightmare

RKL - Revenge Is A Beautiful Feeling

RKL - Greatest Hits: Double Live In Berlin

RKL - Reactivate

RKL - Riches To Rags

Here is everything I have from one of the greatest punk/metal/hardcore bands of all time. For me and my group of friends in high-school these dudes were the be-all-end-all. Every song is fucking killer. RKL are the best out of all the nardcore bands (even if they were from Santa Barbara). The stuff on Mystic Records suffered from shitty production, but the songs all totally slay so who gives a fuck. The progression in musicianship that these guys made in the two years between the release of Keep Laughing (1985) and Rock 'N Roll Nightmare (1987) is unreal. I mean they were technical as fuck. The Double Live In Berlin album is one of the best punk live albums and it really showcased their skill as a band, plus they played all the old Mystic stuff (which sounded way better than their studio versions). The Revenge Is A Beautiful Feeling album is just a best of released in Germany that contains their Mystic Records recordings (the band was finally able to make some money off those recordings, as their German label actually paid them). Then in 1989 they broke up. A couple years later they resurrected the band without vocalist Jason Sears (drummer Bomber took over vocal duties) and they released Reactivate through Epitaph Records in 1993. It was a total Butt Rock album that really turned fans off (whatever I like it) and was promptly deleted from Epitaph's catalog. During the European tour for Reactivate Bomber quit the band to do drugs and they flew Jason in to finish out the remaining dates. The re-invigorated RKL returned to the United States and recorded their best album, Riches To Rags, which is the perfect hybrid of hardcore and thrash. Members from this band went on to play in Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, The Other, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes and Good Riddance.

V/A - Nardcore Compilation

V/A - Nardcore Compilation

Oxnard California, the land of no toilets (according to Ill Repute) produced a totally rad style of hardcore dubbed "Nardcore". The scene also birthed one of my favourite punk bands, Rich Kids On LSD (RKL). This comp is jam packed with tasty hardcore nuggets from RKL, Ill Repute, Scared Straight, Stäläg 13, Dr. Know, False Confession and Agression (among others). Yeah this is on Mystic Records so the production leaves a lot to be desired, but who fucking cares when the tunes rage so hard. Mystic Records' owner Doug Moody never paid the bands on his label a cent and is generally regarded as a prick, but the time I prank called him (collect no less) he was nothing but a gentleman. The one thing that unites all these bands is their lightning fast tempos and blistering lead guitar parts, I mean everyone of the bands featured here totally rages. Crank this up and circle pit around the room.

This is the first in a series of posts I'll be making dedicated to "Nardcore" and its related bands. So if you dig this, I'll be keeping the good times rolling.