Füneral Rain Press Cörps

Genre: Punk, NYHC
Label: Punk Core Records

Seven years after forming, The Casualties put For the Punx out, their first LP. Straight forward street punk anthems that hearkened to bands like GBH and The Exploited.
The original release from Tribal War Records had twelve tracks, but this version that I have from Punk Core Records (who seem to be defunct) has four bonus tracks, recorded in a radio studio.
This is not the radio friendly pop punk that seems to be what people think when they view punk; it’s the raw, vicious stuff that is politically charged and socially aware. One thing I’m really noticing about this album is that The Casualties also sing about the scene, the punk scene where they were born and punk rock in general. In a Digipak, the booklet is pretty sweet, full of live pictures and promos, and some of the biggest fucking mohawks I’ve ever seen.
This is the epitome of punk and should be owned by anyone who’s a fan of NYHC. And if you get the chance to see them live, do it! I saw them opening for GWAR in 2010 and it was a fucking smash!
7 out of 10.

The Casualties on Facebook.

Genres: Alternative, Synthrock, Rock
Labels: Mute, Reprise

1997 was a great year for music. Hiphop was getting unprescendented airplay, rock and metal were seeing strong sales, and even country was at a high point.
1997 was a great year for Depeche Mode as well. They released Ultra, an album that is no less than a masterpiece, possibly their best one at the time, and it could still well be the best they’ve done.
Classic tracks are all over this disc, and not just the four singles (“Barrel of a Gun”, “It’s No Good”, “Home”, “Useless”). “Sister of Night” and “The Bottom Line” are phenominal, as is “The Love Thieves”.
Super dancy, rock as fuck, and darker than a black hole, Ultra is in my own personal Music Hall of Fame.
10 out of 10.