SOCIAL UNREST - Before The Fall 1986

European pressing of the second album on Konkurrel by Social Unrest from Hayward, part of the lively northern California Punk scene of the Eighties, Social Unrest were a hardcore outfit whose abundant energy and defiant anti-authoritarian stance set a standard followed by many of their peers. Formed in 1980, with the initial line-up featuring Creetin (vocals), Doug & Danny (guitars), John (bass), Mark (drums). Before The Fall is still fast and aggressive. All instruments harmonize very sensitively and create a feeling of well-being, only Bad Religion can keep up with. Apparently that's why many fans/critics consider this as the bands masterpiece. Lend your ears to the debut SU-2000 and decide for yourself.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

here

SOCIAL UNREST - SU-2000 1985

Social Unrest hailed from Hayward, near San Francisco, in 1980.They soon established themselves as one of the leading forces of the Bay Area early HC Thrash scene. The manic, political vocals of Creetin K-os were well supported by screeching guitars & ultra-fast tempos. The band released their 1st 7" (now much sought after) in 1981 on Infra Red Records. "Making Room For Youth" was produced by none other than Dead Kennedys guitar player East Bay Ray.

SU teamed up again with Ray a year later to produce their classic "Rat In A Maze" 12", released summer 82 on their Libertine Label. The seven songs of this EP are mostly fast except for "I love You", a PIL-like tune. "Red, White & Blue", with it's numerous speed changes, remains a highlight. They also appeared on Maximum Rock'n'Roll masterpiece 47 bands compilation, "Not So Quiet On The Western Front". The band played a lot with all the glory bands of the time, when the usual band brawls headed for some changing.

Original Band members Mark Monti & Danny Norwood remained the core of SU, Bass player John Vollick moved out to band management. In came Ray Vegas on bass duties & Jimi Brogan on guitar. Jason Honea, a Darby Crash fanatic, completed the new SU after the departure of Creetin K-os. The new line-up developped the original, screeching SU sound and brought it to new heights on the band's 1st full length "SU-2000" (again on Libertine) in 1985. Honea's melodic tones & thoughtful lyrics added a lot of deepness to all the great songs featured on "SU2000" : "I wanna be heard","Jimmy Rocks", "Rat In A Maze" are all

scorchers, while "Stranger Inside" & "Out My Window" have some really cool guitar bitterness works that will become one of SU's later trademarks.

A year later, the band released what is probably their masterpiece (unlike most bands, they never put out a weak record, though) ,the mighty "Before the Fall" LP (on Libertine in the US, Konurrel in Europe). The songwriting reached new grounds with songs like "American Steel","Golgotha","The New Tribes". The band was still fast & aggressive, but the vocals & guitars added great, original harmonies that couldn't be heard on any other record by any band. The slower numbers like "Night of the Long Knives" worked quite well too. Social Unrest now really had a sound of their own & were firmly established as one of California's most important band.

They heavily toured the US (they did it 4 or 5 times), opening for the Descendents' last show, appeared on the Viva Umkhonto compilation & got rave reviews of "Before The Fall". They embarked on their 1st Euro Tour in September 87, playing a show in Germany that would end on the"Mental Breakdown" live Album (on Lost & Found).

Ray left the band to join Attitude Adjustment, Ron Isa filled in to record the band's last album, "Now & Forever", released Fall 88. Some of the best SU songs are there w/ "Katarina Witt", "I'm The Nation" & "Sins Of Paris". "Handcuffs Too Tight" features the welcome back of Creetin K-os for a thrasher that brings back the band's original sound. The band called it quit shortly after. (Source: gug65free)

- Special Thx to Fredrik -

here

V/A - Viva Umkhonto! 1987

0:0 yesterday but a needle and exciting match. Now a pretty nice Benefit Compilation for Umkhonto We Sizwe, the military wing of the ANC with many of the best European and American HC/Punk bands of that time. Most of the Songs are exclusiv on that album so that makes this record unique. Short HC numbers and 1A Punkrock roars into the ears. Perfect!! The record was distributed by De Konkurrent in Europe and Mordam in the USA. Get It Now.

1.Feel Like That - SCREAM

2.Holidays In Amsterdam - CHALLENGER CREW

3.Frippery - MORZELPRONK

4.American Steel - SOCIAL UNREST

5.Dallas; Texas 1988 - THE EX

6.Visions Of Change - DEPRAVED

7.Lock Of Interest - VICTIM'S FAMILY

8.Nothing Can Go Wrong - B.G.K.

9.Funeral Of A Friend - RHYTHM PIGS

10.Pain - EVERYTHING FALLS APART

11.Children Of Love - KAFKA PROSESS

12.Frustrated - S.C.A.

13.Another - 76% UNCERTAIN

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V/A - Not So Quiet On The Western Front 2LP 1982

Let's start the church service with a terrific compilation and I'm glad I wasn't allowed to rip it because such a mammoth work requires a lot of time and a comfortable chair, especially when there's a nice booklet with lots of information within. The material is not unknown in Blogland and I already had a copy, but this rip here is excellent, no wonder, because I know where it comes from. Released by Maximum RockNRoll (one of the best sources for objective reviews and band infos) on Alternative Tentacles as double album and features forty-seven Northern California and Nevada bands (a few known elsewhere, most not), and ranges from punk to hardcore and comes with 48-page zine on the bands. Since I'm lazy to write and I'm not a good reviewer anyway, you can find a fitting one on punknews and before I close, a quick footnote: the link runs through zippy and you have to activate your VPN. Finally, a metaphysical sentence from the back cover: "If Punk Is Dead, What The Hell Is This?" In this sense, enjoy the music!

1.Intensified Chaos - INTENSIFIED CHAOS

2.Their Mistakes - SOCIAL UNREST

3.Dan With The Mellow Hair - NAKED LADY WRESTLERS

4.Holocaust - M.A.D.

5.Rich Plastic People - KILLJOY

6.Fun With Acid - FANG

7.El Salvador - CAPITOL PUNISHMENT

8.Collapse - RIBSY

9.Annihilation - CRUCIFIX

10.I Don't Wanna Die For My Country - SQUARE COOLS

11.Pay Salvation - LOS OLVIDADOS

12.What Price Will You Pay? - CODE OF HONOR

13.Fuck Your Amerika - 7 SECONDS

14.Race War - UNAWARE

15.Turmoil - FRIGIDETTES

16.Don't Conform - 5TH COLUMN

17.Shrunken Heads - GHOST DANCE

18.A Child And His Lawn Mower - DEAD KENNEDYS

19.All I Know - REBEL TRUTH

20.Learning Process - PARIAH

21.Reagum - LENNONBURGER

22.Praise The Lord / Pass The Ammunition - IMPATIENT YOUTH

23.GDMFSOB - BAD POSTURE

24.Assassination Attempt - DEMENTED YOUTH

25.The Only Good Cop. . . - MDC

26.The Few, The Proud, The Dead - KARNAGE

27.Scare - DOMINO THEORY

28.Dead Porker - NBJ

29.Human Farm - WHIPPING BOY

30.Worker Bee - ANGST

31.Premature Enlistment - FREE BEER

32.Sacrifice - FLIPPER

33.No One Listens - VENGEANCE

34.S/M Nightmare - JUVINEL JUSTICE

35.Fat, Drunk, & Stupid - SECTION 8

36.Libyan Hit Squad - TONGUE AVULSION

37.Off To War - MANIAX

38.Strike Out - VICIOUS CIRCLE

39.Breakout - UXB

40.Shitcan - SCAPEGOATS

41.The Oven Is My Friend - CHURCH POLICE

42.Systems Suck - DEADLY REIGN

43.Dead Men Tell No Lies - NO ALTERNATIVE

44.Punk Is An Attitude - WRECKS

45.SLT - URBAN ASSAULT

46.No More Riots - BENT NAILS

47.New Left - M.I.A.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

here