THE BALLISTICS - Go Ballistic (Point) - THE BALLISTICS is not only a new band but one which has rapidly become one of the best and most entertaining bands on the currently thriving Ipswich scene. This is the band's debut 9-track CD, recorded and released by themselves. The seven studio tracks display a deft mix of Punk with a rootsy-Ska feel that brings to mind THE CLASH or, more specifically, THE 'TONE. Add on the general danceability of prime-time SPECIALS, some CARDIACS moments of monumental melody, a liberal sprinkling of good old fashioned thrashy Punk Rock and more energy than a hyperactive eight-year-old on a diet of Lucozade and you are looking at a very commendable debut release. Production is raw, but carries with it a certain garage band allure. It's rounded off with a couple of live covers (a super slick take on THE CLASH's 'One More Time' and a ska'd take on an old ADICTS classic) which kinda show the band wearing its influences on its collective sleeve. £3ppd from Glenn.mccarthy@ntlworld.com  www.theballistics.co.uk

BEERZONE - Against The Flow {Beer City} I’ve never rated these tenth rate PETER AND THE TEST-TUBE BABIES copyists. The mid-paced bozo Oi! coupled with banal retardo lyrics always made me feel slightly sick, slightly sympathetic and mightily embarrassed about the fact that so many Punks could rate such crapola. The TKO album, ‘They Came, They Saw, They Conquered’ not only epitomised all the band’s negatives, but it was so badly played that had there been such a thing as a Totem Pole of Turds, you would have seen that record near the top. This disc though - the band’s third - actually employs some vigour and - Lordy - some dynamics!! The PTTB influence is still paramount, but it’s now shaken up with a bit of THE BUSINESS and a splash of early ADICTS. Highlights have to be ‘Web Of Lies’, ‘Dead And Gone’ and the semi-tribal ‘No Point’. Too often though, it’s still all bozo Pub-Punk with dire lyrics. I mean, ‘Ha Ha Ha’ and its juvenile attack on Michael Jackson (worthy choice - terrible execution) is just cringeworthy and as for ‘Trolley Dolly’ and ‘Come On’… please, fuck right off! It could have made a great 4-track EP, but a 15-track album? Still more like Borezone to me.

BELVEDERE - Fast Forward Eats The Tape {Golf} I’m guessing this is the same band that released the impressive ‘Twas Hell Said Former Child’ album on Household Name? Anyway, I think these fellas are from Canada and this is, apparently, the band’s fourth album. It’s resolutely entrenched in the Epi-Punk sound - fast, tight, catchy and proficient. Immediate comparisons are FACE TO FACE and NO USE FOR A NAME with equal portions of BAD RELIGION and PULLEY coming into the equation. The production certainly has that mainstream Punk feel - it’s bold without being aggressive and slick to the point of being lubed. Then again Blair Calibaba, the guy responsible for SUM 41’s sound, produced it. ‘Elementally Regarded’ sees a slightly harder approach, ‘Stain’ incorporates some dextrous bass/guitar interplay and generally it’s a highly efficient and entertaining release.

BENNY - All Things Come To An End {Boss Tuneage} I know the idea behind BENNY has always been to have a laugh, but that frivolous attitude has always come over a bit hit and miss to me, serving as a distraction rather than an attraction. As the title suggests, this is the band’s final release as the guitarist is off to the U.S. to get married. There are six tracks in all, opening with the excellent and lyrically reflective ‘Forty Foot’. After that I had high hopes this would be an awesome swan song, but alas no. Some Country tunes follow some more originals and a reworking of an old tune (which, I think, should have stayed un-reworked) and in a little over 15 minutes, it’s over. The band feature Boss Tuneage’s head honcho Aston on vocals who looks to continue the band in a different form. Let’s hope he continues it in the vein of the fantastic, rocking ‘Forty Foot’.

BENT OUTTA SHAPE - Stray Dog Town {Recess} The most disappointing of the recent crop of Recess releases. This combines the spiky Punk of THE STRIKE with the energy of early MOVING TARGETS and the rock 'n' roll suss of 'Hangtime' era SOUL ASYLUM… but still fails to really convince. The band hails from NYC and possess that neat, loose quality that the best of the NYC bands have. The likes of 'Rudes And Cheaps' and 'Lapdog' impress, but too often my mind drifted and I lost interest. It may have been more impressive had the recent Recess releases not been sooooo shit hot…as it is, this is the runt of the current litter with the potential to be a pedigree champ.

BILLY NO MATES – We Are Legion {10 Past 12} I’ve not been too enamoured by the work of Duncan Redman for several years. SNUFF has been getting ever more tedious since the departure of Simon; the DOGPISS project was, frankly, piss and GUNS ‘N’ WANKERS was cut short too soon. So, the idea of his solo debut album didn’t exactly thrill me. Fortunately, it’s a bit of a winner. Most of the songs here are slower and sufficiently different from SNUFF to merit a separate release and all tracks are better than the abysmal DOGPISS. Duncan’s yob-cockney bellow is still evident though and it could be said that tracks like ‘Look At You’, ‘Bittersweet’ and ‘What’s Wrong With That?’ in particular could have been saved for the next SNUFF disc. Other highlights include the riff-tastic ‘Memories Come Memories Go’ and the sedately power of ‘Fade’. Opener ‘Bones’ sets the mood perfectly; you know it’s Duncan, yet there’s something slightly different from anything he has done before. An interesting and competent debut.

BLACK COBRA – Interceptor {?} I have no info on BLACK COBRA, but I guess this could be viewed as Doom-laden HC; to me it’s just gloomy Metal. Imagine GODFLESH stealing Black Sabbath’s gear and being told to write three songs totalling no more than 8 minutes. The result would be something akin to this: unrelenting, down-tuned, dirty sledgehammer Metal. It’s not for me but the pissed-off, don’t-give-a-fuck attitude is way more appealing that the clichéd rock ‘n’ roll bullshit of Motley Crue et al.

BLACK COUGAR SHOCK UNIT - s/t {Newest Industry} Debut release by this new band formed by ex-members of PANTHRO UK UNITED 13. Maybe it's something in the Gainesville water supply, but from the first track, 'Iron Cobra', there is a big early HOT WATER MUSIC thing going on, with twisting guitar lines and gruff, bellicose vocals. The band doesn't fixate on HWM though as the sound veers off into DILLINGER FOUR-style manic accessibility and primal BLACK FLAG-style discordant noise terrorism in parts also. 'I Claim This One In The Name Of France', with its fragmented rhythms, is the disc highlight although the triumphant 'Wild Pegasus' runs it close. An exciting debut that's already a big hitter in the House Of Scanner.

BLACK COUGAR SHOCK UNIT - Godzilla Tripwire {Newest Industry} This is a rare beastie indeed. Y'see, you can play this 15-tracker from start to finish and each track seems better than the previous. If you stick it on repeat, the opening track is suddenly the highlight… until the next track! Take all I said about the disc above and add the chilling, slashing out-of-this-world guitar thrust of PEGBOY and an insistent, bruising rhythm section and you'll have an idea that this is one of the best releases of the year and a 'Top 3' ranking release on this fine label. 'Chiccolini Pick A Number From One To Ten' probably steals the album, although 'Fire On The Tundra' comes a close second. A few tracks see some intense fast breaks while the whole disc burns with the ferocity of kerosene-soaked hippie sleeping in a bundle of old newspapers. Awesome stuff.

BLACK COUGAR SHOCK UNIT - Hello {Newest Industry} The most disappointing and infuriating BCSU release to date. This 7-track demon is made up of 4 competent covers (including DEVO and BUZZCOCKS) and 3 originals. It's all stunning, caustic stuff but those 3 originals must rank among the best tracks the band has thus far recorded. Opener 'House Of Fire' in particular screams its bitterness over some unbelievably crunching guitar assaults. As good as the covers are, I kinda think they would have worked better as a 4-track 7" and their place on this disc filled with another 3 originals as the band's own gear stands up as some of the most vibrant, incisive and inflammatory Punk Rock around.

BLACK JETTS - Right On Sound {Dead Beat} Follow up album to the raw 'Bleed Me' platter from this noxious rock 'n' roll 4-piece. Production qualities have definitely been improved and the groove is MC5 meets THE SAINTS with an added, sexy modern thrust similar to ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT. Vocalist Gabe Stiff certainly has a classic 'fuck-you' voice - think snotty Jagger meets a belligerent Stiv Bators. What sets these guys apart from the multitude of stale garage Punk Rock 'n' Rollers is the use of an organ, giving a depth and decidedly Motown-esque vibe to the whole thing. Slip the disc in your 'puter and there's a manic in-store performance of 'All Sexed Up' which, along with 'Your Love Ain't So Strong' and opener 'Thrill City, is a stand out track. Yep, bourbon-swillin', guitar-swingin', party-makin', rockin'-n-rollin' coolness.

BLASTMAT - New Haven Tough Guy Music {Dagger} It always annoys the shit outta me when bands release a 6-track slab and include cover versions. What does that say about the band's own songs huh? Anyway, the covers here are pretty raging, if a little too obvious (DEAD BOYS and BLACK FLAG - you can guess the tracks!). The band's own gear is ferocious stuff, fusing a seething AGNOSTIC FRONT East Coast HC (the band are from Connecticut, so it's not surprising) battering-ram attack with a snotty, trenchant Punk blast. I can't say much more cuz the covers kinda ruin the disc, but this comes as a welcome relief to the trite pop-punk, tiresome Emo and vomit-inducing Ska that too many bands peddle.

THE BLEEDERS - A Bleeding Heart {1157} The band many are citing as NZ's next 'Big Thing' on the international Punk frontier. And it's easy to see why. This is aggressive stuff that also relies a lot on melody. It kicks off with a fantastic DC-style instrumental that brought to mind SCREAM in their heyday. That influence is less apparent as the disc progresses, fusing into the web of sound an early-mid AFI vibe and the general rock prowess of SOCIAL DISTORTION. There's not really a duff track, although the faster 'It's Black', the anthemic title track and 'Cast In The Shadows' are definitely highlights. Production and performance are exceptional - clear, tight and precise. On the evidence here, it's easy to see why these fellas are the biggest Punk Rock draw in the country.

BLISTERING TONGUES – You’ll Get What You Are Given {Rebel High} It’s my guess that, to really appreciate these mainstays of the Dunedin scene for nigh on 10 years, you have to see them live.  As it is, this just washed over me. I’m not keen on bands that play on humour and too often this came over as PETER AND THE TEST TUBE BABIES meets SNIVELLING SHITS with a rock twist.  For some reason, RICHARD HELL kept coming to mind also. It has its moments. ‘Time To Wake Up’ seemed a little more incendiary than most of the disc and ‘Chernobyl Kid’, with its atmospheric intro and snotty delivery, was another highlight. I can’t say much more. BLISTERING TONGUES are not a weak band; it’s just they don’t appeal to me and their better points failed to translate to disc.

BOLD - The Search 1985-1989 {Revelation} I have never been a Straight Edger - just the opposite if anything - but I've always had a lot of time for BOLD. The band was fast and angry and rarely strayed into the macho Metal tendencies of some of its contemporaries. This is a huge 32-track comp, taking in all the band's recordings, including the self-titled 7", the 'Looking Back' and 'Speak Out' albums, numerous comp tracks, the 7" by the pre-BOLD band CRIPPLED YOUTH and a couple of unreleased gems. There're great liner notes from vocalist Matt, complete lyrics, photos and a tres slick layout. Track-wise, there are too many individual standouts to list, just trust me when I say this is an essential document of a band that virtually defined an era and movement. It's great HC that, nearly 20 years on, has stood the test of time.

BRAINLESS WANKERS - Consider Yourself Rocked {Rockhit} I’m sure it’s meant to be ironic, but naming your band in this way has gotta be the act of a bunch of brainless wankers. It’s not funny, it’s not shocking - just dumb and rather sad. What’s even sadder is that the band is pretty good, fusing lively brass led Ska-Punk with a vibrant, contemporary Pop-Punk sound, resulting in an accessible yet distinctly driving barrage. The confusion is compounded by the lyrics - these guys actually say something - unlike most Ska-Punk limp-dicks like MAD CADDIES. The band tackles such diverse issues as the economy, personal registration and false idolatry along with a few tunes about getting trashed. Most telling is ‘Copy And Paste’ - a vehement dismissal of bands that copy others, which, in a genre as plagiarised as Ska-Punk, could be laughable. The fact is these guys have their own sound with their own ideas. A surprisingly good disc, even if a bit more spite could be introduced to the sound.

BROKEN BONES - Time For Anger, Not Justice {Dr. Strange} A potent return to form for Bones and the gang. This reverts back to the GBH/HC/Crossover sound that made 'F.O.A.D.' such a corker. The odd riff even harks back to Bones' DISCHARGE days - check out album highlight 'Systematic Abuse' for proof. Lyrically it covers a wide range of subjects: drugs, war, G8 and nihilism to name a few. 'Their Design' also stands out for the simple reason the chorus displays a trace of vocal melody instead of the all-out, gruff bluster that the other tracks offer. There's also a couple of hidden tracks after the listed 13 that are worth the wait! Yep, BB has certainly upped the Punk in their sound and will recapture several old fans + many new with this slamming slab o' sound.

BROKEN BONES - F.O.A.D. {Beer City} Originally recorded back in '86, this was the second long-player from BROKEN BONES. It's one that is often considered to be the band's best, although I liked the debut, 'Dem Bones', somewhat more. I have to say, I think the band is always gonna be overshadowed by the spectre of the guitarist's former band - the incomparable DISCHARGE. That said, this disc has aged really well, still sounding fresh and vicious and pretty fucking essential for tracks that were recorded 20 years ago. It retains all the Punk bite of 'Dem Bones', but incorporates influences from the burgeoning Thrash Metal scene of the day and probably stands as the best Crossover album ever recorded by a UK band. Besides the original album - which featured one studio and one live side - you get a compilation track and the 'Never Say Die' 12" as added extras, totalling 20, savage tracks lasting just under an hour. The band is still thrashing away and for the curious, this could be the best place to start.

THE BURNING IMAGE - 1983-1987 {Alternative Tentacles} The title is not quite accurate as three of these tracks date from 2003. Nit-picking aside, BURNING IMAGE was a 4-piece outta Bakersfield, CA which, back in the day, shared bills with DEAD KENNEDYS, BUTTHOLE SURFERS, CHRIST ON PARADE and more. While the rest of US Punk was consumed by Hardcore, these fellas broke the mould and created something new and bracing. Today, this would be considered Goth, but here it is faster and politically charged, unlike today’s morbid, black-clad denizens of the night. Imagine early SOUTHERN DEATH CULT dynamics played with the taut, undulating muscle of KILLING JOKE via the dark, tribal Punk of the original ADAM AND THE ANTZ and you’ll be close to the claustrophobic sounds of BURNING IMAGE. Lyrically, there are several attacks on religion, coupled with the Reagan administration among others. One of the genuinely surprising things here - considering the recording era, lack of funds and the fact much of this has never had an official release - is that these recordings sound amazingly fresh, animated and well-produced. Tracks include their famous anthem, ‘Final Conflict’ along with 12 other fusions of Punk, Hardcore and Goth.