The following is the February 1988 installment of Puszone

Thanks to Scott Slimm for the article.

No, no, no, not this way. The hand is totally cramped up, the
tendons are inflamed and the brain is clicking backwards as the
pain swells up behind the brow. Medicine just will not do the
trick, for the ailment is stress. Perhaps the lights are too bright.
Either way, the time, the motions, the feelings all add up the
same. The noise ricichets against the walls. Wait, there goes the
phone, then the doorbell. Who's yelling at me from the background?
It grows from within this asylum of white tree death in grandiloquent
form and despite all the disturbances and commotions, the Puszone
continues on.

Maybe there is life in Venice, CA, that doesn't involve the beach,
iron pumpers and Suicidal Tendencies, since that's all you seem to
hear about. Yes? Of course. There is always Excel! Their demos were
major impression sessions and now with the release of their first
album Split Image, the direction of Excel is officially exposed.
Combining a rabble rousing attack of metal with deep hardcore roots,
the outcome is thick and heavy with sudden excursions into the rapids.
Paced by ample guitar chunka, chunkas, axeman Adam Siegel works the frets
on compositions that are interesting yet not overly original. Dan Clements'
talk-singing type of vocal projection fits well with the Excel approach,
and comes in at the right places. Excel are definitely brick material, hard
and sturdy. Not suffering from snarecore, they advance with sonic power
and creep forth with an awesome fatness. These ten tracks are butter
waiting to melt in your mouth. The stand-out numbers are "Insecurity"
and "Split Image". Look for the wickedly insane colored sleeve in your
neighborhood noise destroys shop and Excel to the register. On Suicidal
Records.

Also on the "watch for" list. All name dropping aside, of course, check out
the new Metallica video, "Cliff 'em All", a collection of bootleg live
footage, presented in memorial to the late Cliff Burton. The in between
bits prove to be hilarious crazed moments. Finally a Metallica video.

Katon De Pena has forgotten all about his disillusionment, talked it over
with the guys and the original Hirax is back! Still as intense as always
with more emphasis on serious lyrics. A new demo has just been released,
so write to them at the new address.

Maybe the biggest shock to everyone is that the classic English hardcore
band Rudimentary peni, are back together and at this moment are recording
a new LP at Southern Studios. Hope you're peeing your pants at ths one,
like I am.

Over in Japan, Takahide of Gudon has just assembled a classic compilation
LP entitled My Meat's Your Poison featuring Lipcream, S.O.B., Outo,
Systematic Death, Chicken Bowels, and Gudon. And the word is Lipcream will
tour the U.S. around easter time(whenever that is?). Already some dates are
tentatively scheduled with Danzig on the East Coast and Final Conflict on
the West Coast.

News on the Selfish Music front in Japan is that there's some rippin'
stuff by Last Bomb ( a 12"), Gudon (their second Ep), Brain Death ( a debut EP)
and finally an LP from the Execute.

Over Davis, California way, New Beginning will be releasing the debut disc
by Half Off, that L.A. based positive threat. Now, where's that test pressing?

Out in New York, Some Records will be releasing a Gorilla Biscuits 12"
as well as a second pressing of the Straight Ahead 12" with a true cover.
Revelation Records has a bunch of new material coming out-a Bold (formerly
Crippled Youth) 12", a Sick of It All 7", a Side By Side 7" and a Super
Touch 7". Speaking of Revelation, they have just released a smokin'
compilation 7" EP entitled New York City Hardcore introducing you
to some of the new blood in the infamous N.Y.H.C. scene. Side A rips open
with Warzone, driving quick, tantalizing with a scorching guitar disorder
that strums with a steadfast beat. The Gorilla Biscuits push with a cruel
vocalist and some speedy licks continuing in the famous N.Y.H.C. style.
Bold's track lacks a bit due to heavy drum production, but still hits with
its chanting thumps. Side B shreads it all apart with the better known
Youth of Today. But it's Sick of It All that steals the entire show. Their
track, "My Life," thrusts with that unique power of speed and madness, and
great choruses let the aggression flow. Side By Side's track is a raw,
vicious assault. Lastly, Super Touch start off with a medium paced barrage
of grinding rhythms that is crude and effective, working up the tempo a bit,
as the buzzsawing guitar howls loudly. The record has seven fine tracks and
also comes with a booklet. On Revelation Records.

The German scene is supposedly stronger than ever now, and from the sounds
of the vinyl coming out of there, I'd say the energy is indeed being properly
collected. Morbid Outburst is just one of the bands producing a non-typical
style, thrusting forth fast but not overly speedy. Wicked vocals echo over an
onslaught of bolting straight forward fury that smashes and bashes with
nimble authority. With this unique vocalist whose voice, though not raspy,
flows madly, with creepy blends of chaos, especially evident in the
nightmarish "No Language". Morbid Outburst continues the volley after
volly with stampeding punk acceleration. Here is a band that will either
punch the voltage high or scrape your brain off the pavement when their
sound buckles you over. This Hanover band is a decent breath of fresh air.
On Funhouse Records.

Also from Germany is the superb Spermbirds with their release Something
to Prove. This is a current band with a sound reminiscent of the early
U.S. hardcore days, namely that East Coast sound. The Spermbirds is made up
of German musicians and an American signer (mayhe the reason for the severe
lyrics of "Americans are Cool," which definitely says they're not cool.)
The Spermbirds, while being extremely vulgar, shock with a sonic combustion
of fiery force, a steadfast pace, and crucial rhythms and dynamic melodies
that are easy to catch on to and that fully grab your attention. Again, a
band that does not charge past their point. The Spermbirds are quite fast
but have a melodic feel. With electrified guitar wacks, feedback wails,
smashing drums and throbbing beats. These are fun, pleasure-packed tunes.
Fifteen tracks originally released on We Bite Records, are licensed
here on Manic Ears. It's definitely time to thrash.

The temperature is definitely one-hundred plus. The humidity feels like it's
past that. It's entirely sticky, an annoyance that tries one's patience. And
here I am in Yokohama, Japan, to see ten exciting bands at this Selfish
festival of hardcore. Some of the bands are my friends, and I've seen them
perform before. Still, they are my faves. But there is one band that takes
the stage around mid-show. The singer, Ishiya, sports a two to three-foot
mohawk that doesn't last long in this weather, and the band takes me by
surprise, for they are wild and great. The band is Death Side, and their
new EP Satisfy the Instinct has just been released. Even though the
decibel level is low (turn it loud for those of you who don't know), this
is one powerhouse slab. These six tracks combine the best of the Japanese
hardcore sound with a slight metallic feel, but the overall attack roars
loudly in a vicious frenzy. Guitarist Chelsea grinds mean chords, cleaving
an ear piercing slaughter while a thick bass blasts outward. This is one
of those bands you crave after the explosion has rocked your brain and the
vocals have growled through your system. Death Side, a total mindbomb from
Japan. Definitely great. On Selfish.

They're back. The ultimate high speed garage thrash, slice and dice, mix 'em up,
frantic outfit of raw speed and out of control rhythms. Yes, it's Satanic
Malfunctions and their second EP, which has thirteen songs crammed into the
grooves. This is perhaps the funnest disc since the Neos EPs-and very similar.
Lengthy lyrics for split-second songs and crazy guitar parts drive you crazy.
It even gets wilder sometimes, almost humorous, but the words are totally
extreme and definitely not a joke. I've Just had About All I Can Take is
the title, and it sums up the attitude here very nicely, especially in
songs like "Movement for Change". "Year in year out/We hear the same protest
shouts/Ban this ban that/But nothing will change until we act." Theres a lot
of concern in their lyrics. One song, "Only Stupid People Glamourise America,"
uses humor to show their frustration toward British punks who follow only
the U.S.H.C. movement. This English band screams forth with a brand of music
that is not the normal, and sometimes i think the guitarist wants to sound
like Rudimentary peni, which gives you all the more reason to check this out.
It's not crossover, that's for sure. On Looney Tunes Records.

Been waiting for this one for awahile, and the cover is pretty fancy too.
The second release from Zoetrope, A Life of Crime, continues
where the last one left off. Full of charging metal riffs, this record
combines speed and mayhem into an effective punch, or what Zoetrope calls,
"hardcore street metal." The attack is right, and the noggin is boggin'
down as the whine and grind thrusts out nine brutal outbursts. The members of
Zoetrope have their act together with this vital sound, and if you know it,
you're craving it, and if you don't, check it out. It's a rage that rockets
in the underground metal world. On Combat Records.