The following is the January 1986 installment of Puszone
Thanks to Scott Slimm for the article.
Across the asphalt horizon rises a quiet mist from the cold hard surface
sporadically covered by a murky oil spillage. Cancerous garbage is strewn about,
blending with the brown slime that reflects a slowly moving shape. A brisk
wind rushes the morning chill smack into the visitor's face causing his facial
muscles to tense, warding against the ague assault. The visitor stops dead in
oil laden tracks, adjusting the volume control of the musical box, battling cold
gusts with harmonious barrages of intense energy. Quickly, a fearless gust pulls
away with some musical notes. Like a thief conquering the goods, the melodies
echo off into the distant architectural surroundings. Silently, undetected by
the loud blasts from the box, a pair of decomposed arms arise from the mucus
oil pond, grasping, rapidly sucking the visitor into the ooze as the music gurgles
to a nil. A piece of paper falls off the visiot and drifts gradually down into
the oil muck-all that would remain of the loud guest, a newsprint sheet with the words Puszone inscribed on it. Welcome, my friends, to yet another nightmarish episode
of the PUSZONE and don't forget the Angelican Scrape Attic flexi. Now let's
journey into the zone.
Well the band might be dead, with no hopes of a rising in sight, but a new vinyl
release bears the header of The Misfits, a band high in cult status. What we have
here are 13 unreleased tracks, some originally slated to be the Static Age LP
and various other numbers including one written for The Cramps. Entitled Legacy of
Brutality, this is prime Misfits goodies for all you ghoulies. Most were
recorded before Walk Among Us in the late '70s, a bit from the vaults of horror
you might say. Quite a haunting as the cryptic selections slide into your dusty
atmosphere, remove those white sheets, throw back some of those cobwebs and prepare
for "Spinal Remains", "Some Kinda Hate", "Static Age", "Theme for A Jackal", and
different renditions of "She" and "Halloween". Glenn Danzig at the forefront croons
out those creeping melodies with the eerie ensemble of Misfits' musical prowess
keeping it in that spooky tempo. During the lonbg perios when the Misfits performed
they showed a variety of styles, all leading the way in the horror department, and
this LPs worth contains some of their finest efforts before kicking up the tempo
into the hardcore vein. Now the Misfits are gone, a tombstone casts a dark shadow
in New Jersey, but always the record remain giving you that lasting impression. heads
off to the Misfits, always a bone to crush. On Plan 9 Records.
Wait! What is that sound? Isn't that the theme from The Exorcist? Oh no,
is that Megan coming at me with that blood dripping cross? Oh nooo...
then blammo, 9,000 watts smash my face into the wall as churning guitars wail
wickedly and that voice, definitely what possessed Megan, is now a singer.
It's hellish, moms. It's called Seven Churches and is the new hammerhead-
speed, death-core, black-thrash mayhem album by the Possessed, and does this
satanic cruncher ever storm wildly, just too intense. Opening track, "The Exorcist"
lights the evil fire as the introduction of Jeff Becerra's vocals will delight
you blender mongers, for thish is harsh words, grinded hard, there comes a time
when the voicebox will speak no more with growls like this. Yet it's the total
destructive metal assault of vicious axemen Larry Lalonde and Mike Torrao who
pack all the lunches for Possessed. Lightning whines and glides mightily stroke
the beast of speed in riffs and leads, leaving you tongueless, as if drummer Mike
Sus wacked the fleshy portion off. Ten gut-busting tracks featuring the ultimate
racer "Burning in Hell," ultra-fast with no-hold-barred, and the unique bell
clanging of "Fallen Angel," for when it delivers it rages. Put all this in a
black and red cover(natch) with embossed lettering and stick the Combat Records
logo on the back and you know it's one the Father can't exorcise from inside your brain.
Eyeballs deserve some attention with malicious readings and glances in the
direction of these well put together fanzines. First is the latest issue of Blatch(#11)
From out of Oklahoma comes a mag chock full of art, reviews, interviews, photos
and much more. They call it the graphic alternative and you'll see why with
illustrations by XNO, Sloane, Vince Ransid, D. Worden, Jymm and Kegel and lots more,
plus talks with Die kreuzen, Black Flag, and Charlie Harper, to mention a few.
For 2 green one dollar bills, it can be yours. Next is a hot speed metal zine from
Belgium entitled Deathscythe, featuring classic speed bands like Iron Angel, Kreator,
Possessed, Hirax, with reviews, including numbered opinons and a ton of info. The editor,
Wim Baelus, is encouraging all speed bands to write him. A good effort! Lastily, we
look upon the premier issue of Thrash Attack, which combines the best of both cores.
Inside you'll find stuff on 7 Seconds, Exodus, Dr. Know, The Brrod, Death Angel, Onslaught,
and more. Lots of new bands mentioned, charts, art, fun and some informative writings.
This is a bold fanzine and a tall labor for one Dan Jung who has done an excellent job.
Abrasive assaults of chaotic thrusts cry out loud and raw as this hardcore outfit from
South Africa power down some intense musical cleavings with well thought-out lyrics and
stances. Powerage have been around for awhile, but getting their recordings is a hard task,
thanks to the laws in South Africa, but Bunker's Neg. FX label has released this 4
song EP so you can hear the voice of punk in South Africa. Protest to Survive: The Stop
Apartheid EP comes with lyrics and info on Apartheid plus addresses to contat punks
in South Africa. The music cranks out sometimes rapid, sometimes chanting with a thumping
beat, but overall it's energy and the heart that makes Powerage.
Huge speakers will topple at the swing of this Mace. Wild ferocious speedcore with a
unique sound that doesn't leave it lost with the others. Fast with clean aggression,
hungrily swinging for the nasty bite. Mace's Process of Elimination LP strikes
with a mean plunge as creative guitar work by Maceman, Dave Hillis, trips into distortion,
quickness and a fury only Dave can provide. Echoing vocals by Kirk Verhey shrill all
over the musical compositions. the drumming is strong with appropriate cadence, hammering
down a barrage of rapid beats. What makes this band such an unexpected surprise is the
range of each song structure and its assembly, using many different elements but still
holding a style during acceleration. This is mean excitable stuff. Tracks like "Drilling
for Brains" will have you a true believer in no time. So check into Mace, a young band
with crazed potential. On Coma Records, released through Restless Records.
Ah, the Subhumans do it again, delivering a masterpiece of musical prowess, keeping every
note in that aspect of style that makes it bounce around your brain while Dick's vox
entrances you with some serious 'business'. The Subhumans captured a wide popularity with
harmonies like this and they still don't let us down. Their 3rd LP, etitled World's Apart,
features "British Disease," "Carry On Laughing," "Ex-Teenage Rebel," "Apathy," "Businessman," "Straightline Thinking," and seven others exceptional tracks: all with the capacity
to enlight you. Whether it's a quiet paced venture or a speedy one, the Subhumans keep the
action flowing with a nice round of instrumentation, biting where you least expect it. By now
you should know about this truly remarkable annd hard working outfit, if not, they deserve a
spin in that cranium cavity. Always fave stuff on Bluurg Records.
YEEOOWAARRGGRRAALLOW! that statment your mouth makes as your
jaw falls in awe. Why? You have a 12" LP on the turntable, the stylus goes down, the smoke
starts rushing out and the zoomfest begins, thrusting 1000 mph maniac selections of intense
energized thrash by two bands. Clocking in at 35 songs, all lightning rippers, this split LP by
Nebenwirkung and Disorganized Bunch of Fuckers has each taking a side to shred their method of
madness and mayhem. Two disorder causing bands from Germany that hit the hilt non-stop.
Skull crushing at its finest. On Pobel Records.
Chunky slices of lethal guitar double chords highlight the metallic massacre into speedcore
doom of Iron Angel. This German power ensemble's debut LP Hellish Crossfire attacks with
continuous beats and lavishes well produced mixings of vocals, guitars and drums. The head starts banging as iron Angel perform "The Metallion," "Sinner," "Rush of Power," and "Legions of Evil"
with efficient speed drum beats and the never-ending guitar assault of raw kerranging, always
pushing forth a crazed lead. High vocals at peak periods will remind you of rising stars Slayer
as this outfit strikes a feverous vinyl outing. Iron Angel on Steam Hammer Records. And
while Germany is holding a firm ground for mega-turbulent speed metal bands, let's check out
another German metallic thrasher by Kreator. Chock full of rushing chaos, thundering to crash
all barriers, Kretor blow to bits the barriers of metal. Endless Pain doesn't leave much
time to waste:the ten featured tracks are straight out of an insane asylum, straight-jacketed
to bulge your brain with the craziest of spine tingling ferociousness.