Disfear - Live The Storm

Let's face it, d-beat has never been known for it's originality. Actually, to be completely honest most of it sounds exactly the same. A bunch of crusty assholes rolling around in their Discharge worshiping shit. However, there are always exceptions to that rule and Disfear's Live The Storm is one of those very exceptions. Metallic riffs, ever so prevalent punk attitude, Tomas Lindberg's brutal screams occasionally accompanied by some sweet gang vocals. Sure you can find most of this shit in just about any Tragedy or Wolfbrigade record you pick up, but I guarantee never executed this well.

Descendents - Somery

I was in sixth grade when my mother first passed down some of her X and Black Flag stuff down to me in an attempt to educate me on punk and hardcore. I loved the stuff, but the one thing that I really clung to like a security blanket was a compilation CD she had given me. The disc was Somery by the Descendents. The disc was an all out assault of 80s hardcore and pop-punk and I was fucking in love. It compiled songs from the Fat EP (1981), Milo Goes To College (1982), I Don't Want To Grow Up (1985), Enjoy (1986) and All (1987). I recall that she handed it to me with the instructions to listen to the whole thing with the exception of the song "Pervert." I'm not sure what her logic behind this was considering I was allowed to listen to songs about killing cops, drinking, heroin, etc. However, in her eyes, a song about a pervert was off limits...go figure. Whenever I hear this album I'm hit with a sudden wave of nostalgia and recall those opening tracks. This was my introduction to punk rock...Thanks Mom.