Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thanks, Ronnie, September 17, 2001
If something positive could be said about the Reagan era, it was that it was the reason music like this existed. This is some of the the angriest hardcore ever, and some of the best protest music as well. These guys were pissed off, disgusted, and enraged, and you can really hear it. The classics are all on this disc, the Millions of Dead Cops LP, the Multi-Death Corporations EP, and the Millions of Dead Children EP. 'Death of A Nun' is here, but re-titled 'Peking Order.' It's the same studio recording, but with a different vocal track and lyrics. I preferred Death of A Nun. Once again, this is an absolute must-have for those who are seeking out the cream of the early hardcore scene crop, when "punk" refered to a true movement, not just another genre of watered down music on the radio.
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24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic 80s hc album, April 14, 2005
There is a review below, "Millions of Dead Californians," that claims MDC were part of some sort of (liberal/PC) "California thing."
That's odd, considering the band is from Austin, TX, where it got its start as THE STAINS. It was during their Austin, TX, period as THE STAINS that most of the material was written: "John Wayne Was a Nazi," etc. Far from being a "California thing," MDC were actually a "Texas thing," playing with Texas hardcore legends like THE DICKS ("Bourgeois Fascist Pigs," "Dicks Hate the Police," etc.), another "PC/liberal" band that I'm sure the "Millions of Dead californians" reviewer below also hates.
MDC also had a release on CRASS Records -- home to CRASS, CONFLICT, RUDIMENTARY PENI, and other bands, as well. In light of this, to say that MDC were part of some sort of "California thing" -- or that their lyrics are particular to some kind of California zietgeist -- is just dead wrong. In fact, their lyrics reflect much of the trend in hardcore that began in the early 80s as bands became increasingly political. MDC helped spearhead this trend, and this album is one of the seminal documents of that era.
The band did eventually move to California, and from there up to Portland, Oregon, where they exist currently. This, their first album, brought a heightened political awareness that was also reflected in the pre-eminence of bands like the DEAD KENNEDYS, THE SUBHUMANS (UK), and others. Anti-racist, anti-fascist, anti-capitalist, anti-religion, anti-right wing in general -- MDC's lyrics cover it all. The music is blisteringly fast, the musicianship is adequate, hovering on the brink of some sort of chaotic abyss, trying to charge ahead before everything collapses -- and the vocals are passionate.
While not as good as contemporaries MINOR THREAT or BLACK FLAG, there is an emphasis on sheer, unadulterated speed here that sacrifices melody and catchiness in the process (save for two or three songs). If you're just getting into 80s US hardcore, there are other bands one should check out first, but this release is definitely in the top 40 hardcore albums of the 1980s.
Interestingly, MDC's first album in 11 years, "Magnus Dominus Corpus," was released at the end of 2004 [with the original lineup no less] and is worth owning as well. It's their best release since this seminal LP, and even improves upon the original by infusing a bit of melodic catchiness here and there.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
this cd is one of the best punk records EVER, July 26, 2002
Blistering paced tunes about the f'up world we live in...This CD got played at least ten thousand times in my teens...At the time MDC were the KIngs of Hardcore punk...every song on this offering is GREAT, a classic!!! If you only own 1 MDC cd it should be this one. If you only want to own 1 hardcore punk cd, this one is arguably the best choice...
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