G.I.S.M. is one of the greatest Japanese hardcore bands of all time. Their chaotic musical ideas keep changing and keep opening our eyes to other things out there. Their unique image of "Anarchy and Violence" shows really what their music is capable of. Violent live sets, blasphemous lyrics and harsh guitars all combine to bring you the most intense experience both visually and musically.

Though guitarist Randy Uchida died of cancer in 2001, G.I.S.M. (Short for God In Schizoid Mind)'s popularity rose furiously among American hardcore fans. Though their three albums are some of the most bootlegged in all of Japanese hardcore, they still keep an amazing fanbase of musicians and music fans alike.

Their first album, Detestation, was pure noisy hardcore. With lyrics about government hypocrisy and violence, Vocalist Sakevi Yokoyama exposes intense social problems. Along with Ranmdy Uchida's fuzzy guitar attack, Detestation was known as one of the best Japanese hardcore records ever.

Their next album, M.A.N. (Short for Military Affairs Neurotic), was a quick change of pace for the band. Showing off more of Uchida's talents, the album shows a more focused and less chaotic attack then their first album. The sound on this album is more of a Iron Madien and Metallica inspired metal. The only hint towards their first album is Yokoyama's harsh raspy vocals. It was an album that got mixed results from fans but should still be looked at a great artistic achievement.

Then comes their most chaotic and probably one of the strangest records ever recorded. SoniCRIME TheRapy is an almost unlistenable mixture of hardcore punk and industrial noise. It is a great artistic statement but is not recommended for those who don't know what their intent with the album was. It still remains a Japanese hardcore classic.

All in all, G.I.S.M. should be included on a list of the Japcore greats such as Gauze, Assfort, Confuse, and Gastunk. Their vision is amazing and they offered an original sound that is not often heard. I praise G.I.S.M. for their constant reinvention and genius musical complexity.

Dedicated in memorium to Randy Uchida.

I have said things of the Casualties being a mediocre street punk band and I was right. However, this is a new Casualties, a more focused and harsher Casualties, which makes this one of the best albums of 2004. Mixing their usual GBH and Discharge influenced speed and melody and mixing it with a new political and peaceful message. It's no longer about being punk, it's about being aware. The Casualties newest line-up has proven to be their best and this album shows that The Casualties are starting to get their act together. They are finally putting in a little more effort into their songwriting.

The album begins with an amazing intro that lays the landscape of the entire record. The album is what you would expect from the Street Punk scene and their influences are more clearly seen. No song has more of an impact on the album than the musically and emotionly brutal track "Unknown Soldier". The songs heartbreaking lyrics and harsh delivery is something more accomplished than what you would expect from them or their peers. No longer mediocre, the Casualties have shown that they can still have a place in the scene as true originals instead of being your average punk band.

On the Front Line is a modern day punk masterpiece. It is a complete 180 from the rest of the band's albums, and is a great breath of fresh air in a scene filled with cheesy and poppy bands. The Casualties give the rest of the world the finger as punks give them their ears. Buy this now!

In many ways, this song could be considered the birth of 70s punk rock. Fast, simple, and extremely catchy, Blitzkrieg Bop starts of The Ramones debut with a furious bang. A fairly simple riff with simple lyrics may make this band seem mediocre if you are not familiar with the genre, but the hyper-catchy crowd shout that fills the chorus spawned at least hundreds of thousands of other bands who failed to match The Ramones' delivery. A true classic and probably the first ever punk anthem.

The Adicts' Songs of Praise is one of the classic punk records that helped introduce pop-punk to the world. With new wave type melodies and lyrics, The Adicts mixed great political outlook with outrageous punk rock attitude. Case in point, "Viva La Revolution". This classic track was the crowd pleaser of their second 7" and their Songs of Praise albums. With one of the most famous choruses in punk rock and awesome lyrics about revolution and rebellion. Monkey's regular cartoony yet punky voice only adds to the attraction of this song. Beginning with an amazing palm-muted intro and blasting right into three minutes of pure chaotic fun, "Revolution" is definately the Adicts finest achievement.

D.I.'s classic track "Richard Hung Himself" is the milestone of their classic Team Goon. With it's dark creepy lyrics about a young man who commit suicide and a frightening and haunting guitar riffs that is as memorable as any other famous riff. It begins with an awesome three string walk down, and kicks into a slow painful, T.S.O.L. like chord progression and mixes it with Casey's warped vision. An amazing track for D.I. and deffinately one of the defining moments in hardcore/punk.