Exploited

This isn’t a new release from the UK’s legendary Exploited, it originally came out in 1996 and is now being reissued by Spitfire. The thing is, it’s not particularly noteworthy, even for fans of the band. The tunes have more in common with ’80s thrash metal, complete with pounding double-bass drums and wanky guitar solos. Wattie’s trademark vocals still sound much the same as they did in the old days and there’s a whole lot of railing against the Tories, the police and the "establishment,” as you might expect. Although the influence of this band is undeniable, the dubious claim on the press sheet that "their anti-authority stance has laid the groundwork for all that has come since” is hard to swallow. They may have influenced many teenagers over the past 20 years to get mohawks, but it takes more than regurgitating metal riffs to live up to past glory.