various artists - Seven Unlucky Sevens

Or as I like to call it, "500 Slampt Fans Can't Be Wrong!!!"

It's seven early 7" releases from Slampt, as true and honest a DIY enterprise as history has even seen. Run by two kids from the North-East of England as an arts umbrella, Slampt was known for awesome cover art and killer lo-fi records. They were like an Tyneside K Records, in kinship with New Jersey's Troubleman Records and responsible for some classic slabs.

Like the insert says, these represent the debut singles for six of the seven bands appearing. You want to hear what the dudes from Franz Ferdinand were doing in their youth? Well, there's a Yummy Fur 7" to check out. Label "owners" Pete & Rach show up with Avocado Baby and Pussycat Trash, the latter of which remains THE great under-heard riot grrrl group from the early 90s. Pete's long-running lo-fi group, Milky Wimpshake, not only had an all-time great name, but also debut here.

You should know by now; I like my punk rock recorded on a boom box and played as amateurly and heartfelt as possible. This one gets me right in my sweet spot.

Discogs

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various artists - In The Name Of Satan: A Tribute To Venom

Sigh...

In the positive column:

• Voivod, Nuclear Assault, Kreator, and Sodom, all appearing on a tribute to black metal "originators" Venom
• It cost me a buck
• This copy has a hole punched through the barcode, which tells me the first owner of this paid little to nothing for it

And in the negative column:

• This is the American version of the release on Deadline/Cleopatra, with an extra track by the Electric Hellfire Club jammed into the middle of the comp
• As the US-released version, they dropped the "In The Name Of Satan" part of the title, so as not to offend anyone in middle America
• This isn't an hour of bands influenced by Venom doing riffs on this EP

This isn't "good", but it's worth hearing at least once all the way through.

Discogs

(using the OG German cover b/c it's cooler/cornier)

Click here to download.