New releases last eight weeks: Punk/Hardcore

Review: Shadowed Tales From Mulhouse by iconic punk group The Damned is a haunting journey into the depths of musical darkness. The album captivates throughout with its eerie melodies, ethereal vocals, and brooding atmosphere. Each track exudes a sense of mystery and intrigue, drawing the audience into a world of shadows and secrets. The band's masterful instrumentation and haunting lyrics create a spine-chilling experience that lingers long after the final note fades away. All of this makes Shadowed Tales From Mulhouse is a testament to The Damned's prowess as musical storytellers, leaving listeners enthralled and eager for more from this enigmatic ensemble.

Review: Shadowed Tales From Mulhouse captures punk's original rebels in live action in 1994, feeling like a return to their rowdy garage punk origins after spending the latter part of the 80s helping to shape goth rock and then take it overground and into the charts. No sign of 'Eloise' or 'Grimy Fiendish' here though - this all about genre-defining hits like 'Love Song', 'Neat Neat Neat', 'New Rose' and 'Smash It Up', with a heap of perfectly suited and totally unlikely cover versions, from 'Pretty Vacant' to 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling' and 'I Walk The Line'. All on nice coloured vinyl, too, it stands as a testament to The Damned's storytelling prowess, leaving audiences enthralled and craving more from this enigmatic ensemble.

Review: 'Who Killed Marilyn?' is an early track written by Glenn Danzig when he was with the Misfits. Originally recorded in 1979 with the Misfits but due to financial issues with pressing vinyl copies at the time, was then re-recorded again in 1991 and released under Glenn Danzig's name. An important song in the history of the legendary figure, this is the first time this single has been issued on the CD format. Also included is an additional version of each track remixed and remastered by Danzig himself.

Review: Currently back at full activity, and most recently releasing their latest album Il Tradimento Silenzioso (The Silent Betrayal) in 2022, Manchester punk pioneers Slaughter & The Dogs first made their name through their connections to former Joy Division manager Rob Gretton, while their opening slot for the Sex Pistols in Manchester on July 20, 1976 (the second of their two Free Tree Hall shows within two months) played a hand in expanding the city's punk movement before extending to a UK-wide phenomenon. Originally released in 1980, Bite Back served as the feral follow up to the band's quintessential 1978 debut full-length Do It Dog Style, and continued their blistering run of playfully chaotic anthems. Back on vinyl for the first time since its original pressing, this newly refurbished reissue comes with the double A-side of 'I'm The One' b/w 'One By One' as bonus tracks.