Sheer Attack has that great early-’80s pre-hardcore sound when punk was starting to get fast, but hadn’t yet become an orgy of power chords and lightning-quick drumming. The lyrical content is rather conventional; titles such as “Bitter Seed” and “I Am the Nihilist” pretty much tell you what you’re in for, but such conventionality was by no means a problem. Sheer Attack has the chops—my measure for bands such as this is whether or not they make me want to get into fights and/or break shit, and that’s what Sheer Attack did. My only complaint is that one of the channels was recorded at a much lower level, so some stuff is almost impossible to hear without turning the volume way up. Which is fine, but then the rest of the mix kicks in and destroys what is left of my ancient, crotchety eardrums. Nonetheless, a good record—it grabs the gonads and doesn’t let go. –The Lord Kveldulfr