Bonded as One Volume 1 (the namesake I’m certain was taken from the Union 13 song on their debut album, 1997’s East Los Presents…) is a thirty-two song double LP compilation featuring bands from all over the world, including Japan, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia. On the surface, an international punk and hardcore comp sounds like a good place to discover a new favorite. I was stoked on checking out bands from Ecuador but was just as disappointed to hear what sounded like Pennywise worship. I’ll freely admit to being into this style and even some of these bands (Union 13, Voodoo Glow Skulls) when I was in high school and discovering punk and hardcore for the first time, but it’s 2022 now and not much of what I’m hearing is hitting these ears; not even the Adolescents song. I gave this the old college try, sat through both LPs, and I’ve never wanted my time back so badly. –Juan Espinosa (Dead At Zero)