Note: this is an archived copy of Paul Routenburg's excellent Killed By Hype site which was previously located at http://plaza.powersurfr.com/paul/punk.html and http://ca.geocities.com/kbd77@rogers.com/punk.html. It contains a lot of great information about punk records so I decided to keep it alive here after the demise of GeoCities.

Worldwide Punk Compilations (S to Z)

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The Screaming Fists Series

Yet another series that has popped up over the past few years. Two volumes so far.

[ Volume 1 ] [ Volume 2 ]

Screaming Fists Volume 1

A very good LP. Includes the other 2 songs of the Lewd 7" that had been ignored until this LP appeared (though they are now available elsewhere), and both sides of the Skinnies 7". The Victims tracks are also good, as are the Lowlife tracks (these are also available on Smash The State #2) and Anti-Nowhere League (great lyrics on that one).
Rating: 8.

Screaming Fists Volume 2

A few good tracks (Stimulators, Kidz Next Door, Subhumans) some of which are available on other compilations and a bunch of average powerpop/poppunk songs. Not essential by any means.
Rating: 6.5.

Sexy Ipnotico CD

(Passerotto VSOP 1, Italy, 1995)

Mostly average punk from several Italian bands that are some how all related. Includes the Mittageisen 7" which is pretty much the reason I got it, not really wanting to pay several hundred dollars for the actual record.
Rating: 7.

Short Sharp Shock CD

(Overground OVER47CD, UK, 1996)

Excellent issue which includes completely some tough to find UK records. Since you likely won't find the Anti Social 7" you should probably get this instead. Excellent sleeve notes as well.
Rating: 8.5.

The Smash The State Series

Put out by the author of the Smash The State Canadian punk discography book published in 1992, these LPs appeared in 1994, 1995, and 1999. The format is to include most tracks from the 7"s that are featured, an excellent idea since most of the original records are now impossible to find. The third volume is the last of the series.

[ Volume 1 ] [ Volume 2 ] [ Volume 3 ]

Smash The State Volume 1

(No Exit 002, Canada, 1994)

Good, if somewhat over-rated, punk rock. The addition of the unreleased Arson song is a bonus. Nice package with several inserts. Something like 30 copies were made with different covers, otherwise 1000 of these are around, more than were made of most of the original records.
Rating: 8.

Smash The State Volume 2

(No Exit 003, Canada, 1995)

Overall better records than the first volume. Silicone Injection, Lowlife and Malibu Kens are maybe 3 of the best Canadian records. Similar packaging and pressing size as Volume 1.
Rating: 9.

Smash The State Volume 3

(No Exit 004, Canada, 1999)

Several years in the making. Mostly great, with an excellent booklet. Too bad all reissues/compilations didn't put this much time into their efforts. I would have prefered the other Reaction song to the silly spoken word bits at the start and end of Side 1.
Rating: 9.

Springtime In Belsen LP

Very good international compilation. Some duplication with previous compilations but still lots here that hasn't been covered before. Dirt Shit, Technycolor, Norgez Bank, Yodler Killers, Kriminella Gitarrer and Young Identities are all great. The second Yodler Killers track is an instrumental but it's nice to have it included for completeness.
Rating: 8.

Stakkalmsjavlar 1978-1981 CD

(MNW, MNW CD182, Sweden, 1989)

Yet another Swedish compilation. Some of the better tracks from here are also on other compilations but there is enough other goodies to make it worth having this. There is also an LP version with fewer tracks.
Rating: 8.

Still Hate Your Neighbours EP

4 decent tracks from New Zealand bands. Absolutely no information about the bands or the songs are provided. Quick, cheap effort.
Rating: 7.

Switzerland Off Course in 1979 LP

(Loud Proud and Punk 008, Germany, 1998)

While I really like Swiss punk this record never really grabbed me. All of the Sick / Chaos (from Austria) split 12" is included but that is mostly available elsewhere. The Mother's Ruin 12" is good, the 7" is OK but not essential. Most of the unreleased and live stuff just didn't do much for me. Maybe I just need to listen to it a few more times?
Rating: 7.

Tales From The Edge Volumes 5 & 6 CD

(Reel George Productions, USA, 1992)

Volume 6 (the second of 2 discs) is a rather new-wavish look at the Texas scene. A lot of unreleased tracks and some good ones like the Nervebreakers, Ralphs, Stickmen With Rayguns, Tex & The Saddletramps, Hugh Beaumont Experience, Terminal Mind and Skunks make this worth getting if you can find it cheap. The first disc is early 90's Texas alternarock.
Rating: 7.

This Is Mod Series

A series of CDs that featured, up until Volume 6, UK late 70's and early 80's mod bands. Volume 6 features all US bands. These seem to feature all the tracks from the 7"s, or at least all the ones that the compiler thought were at all worthwhile.

[ Volume 1 ] [ Volume 2 ] [ Volume 6 ]

This Is Mod Volume 1

(Anagram CDMGRAM 116, UK, 1995)

Includes all the tracks from the 2 excellent Cigarettes 7"s, the Letters 7" and other rarities. If you don't have those 3 records you might want to get this. The other tracks would be a worthwhile bonus. Good liner notes.
Rating: 8.

This Is Mod Volume 2

(Anagram CDMGRAM 101, UK, 1996)

Overall not as strong as Volume 1 this still contains some nice mod and pop tracks. The Terry Tonik songs are quite good and were actually written 10 years before they were recorded. Very good liner notes as well.
Rating: 7.5.

This Is Mod Volume 6

(Anagram CDMGRAM 116, UK, 1997)

Since I know nothing about US mod bands I thought this might be interesting. I think the UK bands are more interesting after one listen to this. Maybe it needs more listens. It isn't bad, it just didn't really grab my attention.
Rating: 7.5.

Vagra Raggarna Benzin - Vol. 1 CD

(Massproduktion MASS CD-75, Sweden, 1998)

Another really good Swedish compilation. Some tracks should already be known from other compilations but there's enough other good stuff to make this worth having.
Rating: 8.5.

Vagra Raggarna Benzin - Vol. 2 CD

(Massproduktion MASS CD-76, Sweden, 1998)

Not as good as Volume 1 but there are still some really good tracks (Bad Boo Band, TST, Kriminella Gitarrer, Epidemi, TT Reuter, Blitzen, Bugs) to make this worth getting.
Rating: 7.5.

Vancouver Evolution EP

These tracks originally appeared on the Last Call 2CD compilation of Vancouver bands and were recorded between 1977-79. All are excellent tracks. The Furies, from 1977, were the first Vancouver punk band. The Skulls and Stiffs both feature future D.O.A. and Subhumans members. Victorian Pork (BIZ on the Last Call CD) featured members from various Vancouver bands at various times. Nice packaging and insert. Some copies are on blue vinyl.
Rating: 9.

Unsung Heroes 1978-81 CD

(Unicorn PHZCD-17, UK, 1994)

From 1994, before the recent seeming flood of Mod compilations. Generally good, as Mod stuff goes.
Rating: 7.5.

We Are The Mods Vol 2 LP

An odds and ends collection of unreleased demo and live tracks. Overall not very exciting. A few good tracks - Cigarettes, Killermeters (now available on their compilation CD), Small World, Terry Tonik (this is from a 7", its also on the 100% British Mod CD). The Jam song is a cover and the sound is complete crap. There is a Volume 1 which I never did get. They must have put all good stuff there, leaving the leftovers for this one. There is also zero information about the bands, save some newspaper clippings on the back cover.
Rating: 5.5.

Welcome To 1984 LP

From MRR, this is pretty much your standard hardcore compilation. I don't know where all the bands are from since I've probably listened to the LP once (and got rid of it after I taped it). Some decent songs but since most 1984 and later era hardcore doesn't excite me I can't really get into this.
Rating: no rating - if you like hardcore you'd probably like this.

World Class Punk Cassette

A cassette only release by ROIR in 1984, compiled by Mykel Board. An interesting mix of styles varying from fast hardcore to dark, brooding "post-punk". Deliberate international focus and to avoid US and UK bands. This has now (August 1998) been reissued on CD.
Rating: 7.5.

Where Birdmen Flew LP

Great LP. One of the earliest of the late 70's punk compilations. Most of the material has since been made available on other compilations, many of these tracks are on the Murder Punk CDs. Still worth picking up though for the tracks that aren't, if you can find it cheaply.
Rating: 9.

Where Birdmen Flew Revisited Vol. 1 LP

This, and Vol. 2, were advertised as vinyl versions of the Murder Punk CDs. While there are a number of common tracks there are also several that were not on those CDs. Vol. 1 is on red vinyl (1000 copies) with a somewhat informative booklet. Of course the songs are pretty much top notch but again there is material I'd rather see available than the Scientists. To actually read about The Scientists (which are on Vol. 1) you need the booklet in Vol. 2 but then I expect most people will buy both of these since the music is so great.
Rating: 9.

Where Birdmen Flew Revisited Vol. 2 LP

This, and Vol. 2, were advertised as vinyl versions of the Murder Punk CDs. More like a "best of". Vol. 2 is on blue vinyl (1000 copies). Pretty much every song here kicks major ass and if you had to buy just one LP in 1999, this could be it. Even if you have all the songs on the 2 Murder Punk CDs you really should have this.
Rating: 10 (if it had the 1st Thought Criminals EP instead of the second it would be an 11).

Where Birdmen Flew Revisited Vol. 3 LP

Another excellent LP, with a number of the songs taken from the 3 Aberrant compilation LPs that featured a number of otherwise unreleased punk goodies. While this isn't as good as the previous 2 volumes it is still a really good LP. Some of the songs have an early hardcore sound to them but in this case that isn't a bad thing.
Rating: 8.5.

Year of the Rats LP

Another of the original group of punk bootlegs compilations this one has become tough to find. Overall a very good LP, some of it (Urinals, Satans Rats) has since been reissued. Llygod Ffyrnig you can also likely find elsewhere. The Matt Gimmick tracks are originally Stooges tracks dating from 1970.
Rating: 8.

Young Raw Sounds Vol 1 LP

Almost a shorter vinyl version of the Lightning Records Punk Collection CD (Cane, Jerks and Krypton Tunes tracks are only on this LP). Same band notes as well. Unless you're a completist you probably don't need this if you have the CD (which also has a bunch of extra tracks). Red vinyl. A mostly good collection from a good punk label. It also says Volume 1 but since this came out in 1996 and there hasn't yet been a Volume 2, I wouldn't expect one.
Rating: 7.5.

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