Adolescents

About

Pioneers of Orange County punk, Adolescents were more hardcore than their contemporaries Social Distortion and Agent Orange. Their eponymous 1981 debut album was produced by Mike Patton, who was then in a band called Middle Class. “I Hate Children” opens with raw aggression, as Tony Cadena snarls into a microphone as guitar-abusing brothers Frank and Rick Agnew play hard-throttled riffs as if they were racing each other for beer money. “Self Destruct” is a 48-second sonic whirlwind that was created solely for the purpose of jumping in the pit, smashing some punks, and jumping out. Conversely, “Kids of the Black Hole” is a five-minute and 27-second punk epic that eulogizes an abandoned building infamous for housing squatting punks, parties, and makeshift shows. “Amoeba” makes good use of the same kind of gang vocals that were the signature sound of Glenn Danzig’s first band, The Misfits. Here and throughout the album, the Agnew brothers unleash Johnny Thunders–inspired guitar solos that balance a competitive call and response. The anthemic “Creatures” is a perfect example of how hardcore albums should close.

via Apple Music