Effigies

Remains Nonviewable [reissue] (1995)

Brandon Sideleau

For those of you that don't know, the Effigies are the greatest punk rock/hardcore band to ever come out of Chicago. This career retrospective compiles all of their classic songs onto one disc, making it an essential purchase for any fan of punk music. Not only does this band write great songs, but they know how to play them as well. The Effigies are very gifted and creative musicians, as there are a variety of different musical influences present on this album, yet it all seems to fit nicely together.

"Security" is easily one of the catchiest anthems in punk rock history; the song blends both funk and hard rock through a punk blender. "Body Bag" and "Quota" are dark, hardcore punk at it's finest, while "Haunted Town" and "We're Da Machine" are a bit catchier and no less intense. "Hand Signals," on the other hand, is a heavy and dark rocker.

There aren't really many bands I can compare the Effigies to; they at times have a "DOA-ish" sound, but that can change based on the song. This band is really, like all amazing bands, a sound of its own. I think that they recently reunited and are doing some touring; here's to hoping they write some new material and add to their amazing collection.