Frantix's "Face Reality" opens with a thick, mashing, rusty sounding chord while frontman Marc Deaton howls out nearly indistinguishable words before the song launches into an overdrive the rivals D–beat charging. The whole thing sounds like it takes place in the middle of a downpour. That opening moment sets the tone for the band's comprehensive compilation My Dad's A Fuckin' Alcoholic and shows why despite anguishing in obscurity, Frantix was foolishly overlooked.

Existing in Colorado for just a few years in the early 80's before breaking up and reforming as the more college–rocky The Fluid, Frantix were something of a mid–west anomaly. Throughout the discography, the band builds on the lumbering, edged smash of Flipper, rooting their music in crushing, tribal drums and a lurking bass. However, just as the band builds a circular groove with their music, forming the basis for the early Amphetamine Reptile sound, the band randomly launches forward in full throttle hardcore attack.

The result is you never knew when the band will focus on hypnotizing patterns or just rip themselves apart with bombast. Adding to the recording's sense of dread, Deaton borrows the wonderful nihilitic attitude from early West Coast punk. "My Dad's a fuckin' Alcoholic" is about just that, and "You're Ill" attacks someone with questions about their mental health, despite suffering from the same affliction. Songs like "Dancin' to punk" from puzzles as to their meanings. Is the song saluting the danger of punk rock, or is it attacking conformity from within the scene–

Smartly, Alternative Tentacles packaged up pretty much every song officially released by the band, including their two eps, their cassette album, as well as unreleased live recordings. Fascinatingly, the band covers Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive." Are these self–destructive punks kicking down the last bits of the late 60's, or are they tipping their hat to fellow mind–trippers– Because the version is so savage and intense, I'm inclined to vote the latter.

Frantix had a very short lifespan, but within the time period, they create some of the most vicious, yet most rocking, punk rock of the day. Perhaps they knew they only had a short time together or maybe the reason they broke up so quickly was because they were such a volatile group. Luckily for us, they were able to catch that in a bottle before the whole thing went kablooie.

A long lost gem. Highly recommended.