What hasn't been said about Boston hardcore? Natives and fans brag that it characterizes everything brutal and cold about the city, while those in opposition to its often violent antics use those very things to decry it.

Whether you love Boston or not, though, you have to admit one thing: Scene icon Choke (a.k.a. Jack Kelly) is a fucking asshole these days.

The only reason to buy this is for the Negative FX album. For some reason, Taang! thinks we all want a complete portrait of his early career, so they also stuck the Last Rights EP and demos onto this disc. Last Rights are okayish, sluggish Oi!-inspired, typical Boston hardcore, much like SSD, DYS, D.C.'s Faith or Choke's Slapshot.

Negative FX are something else. Driven by snare, cymbal, and swirling guitar, they are without a doubt the originators of thrash hardcore and power-violence (if unintentionally). Even Choke's gruff voice influenced grind. At this point, he apparently wasn't much of an asshole (despite reportedly hitting audience members with a hockey stick), so the songs are surprisingly thoughtful and socially conscious. "Feel Like A Man" opens, and is a slower tune about male obligations to fit in and become a working drone. We are then treated to "Together," which blares out the speakers and kills everything in its path. Most songs have shout-alongs and stop-starts, now commonly used in hardcore, and there a few old-fashioned breakdowns thrown in for good measure. The songs are lucky to make the one-minute mark, and are performed with militaristic precision.

Oh yeah, and it's where NoFx GoT thEir NaMe!~*