The Exploited, Dwarves, Angry Samoans, Total Chaos, and Toxic Energy

Scottish Hardcore rockers The Exploited will certainly blow you away if you witness their hard-hitting and fast paced form of punk at a live venue.

Influenced by the “first wave” punk bands such as Sex Pistols and The Clash, this anti-fascist, anti-Nazi group from Edinburgh burst onto the scene in the early 80’s with their debut album “Punks Not Dead”, and have gathered a loyal punk following ever since.

The band are straight to business when they are finally set up to perform, with Lead Vocalist Wattie Buchanan looking pumped up as he paces the stage, his trademark red Mohawk resembling a shark’s fin circling its prey in the water.

As he screams and bellows his politically charged lyrics in a distinctive Scottish growl, his brother Wullie pounds the drums so hard that before long you’ll find your head bobbing to the frantic beat, with little respite between classic tracks such as “Dogs of War” and Chaos Is My Life."

Despite Wattie suffering from a heart attack on stage in Lisbon during their subsequently cancelled European Tour earlier this year, the band have announced a new album to be released in late 2014, and you can expect to see The Exploited thrashing on a stage near you, very soon!

Chicago punk rock band, The Dwarves, is not a one trick pony type of band. Originally they started as a garage band under the name The Suburban Nightmare, but like any good band, they moved forward and grew into the punk rock/ hardcore punk band that they are now.

To say that watching The Dwarves live set is interesting is a bit understated. On top of their already in your face music with lyrics that have no bounds, the band members are extremely interesting themselves. Drummer, Gregory Pecker (or as he likes to be referred to as Gnarlie Watts) performs with a clown wig, and pants, while guitarist Pete Vietnamcheque, or better HeWhoCannotBeNamed, performs with a wrestling mask and nothing else (although he has been known to sport a jockstrap in place of his birthday suit). They are highly energetic and play whatever they want, which is the appeal of the band. Vocalist Julius Seizure, better known as Blag Dahlia has an in-your-face energy that only adds to the no holds lyrics that the band is known for. A true punk band that resists anything mainstream, and because of it, they are widely popular; and a seriously great band worth checking out.

Rip-roaringly riotous hardcore punk from a band who were there at the start! Angry Samoans are aggressive, exhilarating and undeniably fun, helping to establish the sound of a genre which defines so many people's lives to this day. Angry Samoans have been controversial from day one, getting blacklisted from all LA venues after releasing a track berating a famous DJ, arguing for his departure ("Get Off The Air!"). They have released four studio albums in their career, with each one exploring new territory within the hardcore genre. Live, they bound around the stage with endless energy as Mike Saunders spits out his satirical verse upon a begging audience. Guitars screech and wail and pound out endless power chords in a frenzy of destruction. Drums rip apart ear drums as Bill Vockeroth pummels out thunderous beats. It is nothing short of a whirlwind, a tornado of endless riffs and roaring vocals. Despite being together for over twenty years, they still have the potential to cause a riot, best experienced in a small venue loud. Whilst they haven't made any new releases in recent years, they continue to perform. Perhaps soon a new album will surface, reinstating their punk credibility to a new generation of fans of hardcore.

I have always loved the spirit of Total Chaos! They stay unified for the sake of punk, boldly displaying their views on the world and still keeping up with current affairs after 20 plus years. These guys bring people together of all kinds punk or not with their fighting spirit!