Okay, so I spin this here TOMMY AND THE TERRORS CD by the name of “Unleash the Fury” for the umpteenth time, and suddenly I’m transported back 10 years ago to a tiny little hole called Pharaoh’s Golden Cup in Garden City, MI. I feel slightly out of place in my MEGADETH shirt, not to mention the cigarette smoke is so thick you can barely see your own hand in front of you. Still, the Michigan punk scene was at the time alive and well, and the bands that rock that tiny stage that night (one including kids from my high school) make the 45 minute drive and the $5 admission fee more than worth it.

Fast forward back to 2005. All but gone is the local scene, and it seems all that you hear being passed off as punk is whiny mascara pop that just happens to feature electric guitars. Never fear, my friends… TOMMY AND THE TERRORS is your antidote! This is quite literally how punk rock is supposed to be. From beginning to end, you’re greeted with an arsenal of 15 songs each averaging about 2 minutes of punk fury. These aren’t just kids with no idea of what they’re doing—they’ve done their homework. The guitar sound here is straight from punk’s infancy (a la THE DICTATORS), and when you mix that with the speed of early hardcore a la MINOR THREAT and FEAR, you have a winning combination. These guys clearly love what they do. Also, I have to give them at least an extra ½ point for writing a song about ex-Domino’s Pizza icon The Noid. Music that makes me smile is most certainly worthwhile music.

Granted, I was born long after the heyday of the bands that influenced TOMMY AND THE TERRORS, but thanks to “Unleash the Fury” this classic sound lives on. For someone as young as I am who’s been frantically trying to discover rock’s pure, untainted origins, this one’s perfect for you. However, for those who did grow up in this time, this one’s for you too. And remember: “P-I-ZZ-A… It’s no conspiracy!”

- Cardona

OFFICIAL SITE: www.tommyandtheterrors.com

RELATED ITEMS: No related articles at this time.