Southern Hostility
One of the things I love about Antiseen is that they have the Goad-like power of the long distance hairy eyeball. They're reputation as heavy duty bruisers is so formidable, nobody wants to cross 'em. So, even if they released a CD full of their fave beer piss moments, it'd get a hearty thumbs-up from punk ass writers all along the fanzine belt. Personally, I'd rather take my lumps and earn my Confederacy of Scum patch, not buy it with phony praise. Luckily, I'm out of the woods this time around, because "Southern Hostility" is a re-re-release of their seminal '91 ode to GG, Skyrnd, Poison Idea, and drunken rednecks everywhere punching each other in the face for rock and roll. So many half-assed wannabe villains have run with Antiseen's sourmashed formula for bad fun in the past ten years with nary a drop of their conviction or fortitude that you almost forget that these cats were pretty close to being the second most hated band in the nation at the time, and pretty much paved the Asshole Rock road you so brazenly truck down, bronco. I'm not saying that's to be applauded, but I am saying it's true. Recorded in Layton's mom's basement over one long hot summer, it's a biker baiting, bile tasting, punk n' roll barb-b-q of the damned, all hateful and bothered, and the absolute definition of 'gumption'. Just don't ask what kind of meat you're eating. Rife with copious and insightful liner notes from Allan the Goddamn King, as well as plenty of surly and burly vintage photos, for Scum fans, this one's a winner. No shit.

-SLEEZEGRINDER


ANTiSEEN
"Southern Hostility" LP
A brilliant record from the South's finest scumfuck sons. Released sometime in the early 90s and then again by Man's Ruin several years later, TKO is making sure this piece of work doesn't lose any of its luster. I cannot argue with the liner notes that declare this one of the most hostile records ever...ANTiSEEN is southern rock gone horribly wrong; ANTiSEEN is the MISFITS on a six-day amphetamine bender; ANTiSEEN is a shock rock band that doesn't want to throw shit on you, but just wants to make you shit yourself. Southern Hostility was my first taste of ANTiSEEN, and it still sounds just as frightening today; they aren't polite, I never want to sit down and have a beer with any of 'em, and in most circles it certainly ain't cool to like 'em, but I cannot deny the fucking unbridled power of this band. Fans already own this, but if you haven't yet taken the step in to the Confederacy Of Scum underworld, then look carefully to make sure that none of your "hip" friends are watching, snatch up a copy of this classic LP, and then slip quietly into the confines of your room and get a lesson in true outlaw rock and roll. - (Willie Nelson)
MAXIMUM RNR


Antiseen
Honour Among Thieves
TKO Records
Damn, TKO is going to make Antiseen one of my favorite bands if it kills them. I just reviewed Eat More Possum a few weeks ago, marveling at how that record broke apart and delved into the band's influences London Calling-style, arriving at a chunky mix of punk, metal and garage stomp that sounded utterly unique and sophisticated and now I hear Honour Among Thieves, which has promptly knocked me on my fat, North Carolinian ass.
Whereas Eat More Possum was a sophisticated blend of Antiseen's influences, Honour Among Thieves is like the Replacements' Sorry Ma Forgot to Take Out the Trash or Stiff Little Fingers' Inflammable Material, a record that finds that band at their earliest, most brutal and most enthusiastic. Some of the songs on Honour Among Thieves actually sound like hardcore; Drug Thru Thu Mud is total hillbilly thrash, coming off like the Dead Kennedys if they were real-life southern rednecks instead of California boys who watched too many westerns.
But even on this very early material, Antiseen are far more than just a punk/thrash band. Their songs range in tempo from the aforementioned thrashy stuff to the mid-paced Warhero, which grinds along at Antiseen's more familiar destructo pace. And Joe Young wields his mighty Telecaster more valiantly than ever before or since (though some of the licks may be courtesy short-lived guitarist Dana Ace Davis), leads squealing through a buzzsaw low end that sounds more like industrial machinery than a musical instrument.
Throw in three bonus live tracks that sound like they were recorded in the midst of the apocalypse and you've got yet another essential volume of TKO's Vault of Antiseen series. Get the more high-brow Eat More Possum first, but Honour Among Thieves should be your second Antiseen purchase, as the band would never capture the sheer brutality of their debut on wax again.
DEEP FRIED BONANZA


ANTiSEEN
“Screamin' Bloody Live” CD (TKO Records)
This is the third album released in TKOs “Ringside” live series. Quick reminder: first was Cock Sparrer, then Angelic Upstarts, and now Antiseen. Lets be fair – this is the weakest album of those three. Ok, that’s not big surprise since first two spent a hell lot of time in my CD player. There are more than 20 songs at this CD, and that’s great, production is also very good, so if you like Antiseen, you can really enjoy this. Especially since there are even two videos (“Gun’s Ablazin” and “Commando”) on CD version. I should also mention that there are also 5-6 cover songs, but to tell you the truth I don’t really like Antiseen, it’s simply too tough for me…what can I do…I’m a gentle boy….
Vlada


ANTiSEEN
“Southern Hostility” CD (TKO)
First of all – I hate these guys. It’s enough just to look at their photos in the booklet, and you’ll feel the same way. Stupid ugly southern metal-head scum. I read in one interview with one promoter that they are the biggest jerks he met (they even wanted to eat only in McDonalds, so he had to drove them 50km to the nearest McDonalds restaurant). Anyway, this is the third release in the ‘Vault Of Antiseen’ series that TKO Records is releasing and this is re-mastered album they recorded back in ‘91. There are 13 raw as fuck punk-rock’n’roll songs. Antiseen are trying to prove us that they are extremely shocking, but if I was looking for something like that, I would rather choose something I can enjoy listening to (and having a laugh) like The Dwarves......
Vlada


Antiseen
Screaming Bloody Live
TKO Records
The first time I heard Antiseen the music made me want to get drunk and fistfight someone, ...anyone who was in the vicinity. I listened to their CD at full volume while slamming a lukewarm beer. God it was good! I felt like the depths of hell had been released onto this album and were now infesting my stereo. Antiseen has been together as a band for 19 years! That to me is amazing. I furthered my interest in this vicious band by reading an interview with them, and found that they were good ole boys from the South with some pretty harsh attitudes. I also learned that they were devout politicians, hell bent on the questioning of unfair law practices and political change, always for the betterment of the USA. Kick Ass! I listened to this CD that has 24 tracks of absolute live insanity recorded all over the country. With track names like Hellstomper, Two Headed Dog, and Guns A' Blazin, Antiseen have made a powerful name for themselves in the heavy metal rock world. I have never seen them live, but now I am on a mission! If you get the chance, check them out, and I highly recommend getting any of their CD's. I now own them all. Antiseen is a force to be reckoned with, and their music continues to cause rolling blackouts wherever they go.- Evil-E Janzillaco
HECKLER MAGAZINE


Antiseen
"Screamin' Bloody Live" (TKO)
...Jeff and the band crank out the lean and mean arsenal of blood and beer soaked songs they've been luved for... for years . Big, bold and badassed pummeling from start to finish...wish I'd been there!
THE BIRDMAN


Antiseen "Eat More Possum" (TKO Records)
Seems like I have to review an Antiseen Cd every review time. Trust me, there's another CD after this one that TKO sent me. I hated the last Cd"Drastic/ EP Royalty" but this one is more tolerable. But that's not saying much. Some "wrasslin" intro makes me want to throw this one into the fire right now. But I guess fans really like this, which I'm guessing their from the Midwest. The sound is raw and the vocals sounds like he's been smoking his 20th cigarette pack the day of recording this. Again, I didn't like this but I'm sure the Midwest rubes will praise this.
Bottom Line? I don't like Antiseen
Notable Tracks: didn't have any..
Rating: 1 1/2 *
Reviewer: Bryan
SKA PUNK AND OTHER JUNK



Antiseen
"Drastic/E.P.Royalty" (TKO)
CD Review
by Duke Crevanator
The people at TKO records deserve a fucking big-ass trophy, like the kind they gave Cactus Jack for winning the "King of the Death Match" tournament. This CD (or you can get the limited-edition vinyl version) contains the first two Antiseen EPs, Drastic (’85) and E.P. Royalty (’86). These two ultra-rare early records of Antiseen are now readily available to even people like me who can’t afford to spend booze/drug/gambling money on super expensive eBay auctions. This release is what it is, the early incarnations of the Kings of Destructo rock. For fans of ’80s punk/hardcore, you can’t go wrong buying this. For modern fans of Antiseen, y’all will either love it or hate it. If you’re a modern fan and you hate it, I personally think you shouldn’t be allowed to listen to Antiseen at all. Lastly, whether you hate them, love them, or are indifferent, I can unequivocabally state that if you ever see Antiseen live, you’ll get far more than your money’s worth. Best live band EVER!
LOLLIPOP


ANTISEEN
Southern Hostility (TKO)
There’s only one way to relate the true dirty horror of Antiseen: my friend got drunk at one of their shows and woke up on the bar bleeding profusely. He never knew what happened until one day he was looking through a ‘zine and read an ad for bootleg videos. "See a guy get clobbered by the singer." He ordered it. To his horror/amusement, he watched himself drunkenly stagger in front of the singer, accidentally bumping the mic into his face. The dude got pissed and slammed my friend in the head with the mic stand, rendering him bloody and unconscious. He still has the scar. There’s nothing scarier than these angry hicks playing overly distorted metal with an evil message and now TKO has re-released their angriest album. Yeah, it sounds basic and shitty but its anger and intensity are unequalled even by grindcore.
Keith Carman



Antiseen-> Dratic EP (TKO) digi-cd
Sorry people, I can’t review this shit now! I’m too fuckin’ busy at the moment! You see I’m on my knees thanking TKO for this re-release program of one of the best motherfuckin’ bands to ever blasts outta my stereo!! This band is on the same level as a band like Motörhead and well…. They’ll be the first band in Pure&Simple to be in this zine twice so you know they gotta be the most badassed-groinshredding-shitspitting-destructo-rock’n’roll in the entire world!! This is their first shit and well… Sound quality could be better, but the lay-out makes up for that shit and makes these songs still hot after all that fuckin’ time….

antiseen -> Southern Hostility (TKO) CD
So I got up to walk up to my mailbox and BAM!! there it is! Another Antiseen record!! YESSS my prays have been answered! I step up to the stereo to inject my sweet rock’n’roll-heroine in my ears. As I get my freak on bangin’ my head like I’m fuckin’ deranged fuckin’ lunatic I see my neighbours lookin’, through my window, at me like I’m crazy. So I ask ‘em in and so we now have 4 people headbangin’ people in the lvingroom. Then my other neighbors come by to complain about the infernal wreckage that we’re creating. We punch the fuckers in the face and rob ‘em of their money to buy us some beers and the party really gets smokin’ from here. And well…. Stuff like this could happen to you bastards, so pick up this record and turn the volume to “ruin y’r ears” and rock out like a motherfucker!!

antiseen -> eat more possum (TKO) CD
I’m currently foaming from the mouth. While typing I’m trying not to drip on my keyboard and hope I can manage to do so… Another Anitseen record really got my drooling and in total ecstasy. This is the third vault that gets opened and what a sweet fuckin’ record once again! Great coverartwork and once again a nice rock’n’rollstory is in the booklet, which is always a nice read. I can’t wait till number 4 hits my doorstep so TKO-people! If you read this; just don’t be shy and fill my mailbox with more records. I want it… NO! I fuckin’ NEED IT!!!
MARNIX / HOLLAND

Antiseen, The - Eat More Possum
2002, TKO Records
There's no doubt we could all use a fuck of a lot more possum in our diet, so cheers for the advice. This nasty little bastard is part of TKO's Antiseen reissue series; something we have all been pining for I'm sure, ever since those members of the Antiseen chapter of PETA were mysteriously shot in the ass by a pepper gun. In all seriousness, and of course, this is serious business, Antiseen are the Billy Carter of punk rock; swishing beer down the front of their grease stained shirt, pissing where convenient, and in the process of being badass punk rock slobs, alienating anyone and everyone like a redneck at a rally for the Rainbow Coalition, and STILL, we can't help but want to bar-b-que a sea lion with these fellas.
Maybe because Antiseen make it pretty fuckin' easy to nod in agreement. They make me think of corn, and potato salad, and grills; briquettes, Pabst Blue Ribbon and your drunk uncle Tony; pool cues, bar fights and fishing lures. It's like one big fuckin chili cookoff on disc. If you are easily offended, get your namby-pamby self back to protesting the latest cause; if not, Antiseen would be happy to teach ya' a coupla' life lessons if you'd just plant yer ass down, and let the boys stroll you through some Southern hostility.
- Michael Farr

ANTiSEEN
"Honour Among Thieves"
TKO Records
Attention all y'all reading this born, currently residing or otherwise trying desperately to get back to South of The Mason-Dixon Line: You Need This Record. "Why?" I hear you asking, and it's just like you to ask "Why?" isn't it, you contrary little snot-nosed glue-sniffing secessionist-minded Rebel cretin you. Anyway, here's why, and I'm only going to say it once, so Listen Good: You need "Honour Among Thieves" because it's the super-cool first- time-ever CD release of the legendary 1988 debut album from ANTiSEEN, the band of bastards out of Carolina that all but birthed the seminal Southern white-trash punk metal sound. Fourteen two-fisted musical tales of terror covering everything from the joys of owning killer attack dogs to brother-on-sister incest, wife beating and the ever popular murder-by-hammer attack. We're talking scorching, godforsaken hillbilly music that's guaranteed to offend everyone and run the roaches off for good, all while giving endless hours of listening pleasure to your delicate ears. Also features three live bonus tracks taken from a very out-of-control 1985 live gig and never-before-seen original cover art (a wonderfully inspired and twisted homage to The Last Supper featuring the band) that's guaranteed to loosen every tooth in your head. Say a little prayer of thanks on the way to the record store for finally being able to get your grubby little hands on what was thought to be lost to the ages!


ANTiSEEN
"SouthernHostility"
TKO Records
Jim Beam-soaked 1992 follow up to "Honour Among Thieves" (reviewed above) that's really rude and hateful, but in a Good Way that recalls the socially toxic residue still lingering from all the bitter shit that's gone down in The Dirty South over the years. Basically works the same crank-addled Rebel Hellion turf the band originated with even more no-quarter-asked-and-none taken gusto. We're talkin' deliberately sloppy, fuzz-chord fueled, ain't-takin'-no-shit hard-edged punk rock filtered through a quintessentially Southern "Yes Ma'am" meets "Fuck You" prism that's positively guaranteed to warp your profondly impressionable little inhalant-addled mind. As if that isn't cool enough, I'd like to point out it was recorded 10 (count 'em, 10) years before The Drive By Truckers extraordinarily successful and much ballyhooed "Southern Rock Opera," which you also need, for similarly overlapping - but functionally discreet - reasons that we simply don't have time or space to go into here. I realize all you triflin' Yankees (Fuck All Y'all Up North Motherfuckers!!!) will have to come up with your own excuse to buy it, so here's a little hint: ANTiSEEN singer Jeff Clayton (who looked like Rob Zombie when Rob Zombie was still in Pampers) co-wrote "Evil Rock 'N' Roll" with GG Allin (RIP) and briefly fronted the Murder Junkies on tour after everyone's favorite scum rocker overdosed on heroin in 1993. I'm going to assume you Old School Southern Hipster types have already worn out several vinyl copies, so you're off the hook, but all you po' but proud New Schoolers best recognize. Indispensable!
Robert T. Nash
URBAN HIPSTER

Yikes! Fourth Antiseen review in two months, that was gonna make this hard...or so I thought. This, their debut album, I'd never heard before. According to the press release this is the first CD issue of this material and after listening I gotta say someone really needed to make this avaiable again. I'd have to say it's my second favorite of their's right behind the almighty "Eat More Possum". It's definitly Antiseen..buzzsaw guitars, bellowed vocals, punk and roll with a southern flavor and a blatant kick in the face of any form of political correctness you could think of.
There is, however, something a little different about this than the other Antiseen material I've heard. It's...hmmm dare I use this word regarding Antiseen?..... "Catchier" than the other stuff I've heard. Let me make this clear it's a good thing. It's not at all top 40 bubble gum catchy, it's gnaw at your brain tarball filled with brambles catchy, it's got drunk forgot the condom and now it hurts to piss catchy. Definitly a little more early punk in the mix.
It's definitly hard to pick favorite tracks on this one, but the lead off one two punch of "I Don't Ask You For Nothing" and "Jailbait" really grab you by the ears, while cauliflowering them at the same time and while less catchy than it's disc partners, "War Hero" packs an intensity and power that'll put finger prints on your replay button. If you're at all into Antiseen, or the review above sounded at all like your deal, pick this up immediatly.....and if not, well hit your tofu shoes over to the nearest "Save the Tree Frogs Rally" while burning incense, chanting at crystals and stroking your inner child...by the way Antiseen will be by later to kick your inner child's ass.
HELLRIDE MUSIC

Antiseen- Eat More Possum (CD)
More from crazy ol’ Antiseen… So crazy and ol’. Number two from the ‘Vault
Of Antiseen’ series on TKO, is the fourth reissue of their classico 1993
album, Eat More Possum. If gratuitous amounts of blood spillage and hysteric
Southern-fired rockin’ is was strikes your fancy, this may very well be your
new favorite record. Eat More Possum, overwhelmingly said to be the best
thing the ‘Seen ever did. I don’t see it on any different level from pretty
all their other stuff from the last 10 years. Features Intro provided by the
‘Cosmic Commander Of Wrestling’, and a cover of the Ramones’ ‘Today Your
Love’, plus the all-time classics ‘Fuck All Y’all’ and ‘Cactus Jack’.
‘Trapped in Dixie’ is an awesome song too.
-Rock nRoll Outbreak

Antiseen
Eat More Possum
The prodigal album returns once again. Eat More Possum has been previously released a total of three times on numerous independent labels that went belly up. In addition, past releases of Antiseen's definitive album have featured poor production quality that didn't really give the music its proper sonic feel. TKO has just re-released the album with a complete re-mastering that finally gives the album the sound it deserves. This is a very important disc for the band as it's the first one where the classic Antiseen sound really solidified itself on songs like "Animals…Eat 'Em" and "Stormtrooper."

Jeff Clayton's growl reached its deeper tone and Joe Young's guitar finally got that super-thick fuzztone to it that drives Antiseen's music. This was the disc that proved how much tougher, ballsier, and downright mean Antiseen could be compared to their peers. Eat More Possum still sounds killer today, mostly due to the explosive energy of tracks like the cover of the Ramones' "Today Your Love," "Cactus Jack," "Destroy Them All," and "Fuck All Y'all."

The songs are punchy as all hell, clocking in usually around the 2 minute mark. It is that quick, brutal, crowbar to the head feeling that has always made Antiseen one of the more interesting bands out there. As always, the Antiseen sense of humor is there - from the guaranteed-to-piss-off-animal-rights-activists front cover to songs like "Trapped In Dixie" to the interludes featuring one Jack B. and the Cosmic Commander of Wrestling. It's always been one of Antiseen's better qualities to let the music speak for itself and to not take themselves too seriously. If you're an old school Antiseen head, you'll want to pick up this re-release as the album has never sounded this good. If you've never sampled Antiseen's music this is a good way to get infected.
-Bully Magazine


Antiseen: Blood of Freaks 7"
TKO Records
6 out of 10
1989/2002 Ever wondered what it would sound like to gargle with shards of broken glass? No, I can't say that I have either, but after listening to the first release from Northern Carolina's premiere punk band; The Antiseen, I know exactly what that sounds like. This is their first 7 inch EP from 1989 that has been re-issued for your audio destruction. These guys are nuts. They are fast and loud and angry and really, really pissed off. Knowing that these guys have been around for well over ten years, I give them their respect, doing what they like, intense touring, intense music. But, I just couldn't get into it. They're too fast, and too sloppy and too angry for me to enjoy. This isn't you're typical TKO release, not another sing-along punk band. This goes well beyond that into an area of music that I can't even put my finger on. If I had to compare this release to something, I would say if you took Big Pete from Forced Reality and threw him in a blender with the guys from Slayer, you would have the Antiseen. Keeping in mind, that this was the first recording this band ever made, it's pretty good, and the fact that they have by far surpassed this with their newer releases over the years, some of which you can get through TKO, I just don't get it. Maybe I'm missing something. But anyhow, if anything above described sounds like it interests you, pick up some of these guys stuff.
-J.J.
Sandiego Punk

ANTiSEEN
Blood of Freaks
TKO Records Limited to an edition of 1000, the four songs on this 33 RPM 7" are pure redneck punk from these raw and at time offensive South Carolina originals. It's been out of print since 1989 and is now reincarnated on pale red vinyl. Completely re-mastered to be extra mean, just do not tell these angry men that their record looks pink. (3.5)
newsounds.net

Antiseen
Drastic/EP Royalty
TKO Records
Time to take a step back way into the past, circa 1985-1986. Antiseen were just a two year old punk band clawing their way out of North Carolina playing a brutal version of hardcore southern punk that must've sounded as alien to their neighbors as an O'Jays record.
But what is readily apparent by this combined re-release of Antiseen's first two EPs on one compact disc, is that from the very start these guys had a sound all their own. Sure, Jeff Clayton's voice seemed somewhat less like a drunken trucker with terminal throat cancer, but the hard driving, over the top sound we know today was still there on "Queen City Stomp," "She's Part of the Scene," and "Destructo Rock." While Drastic does feature a more-diverse Antiseen, the band seemed to know what they wanted to sound like but still were testing different ideas on "Psycho Path" and "Absent Minded." Even when the music doesn't measure up to the band's reputation, it succeeds in its raw punk energy, as can be heard on "Destructo Rock." E.P. Royalty is the obviously better of the two EPs, especially considering it was released a full year later and shows the band finally comfortable in their musical direction. From the moment "N.C. Royalty" kicks in you hear the live, raw sound that has made Antiseen. Also, the band's twisted sense of humor finally starts to rear its head on "White Trash Bitch" and "Ruby, Ruby Get Back Top The Hills." If nothing else this double-EP proves these guys have been unique since day one. There is no punk, rock, hardcore band in the world that sounds quite like them.
-Bully Magazine


Antiseen
Drastic / EP Royalty
TKO Records
Until this point the only Antiseen I'd heard was their latest record on TKO, The Boys From Brutalsville. Until now I didn't realize that I was so behind; this band has an impressively deep discography, most of which is set for re-release on TKO Records. This compilation of the band's first two DIY EPs is the first in the series, and I've gotta say I'm impresssed.
It's amazing to me that Antiseen had such a unique sound right from the get-go; their debut EP, Drastic, is as concise a statement of "Destructo Rock" (Antiseen's self-divised moniker for the type of music they play) as the band's latest material, perhaps even more so. So what is destructo rock? Well, if you take the first Ramones LP and slow it down to about 15 RPM and get Lemmy on vocals you've pretty much got it. In theory this sounds like it would be really boring music, but somehow the band make it work; the songs are so slow and thick that you feel as if a tug boat is dragging you through a river of molasses.
It doesn't hurt that the songwriting on Drastic is excellent, either. "Queen City Stomp" is a dead ringer for the early Ramones, infectious chorus and all, and "Rumours" gets by without any sort of chorus thanks to a really cool spooky, early Misfits vibe. Every one of the songs is totally different, and even if they aren't all instant hits each one has something new and cool to offer. This is as great a debut EP as you'll find in the mid-80s DIY punk scene, as by that point hardcore and crossover had made playing punk rock a pretty cool uncool thing to do.
The other record that appears here, E.P. Royalty, is a bit looser and faster than the debut, and I think that Antiseen loses a bit of their magic because of it. The chorus of "N.C. Royalty" is so sing-songy that my wife asked why I was listening to bad Oi! music, and the slightly faster rhythms of "White Trash Bitch" (don't be scared by the title; Antiseen love to push people's buttons, but the lyrics are actually a relatively sensitive portrayal of the life of a Southern housewife) and "Ruby, Ruby Get Back To the Hills" lose the cool, driving sound the band had on Drastic. It's still a good record, though, and the slight shift in sound wouldn't be so drastic if you didn't listen to the records back-to-back. Oh, and I can't discuss E.P. Royalty without noting how blatantly "Cop Out" steals the riff from Iggy's "I Gotta Right;" every time this track starts I think I'm listening to Poison Idea's cover of that song.
Unfortunately the only bonus track is a version of Drastic's "She's Part of the Scene" re-recorded during the E.P. Royalty sessions (if you were wondering, it doesn't sound all that different), but TKO more than makes up for the lack of vintage audio with large reproductions of the front and back of the original picture sleeves. Oftentimes a collection like this will only intensify the feeling that I need the original vinyl, but this collection feels like the total package rather than a botched "improvement" on the original design concept. This collection is also released as a gatefold double 7", and though I haven't seen that package myself I can guess that they're near-exact reproductions of the originals.
If you're a casual Antiseen fan and you haven't heard this material I'd certainly suggest picking it up; it's as close as you'll likely get to owning the original EPs without dishing out a hefty sum of money. While the lack of new visual and auditory material may make this a more questionable purchase for the die-hard fans there's a whole generation of punk kids who haven't been exposed to this band's earlier work, and TKO deserves another shiny gold star to add to their collection for making this seminal material available to the punk public.
Deep Fry Bonanza

ANTiSEEN
Blood of Freaks EP (TKO Records)
Few bands scream "fuck you!" as convincingly as ANTiSEEN do on "Hippie Punk," a ditty as poignant today as it was when it was released in 1989. Singer Jeff Clayton and his North Carolinian cadre of unkempt rednecks have a way of making you believe the South will rise again—and that the fabric of your speakers has a rip in it somewhere.
Blood of Freaks is a remastered rerelease of the 4-song EP that put ANTiSEEN on the map back in the day. I was alive, barely, "back in the day," and, while I never saw ANTiSEEN live—though they did seem to tour Florida every other weekend—they certainly had a reputation among my pressuring peers.
"He has a permanent wound on his forehead!" my school chum John ejaculated. "And when he goes onstage, he bashes it with the microphone so it reopens and blood pours down his face for the whole show!"
What a band!
There were a scant 1000 copies Blood of Freaks pressed, available only on gorgeous red 7-inch platters of grooved petroleum product, unfit for modern-day digital appliances (though you are welcome to try). On a side note—and typically these reviews are all side notes, but this one shall be brief—ANTiSEEN once released a song that was written by my friend and Rash contributor Shayne Hansen's old band, Broken Talent. It was called "My God Can Beat Up Your God," and was quite good, actually.
Noah Masterson

Antiseen
"15 Minutes of Fame 15 Years of Infamy" (Steel Cage)
by Scott Hefflon
AntiSeen returns with two recs, including the rarities/b-side comp 15 Minutes... which sounds authentically shitty, as any collection dating back 5-15 years oughtta. And with 28 tracks (one being a hilariously awful cover of the Talking Heads’ "Psycho Killer"), this sucker’s a damn good way to get the goods offa various bedroom labels that’ve either gone out or are simply festering in their own hatred and not releasing records at the moment. The Boys from Brutalsville is AntiSeen’s first studio rec since ’96, and it’s probably the "easiest to swallow," though that phrase doesn’t mean much when yer talking about AntiSeen. It’s slower and clearer and actually has, like keyboards and piano jamming in some of the bluesy numbers, and for anyone familiar with these dirty, evil rockers, any kinda restraint seems outta character... But, like the Fear record that came out a while back, maybe the gruff-voiced growlers wanna try something a little different. Well, very little different... I love the bio’s closing line: "GG is smiling up in Scum Fuck Heaven."
LOLLIPOP


Antiseen
Hell CD, 2002, Steel Cage Records
Antiseen are pretty much the meanest, roughest, punkest motherfuckers to ever come from Dixie, and their no-holds-barred approach to life and music has turned quite a few of the world's more sensitive, humorless, and well…wimpy punk rockers off to them. Well, not every punk rocker can wear a sweater and sing about their prom dates. Some have to wear big-ass fur vests, a Confederate flag, and swing a big leg bone around as they blow fire and thrash around in barbed wire. Say what you will about the boys, but they damn sure suffer for their art and they're damn sure the meanest gun sin town. Plenty of punks talk tough; few of them live it to quite the extent as Antiseen. Hell is a remastered rerelease with seven new tracks, and it runs a lot of miles, including some priceless cover material. A lot of folks have never been able to grasp the Southern fried punk rock Antiseen dish out, and attempts to dismiss them as a bunch of redneck racists from the hills of North Carolina are undermined by things like them covering Curtis Mayfield's "If There's a Hell Below" or Sun Ra's avant garde jazz masterpiece "Space is the Place." There's a lot more to Antiseen than most people care to look for, but for those who do, what you find is equal parts charming and brutal. They're like a county fair or a wild wrestling match. If you want to get a good feel for the band, I suggest either the Eat More Possum/Southern Hostility double CD or this collection of various material. Hell showcases some of my all-time Antiseen faves, including covers of songs like Thanks a Lot, Haunted House, and We Will Not Remember You. Buzzing, meaty, relentlessly powerful, but also always melodic and even catchy. Motorhead meets the Ramones. If you can't fathom a band that can cover songs by Curtis Mayfield and Skrewdriver (not to mention tunes by The Ramones, goth rock pioneer Roky Erickson, Bachman Turner Overdrive and the traditional "I Saw the Light"), then Antiseen will probably just confound you. It you remember that getting a rise out of people is part of what punk used to be about, then you can better grasp what they're doing. All that aside though, what they're really doing is playing some of the best goddamned punk rock that's ever been heard. Hell rocks in every sense of the word. Head poundingly perfect in every beer swilling, skull cracking, piledriving, blood-shedding way you can imagine. It's a thing of gory, gutsy beauty. The Cactus Jack of punk rock.
TELEPORT CITY


Blood of Freaks
It’s odd to talk about an ugly, underground punk group and relate it to an electronic music release. So fucking shoot me! There’s a point to this so bear with me. Technopunkmusic.com is based on discussing the two main forms of sound located (for now) outside of the collective mainstream (respectful nod to grassroots, we just don’t do much of it here!) and the one thing, besides the rebellious roots, that connects the two forms we adore here is their love of vinyl…
ANTiSEEN are fucking ugly, plain and simple. And what's even better about that is their 1988 Blood of Freaks, four tracks of brutally raw chaos, has been reissued, yep, you guessed it, only on vinyl. Talk about making abrasion even fucking rawer.
Naw, this isn't some enjoyable listen, this is straight out of the oil-stained garage, perfected in some dive bar where the audience is constantly kicking the group in the head. You could say it’s old-school (well, it was made in 1988) but they just don’t make em like this anymore. Insane pacing, nasty disregard for comforting chorus-strewn song structures, the love of the two-minute scream anthem. Hoarse and hollered vocals that make one’s throat ache just thinking about it, fucking noise that gets the blood pumping feverishly where the primitive drumming collides into the razor-sharp guitars and head-slamming bass for a wicked cacophony of violence.
Well, it ain’t art, it ain’t supposed to be. It either chews you up or provokes you into hurting the nearest available object. This is punk, nasty and unlovable ANTiSEEN style, fully prepared to stuff all five-digits down the throat of the closest emo-lover for this, its crazed resurrection. Here’s hoping…
technopunk.com

Antiseen- Hell
If there's one thing you don't ask a rounding rebel about, it's what he/she thinks about you, in general, and the capitalism you might affiliate yourself with. The most anti-corporate, government, and social, of all, not to mention a whole convoy raiding the way. In the epitome of wrath, the essence of fury arose. It is here, in the beginning, why they're reign of terror will tower. One push from your prudent pointy finger and off it goes, left with a gnarled nub from front man, Jeff Clayton w/ proud pals. Proud of what? Proud to be unlike you and your corrupted heads! ˜Hell" is a rockimony to testify face to face giving an inside view of their testicles dangling in front of your blurred, third eye shakra and face- raves the underground pupils from the Super Rock Revolution Now! Hey, it may not "sell", but it sure sounds good enough to me, wouldn't you agree? Have you driven a new revolution, lately? If not the Kings of Destructo Rock supplies bloody sledgehammers, and sleaze grindin' guitars to choose from to get you through the day! There's only a few I expect to outlast to see the fall of nu metal, and Antiseen and Ford Falcons on are @ the top of the list! Now booking a bloodshedding show near you!
review from sleazegrinder.com

Over 18 years and somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 releases in their discography -- most on indie labels that no longer exist -- the North Carolina punk legends Antiseen have become a steady presence if not a household name. Combining Ramones-style punk and Motorhead-like hard rock, they have carved out a singularly blazing sound they dubbed, "destructo-rock", somewhere along the way. For this, their first studio album in five years, they enlisted fellow Charlotte resident Jamie Hoover as producer. It's an unlikely choice, since Hoover is best known for his stint with Beatlesque popsters The Spongetones, but he does a fine, mostly unobtrusive job. Never ones for high-falutin' production techniques anyway, whether it be for budgetary or aesthetic reasons, Antiseen simply sounds better with minimal gloss. Here, the main improvement in sound is the crispness and clarity of the recording—it resembles the sonic punch of one of Motorhead's more recent major label outings. Compared to Antiseen's Jeff Clayton, however, Lemmy is Tony Bennett to Clayton's Tom Waits. More a shouter than a singer, Clayton's shredded tin-can vocals chords are nonetheless the driving force behind the band's energetic performances, and as a lyricist he minces no words. If PC is in his vocabulary, it is from the computer aspect of the abbreviation, not any perceived need for political correctness. Antiseen's past classics include the non-pc ode, "Animals, Eat 'Em", and, "Fuck All Y'all". There is nothing quite so blunt here, but "Run My World", is suitably profane, and "Talk Show Trash", offers up much hilarity in the name of obscenity. The band offers up some interesting nods to their influences with a trio of brilliantly raucous cover songs: The Dave Dudley trucker country anthem, "Six Days on the Road," which the band rips through Ramones-style, an actual Ramones song, "Commando", which they do in appropriately menacing fashion, and the obscure Screaming Lord Sutch's "Smoke & Fire". With hard rock, punk, and metal going in increasingly commercial directions and gaining significant airplay in the process, it is hard to imagine a band like Antiseen still exists. It is our good fortune that they do, and their good music that allows them to continue to thrive on the fringes of rock and roll in a place they call Brutalsville.
review from popmatters.com

Antiseen
Screaming Bloody Live
TKO Records Probably the closest thing to a WWF TV show being re-enacted to music, Antiseen's live sets are usually a pretty raw affair. Then again they used to back up GG Allin so what else can you expect. That vibe is captured pretty goddamn well on Screaming Bloody Live . The set kicks off with "Guns A Blazin" and then rolls right into a beefed up version of the Ramones "Commando," both explosive tracks in that Antiseen southern krackers on a rampage style. Lead singer Jeff Clayton is an interesting character: he's probably the only punk frontman who plays a washboard and also has a penchant for cutting his forehead with razorblades like a pro wrestler. As for the tunes, everything from "Wifebeater," to "Six Days on the Road," to "Funk U" have a distinct southern blues element that sets the band way apart from other punks. One would never think that punks could be that bluesy. Of course when they aren't bluesy, they are just plain brutal. "O.D. For Me" "SOD" and "I'm A Babyface Killer" have all the subtlety of a baseball bat to the face. Considering Antiseen has been doing their thing since 1983, they have their live sets pretty well dialed. It's another element that comes across really well on this disc. The playing is tight, focused, and packs a wallop. They even throw in some new material with "Ten Pounds of Shit In A Five Pound Bag." (C'mon, after reading a title like that, you know you're interested to hear what these guys are about solely out of curiosity. ) Anyway, the song has a killer groove to it and like most of Antiseen's music, rattles along with the force of a freight train. As always the band's crude and yet still hilarious sense of humor is right up front on songs like "Two Headed Dog," "O.D. For Me," and "My God Can Beat Up Your God." Probably the most important thing to keep in mind about Antiseen and their live shows is that much like a lot of their influences (KISS, Alice Cooper) they strive to put on a show that entertains. At the same time they throw out songs with way more energy, aggression, and a swagger like a drunken hick looking for a fight. That's what really makes the live disc worth listening. Tracks like "SABU," and "Fuck All Y'All," teeter on the brink of chaos like a beat up junker coming apart at high speed. A great chance to hear this band in its natural element with a lot of the reckless aggression that you just can't capture on a studio album. - Ken Wohlrob
review from bullymag.com

At least tolerance of the use of "faggot" as a demeaning descriptive is required for access to this album. Getting past that self-marginalization by the group one is presented with some of the most unrestrained, solidly delivered hardcore country on the planet as on "Guns A Blazin' " and "Ten Pounds of Shit in a Five Pound Bag." Again, the content of such songs as "Fuck All Y'All" and "Wifebeater" would make it easy to write all this off as meaningless redneck rock, but hear their versions of "Six Days on the Road," Roky Erickson's "Two-Headed Dog" and two Ramones songs and you will know this group is a warts-and-all boar-charge of backwoods punk rock. (3.5)
review from Outsight

Antiseen - "Screaming Bloody Live" By Sarah Wooten
Before I start this review I would like to explain a few things. I first discovered Antiseen when I was about 15 years old. They only lived an hour away in Charlotte, NC, so the opportunities to see them play were abundant, and I took every one. When I've found myself trying describe them musically, the easiest explanation has always been this: Imagine, for a second, if The Ramones had been a couple of white trash Southern boys sitting around consuming 12-packs of PBR and watching professional wrestling. They are rough sounding three chord punk rock with gruff, Southern-accented, vocals. That about sums it up. Yep, I was a huge Antiseen fan from the ages of 15-18 and though the interest diminished over time, there wasn't a point that I ever stopped liking them. In recent years I've noticed two things about Antiseen. The first was that their popularity was growing. The second was that this fog of controversy seemed to surround them. When I happened to give it any thought, the controversy confused me. You see, the Antiseen that I used to listen to, while far from being politically correct, wasn't the racist propaganda that people seemed to associate with them. So when this album showed up in the mail, I jumped at the chance to review it, thinking maybe I could help set people straight. Plus, the playlist included a ton of my old favorites. Not wanting to waste any time, I took the CD along on a drive and slipped it into the CD player in anticipation. A few songs in I noticed that they seemed to be mixing the old and the new tunes, with some Ramones covers thrown in for good measure. A little more than halfway through and I knew one thing for certain. Antiseen are long past their prime. The new tracks are simply half-hearted re-hashings of the old tunes with new, terrible lyrics written over the top. A prime example is track #6, "Ten Pounds of Shit in a Five Pound Bag". The music sounds like a poor rendition of their earlier music and the lyrics are as lame and ridiculous as the saying they are swiped from. I mean, c'mon... when you are writing lyrics as shitty as these, it's time to call it quits. This leads me to my next Antiseen revelation. I was driving along, getting into track #15 "Fuck All Y'all", another old Antiseen standard. I was remembering all those Antiseen shows I had been to, the broken bottles, the fun, the... Then the intro to track #16 rolled along, disrupting my stroll down memory lane. All of a sudden you've got Jeff Clayton pissing and moaning like a little girl about some guy who wrote bad things about them because of the upcoming song. Now, this is what the TKO press release refers to as "the shocking and offensive between song banter", you know, because at this stage in the game Antiseen definitely isn't selling records based on talent. The "banter" boils down to Clayton saying faggot a few times and while it isn't shocking, it is offensive. I really thought people were over that shit. And it totally feels like a pathetic attempt at getting the "shock value" from the word, whether he's actually a homophobe or not. Then there is the song itself, "Melting Pot". I am about as far from politically correct as it gets, but there is no way that this song can be construed as anything but the racist crap that it is. Basically a non-stop ramble of Clayton complaining about things like going to the convenience store and having to listen to people not speaking English, which he doesn't like because, "This ain't Africa, India or Vietnam." Then he proceeds to say that he wishes that "everyone would just go back to where they belong." Of course, there are no lyrics actually included with this release, or with the album that the track originally came out on. One might argue that the song is xenophobic, and while it certainly is that, you can't help but notice that he never complains about any white foreigners. It isn't like he's telling anyone to go back to Germany, Sweden or England. Gimme a fucking break already. In interviews Clayton tries to justify this viewpoint by saying that people are only upset because they have "white guilt", and usually makes a statement about how he's proud to be white. I don't care if he's proud to be purple, green or fucking pink, the issue is that he apparently DOES have a problem with people who are not white. And what's more unbelievable to me is that there are punks who listen to this bullshit and are okay with it. Oh wait... there are people who listen to Skrewdriver too. So my second conclusion follows. Having been an Antiseen fan for a considerable amount of time and being quite familiar with their early releases and stage show; I believe that instead of coming to grips with the passing of their "peak" years, and their obviously fading songwriting abilities, the band has chosen to adopt and cling to this racist redneck gimmick. Every recent photo of them is rife with confederate imagery. Labels have to promote their albums on the basis of the "shocking and offensive" material within. They have sacrificed being a band in favor of being a gimmick. More pathetic are the people who actually buy this crap and think that both the band and the image are "cool", you know, probably because it's "so un-PC". Since when is blatant racism something to be patted on the back for? I've got news for you, listening to Antiseen is the same as listening to Skrewdriver, and it's as simple as that folks. A racist band is a racist band is a racist band..... Whether or not Jeff Clayton and company are the hillbillies they claim to be, I don't know. I do know that this whole redneck schtick was NOT a part of the act when I used to listen to them. Now, apparently, they are supposed to be some "shocking and offensive" band... not to mention dangerous, as the press release points out. But I have some news for "The Boys from Brutalsville", GG Allin you ain't. Antiseen likes to complain that people can't seperate the music and the politics, but if they don't like it then they shouldn't mix the two to begin with. You can't sing racist rhetoric over music and expect people to not notice, or to not call you on it. The music and lyrics are inseperable and they know that as well as everyone else. You'd think they'd at least be able to take the heat without crying about it.
review from punkfix.net

ANTiSEEN -- Screamin' Bloody Live (TKO) Accent on the bloody. You name it, most all the ANTiSEEN classics are here: "Guns Ablazin," Dave Dudley's "Six Days On The Road," "Cactus Jack," "Ruby, Get Back To The Hills" and the soon-to-be-classic "Ten Pounds Of Shit In A Five Pound Bag," all recorded in the most unlikely of surroundings: Portland, OR, and San Francisco. Strangely, the album doesn't suffer very much from the lack of visual stimulation that's such a big part of ANTiSEEN shows, though the boys do their best with all sorts of blood, broken glass and the like adorning the cover. The sound quality is pretty good for a live punk album -- one can easily imagine singer Jeff Clayton breaking all manner of stuff over his head and guitarist/politician Joe Young trying to convert the masses to Libertarianism.
review from Creative Loafing/Charlotte

ANTISEEN: “Southern Hostility & Eat More Possum” CD (Man’s Ruin)
ANTISEEN: “The Boys From Brutalsville” LP (TKO) Here we have two LPs from North Carolina’s biggest and baddest in one nifty package. “Southern Hostility” came out on the Rave label in 1991 and features some of Antiseen’s most potent smokers like “Death Train Coming,” “Old Man Hit The Road,” “My God Can Beat Up Your God,” “Kill The Business” and “Watch The Bastard Fry.” “Eat More Possum” had an ill-fated release on Safe House in 1993 before being released on vinyl by TPOS the next year. It’s got a more polished production, but that only causes Joe Young’s buzzsaw guitar to buzz in your ears even more. Still more classics abound like “Animals…Eat ‘Em,” “Cactus Jack,” “Glad I Am The Way I Am,” “Trapped In Dixie” and “Shittin’ In High Cotton.” Antiseen still are one of the last real punk ‘n’ roll bands out there and they’ve been at it going on two decades now. Here to make your ears bleed pools of crimson are just two shimmering jewels in their crown. Antiseen burns and scorches like the ghosts of the Dixie army come back for revenge and you better stand back or their fires are gonna get you!
BUT WAIT! Out just now is the newest blast of brutal Antiseen scuzz & buzz. Yeah, it’s more the same stuff, but you don’t look for “artistic growth” in a band like Antiseen. You look for dependability. You look for fist-fightin’, whiskey-swillin’, born to kick ass punk ‘n’ roll. Antiseen never lets you down. They don’t here, that’s for sure. If there’s any change at all, it’s that this effort’s got some of the band’s fastest cuts, like “Backlash,” “Talk Show Trash, “Guns A’ Blazin’” and “Rule My World.” They even do a little bit of “Broke Down Blues.” This is also quite possibly the most produced that this band has ever sounded. Oh, before I forget, there’s a song on here called “Melting Pot” that’s sure to piss off all you whining leftists out there, thank God. But other than those, it’s business as usual and the world is a much better place because of it. Antiseen is loud, proud and they don’t take shit. No prisoners, either.
review from Noises from the Garage zine

Im not sure where Brutalsville is, but I am sure there are no anger management classes, and no cute little bunnies frolicking about. "Guns Ablazin" kicks off this album with a fully loaded punk adrenaline. "6 Days in the Road" is an old country truck driver cover that I remember from when I was a kid. Starting with a lighter sound and mixing in piano fives this cover a bit of soul, but this song then kicks into overdrive with an upbeat punk style. There is also a cover of "Commando" the ANTISEEN way. This album has elements of political incorrectness that can be offensive. The songs "Melting Pot" and "Talk Show Trash" have lyrics that most people would disagree with, and show that these guys are not afraid to speak their minds. Despite these two songs this is a great album and it does not take that much effort to push the skip button on your CD Player.
review from sinkhole #6

Yep, everyone's favorite Motorhead worshipping backwoods punk rockers are back, with one fine slab of brutal fucking punk rock! Perhaps known more for barbed-wire wrestling, stockpiling weapons and ammo, and hanging out with GG Allin, Antiseen is actually a fucking killer band. If you're a whiney, self-righteous ultra-lefty sissy pants, you will be highly offended by this band, and rightfully so! Its good that there's a band out there who can talk about the great ol'American melting pot (as in "Melting Pot") as more of a shit stew then a Lobster Brisque. Lyrically, Antiseen is about as politically incorrect as you can get without being on Resistance Records. Musically, they're just as brutal, combining Motorhead-ish biker metal with classic punk rock. Antiseen has been around for quite some time, and thankfully they have not softened over the years. Raise your cans of cheap ass beers and give a cheer to the band you WILL hate.
review from Dirt Culture

For those that don't know or have only heard the name ANTiSEEN you have been missing out on the underground's best band. One part Motorhead, one  part old-school punk, one part Southern-fried boogie, and one big heaping dollop of "fuck you all" attitude, at least one ANTiSEEN disc should be in your collection. Unfortunately that's probably not the case, which is a goddamn shame.
On "The Boys from Brutalsville". ANTiSEEN's fifty-somethingth release in 18 years, they still prove they rock heavier than damn near everyone and are sure as fuck more punk than that pop / MTV bullshit all the spiky-haired mall punk kids listen to. These guys have been called "The Greatest Rock N Roll Band On Earth" for a reason and the reason is because they are the greatest Rock N Roll band on Earth.
You want songs to kick peoples ass to? Try "Guns Ablazin' ". Shit, I beat up this little 11 year old kid who I caught trying to steal the lid off my trash can to use as a shield against the kids who were throwing rocks at his ugly ass from across the street after I heard the song. Then I went inside listened to it again and walked across the street and beat those little rock throwing punks asses too.
You want pissed off aggression? Try "Backlash". When singer, Jeff Clayton, sings "I'll cut your throat and drink your blood" it sounds ten million more times convincing than some fag in a black metal outfit his mom made him and the corpsepaint he bought at the local dollar store saying the same thing. I am way more afraid of a big guy from The Southwho stabs himself in the forehead with a beer bottle for a living like Mr. Clayton than I am some freak with a hubcap-sized pentagram necklace, singing songs about conjuring up demons while dousing himself in stage blood.
You want controversy? Try "Melting Pot". Where ANTiSEEN say things I won't even print here because I don't want to answer the damn hate-mail I'd get for doing it.
Add songs about talk show guests and pro-wrestling and you have the greatest album ever created for white trash motherfuckers like me to listen to while chugging down PBR and MD 20/20, watching Smackdown, and trying to figure out how long we can draw unemployment before we have to fake a back injury to get SSI.
There's alot more to this disc than I have the space to say about it. The music is outstanding. Guitarist Joe Young rules the fucking world.ANTiSEEN are the greatest goddamn band on the face of the planet Earth. 'Nuff said.
review from customheavy.com


Antiseen---The Boys From Brutalsville
K (1 'K' out of 5)
Four fart-obsessed yetis
WELL, the title says it all really . There’s no available evidence to suggest that Antiseen should be described as anything other than the boys from brutalsville, yet a more pedestrian example of pointlessly aggressive poorly executed, prehistoric punk schlock brutality would be damnably hard to find.
Specifically, this is the sound of bear-like beard-wearers desperately trying to shout empty bourbon bottles full, while stumbling haphazardly about a guitar-filled garage in the boisterous manner of an insensible quartet of hillbilly Father Jacks. Hilarious to watch undoubtedly, but incredibly difficult to listen to.
review from KERRANG