Attitude Adjustment
American Paranoia

I am not surprised if some call this album the misunderstood little brother of "Speak English or Die", nor am I astonished if some love it even more. Many know that Kontos was the drummer for Machine Head, but few know that Kontos formed this band. Some know them, even more people have never even heard of them. Yes, we're talking about Attitude Adjustment.

Without falling into a tedious description of the genre, I could get straight to the point with a few adjectives: Californian, hardcore-metal, angry, fast, and 1986. Ok, that seems a bit too little, though...

Living in a circuit of legendary bands that made speed and anger a lifestyle, this band was influenced 360° by the entire scene of the time, without forgetting the old school of metal. Concerts first from below the stage, then along with bands of the caliber of Possessed, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, D.R.I., and many others allowed them to find the right musical balance that could be in harmony in any hard music event with its own originality. We talked about the precursors of Crossover a little while ago with Crumbsuckers, and I am sure that in a list of bands that influenced the formation of the genre, Attitude Adjustment would fit perfectly; just listen to "Fuck Chuck" to understand how much this type of score will be "violated" in the future. The beauty of "American Paranoia" is the impossibility of cataloging it, a hybrid that bears the mark of years of extreme music, played with anger and adapted to a fiery Bay Area.

With typical punk hardcore themes, they further exaggerate the musical side, almost completely losing the roots of the genre. Short songs, absolutely devoid of technique find their strength in speed and in unpredictable fits of madness that occasionally season some tracks on the record, see for example "Grey World" or "D.S.F.A.". The recording, although raw and rough, is enriched with elementary effects and various sound settings.

As in every review, I find it difficult to mention standout tracks, but I can assure you that the album in question manages to be current today, both musically and conceptually, and I recommend all fans of the genre to get it. Although I believe that the original sixteen-track version is hard to find, I inform you that "American Paranoia & more" is now available on the market, which is in any case a great deal.