D.O.A. — Punk Rock Singles 1978-99

Punk Rock Singles 1978-99

Sudden Death

Shehzaad Jiwani (CHARTattack)

04/10/2007 2:01pm

D.O.A. are one of those bands who have such a respectable track record that it makes them almost unreviewable, unless you're prone to spewing redundant hyperbole about seminal bands. That said, there's a reason why the Vancouver punks are so highly regarded, and it's emblemized throughout the first two-thirds of this collection. From their earliest material, the group pumped out caustic, unrelenting punk that was only matched by certain bands from the D.C. area. "Woke Up Screaming" and "Fucked Up Ronnie" are definitive examples of classic hardcore, and you could say the same of almost any song from their early years. While their late ‘90s output doesn't do anything to tarnish D.O.A.'s reputation, it certainly doesn't do much to defend it. Later cuts "Marijuana Motherfucker" and "Nervous Breakdown" are competent, yet ultimately forgettable. Casual fans are better off picking up last year's Bloodied But Unbowed, which focused on the band's strongest years.