by Johnny Loftus

Originally issued in 1981, Punks Not Dead was the Exploited's first full-length album. They'd issued singles like "Army Life" and "Exploited Barmy Army" previously, and those were re-recorded for what was hailed and/or reviled as a jagged, messy, and more aggressive reaction to the punk "establishment" of the time. The mix of hate and love toward the Exploited was fine by vocalist Wattie Buchan and his revolving cast of bandmembers -- they just wanted a reaction, to get people to really listen. Tracks like "S.P.G.," "Out of Control," and "I Believe in Anarchy" were mush-mouthed dynamos of chanting, ranting, and ragged song structure, early templates of the U.S. hardcore scene to come.