DEBRIS INC.

On the self-titled debut from DEBRIS INC. one gets the feeling that TROUBLE bassist Ron Holzner and ST. VITUS alum Dave Chandler got together and figured they'd kick out some old school punk rock without abandoning their doom roots. The pair also brought TROUBLE's Barry Stern, EYEHATEGOD/SUPERJOINT RITUAL drummer Jimmy Bower, and Greg Rogers of GOATSNAKE/THE OBSESSED along for the ride. Casting aside self-important artistry and refusing to take themselves too seriously, "Debris Inc." sounds like a bunch of guys who plugged in, cranked up, and followed whatever path one chooses to take after copious amounts of suds and herb.

The bulk of this album is made up of the kind of simplistic, gnarly punk rock prominent in the Southern California scene during the late '70s and early '80s. In other words, that whole thing about not givin' a fuck, beatin' the shit out of an instrument, and shouting at anyway within earshot to "get fucked!" Songs like "Full of Shit" and "You're the Reason I'm Medicated" reek of the vile, pissed-drenched alleys of yesteryear's punk nihilism, and none of it comes close to trying to be socially conscious or militantly left wing (well, maybe the dope part). The band even covers FEAR's "I Love Living in the City" and X's "Nausea" (the latter featuring the vocals of Karyn Crisis). Amplifier buzzing slow doom does make a few appearances, best exemplified by the quintessential doom riffing of the six-minute-plus track, "The Old Man and His Bong".

As much as I dig the vibe, this is no punk rock masterpiece, mainly because it's been done so many times before and more effectively so. That's not to be taken as a slight because I think the members of DEBRIS INC. accomplished exactly what they set out to do and wouldn't give a shit what some snobby critic had to say about it anyway. This is a fun album that should appeal to the doom folks because of who is involved and the punkers for all the anarchistic reckless abandon. I'm sure I'll be busting this one out on occasion in the future. However, I won't be letting memories of the good old days and worship of doom icons fool me into thinking that this is some kind of milestone release.