When a while ago I featured the second RAPTUS Compilation LP, I promised to follow with the first one. After nearly two years since this promise, I guess it’s about time now ….
I don’t know much about the background of this compilation LP and I’m sure Papella will help us with more details. Meccano Records was a label from Torino in Northern Italy. Meccano’s catalogue only consisted of a handful of releases and the most popular of them being RAW POWER’s crazy debut (more here). Besides the two compilation albums, ROUGH (“Torino e la mia città ” – the best and quintessential Italian Oi-Punk release, much better than the overrated NABAT!), BLOODY RIOT (the LP was weak though) and STIGMATHE (never heard the 2nd 7″ on Meccano) were the other interesting bands on Meccano.
RAPTUS maybe not as throughtly great as the 2nd in the short series, but it’s still great! It’s devided in two sides, one sung in italian and one sung in english. The first song by DRULL deals with the tentacles of power (sounds sexy, dunnit) and is just what you’d expect from the borderline Punk Hardcore days of early 84. So is the other song. UART PUNK are next with “Anarchia in Italia” which is a bit boring, but “Frustrazione” rages, with a great singer. “Massacro” by WRONG BOYS is powerful and simple, just like we love it. UDS suffer a bit from a very bad sound. It says in the credits they recorded these songs in a place called Music Box in Torino – and that’s exactly how these songs sound, like recorded in a box. Total Oi-mayhem, but kinda charming and powerful, mainly due to the dominant vocals by Cele. The last song is maybe the greatest of the A-side and could easily have been featured on any Killed by Death series – PETROLIO‘s declaration of hate, “Italia / Italia,” is just too great in its totally obnoxious despite! Does the band name in any way refer to Pasolini’s great book “Petrolio” – Papalla, Chano? Anyway, it’s such a hymn! I remember when I was in Genova during the massive (and extremely idiotic) riots in 2001, I had this song in my head.
The second side side starts of with the brilliant WOPS. “Hateful town” and “Kids” are two fast songs, very memorable and catchy and the accent [‘eightful toun] is so lovely. LAST CALL praise the fall of the italian empire and they really, really want to fuck the system, oi! Damn, as much as I hate Oi, Italian Oi just rules (and besides, some french too)! And the second song, “Your solution”, with its fake accent and pathos is even greater. “Rebellion, rebellion, rebellion! Tonight rebellion, rebellion, rebellion!” It’s so silly it’s great (though definitely too long) and it’s safe to say they invented Mongo Oi with this track! But then, folks, RAW POWER deliver the goods (for the first time ever on vinyl!) with two very early versions of their hits “Raw Power” and “You are the Victim” (misspelled as “You are a Victim”). I love the airy guitars here. To the point! The compilation ends way too soon with the mysterious RAPTUS “The end”. What or who is this?
If anybody could help out with the tapes of WRONG BOYS (1983 demo) and PETROLIO (4 song demo), that’d be
greatly appreciated.
I’m not sure how many were made of this, but my guess would be 1’000 maximum. It’s extremely hard to find, but it will never fetch exorbitant prices like the 910$ paid for the WRETCHED / INDIGESTI split 7″. So my advice would be, if you see this and if you like it or if you’re obsessed with the Italian Hardcore Punk scene of the 80s, get it at (almost) any price. Pressed on white vinyl which is said to be the purest vinyl with audiophile qualities. My pressing however is not the greatest although I bought this dead mint.
Download the entire RAPTUS Compilation LP here as one zip file (84.3 MB), ripped and edited with love and encoded in wonderful 320 kb/s.
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