Secret Hate

If it wasn't for Sublime covering an ancient Secret Hate song on their major label debut, this band would probably have been nothing more than a footnote in the history of California punk movement. Originally around in the early 1980s, the band released one barely heard EP (re-released last year with some live tracks and miscellaneous compilation contributions). Pop Cult Vomit is the band's first full-length release and just goes to show you that you can't keep good punks down. This disc is very much reminiscent of West coast aggro-core, à la Circle Jerks, Germs, Suicidal Tendencies and old Vandals. More about social commentary than politics, Mike Davis's lyrics are also occasionally hilarious and sometimes even poignant. Musically, this record also stands above the generic pop-punk sound so prevalent in California's so-called hardcore bands.