Coliseum are one of the few punk bands who have managed to maintain their integrity and grit as their music has changed and mutated over the years. At their core they are a hardcore band, pure and simple, and this reissue of their self-titled debut, which was originally released by Level Plane Records in 2004 (but has been out-of-print since 2006) shows the band in pure punk rock snarl mode.

After listening to this, you’ll see how the band has changed their sound over the years but have always maintained their intensity and artistic vision. For purists, this is one of the most hardcore punk -ounding records in their collections, which is gloriously remixed by Toxic Holocaust‘s Joel Grind. But if you’re a true fan, you will enjoy every stage of their career and sound.

“Detached” opens the proceedings with a roar, mixing in a bunch of Motorhead-inspired loud rock with a punk rock ethos. “Hostage Of Privilege” improves on this template with more raging loud rock, throwing in cutting solo at the song’s climax. “This Mind Locked Inside This Body” starts slow, goes fast, downshifts a bit, and then ends in a blaze. “F.F.P.” and “Mire” are bonafide ragers, while “The Simple Answer Is” settles into a burly mid-paced tempo pace, complete with a bass break and more solos.

The bonus material which was assembled for this release provides an insight into where the band was at the time and where they would go in the future.

“No Salvation” provides an epic slice of d-beat inspired hardcore, showing the sound would mine for their next few albums. In fact, he took this song’s title and eventually used it as the title of the band’s debut for Relapse Records in 2007. Of course, “Goddamage” came out in 2005 and further refined this punk rock attack. “No Salvation” perfected this attack. Though, “No Salvation” was the last purely “punk rock” record, before they took some side-turns with their sound on 2010’s “House With A Curse”.

Their version of the Ramones’ “Judy Is A Punk” is simply one of the best Ramones covers you are likely to hear. There is also a raging run through of Fear’s “I Don’t Care About You.”

The demos of “Detached,” “This Mind Trapped Inside This Body,” “In Time,” and “Pretty Situation” makes the case that the band’s sound was fully formed from the outset and only really needed the right production work to make them sound even more monstrous.

As an opening salvo this is one hell of a shot that you will want to have in your collection, whether or not you were there the first time around. You don’t have to be a completist to appreciate the music displayed on this release. It is still quite relevant today.

(Deathwish Inc., 59 Park Street, Second Floor, Beverly, MA 01915)