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Sunday Old School: Scottish Hardcore Punk Legends, The Exploited

The relationship between punk rock and heavy metal has been one containing as much respect as it does rivalry. While many fans of both genres have criticised the other for varying reasons, there's no doubt that without punk, the variation that we enjoy in today's metal music wouldn't exist. After the first wave of punk in the seventies, a harsher, angrier form of the music would begin in both the United States, and the United Kingdom. Of all the bands in the U.K., Scotland's The Exploited were regarded as one of the best and their influence can be heard as much today in metal, as it can in punk.

The band was formed in 1979 in the Scotish capital of Edinburgh and began gaining more of a following when vocalist Terry Buchan was removed from the band, being replaced by his older brother Walter aka Wattie, who had just returned home after serving in the British army. The band quickly formed their own label and released their debut EP, "Army Life" soon after, which spent more than 18 months in the top 20 of the British independent charts. They gained more independent success afterwards with such singles as "Barmy Army" and "Dogs Of War," which have since gone on to become staples of the band's live shows. The Exploited then proved that they were not just a singles band in 1981, when they released their first album, "Punk's Not Dead." With it's iconic title and vicious attitude, The Exploited captured the minds of frustrated British youths and spat in the face of journalists who had dismissed punk as a flash in the pan. Another outstanding album followed the next year in the form of "Troops Of Tomorrow," which featured the song, "UK82." The song was featured in the Tim Roth movie "Made In Britain," as well as being so important, that the British hardcore punk scene of the time, featuring such other bands as Discharge and G.B.H. was named after it.

After two more albums, "Let's Start A War (Said Maggie One Day)" and "Horror Epics," the band changed musical styles somewhat with their fifth album, "Death Before Dishonour," which featured a sound much more in the vein of crossover thrash. The album cover itself seemed to capture the band's crossover appeal brilliantly, as it featured British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher holding hands with the Grim Reaper, blending the 80s heavy metal imagery with their continued punk beliefs. Ever since then, the group has carried on this musical style, reaching the ears of both punks and metal fans with their aggressive message of anarchy and anti-authoritarianism that's as true today as it was thirty years ago. The Exploited are currently writing material for a brand new album, which will be their first since 2003's, "Fuck The System."

The Exploited - "Fuck The U.S.A"

The Exploited - "Beat The Bastards"

The Exploited - "Chaos Is My Life"

The Exploited - "Never Sell Out"

Ollie Hynes has been a writer for Metal Underground.com for four years and has been a metal fan for ten years, going so far as to travel abroad for metal shows.