Discharge - State Violence State Control

DISCHARGE - 

STATE VIOLENCE STATE CONTROL

When it came to knowing where to vent their spleen there were no such worries for Discharge, who with their next record release still knew exactly where to aim and in doing so were continuing on their course of aurally pleasuring their very sizeable audience.

State Violence State Control, with its restrained, heavy Punk groove and extended guitar solos saw Discharge stepping slightly away from their normal shredding chainsaw approach though Cal's words were as precise and succinct as ever: "Kept in line by truncheons, rifle butts and truncheons - this is State control."

Regardless of what their critics might say, with each new record Discharge had released there had been a steady musical progression, for many people the zenith being the single Decontrol and the album Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing. Having created a whole new Punk genre, however, the question would sooner or later arise asking 'Where now? What now?'

State Violence State Control was a hint as to which direction the band might eventually head. That direction in the end would turn out to be Heavy Metal and would prove ultimately and unfortunately to be their undoing. For some, there might only be a thin line between Punk and Heavy Metal but for others it's a chasm they're just not willing to leap. This would be the bitter lesson that Discharge would one day learn.

Lyrically, Cal had basically said all he really needed to say. He had said it all. State Violence State Control would arguably be the last great Discharge record but their influence and their legacy would go on and on forever.