When I stepped up the plate to review "King Rat", the first release by Niagara's Cat on Acid, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I mean, how do you mentally prepare to listen to something by a band called Cat on Acid? The band's press release simply says: "It features 6 mind blowing tracks that will be sure to trigger some of those acid trips from the 70's". And you know what? They are correct!

Now putting the seriously stupid band name aside, Cat On Acid recalls the heavy-handed early to mid 80's style of punk rock music akin to Minor Threat, Fear, The Circle Jerks and The Eight Bucks Experiment. The music is agressive, in your face, get fucked, noise. It is horribly mixed, out of tune, totally off the rhythm, obmonxious and pretentious as shit. But it's Punk Rock, it's supposed to be all those things, that's what made the Punk movement so ridiculously awesome!

Cat on Acid isn't going to water down the music for the pop-punk band worshiping fans today. They've stuck true to punk as punk is meant to be, and if you don't like it, listen to something else. I respect this band for not folding and for creating a record that you would expect to buy on a shitty cassette out of the back of some guy named Dave's seedy Honda in the alleyway next to the club where the band played for 5 bucks.

In closing, Cat on Acid is a great hardcore punk band. If you love 80's style in your face punk, check this cassette record out, it's a must-have!

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