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Revenge Is Sweet is a compilation focusing on studio and live recordings of Crisis - the British punk band, which featured Douglas Pearce (Death In June), and Tony Wakeford (Sol Invictus) in its line-up. The CD and 7 "vinyl release appears on Steelwork Maschine Records- who in the past has reissued some of Death In June’s back catalogue.

The release is presented in a 7" gatefold sleeve – on its outside we get a grey illustration of a man with a machine gun- this is overlaid with red and grey-tinged spot varnished texts. The gatefold opens up to show two black and white pictures (one on either side) - there’s the five-piece dressed in punk attire draped over a statue, then the band playing live- with the CD held via a foam circle on top of the live pic. In one side we have an eighteen-page photo booklet- this features more pictures of the band. And on the other side, we find the seven-inch, which in my edition is blue and red/yellow splattered vinyl.  This edition also comes with a Crisis patch and sticker. In all there are three different vinyl editions- the one we’ve been sent (200 copies), Picture disc (512 copies), Black (293 copies)- there is also a tape edition (195 copies) which features a red shelled cassette.
Crisis formed in the year 1977 in the Surrey City of Guildford. The initial line-up featured Phrazer- vocals, Lester Jones -lead guitar, Douglas Pearce -guitar, Tony Wakeford- bass, and Insect Robin the Cleaner-drums. After the lead singer and drummer were replaced in 1978/79 they eventually split up in 1980- releasing just one album and three EP/singles in their lifetime- though after they ended one official live album appeared, as well as a few other compilations. They were a radical left-wing punk band, who often played at anti Racism/anti-Nazi rallies- and have gone on to become very much a cult band from that era.

The CD features fourteen tracks in all, with all of them date from between the years 1977 to 1980. As far as I can gather, they are a mix of studio and live recordings. The sound throughout is rough ‘n’ ready punk, with drifts towards Anarcho-punk- though the tracks largely stay fairly mid-paced. A few tracks do hint at more experimental waters, with suggestions of early DIJ- though largely they are fairly run-of-the-mill affairs. Worthy mentions however come in the form of “Militant” with its roughly throbbing bass, scrawling guitar lines, and rapid shouty/waveringly chanted vocals, the stark chugg & distant doo-doo backing vocals of “On TV” with its blunt almost spoken word lead vocal, then there’s the ragged piping guitar tone, tight bass slug, and slightly vocal effected “Kanada Kommando”. The tight skittering guitar, rapidly thumbed bass, and more impassioned shouty vocals of “Kill Kill Kill”, which is one of the more upbeat numbers here, features a more pronounced guitar solo, with even guitar harmonies!

The seven-inch features different versions of three tracks- on side A we have “Kanada Kommando”, and on side  B there is  “On TV”, and “Red Bridges”.

In conclusion, this is a classy presented reissue- going back to the early formative sonic steps of Douglas Pearce & Tony Wakeford- both, of course, went on to be important figures in the neofolk and experimental post-punk genres. I’d say of course because this will be of interest to anyone who enjoys Pearce’s or Wakeford’s latter work, and those generally interested in the punk/ Anarcho-punk of the late ’70s/ early ’80s.