"This release of _Maggots:_The_Record_, as put out by Plasmatics Media, was mastered from a worn vinyl record on a cheap turntable. Most of the clicks and pops have been removed, but there's an appalling level of turntable rumble, and sibilants smear the soundstage in the way you'd expect from damaged vinyl and a worn stylus.
The levels jump around from track to track. I don't know if this was a problem with the original recording.
The production sounds dull -- drums and guitars sound as if you're listening behind a blanket. Comparisons to KISS' _Hotter_than_Hell_ come to mind. Still, the lapses in production pale in comparison to the careless job done in procuring a master and transferring it to CD.
It's a shame, because in _Maggots:_The_Record_, there's a really great work of music struggling to get out. Stylistically, it has a maturity (and, obviously, a coherence) that was lacking in some earlier Plasmatics albums. It's about half as long as it should have been, but on the other hand, there's no filler."
Wendy O. Williams-'Maggots:The Record'(Plasmatics Media)
Mike Reed | USA | 03/25/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Believe this lp to have been the last ever 'actual' effort to be put out by Wendy O. and her demented henchmen.'Maggots...' appear to be a concept album.What,a concept album,the Plasmatics?An okay disc,but there's a Rod Sterling-like narration all through the CD that features too much dialogue(for the disc's running time of 35 minutes,that is).Tracks I liked best were "The White's Apartment","You're A Zombie","Propagators" and "Brain Dead"(with the lyrics,"WE ARE BRAIN DEAD,WE MARCH WITHOUT A HEAD!").Sort of tough to take this record seriously.Liked the story line where the Earth is being taken over by giant maggots that are increasing in size as the hours go by.Line-up:Wendy O.(R.I.P.)-vocals,whip cream&sledge hammers,Wes Beech-guitar,Michael Ray-rhythm guitar,Chris Romanelli-bass and Ray Callahan-drums.Check it out."
Glad to own it!
D. Mclaughlin | Texas | 07/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have not had this recording since I was 12!
I am happy to own a copy again!
Just as creepy as I remember it being! :P
"
POSSIBLY THE BEST PLASMATICS EVER - POLITICALLY WAY AHEAD AN
Antsy Farmer | Baton Rouge, LA | 09/29/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Each Wendy O. album is in its own way a historical breakthrough but if I had to pick the best Maggots: The Record may be the finest achievement. Of course it's way ahead of it's time a poitical satire concept album or 'thrash' opera as some people have called it, no one even knew what to make of it when it was released. The predictions and the lyrics (some of Swenson's finest in a long history of memorable ones) as one reviewer has already well pointed out have a lot to say about the current state of the world. Lyrics like
"soldiers for the DNA, dissidents are put away, dragged off in the dead of night, disappear without a sight
for global peace is what we pray, as long as things are done our way..." (from Brain Dead)
are classic. The production on this is also huge. The drum and other sounds are spectacular. But beyond this the music is awesome, complex, sometimes melodic, sometimes operatic, and often hard thrash, speed metal played and arranged with an astounding virtuosity. The only regrettable part is that because of all the dialogue there's only 6 song trax on the album, but these are every one of them killers, from Brain Dead, to You're a Zombie, Destroyers, Propagators, Day of the Humans is Gone, and Wendy's vocals are completely superb...really at her peak. My only regret is that this was not a double album so we could have had twice the songs."