Box set which includes Anti-Cimex's first 3 EPs and live EP. Includes 24-page booklet.

Our take: Anti-Cimex has reissued their music a couple of times in the new millennium, which is something we should all be thankful for. Their records are cornerstones of international hardcore, and they should always be in print and available so they can inspire new legions of bands. Those of us who have lived through a few of these reissue campaigns might notice subtle differences in the philosophy behind and execution of these new reissues, but the important thing is the music… if you love raw hardcore punk, these are records you should know like the back of your hand. New label Sonarize Records released a collection of Anti-Cimex demo recordings on 12” a while back, now they’re back with this box set containing reproductions of Cimex’s four 7” EPs. This is a little different than the similar box that Brazil’s Nada Nada Discos released in 2013. That box contained the three proper 7” EPs, Anarkist Attack, Raped Ass, and Victims of a Bomb Raid as well as a flexi compiling Cimex’s contributions to compilations, while Sonarize removes the flexi and adds in the Fucked in Finland 7”, a three-song live record recorded in Finland in 1992. Sonarize has put a lot of work into doing proper reproductions that get you as close to the original EPs as possible, reproducing small details like how Anarkist Attack’s front and back sleeves came as two separate pieces of paper, while Raped Ass came as a glued pocket sleeve and Victims was a foldover sleeve. The sound is also clear and loud, which is a relief because I was a little disappointed with the sound on the Wretched 7” box set that Agipunk (which is affiliated with Sonarize) released a few years back. The box itself is beautifully designed, and it comes with a thick booklet full of photos, flyers, and a ton of fanzine interviews, many conducted while the band still existed and some retrospective interviews done as recently as a few years ago. And best of all, the price on the box is very reasonable. If you don’t own these releases on any physical format, this is a great opportunity to get them in your collection, and Sonarize’s detailed repro editions will deepen your engagement with and appreciation for these records if you only know them from digital streaming. And even for people like me who already have a couple of different physical versions of Raped Ass and Victims (which, I think everyone would acknowledge, are the band’s two most important records), getting Fucked in Finland and (especially) Anarkist Attack in nice repro editions like this is worth the cost on its own. I’ve particularly enjoyed revisiting Anarkist Attack. While the band’s lineup and sound hadn’t yet solidified, it’s still a raging EP and I think it would be a well regarded and important record if it was the only thing Anti-Cimex had ever released. Long story short, they did this collection right, and if you’re in the market for something like this, you will not be disappointed. Here’s hoping Sonarize continues their well-done reissue campaign with Cimex’s 12” discography.