Review / 200 Words Or Less
Radio War
The Rising of the Talentless

Copper Lung (2008) — Michael

Radio War – The Rising of the Talentless cover artwork
Radio War – The Rising of the Talentless — Copper Lung, 2008

Richmond has always had an impressive hardcore scene, so it's no surprise to hear good things from the city in Radio War. The Rising of the Talentless is the band's first label release and the second for upstart Copper Lung Records.

This 7" comes packed with four tracks of gritty and groove-heavy hardcore punk. "The Boy Gangs of Richmond" is a nice building number that demonstrates that a hardcore band can show some restraint and still capture the intensity of aggressive music. Radio War chugs through this EP with a concoction of metallic hardcore, also showing hints of influence from d-beat mainstays Tragedy. Lyrically, the songs mostly focus on discussing sociological issues. Overall, a solid band that I'm looking forward to hearing more from.

P.S. I can't believe they named a song "Gizmo Duck." I love Duck Tales.

7.5 / 10 — Michael • April 21, 2008

Radio War – The Rising of the Talentless cover artwork
Radio War – The Rising of the Talentless — Copper Lung, 2008

Related news

Copper Lung Signs Radio War

Posted in Labels on November 2, 2007

Recently-posted album reviews

Haywire 617

I Don't Wanna Say Goodbye
Roadrunner (2026)

How does one describe what differentiates a good hardcore band vs. something special within the space.It's really difficult to explain but Haywire 617 has proven to be something special.When boiled down to base elements Haywire is a hardcore band in the vein of something like latter day Blood For Blood (specifically their more Rock n' Roll/Oi elements with Rob singing). … Read more

super*user

Gutless Wonder
GC Records, Ideas Are Bulletproof Records (2026)

Detroit is famous for bands like the MC5 and The Stooges, White Stripes and of course KISS. Fellow Detroiters super*user may sound nothing like any of those bands but I would have thought it would take some KISS-sized balls to intentionally start your punk record with a riff ripped off from U2’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday”! Maybe that one’s unintentional but … Read more

Nick Soulsby

Born of Struggle, Living in Hope: The Anarcho-Punk Lives of the Centro Ibérico (1971-1983)
PM Press (2026)

Living in Hope , as the subtitle suggests, is a punk-centric history of the Centro Ibérico, an anarcho-punk squat at 421 Harrow Road. It is also the first book-length treatment of the space, which was at the crossroads of far-right fascist violence, police surveillance, housing disputes, and the punk scene. Founded in 1970 by Spanish Civil War veteran Miguel García … Read more