Various Artists - Punk And Disorderly III (The Final Solution)

Released in 1983, Punk and Disorderly III (The Final Solution) serves as a gritty time capsule of the UK82 scene, leaning heavily into the aggressive, street-punk sound that defined the era. While often cited as the least consistent of the original trilogy, it remains a vital document of the genre, featuring heavyweights like The Exploited, UK Subs, and The Adicts. The compilation captures a shift toward faster, more confrontational hardcore, though some critics felt it lacked the standout anthems found on the first two volumes. Despite the controversial title and original artwork—which have been softened in modern reissues—it is still highly regarded by collectors for its raw energy and its role in bringing underground acts like The Samples and One Way System to a wider audience.

Released in the summer of 1983, Punk and Disorderly III (The Final Solution) serves as the high-octane conclusion to the seminal compilation trilogy from Anagram Records. While the first volume is often hailed as a landmark "K-Tel" for the second wave of punk, this third instalment leans even harder into the UK82 aesthetic—a faster, more aggressive evolution of the genre that traded art-school sensibilities for raw, working-class fury. Reaching number 10 in the UK Independent Charts, the album successfully documented a scene that had metastasised beyond London, influencing the birth of both American hardcore and early thrash metal.

The tracklist is a heavy-hitting roster of the era's biggest names alongside underground cult favourites. Standout tracks include The Samples' unheralded masterpiece "Dead Hero," often cited as the album's strongest moment, and the politically charged "Kick Out the Tories" by the Newtown Neurotics. These are joined by blistering contributions from The Exploited ("Computers Don't Blunder"), UK Subs ("Police State"), and The Adicts ("Viva la Revolution"), ensuring the compilation maintains a relentless pace from start to finish.

Critically, The Final Solution is frequently regarded as the weakest of the original three volumes, as it lacks some of the fresh, era-defining novelty found in the first LP. Some tracks, like The Destructors' "Jailbait," have been noted by modern reviewers at Louder Than War as not having aged as gracefully as others. However, for most fans and collectors on Discogs, it remains a "masterpiece" for its ability to capture the authentic, chaotic energy of early 80s British street punk.

Beyond the music, the album is remembered for its controversial original cover art, which featured a collage of "bobbies" executing punks in front of 10 Downing Street. While the imagery was intended as a biting satire of the Thatcher era, modern reissues by Cherry Red Records have often airbrushed out certain elements, like the Nazi swastika flags, to suit contemporary sensibilities. Despite these changes, the album remains an essential "time capsule" for anyone looking to understand how punk mutated into its harder, meaner second wave.

Ripped to MP3

1. Abrasive Wheels – Burn 'Em Down

2. One Way System – Give Us A Future

3. Newtown Neurotics – Kick Out The Tories

4. UK Subs – Police States

5. The Destructors – Jailbait

6. The Expelled – Government Policy

7. The Samples – Dead Hero

8. Angelic Upstarts – Woman In Disguise

9. The Adicts – Viva La Revolution

10. The Vibrators – Dragnet

11. The Exploited – Computers Don't Blunder

12. Urban Dogs – New Barbarians

13. The Ejected – Have You Got 10p?

14. Chron Gen – Outlaw

15. Action Pact – Suicide Bag

16. The Violators – Summer Of '81