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The presence of some of the participating bands isn’t very surprising: Nomeansno, Neurosis, Victims Family and Alice Donut all had albums released with the label, while Biafra previously collaborated with artists such as Steel Pole Bath Tub and Mojo Nixon. The bands that have no formal relations to the label (or none that I’m aware of), like Faith No More or Sepultura are, in some way, inspired by the music, or creed of the punk band, and, as the liner notes mention, “have made original music without compromising to the latest trends or economic goals of the music industry around them.”

Despite the variety that is displayed on this album, the selected songs are all from the early years of the Dead Kennedys, with 8 bands choosing a song from the band’s first album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980), three from the second album Plastic Surgery Disasters (1982), one from their hardcore punk EP In God We Trust, Inc. (1981), and four that chose from early singles and b-sides (they can be found on the band’s 1987 compilation Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death). Some bands stay quite faithful to the style of the original songs, carefully maintaining the songs’ paranoia and unconventional drive: the Didjits and Steel Pole Bath Tub turn in versions of classic tracks that are as exciting as the originals and carry on the same raging spirit (with a great cacophony at the end of “Chemical Warfare”). Other quite familiar sounding versions are L7’s take on “Let’s Lynch the Landlord” and the semi-successful version of the classic single “Holiday in Cambodia” by Sister Double Happiness. An unexpected pop-punk triumph, however, comes in the shape of French band Les Thugs’ version of “Moon Over Marin,” from the second Kennedys-album. They made the song more accessible and poppy, with softer vocals, and somehow make it sound like a lost classic. Other bands have a totally different approach: Evan Johns and Mojo Nixon, backed up by their respective bands, turn in hard-rocking roots-rock with covers of the single “Too Drunk to Fuck” and “Winnebago Warrior,” while Faith No More does a delightfully acoustic lounge version of “Let’s Lynch the Landlord,” with heavy echo on the crooning Sun studio-vocals of Mike Patton and the addition of accordion. Two other surprising participants are grindcore-pioneers-turned-thrash-metallers Napalm Death and Brazilian thrash greats Sepultura, who both deliver loud and speedy songs that were ridiculously fast in the first place. The former bring a death metal version (with grunt) of “Nazi Punks Fuck Off,” while the latter come up with a lethally fast and tight version of the debut’s “Drug Me.” Even less accessible or conventional are Alice Donut’s “Halloween,” which seems to combine 70’s rock with freak-noise, Victims Family’s awkward jazz-core take on “Ill in the Head,” and one-piece band Kramer’s organ-dominated “Insight” with several vocal layers and horn instruments, and a total absence of any bass, guitar and drums. Canadian punk veterans Nomeanso go even further by providing an incredible a-cappella version of “Forward to Death” that’s absolutely one of the album’s highlights. Neurosis probably turns in the album’s least accessible track, with their trademark plodding and apocalyptic take on “Saturday Night Holocaust,” in an exhausting near 7-minute version. The last track that needs to be mentioned is another surprising stand-out track: a hip-hop version of “California Uber Alles” by Michael Franti’s collective Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, which uses smart updated lyrics and funny samples from the original, and turns the song into an admirable piece of political cut ‘n paste-music.

One of the most successful tribute albums I ever heard, Virus 100 is a release that exceeded my expectations by far. Nearly all of the bands offer interpretations of classic punks songs that succeed in staying faithful to the originals, whether it is in the music or in the ‘spirit’, while also displaying their own distinctive style or willingness to experiment. Therefore, this varied and consistently challenging album should be seen as a tribute to both the continuing legacy of the Dead Kennedys' output, and to the independence and originality all of these band aspire to.