Released in November of 1981

Agent Orange is an American Punk Rock Band formed in 1979 in Placentia, California, and was one of the first bands to combine the genres of Surf Rock and Punk. They were creating a sound of Punk with a little more of a surfing twang.

The “Living In Darkness” album calls out society and points out issues and or problems no one dares to point out. The band’s name Agent Orange is from their home in Orange County and the deadly chemical compound used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. This operation ended in nothing but devastation. It plagued the Vietnamese people with risks and various diseases like prostate and bladder cancer and unfortunately many more.

The band goes into the way society treats each other. It gives a perspective of a teenager coming of age, a transition from young adulthood to adulthood that I experienced but had heard no one speak of.

Track seven of the album, “A Cry For Help in a World Gone Mad” speaks on the dilemma of having friends that you don’t know aren’t good friends for you to have because you idolize them or believe you have no other way to run to. I think the song’s title is the literal representation of when you want to plead for help but to do that you need someone to plead to which is impossible when those who are supposed to help you are becoming more and more unbearable leaving you wanting no more friends, wanting to isolate yourself but still wanting to gain the attention of others, a world gone mad.

Jayden Zavala a drummer and high school student claims that “Miserlou is the best song on the album.” Interestingly, the song is a cover of one of the most iconic surf rock songs “Miserlou” by Dick Dale released in 1975.  “Miserlou”, the original song has been played in many movies and is easily recognizable as it has been sampled and altered by various artists.

Jake Vergara musician and a junior in High school has been a fan of Agent Orange for years and claims the album has “no bad songs on it.”

Vergara found them through a friend and finds the bassist to be particularly skilled in track 5, “The Last Goodbye.” Claiming the song has “bad**** bass.”

The outstanding tracks on the album are, “Bloodstains (1979 Orginal Version),” “Too Young to Die,” “Everything Turns Grey” and “The Last Goodbye.”

These songs embody the dark punk mentality of Mike Palm (guitarist and lead vocalist.)

“Isn’t it depressing how our minds create an atmosphere But that won’t happen here Unless we make some new demands To grasp the future in our hands You know, I wish I could But it’s too late for senseless minds who love to hate”

This verse in the song “Everything Turns Grey” talks of the need to demand change in our society but how pointless it is to try to convince the people who chose to bring negativity as opposed to critical thinking. It’s too late for those who are ignorant and choose not to be open-minded.

“No matter what you think, or do, or say Everything turns grey”

No matter what you try to do you can’t get through those who choose to be ignorant.

“Sometimes I think old friends But they all seem the same Then I see them and they can’t remember my name I guess I’m just like them I guess I’m just a bore I could hate them but I’ve never done that before I’ve got lots of good friends I don’t need anymore.”

This verse from”A Cry for Help in a World Gone Mad” in my opinion the song sounds like a poetic interpretation of growing from young adult to adult revealing that friends and others you view as idols are not going to be around forever and are in some cases okay to not agree with.

The dilemma or “stuck in a pickle,”  you face the fact that you can disagree with your idols even if it feels wrong and that you potentially hate yourself for trying to become like them.

Agent Orange has the elements of strong messages and powerful lyrics with the Punk surf twang to back it up.