Doorway To Freedom

Scored this 7" as a bonus from the very nice folks at Not Very Nice Records, a wicked old-school throwback to the crossover days of the late 80's. The record opens like a fucking Spinal Tap song - imagine "Stonehenge" or something equally as epic. After a few minutes though the songs devolve into some absolutely killer moshage of which I haven't heard since the last M.O.D. show at L'Amour in '88. Of course this a ton more palatable since it only lasts a total of 13 minutes but I love hearing old school proto-Metallica/C.O.C.-esque speed metal that reminds me of the good times slumming local NJ clubs listening to one nameless thrash band after another. I cannot imagine you will be disappointed with that state of mind. Enjoy.

自由の扉

You're A Fucking Pussy

Man, I coulda sworn I had posted this snotty lil' EP ages ago but I'll just go ahead and blame the sixteen thousand Miller Lite's I've drank since its 2010 release for my lapse in memory. Sounding more akin to thrashy metalcore than straightforward hardcore, this Goshen, IN quartet blasts through six wonderfully anti-PC tracks in 12 frantic minutes. Rounding the token offensive bases from the requisite "Commit Suicide" to "Vegan Faggot" (my favorite) and "Beat Women" you can't help but smirk at the chorus to "Never Sober"... "Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink you faggot!" It doesn't seem like the band has done a whole lot since releasing this minor masterpiece but they still have a facebook page that gets updated once in a while. Enjoy.

Thrash Til Death

Wreck Your World

To celebrate its upcoming re-re-release on Southern Lord (you gotta check it out - 2xLP with loads of extra schwag for the über-fans) I thought I'd post the record that started it all, Excel's 1987 thrash metal debut Split Image. Being my favorite band from the late 80's Venice, CA/Suicidal Records musical rebellion much has already been written on this blog about Excel so I'll try not to obtusely repeat myself; needless to say such time-weary tunes as "Your Life, My Life," the title track and "Wreck Your World" are still some of my favorite songs to this day. Ever. Out of every fusion/crossover/thrash/speed metal band I've ever heard, these consistently rise to the top. I skip nearly 95% of the shit that plays via my iPod's shuffle but these will always get a full play. And not to say the rest of the album is bad at all - it's actually awesome. "The Joke's On You" is absolutely killer and I fucking love "Social Security" - especially while I was a 14-year old register jockey at the local Grand Union 25 years ago. Who knows what the newly remastered cuts will sound like, to be honest it gets no better than this weary, scratchy, well-played slab of vinyl (emblazoned with yet another incredible Michael Seiff cover to boot) which I still own to this very day. Enjoy.

I Laugh... At You!

Dave Who?

Keepin' it on the cassette rip tip, here's a another random bootleg LP picked up by my neurotic gotta-have-everything-Metallica 15-year old self (blog disclaimer: I am 25 years past that annoying phase). Not-so-cleverly disguised as a "Metal Militia" album - astute Metallica afficionados will no doubt recognize the label's attempt to legitimize this release as something from the pre-Elektra Kill 'Em All days. To be fair, it is, albeit shitty dubs of the originals. Side A features five tracks from the No Life 'Til Leather demo recorded with infamous ex-band members Dave Mustaine (guitar, duh) and Ron McGovney on bass. Side B showcases three cuts from the somewhat more rare Ride The Lightning demo. Originally recorded in late 1983, it was the group's first recording to feature lead guitarist Kirk Hammett. Who knows what generation recording actually made it onto the vinyl, the mp3's here are ripped from a direct cassette dub of mine. Still sounds shitty but made up for simply from the rareness of the whole thing. Enjoy.

When Hell Freezes Over

White Crosses & Coffee

Solid crossover thrash from these Michigan punkers - reminds me a bit of the Crumbsuckers. I picked up Gerry Louis Sucks My Ass! from Vomitose vocalist Skeeter many a year ago when I was buying up pretty much anything that had GG Allin to do with it. For whatever reason, the incarcerated scumfuc agreed to scribble new front cover artwork for the record's repress as well as pose for a few in-prison pics with the group. While it may have moved a few more copies off the shelf (mine included), the music is where it's at - a real surprise. They have another 7" floating out there somewhere that I would love to check out. Little help?

Grand Rapids

What's In A Name?

No, this isn't a long-lost demo from your favorite Iowan nü metallers, it's instead the sole effort by a long-forgotten Connecticut hardcore trio. Bridging the crossover gap with shades of proto-grunge (the opener "Condemned" sounds a lot like what Kurt was doing at the time with Nirvana while "No. 9" reminds me of Excel) there's a lot to like about the six songs contained herein. The grooves and breakdowns are solid as fuck - I especially dig the vocalist Stiemy, he's got that ideal scream/yell/growl voice I wish I had. It's a pretty angry, overly political twelve minutes - in other words a perfect snapshot of late-80's hardcore thrash. Enjoy.

Hate In Blue

Songs For Clay

Yet another movie soundtrack that far exceeds the quality of the movie it represents, Less Than Zero was curiously released by Def Jam Records (soon to be Def American) and helmed by none other than producer extraordinaire Rick Rubin. While the film suffered from a healthy blanket of late-80's cheese that simply does not age well with time, the accompanying music has some nice surprises, at the time unavailable anywhere else. Def Jam veterans Public Enemy debuted "Bring The Noise" (later released on the seminal It Takes A Nation Of Millions) and L.L. Cool J contributes his smooth talking "Going Back To Cali" - showing a much more mature side of the rapper after his sophomoric BAD album earlier that year. Slayer covers Iron Butterfly in a solid, blissfully 3-minute version of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" played at their typical breakneck speed. For the top-40 crowd, the Bangles offer their version of Simon & Garfunkel's "Hazy Shade Of Winter" (of which I'm sure everyone remembers the video), Aerosmith covers an old Huey Smith tune, Poison invokes Kiss, and Roy Orbison croons through the dark "Life Fades Away" (penned by Glenn Danzig no less!) Speaking of Glen (sic) Danzig, he does his best Elvis impression on the amazing "You & Me" - performed with the oddly-monikered "Power And Fury Orchestra" (evidently the original lineup of Danzig with George Drakoulias playing bass for Eerie Von who was clashing with Rubin on the song's arrangement). Probably the Lodi, NJ native's most heartfelt tune and the high point of the record. There are a couple other tracks on the album (mostly R&B) but I'd be lying if I said they ever graced my stereo speakers. It would be interesting to see Less Than Zero remade in today's graphic, dark Requiem For A Dream-esque style - some rumors claim Quentin Tarantino is trying to do just that.

Rip

Milking The Sick Farce

Blindly bought by my 13-year old punk ass thanks to a cool album cover and the fact that it was released on "Death Records", this crossover EP by Raleigh hardcore mainstays Corrosion Of Conformity reflects a definite style change for the band. Gone were the manic punk anthems of Eye For An Eye - Technocracy boasts much more cohesive songwriting (probably an influence of new vocalist Simon Bob and the fact that the songs are longer than 90 seconds) and the music is surprisingly both well-produced, structured and incredibly tight. I'm sure for fans of their older stuff it was somewhat of a letdown but up to that point I hadn't heard any C.O.C. and and was solidly into the Venice, CA thrash movement (Excel, SxTx, etc.) so this cassette was a welcome addition. The opening track and "Crawling" are my two faves - as is the strange "Ahh Blugh" bonus at the end which was proof to my unnecessarily stern parents that hardcore bands had a sense of humor. Corrosion went on to further adjust their musical style as years progressed - they entered the post-metal world with Blind in 1991 and beyond. I've actually never heard anything by the band from the more recent era - instead having gone backwards to enjoy their past catalog.

It's All For The Better...

Perfect Is The Life Of King

One of my favorite crossover albums of all time - a weird thrash metal hybrid from the mid-80's by an obscure Canadian band that never really managed to go anywhere. I'm sure I wasn't the only kid in north Jersey sporting a DBC t-shirt but I am sure I was one of the three. Interestingly, I ended up with this classic while down at a record shop in in Palm Springs, FL visiting my well-tanned grandparents. I had purchased some random LP by a forgettable Thompson Twins-knockoff called Secret Society solely on the appeal of the album cover (and the fact they had a song called "69" - heyooo!) that was so terribly unlistenable that I forced my poor grandmother to drive my 13-year old ass back to the record store. Well, just like today, you were banned from returning audio merchandise that was already open but my German-scowling grandmother threatened the poor register jockey to the point that he offered this album as a trade. And there ya go. The album easily holds up to this day - especially my favorites "Monument," "Power And Corruption" and "Terrorist Mind".  Cool political vibe as the Reagan-era drew to a close, there's nary a bad song on this one. Unfortunately I never could quite get into the band's sophomore LP Universe, but this eponymous debut will always have a special place in my heart.

Good trade, brah

Serial Killer 101

What better soundtrack to start my whining about 2014's Patriots season than this iconic slab of murder music from Chicago's demented speed metal sickos Macabre? Yet another in the long list of Relapse order "alternates" that ended up being better then the record I intended to buy; Sinister Slaughter is so entertainingly well-crafted for a token death metal album about serial killers that you'll find yourself humming the fucking songs for weeks after you hear it. Mix one part nursery rhymes and folk tales with wicked fast speed metal and a smartly snide sense of black humor and you almost got an idea of how good it is. Even the album cover nails it. Nefarious, Corporate Death and Dennis the Menace are such ridiculously talented musicians (especially Dennis the Menace - that guy hands down is the best fucking drummer out there today) I am always amazed these guys didn't end up conducting symphonies. Essential.

What's That Smell?

Ram It Up

Unable to accept the painfully obvious trends of the music industry, MegaForce Records released a poorly-timed comp album in 1991 showcasing a few tired thrash metallers from the recently departed decade. I grabbed this CD for the M.O.D. rarity "If The Shoe Fits" - I've read (and hoped) it's from the U.S.A. For M.O.D. days but not so sure after hearing it - seems a little Gross Misconduct-y to me. Oh well, can't have everything, no? S.O.D. (yay!) and Venom contribute solid songs and I actually found myself digging the track by the idiotically-named T.T. Quick. Obscure NJ metallers The Beast show up with two songs it's always nice to hear Blitzkrieg's eponymous anthem. Rounding the LP out are some throwaway tracks by Anthrax, Overkill (ugh... I always fucking hated them), Testament and Mercyful Fate. Be forewarned - there is an absolutely awful awful rap-metal track (a la an even shittier "I'm The Man") by some fuckwad calling himself the "Lone Rager" (probably Johnny Z) which is why the [skip] button was invented. Truly terrible.

Thrash Memories

When you see it coming, the shit runs down your leg...

Man, timing really is everything. What better era of my life to enjoy this ridiculously juvenile, sophomoric, thrash metal epitome of bad taste then during my sophomore year in highschool. For the uninitiated, U.S.A. For M.O.D. is basically Speak English Or Die Part II, an off-color rant against most everything from the era before the P.C. police started slapping "Explicit Content" stickers on every fucking album under the sun. Starring ex-S.O.D. frontman Billy Milano, the album doesn't sway much from the tone of his previous S.O.D. effort - merely a new cast of characters playing the backup roles. Guitarist Tim McMurtrie with his applaudable Misfits-esque hairdo (and "No Mercy" hat - how fucking on point was that back in '87?) is more than adequate and there's definitely some shit on the album I've never been able to decipher how he plays. Drummer Keith Davis and bassist Ken Ballone are also up to challenge and pair up as a solid rhythm section. What hurts this album all these years later is the... I dunno... goofiness of it all. Of course that's what makes it endearing in a way but another song about Freddy Krueger? Really? And the tired anti-immigrant tirades like "Import Society" come off just cartoonishly ignorant, even when you know they've got their tongues planted firmly in cheek. On the plus side though, there are some real screamers on this one - "Spandex Enormity" is a perrenial fave of mine to this day as is "Parents" (featuring Scott Ian as Billy's screaming bitch of a mother). And how can you not crack a dry smile at "A.I.D.S." you unfeeling cynical bastard (even Milano busts a chuckle singing the chorus). "Hate Tank" is a fucking great way to wrap this album up, a pounding example of perfect crossover thrash. Sadly, M.O.D. would change both band members and styles over the following years (including the nearly unlistenable Surfin' M.O.D. a short year later) and could never reproduce the greatness of their debut. Too bad.

Her Ass Alone Would Be A Feast...

We're Evil

Well shit, with the posting of über-comp Welcome To Venice last week is it any surprise that this elusive slab of wax would find its way onto the 'Genocide? One of my favorite thrash records of the mid-80's which unbelievably has yet to find its way onto an official CD release, Widespread Bloodshed is easily Mike Muir's finest post circa-1983 Suicidal Tendencies release. The original band spawned from Venice, CA in the early 80's and managed to appear on the I've Got Brain Damage skate comp cassette before crossing paths with Muir on the aforementioned Welcome To Venice LP. Original lead singer Kevin Guercio quickly departed under the new stewardship of Muir and Bloodshed was recorded in 1987. 

I actually wrote a review of the record for my gay-as-fuck high school newspaper all those years ago. While it reads like it was written by a fucking retard it still holds its weight today:

   "During the year recording Suicidal Tendencies' sophomore effort Join The Army, vocalist Mike Muir spent time writing songs, singing and producing records for various Venice, California hardcore/speed metal bands.  Among these bands was No Mercy. No Mercy released their debut album, Widespread Bloodshed/Love Runs Red at some point during the mid-80's and it emerges as one of the best metal/hardcore albums ever to be pressed onto vinyl. 
   "Evil (So Fuckin' Evil)" starts off this album of pure chaotic intensity. A telephone ring breaks the cold silence. "Hello?" asks a startled young woman. The phone clicks dead. Another ring. "Hello? Hello?" the woman nervously inquires, feeling the skin on the back of her neck begin to crawl. A sharp blast of feedback is the only reply. Silence. The phone rings once again. "Who are you?" the terrified woman cries. "WE'RE FUCKIN' EVIL yeahhhhhh!" Widespread Bloodshed/Love Runs Red  has begun.
   The songs on this album deal with subjects of a dark, mysterious, evil nature. Nightmares, murder, Judgement Day and cemeteries are only some of the troubling song topics lyrically explored by Muir. The opening to "I'm Your Nightmare" recalls the eerie thumping bass track from Dawn Of The Dead (originally recorded by the Italian gothic metal band Goblin). The 7-minute epic "Waking The Dead" is one of the best metal songs ever be recorded. Guitarist Mike Clark fulfills the double duties of rhythm and lead guitar to perfection. Drummer Sal Troy (whose opening solo to "Waking The Dead" kicks ass) and bassist Ric Clayton also emerge as talented musicians.
   No Mercy is a group whose future I look forward to. Their unique rolling, pounding beat is betrayed slightly by the amateurish production values, though it emerges relatively unscathed. All in all, Widespread Bloodshed/Love Runs Red is one of the best fuckin' albums ever recorded. What else is there to say but to buy this album before you die."

Man, I was a cool teenager. Not much has changed in 25 years. Enjoy.

Welcome To The Nightmare

Look Up.....

1985 was a transitional year for SoCal thrashcore. Suicidal Tendencies had really taken over the scene after their eponymous 1983 debut and had started their own label (Suicidal Records, 'natch) to which they attracted a bunch of local acts, many associated with ST lead singer Mike Muir. The label's first release was the appropriately named Welcome To Venice compilation LP featuring local acts Suicidal, No Mercy, Excel, Beowülf and Los Cycos. In the same way N.W.A. would champion Compton a few years later - Venice, CA was the ST stomping ground and would stay the headquarters for the LA thrash movement until it was eaten alive by grunge in the early 90's. The comp is notable simply that it contains probably the weakest early material by all of the bands on it (save for Suicidal who I think shot their wad with the first album and never recovered) - as well as the fact that nearly every band sounds exactly the same. Now this could be because Muir was the singer for two of them or the fact that they were trading band members like fucking dominoes or it could just be coincidence. Suicidal's solo entry "Look Up..... (The Boys Are Back)" showcases the near-final transition of a once amazing hardcore band into the pretty tame thrash outfit they would become on '87's flaccid Join The Army. Beowülf do their Motörhead thing satisfactorily, No Mercy belt out a couple tracks with original singer Kevin Guercio (Muir would take the vocal reigns for the band's 1987 full-length debut) - their song "War Machine" would eventually be retooled into "Crazy But Proud" on the Widespread LP. Los Cycos were basically the original ST lineup with a new rhythm guitarist and No Mercy's drummer. Their song "It's Not Easy" probably sounds familiar because ST re-recorded it for their Feel Like Shit... joke of a record years later. It is such a sad song when regarding the talent behind it - really shows what Amery Smith brought to ST's old sound... But I digress, wrapping up the album are a solid three tracks by 'Genocide fave Excel. Not their best stuff by far but still great - I dig the instrumental "Enforcer" the most. In short, Welcome To Venice is a perfect snapshot of a long gone era; 30 minutes of an amazingly specific crossover thrash sound that went as fast as it came.

The Boys Are Back

Mo' Ex-Excel

Just a quickie post here - a couple extra lost tunes from the band of the hour - SoCal's defunct My Head. Two tracks that appeared on Suicidal Tendencies' 2001 compilation Friends & Family 2 as well as one that made it onto another obscure Infectious Grooves album as a "bonus EP" track. Enjoy.

The Beard

 
Currently watching: Morel Orel Volume 3

Currently listening to: Beautiful Mother Vanilla

Don't Waste My Time

Sadly forgotten debut by Excel veterans Adam Siegel (guitar) and Greg Saenz (drums) came too late in a music world being quickly overtaken by nü metal and fucking Sublime. Taking a cue from the way-ahead-of-its-time prog thrash that was The Joke's On You, Siegel added a nice touch of funk, psychedelia and even grunge ("I Don't Want Nothing" really has a Nirvana flavor to it) to their only album, 1996's Endless Bummer. Fans of 311, Chili Peppers, Fishbone and that type of shtick will easily find something to like with My Head - solid riffs with a lighter metal groove to it. Just bad timing - too late to ride the Faith No More funk metal wave and too early to ride the Incubus funk metal wave (ugh... did I just write that?) Now here's your chance to catch up. Enjoy.

Killer Hair

 
Currently watching: Eating Raoul

Currently listening to: Ween Caesar

Jeff Hanneman 1964-2013

R.I.P. You will be missed.

 
Currently watching: The Wire (Season 1)

Currently listening to: Organized Konfusion Organized Konfusion

Re-Re-Revisted

Don't ask why but I've been listening to a bit of old-school Metallica lately. And by old-school I mean pre-1991 Black Album Metallica. I've never really heard anything they've released since that era, I'm one of the many who found their gigantic crossover album really dry and dull; I was getting more into death metal at the time and just tapped out of being a Metallica fan. I remember the excitement leading up to the "Enter Sandman" video premiere on MTV and it was... just kinda... OK. As was the album. "Sad But True" wasn't too bad (but upon revisiting it - phew - that is one boring song) and I kinda liked "Don't Tread On Me" but all in all a real letdown. So why am I whining about it 20 years later? Well, it brings me to the Metallica album I liked the most - 1987's Garage Days Re-Revisited. In case you've been living in a cave on Mars with your fingers in your ears for the past two decades, Re-Revisited is a tight 5-song EP of the band covering some of their favorite New Wave Of British Heavy Metal tunes (along with a couple Misfits tracks to boot); but for all intents and purposes I've pretty much considered the obscure songs Metallica originals (in the same way "Hey Joe" is an original Jimi Hendrix tune - any Leaves fans out there can kiss my ass). I know such a statement will raise the ire of the two or three Budgie enthusiasts lurking throughout the Welsh countryside but there's not much I can say to appease other than that Metallica is the sole reason anyone still acknowledges them or most of the other bands named below (much thanks to the internet as well). With that being said, I thought I'd throw together a compilation of all those original songs for nothing else but to have something a little different to listen to. Included are "Helpless" by Diamond Head, "The Small Hours" by Holocaust (my favorite track), "The Wait" by Killing Joke, "Crash Course In Brain Surgery" by Budgie, "Last Caress" and "Green Hell" by the good ol' Misfits and "Run To The Hills" by Iron Maiden. Along with that I compiled the originals of a bunch of other popular Metallica covers - all before the godawful Garage, Inc. abomination in the mid-90's. "Turn The Page"? Excuse me while I fucking vomit. Here's Diamond Head doing "Am I Evil?" and Blitzkrieg with "Blitzkrieg" (both bonus tracks on the Kill 'Em All CD), Diamond Head (again) with "The Prince" (found on the B-side of my "One" cassette single), "Breadfan" by Budgie (B-side on the "Eye Of The Beholder" cassete single), Queen's "Stone Cold Crazy" (Metallica's contribution to 1990's Rubáiyát: Elektra's 40th Anniversary double CD) and Anti-Nowhere League's "So What..." from the "Sad But True" cassette single (thanks to the sadly defunct Colostomy Grab-Bag for the album cover idea). And with that purchase came the end of my Metallica fandom. I've tracked down some pretty fine quality tracks, I think completists will be pleased. Enjoy.

$5.98                         $6.66

 
Currently watching: The Night Porter

Currently listening to: Queen A Night At The Opera

Blaze Some Hate

Trolling the internet the other night for some random shit to listen to I stumbled upon the amazing Chuch Of Zer which I have actually visited before, only with much less time on my hands. To my surprise he had a few live shows by 'Genocide fave Excel ripe for the downloading. I thought I'd return the favor and upload those with a few of the rarities I have from this incredibly underrated SoCal thrash/post-metal/prog-metal band. Starting off are three demos from their earliest inception, Chaotic Noise. Featuring founders Dan Clements (vocals) and Adam Siegel (guitars) the band spit out some quality thrashcore throughout 1984; finally recruiting a new bassist and drummer by the end of the year and "starting fresh" as Excel. Quality is so-so but what can you expect from early 80's cassette rips, y'know? I am missing one of the songs from Demo I titled "You Don't Mean A Thing" - if anyone out there has it please hook me up! Next up is 1986's Refuse To Quit demo - some of which can be heard on the re-release of their Caroline debut Split Image. Three great live shows are next: Live 1985, Live 1986 and Live 1987. Pretty good quality (considering) and a real treat to hear such the band mature from year to year in front of those crazy SoCal crowds. By 1987 the show was pretty much the Split Image album and it is awesome to hear those songs played fast and fresh. Wrapping up the uploads are some pieces/parts of the obscure Third Album Demo from 1991. Evidently the band recorded an album's worth of material for what was intended to be a third release before Adam Siegel quit to join Infectious Grooves (don't even get me started on that shitheap...). Information on songs is spotty, while some of them ended up on The Joke's On You re-release CD, I stumbled upon a few unlisted ones: "Puppet Tear" and "Rewind". Solid stuff from a band whose end came way too soon (interestingly, none of the demo stuff made it to their legit third album Seeking Refuge). I close by happily reporting as of January 2012 the band's classic lineup has seemingly reformed to play some shows. Hopefully some new material is not too far away!

Currently watching: Tideland

Currently listening to: Post Mortem Message From The Dead

Fucking best job I ever had...

Quick story about me... most of my highschool years weren't spent getting drunk at house parties or in my parent's basement - they were spent getting drunk at an old school strip mall New Jersey pizza shop that was kind enough to hire my scrawny 14-year old ass as a part-time errand boy. Although the place violated nearly every foodservice standard out there, it consistently churned out some amazing chow and to this day I still use their recipes when I try to cook Italian for the family. And while my years of tenure there included dealing with hordes of drunks (including my bosses at times), fights, cops, mafiosos, junkies, and a couple shell-shocked 'Nam vets to spice up the mix it also totally created the functionally drunk workaholic I am today. Sadly the shop closed down in the mid-90's. In hindsight it was probably a good thing - the close forced me out of my employment safe zone (i.e. rut) and sent me somewhat towards my current career path as well as life in general. But long story short, easily my best memories I have of the place are the guys who I worked with, all just trying to keep the place afloat day after day with absolutely no guidance whatsoever. One of those guys, "TH" was a crazy fucker who absolutely loved comic thrashers Scatterbrain, especially the "Mr. Johnson And The Juice Crew" tune. Man, the hours his cassette chewed up on that shitty kitchen stereo. The song popped on my iPod shuffle the other day and I was instantly transported back 20 years ago to days being coated in a yellowish paste of flour and oil, drunk and watching porn while chopping up a 100 lb. ball of pizza dough; all by 10:00 am on a Tuesday. Good times.

Here Comes Trouble

 
Currently watching: Divine Trash

Currently listening to: GG Allin You Give Love A Bad Name