Jan 2018 Splits Reissues Compilations EPs

SHORT LIST

REPRESSES

Holy Terror Total Terror Box Set Dissonance Productions

Holy Terror Terror and Submission Back On Black BOBV512LP

Out Now

Holy Terror was a Los Angeles band that savagely represented thrash. Their two first albums are legendary. Submission (1987) and Mind Wars (1988) are heralded in the cannon of US thrash, although mostly to the passionate fans that dare to dig beyond the common names. But, that hunt just became easier. Dissonance Productions presents Total Terror which will be available to North American headbangers on February 9^th, 2018. Holy Terror’s entire catalog is on 5 CDs. Terror And Submission (1987), Mind Wars (1988), El Revengo (2006), live album Live Terror-Live In Dendermonde, plus a rare DVD featuring multiple live shows and videos. MetalReview.com called the band, "faster than Slayer, heavier than Exodus, and more melodic than Megadeth." Terror Submission comes on vinyl in white and red splatter.

The Ocean Precambrian Pelagic Records
Late Feb 2018

The Ocean's Precambrian was released in November 2007. An impressive post-metal trek, a la Neurosis, Converge, Gojira, and ISIS, The Ocean presented a challenging album packed with tense riffs, looming heaviness and angular guitars played concise and sharp. The schizophrenic dynamics of this milestone mock any attempt at classification beyond ‘metal’. Strapped with vocal conviction over chunky bass lines, Precambrian relies on intellect as much as grit. Seven albums deep, tours with peers like Mastodon, BTBAM, Opeth, and Kylesa show The Ocrean’s growth and impact. The Ocean refer to themselves as a “collective” leaning on a constant rotation of contributors and artists.

Precambrian cherishes the metal tech wizardry as much as raw emotion and delivery of hardcore.  Precambrian itself embodies variety with guest appearances by Caleb Scofield (Cave In, Old Man Gloom), Nate Newton (Converge), Tomas Hallbom (Breach), Eric Kalsbeek (ex-Textures), and musicians from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. This tenth anniversary edition of Precambrian (released on March 16th, 2018) relishes in a re-recording of ten-minute "Rhyacian"; played by the current lineup of guitarist Robin Staps, vocalist Loic Rossetti, drummer Paul Seidel and bassist Mattias Hägerstrand.

To celebrate, The Ocean will play the entire Precambrian with a headlining set at Doom Over Leipzig Festival on April 21st, 2018.

Each of the three packages is limited to 250

LP1: ultraclear w/black and orange smoke; LP2: beer w/ dark red smoke; LP3: transparent orange w/ black and dark red smoke.

LP1: silver and clear, A-Side / B-Side w/ black splatter; LP2: brass & beer, A-Side / B-Side w/ black and red splatter; LP3: gold and clear orange, A-Side / B-Side w/ black & red splatter

LP1: beer in ultraclear; LP2: transparent orange in ultraclear; LP3: transparent red in ultraclear

Unearth The Oncoming Storm Metal Blade
Jan 26, 2018

Metal Blade Records will re-issue The Oncoming Storm. This was the album that propelled Unearth into the forefront of the resurgence of American metal. As the band’s (and the scene’s) writing was growing beyond the formulaic (but still loved!) metalcore. This went beyond beatdown riffs to start a pit in a local venue. Metal was shedding its dirty word status and embracing the dynamic song structures, melodies, solos, and musicianship of the records the hardcore kids had back home. Massachusetts sure spat a few out of note. Unearth have always kept it humble and honest. On The Oncoming Storm fans can revisit the classic sound that saw them transition into the revered beast of later days.

VINYL: 180g black; orange-brown marbled, 300; "flame" splattered, 200; pumpkin orange marbled, 300; root beer marbled vinyl; 300; gold / black split, 700.

ALESTORM Captain Morgan`s Revenge – 10th Anniversary Edition Napalm Records
January 26, 2018

In 2008, Alestorm secured a large fan base with their mixing of storytelling and catchy metal. Sharp guitars and clean production and rowdy lyrics ensured waves of attention. Here, Captain Morgan`s Revenge is resurrected with “a fresh remix and remastering by original producer Lasse Lammert at his LSD studios plus rejuvenated artwork.” The Live At Summer Breeze bonus disc is included as well. Alestorm combine meaty riffs and raging rhythms with folktale aesthetics and symphonic metal grandiosity. Their tales are alluring when paired with punctuated production and mesmerizing guitar leads revisit the beginning of Alestorm!

Nebula

Let it Burn
Jan 26, 2018
400 on yellow transparent w/ multicolor splatter; also, black vinyl/ Digipak CD/ Digital

To The Center
Feb 16, 2018
400 on red transparent w/ multicolor splatter; also, black vinyl/ Digipak CD/ Digital

Dos EPs
Mar 02, 2018
400 on transparent w/ multicolor splatter; also, black vinyl/ Digipak CD/ Digital

In 1997, Nebula was spawned in Los Angeles when guitarist, Eddie Glass, and drummer, Ruben Romano, left Fu Manchu. Arguably, their final sound would not be much of a departure. But, in fact, audiences can hear the rise of the musicianship above just riffs. Romano and Glass revel in a freedom and exuberance that, whether roiling or simmering, allow each to mark their artistic territory. Capturing the essence of psych/stoner rock, this power trio (after recruiting bassist, Mark Abshire) encapsulate the volume and songwriting of Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, and Hendrix; but also cite The MC5, The Stooges (check the cool strut of “I Need Somebody” on To the Center) and bands like TAD, Skin Yard, and Mudhoney. The unfettered expressionism resort in variety, such as laying back for seven minutes (“Fly On” on Dos EPs) as well as the reserved Hammond on “Smokin Woman” (Dos EPs). Nebula lead you through expanding your third eye (“Fields of Psilocybin” on To the Center) or trudging heavy riffs on “Dragon Eye” and “Devil’s Liquid” (both scorchers on Let It Burn). Nebula’s three releases here utilize the silky leads and fuzzy bass and raucous drums of stoner rock; plus instruments like the sitar, piano, and organ. They expand the impact of their songs with the usual psychedelic filtered effects; soaking in flange, delay, panning, reverb and wah-wah to lead an audience’s mental and aural attention. Each reissue presents the full album Dos EPs being the split and on gatefold (or 6 panel digipak on CD) plus two unreleased tracks. This is a gorgeous way to celebrate twenty years of Nebula.

SPLITS

Windhand/Satans Satyrs split 12” Relapse Records
Feb 16, 2018

Richmond, VA present two of their macabre darlings. Windhand resurface after the glorious 2015 LP, Grief’s Infernal Flower. Clayton Burgess’ brainchild, Satan’s Satyrs, have not released anything since 2015 either. This 12” positions its balance on Satan’s Satyrs’ raw riffs and gusto with Windhand’s musicality and challenging of paradigms. The five tracks demand a 12” format. Windhand, always prolonging their heavy psych-doom, open with “Old Evil” at six minutes. Afterwards, the extensive, 14 minute (ain’t nothing new for them) “Three Sisters” is unleashed. Dorthia Cottrell’s vocals are pushed more forward than usual, above the swirling dense tones; drenched in emotionally draining hooks, hammered slowly. The heavy droning riffs are coupled with a haunting organ, riding slow waves of plodding drums.

If lulled by Windhand, Satan’s Satyrs side is a jolting slap. While still sinister and ominous, Satan’s Satyrs uses rambunctious rhythms and raucous ‘70s riffs. This is big volume contained under four minutes. The closer, “Ain’t That Lovin’ You, Baby”, is a stripped down rocker, echoing the opener “Alucard AD 2018”, with its glam-inspired strut, The mid jam, “Succubus”, is darker depending on atmosphere and a gritty tension.

VINYL: 2500 on black; 400, metallic gold; 300, baby pink with mustard; 300, bone white and purple splatter; 100, black and metallic gold merge with white and gold splatter.

Endorphins Lost / Osk split 7" Rotten To The Core Records/ Delusions Of Terror Records/ Agromosh Records/ You All Die Records/ New Age Pyrate Punks Records
Feb 1, 2018

Seattle’s Endorphins Lost captivated fans with their punishing grindcore just over a year ago, in November 2016. A caustic debut, Choose Your Way, on Six Weeks Records, portrayed Endorphins Lost’s version of old school crusty powerviolence. Done with bombastic, crisp production, this fevered punk is served again with four new tracks on this split 7” EP. Spanning from 12 to 90 seconds, Endorphins Lost kill tracks in the vein of Napalm Death, Spazz, Despise You, and Phobia. “Mercy for One” is a beast and its fits of rage into a slowed down thick groove breakdown is explosive. This is grind or powerviolence whatever to perfection. The sound and unrelenting power is one of the best of recent years.

Canadian grind/hardcore band, OSK, add three crushing tracks. The vocals are more abrasive. OSK fly through minute and a half long spurts with some contagious fervor. “Let’s Play A House Show” adds a slight groove to its crunch. All three songs are handled with a pummeling low end, emphasized by big punches from the bass drum. Tough as nails stuff here.

Fistula Splits with –(16)- + Come To Grief Patac Records
Out now

Fistula / Come To Grief split: Ooof. Come To Grief’s “Take Me in My Sleep” is six minutes of bludgeoning, low-tuned, sluggish despair. Jon Hebert’s raspy growls relay the song title’s desperation. This is not a frantic, sweaty desperation, but one profusely embedded in hopelessness and defeat. “Take Me in My Sleep” is a brutally miserable onslaught of loathsome attrition; chiseling at faith in restitution. Fistula follows CTG’s pace with their track, dragging in at six minutes as well. “There is no hope, there is no reason why – we should go on – we should not die” are the lyrics sung by frontman, Dan Harrington. Fistula distinguish their imprint by sectioning their duration. At two minutes, the riff changes slightly in tone and tempo but not pace. The growls still spew vitriol at “fakes and liars, hypocrites”. Then at 3:25, a distinct crisp groove enters the picture; with a –(16)- or even Helmet or Fudge Tunnel (Creep Diets) type stomp. Heavy as hell and twisted and misanthropic. Bad ass song of fetid fury.

150 copies of silver metallic cassette; 100, Clear Vinyl; 150, Transparent Red/Black Smoke Vinyl (PATAC exclusive); 250, Black Vinyl

-(16)- / Fistula split: Here –(16)- grabs a classic Killing Joke track from their debut LP and extracts the spirits but churns the track with its own imprint. –(16)- utilizes their sludge stamp but highlights the melodic guitar line for contrast against the driving, fuzzy bass “Complication” becomes darker and more sinister than its parent song. Fistula hone in on Devo’s punk pith for their cover of “Mongoloid” and nail it. “Mongoloid” fits Fistula’s oeuvre all too well. And they conjure the inner spite while eschewing any pop or electronic elements. Heavy reverb bass and down tuned riffs, strengthened by Harrington’s screams shape the ugliest beauty. “Mongoloid” becomes a tarnished, twisted track of rocking punk. 

100x Clear Vinyl; 150x Aqua Vinyl (PATAC exclusive); 250x Black Vinyl

“Fistula will unveil four more splits with Hemdale, Bloodsick, Fister, and one final band to be announced at a later date. Additionally, the band will issue a vinyl version of 2016’s Longing For Infection with a bonus etched seven-inch from the recording session.”

https://www.patacrecords.com/

Iron Reagan / Gatecreeper split LP Relapse Records
March 2 2018

Stomping into 2018, Relapse Records give the world two raging bands on one slab of wax. Iron Reagan’s scalding crossover and Gatecreeper’s punishing death metal have impressed fans globally. Relapse Records cemented classic status by having the two bands attend the same studio, the lauded GodCity with Kurt Ballou producing. Both bands are hitting the road with one off shows and fests immediately in January 2018. Relapse posted a track from each on YouTube: Iron Reagan’s two minute “Paper Shredder” is one of their five tracks on side A; Gatecreeper’s “War Has Begun” is one of their three which pummels eardrums for four minutes. Unique shirts with both bands logo and the artwork are available in black or white. Available on CD and vinyl: 100 on bone white and blood red merge with black splatter; 300 on bone white with blood red + black splatter; also, black vinyl. 

EPs

Flytraps Outro Records
Out Now

The Flytraps have been a quartet of all female, with a surfier, reverb sound. Now, with three ladies and a dude, the band is darker and faster and more straight-up garage punk. Whatever the formula and combination, this new 7” captures their snarling swagger with three punchy tracks. The L.A. quartet gives us “All Talk”; “He's Been Around” - a fast-paced, jangly lo-fi classic- and “Doin' It Right”. The Flytraps play dense garage punk rock with slithering female vocals and attitude that flaunts meandering bass, tight guitar licks, and rugged drums. 100 on red vinyl; rest on black.

Hell Bent Demo EP (Cassette) Self-release
Jan 12, 2018

Rhode Island’s Hell Bent spews three-ish minute tracks that combine searing elements of thrash, d-beat, crossover, and hardcore – if you need a label beyond “whoah”. Hell Bent boasts the menacing vocals of long time screamer, Aaron Badger, of Straight To Hell, Ulcer, and Paindriver. Other members have spent time in Dropdead and Neon Bitches. This demo was released last year on a very limited cassette version aside from digitally. Kicking off the New Year proper, they are repressing with a more expanded run on cassette.

Hell Bent execute furious, dark metal. Six tracks here exhibit speed-driven riffs with catchy time changes and powerful bass. The brash guitars and pounding drums push and push behind the experienced lungs of Badger. “Yeast” is a blistering opener. These are hardcore thrash songs with taut riffs and more dynamic parts in the songwriting; blazing tracks anchored by breakdowns for the pit. “Bastard Curse of Abraham” starts with a slower, trudging pace which gains momentum, then ebbs into the mid-tempo, building the anticipation. After 90 seconds the final minute, spazzes forward again with tight thrash riffs. Rest of the demo has infectious, energizing tracks that move into dark, down-tuned thrash. See these dudes live if you get the chance. Killer honest metal/hardcore with a voracious hunger. And the bite to match

Silver print on black cassette, deluxe edition comes with an embroidered patch and sticker.

Pissed Regardless Feed the Birds Creator Destructor Records *(Earsplit PR)
February 16th, 2018

San Diego-based thrash purveyors, Pissed Regardless, are releasing their dark, negative take on hardcore based crossover. Feed The Birds is thick and powerful. The condemning ferocity of the vocals match the brutal music. Incensed vocals and frenzied drum patterns switch on dimes to bring pulsating respits and breakdowns (bordering on grind at times). Heavy riffs accompany slick chops and relentless double bass drums bellowing disdain for a rotten world. Pissed Regardless call to influences like 90’s Earache and 80’s NYHC to currents like SSS, Ramming Speed, and This Is Hell. Again, heavy.

Gnaw Bone Scorched Earth Auris Apothecary
January 15^th, 2018

Indiana’s malevolent trio create treachery and devastation with a new four track EP. Their names and duties are recorded simply as B, Rhythm & Voice; R, Thunder & Voice; S, Noise & Voice; the mysterious aspect adding to the chaotic atmosphere of their blackened doom sludge. Enmity and sadism are instruments as much as any guitar. Four to six minutes each, tracks like “The End” (which begins the EP) revel in noise and sonic abstraction. Thick and pounding, the EP conjures spiteful snarling and disdainful cynicism. Limited edition vinyl is on ultra-heavy 180 gram vinyl, on crystal clear transparent vinyl, a double-sided insert, and a heavyweight 24pt jacket. Deluxe edition includes crushed bones pressed into the wax. *Includes digital download

COMPILATIONS

Americas Hardcore Vol 4 Triple B Records

Ships Jan 26, 2018

Continuing its beloved series, Triple B – who had a spectacular 2017 – deliver Volume 4. This installment visits us with upstarts, Brother (New Bedford, MA) – Negative Approach-style female fronted hardcore with new bassist, George Radford (She Rides, F.I., Dropdead); Krimewatch, old school, abrasive, punky hardcore with a mix of NYC and Japanese members and lyrics (3/4 female as well); Line Of Sight, DC SXE revival with mosh friendly two step rhythms and ferocious guitars; Glory, infectious Boston Youth Crew Hardcore; Pure Disgust, punishing DC thrash; the metallic frenzy of Primal Rite (LP coming on Revelation 2018); Free, new track after their stellar 2017 7” of eclectic influences; and big wigs like hardcore super group NYHC style, World Be Free and Baltimore’s titans, Trapped Under Ice. 

“Each band also designed and submitted their own pages for a 20-page, 12" x 12" insert booklet included with each record. LP includes digital download. These will ship in January. All copies come with a free immediate download.”

Aqua Blue, 700; Purple with White Swirl, 500; Red White Blue Tri-Stripe, 300.

Special Duties 77 One More Time Review

Special Duties

77 One More Time Volume I

Jailhouse Records

Review by hutch

I spend time around a lot of younger kids. No, not “lurking in playgrounds” style around kids. And when I say “kids”, I mean early twenties. One place is work. Plus, the scene and pubs. Another is my hobby of film making, littered with embellished kids dreaming of being famous (not good at acting and respected for their craft; but being famous). These young people sensationalize and idealize the 19080’s, saying how ‘awesome’ it must have been. I am often reminded the line in Dazed and Confused, “The seventies obviously sucked so the eighties are gonna rule!”. Well, I hated the friggin 80’s. Despite all the great music produced, much of my favorite sub-cultures suffer from piss poor production and over aiming for a big sound of the arena bands. Both styles acted as detriments to bands recording in the eighties.

Special Duties kicked onto the scene in 1980, with the distilled spirit of punk. Two years later, they personified this ethos in their album title, 77 in 82. They had had a few 45’s, in 1980, 1981. But their first full length was released and spat with a simplistic rage. Fast and harsh was Special Duties’ formula and it worked well. These founding songs are being remastered with the grit and low end punch which they deserve in 77 One More Time (Volume I).

These songs capture the urgency of the UK scene in 1982. There is no catchiness here, no pop hooks; just anger and riffs.  Even the “ohhh’s” in “Delayed Reaction” are undercut with the blistering tempo and chainsaw guitars. The remastering filters out the null space of ‘80s sound and fill in the gaps with charge and spite.

While more raucous and chaotic, Special Duties’ riffs certainly have some songs that sound like The Business. Judge and Jury sound like Suburban Rebels on steroids. Which is fine with me. Funny enough, even with the Business reference, the thing that Mickey and the boys bug me is when they get too slow. Special Duties rarely invoke the reduced tempo. “Britain in ‘81” slows it down for the first time at track eight. But the mastering, as would have been common at the time, does not overdo the drums to render the song mired in obnoxious production. It is slow, but still snarls like Anti Nowhere League would even at a slower pace. And well, that is the only slower song of the seventeen included here.

Notorious alchemists of hubris and rigid liberalism, Maximum Rock and Roll wanted to love this album for its encompassing “everything: ripping guitars, amphetamine speed, sandpaper vocals, catchy choruses”. Alas, they could only recommend it if the “imbecility quotient wasn't so high”; pointing to Special Duties’ “asserting with jingoistic passion that they don't want to die for a weak England!” *(Maximum Rocknroll #3, November/December 1982 – killfromtheheart.com) You certainly may heed that word. But, maybe 1982 British politics do not necessarily impact your current life that frequently.

The lyrics, however chagrinned by Max RnR, still resonate with me in a general application of working class struggles. As the drudgery of my soulless job bothers me, and its disconnected owners, I certainly can blast “They Don’t Care About Me”:

“And still they don't care about me/ Yet I'm not earning no free money

And I don't get no press sympathy/ But I won't take no charity

I go to bed late every night/ I have to get up early it just ain't right

I've gotta be at work by 8am/ For another eight hours of us and them”

Certainly these are lyrics that anyone can relate who would be listening to punk, regardless of era.

And to contrast the negativity of MRNR, KFTH.com also lists this review: “Ah yeah, I think this is probably one of the best records to come out of Britain in a long time. Special Duties put their hearts into their music.” (from Paranoia #6, Spring 1983) Hearts are certainly there. And when you put that much honesty out for others to hear – you are going to piss someone off. Especially when they troll records looking to be offended.

Song titles like “Government Policies”, “Violent Youth”, “Rise and Fight”, “Depression” and “Violent Society” “Police State” should indicate what you are getting into if you are unfamiliar. Special Duties’ boots kick in doors of the system with a disgusted perspective of the working class as they look up to the aristocracy trapping them. The palpable hate and the rebellion are wrenched into each spewed cynical syllable.

77 One More Time has been remastered to capture the fury. This release strengthens the lost bits without compromising the integrity or the heart of Special Duties. Every drop of enraged sweat and spewed disdain is left intact. This should whet your tongue for 77 One More Time Volume II and an LP of new material in 2015.

BUY IT

RIYL: Red Alert, Discharge, Partisans, Abrassive Wheels, Blitz, The Ejected, Cockney Rejects

Ludichrist Powertrip Immaculate Deception Review

Ludichrist

Immaculate Deception/Powertrip (Re-Issue)

Dead City

Review by hutch

Once upon a time, hardcore (punk) and metal were considered separate entities. It did not take long for certain bands that span the spectrum to begin combining elements eventually, harvesting the anger and rebellion of both genres. Venom was one. This is why the first Bathory album sounds like a sibling of The Exploited and Discharge. While in America, DRI and COC began mashing the two styles as well. This spawned bands to incorporate the emergence of thrash and speed metal, loving the ferocity of Metallica, Slayer, Exodus and Testament, into a punk ethos. That inspired one scene to eviscerate all genre limitations, where else but the world’s Capital, home of myriad arts and ethnicities. New York Hardcore saw it in Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags, Carnivore, Leeway, Crumbsuckers, and Ludichrist.

Ludichrist’s main two albums are resurrected after being out of print and damn hard to find. Dead City pairs Immaculate Deception and Powertrip, each getting their own disc, for an entire new generation to discover.  Ludichrist did not take the tight crunch of cleanly produced thrash, just the heaviness and speed. This is a rougher approach, more hardcore. Chuck Valle played bass on this album. Chuck also played in Murphys Law, until losing his life (RIP).

Immaculate Deception’s sound is straight forward and better for it. The defining characteristics of crossover are the time-changes. Most songs are broken into sections; plodding, creepy crawl parts that spur into blistering fast moment. Ludichrist certainly utilize this formula as distinctly and savagely as the first two Suicidal Tendencies’ albums or DRI’s Crossover or COC’s Eye For an Eye.

One aspect kids these days may not quite fathom was the prevalence of Christian authority in the media and life in general. The big televangelists like Swaggart and Robertson and Bakker and the Moral Majority and Tipper Gore’s PMRC all had an intrusive presence swaying parents to fear metal and punk and anything different from the pastoral ideal. If you raised hell, you would prepare to be on Donahue or Sally Jesse. Many of Ludichrist’s lyrics focus on the hypocrisy and evil of these religious stalwarts. The title alone, obviously, speaking on how church *(check Anthrax’s “Make Me Laugh” or Suicidal’s “Send Me Your Money”) exploits the guilt and shame of Christians to harvest millions for their own use.  

Other subjects include typical eighties’ topics; chemical pollution (AF to DK covered this for fear of Toxic Avenger and C.H.U.D. becoming real!), evil in the world, rebellion against parents and the system, and kicking ass. One song, “Tylenol”, is (obvious to anyone my age) about the Tylenol scare when someone was poisoning tier on shelf bottles. The song takes the viewpoint of the perpetrator; still condemning his sick mind. The thematic “Most People Are Dicks” appears here, encompassing the misanthropy and disillusionment or a scene of outcasts. And while my verbiage may seem to elevate, all these approaches are done in the typical rocking 80’s attitude of casual criticisms. It ain’t cerebral. On “God is Everywhere”, the chorus is “Hey Waiter, there’s a God in my soup!”

The recording is stellar, as conveying an energetic, pissed off, sardonic crew of New Yorkers playing as fast and as loud as they could. By stellar, I do not men “pristine”; I mean accurate to conveying the attitude and music of Ludichrist. There is not a consistent thread necessarily in the music, but the production of Randy Burns (Death, Scream Blood Gore; Possessed, Seven Churches; Megadeth, Peace Sells; Dark Angel, Darkness Descends; Nuclear Assault, Survive) and Ludichrist. Songs like “You Can’t Have Fun” and “Murder Bloody Murder” are simply fast ragers. Other tunes indulge in a noodling intro or slow teaser before jumping in to full blast. “Arms of Christ” is bass focused and a slow stomp, like NYHC was known for (sounds like Murphy’s Law “Cavity Creeps”). The mix is balanced and thick. The drums have the ‘grand’ 80’s sound; guitars are acute on the high notes and chunky on the mid-tempo tracks. The bass has a driving presence; vocals, are in the exact right place, neither pushed nor lost in the mix.

Note the hierarchy of guest appearances with Roger AF, Eddie Leeway, John from Nuclear Assault and Chris Notaro from Crumbsuckers helping out with backing vocals. Al Batross (who came up with the name) was on drums, Joe Butcher on guitars. Chuck on bass. However that line up was overhauled. Tommy Christ remained on vocals with Glen Cummings providing the songwriting and guitars, as they followed up with Powertrip. Powertrip had backing vocals by Death. Yes, that Death. So you can see the transition from NYHC base to a more metal direction.

I wouldn’t say they got more serious as people, but they got more serious about recording. Powertrip embraces a darker approach to production, by Ludichrist and Tom Morris (Coroner, early Iced Earth, Whiplash). They still called hardcore Mecca, CBGB’s, home; but they clearly were getting comfy with their metal peers. Mike Walter grabbed the four strings this time. That is significant to me, and other NYHC fans, as Mike (a.k.a. Chickie)played on three Sheer Terror releases and the classic Kill Your Idols twelve inch. The drums, played by Dave Miranda, are a strong technical improvement. They are played with more skilled and utilize an expanded palette (mad fills, bro!). However, Miranda never continued playing music. Powertrip’s line up was rounded out by Paul Nieder on the other guitar (he’kll come up again…).

This is a killer album, fierce and taut. Ludichrist still have not gone full thrash, but lean more towards those type bands. Ludichrist is fast and focused on Powertrip. Magazines and blogs harp continuously that the thrash revival is dead. *(Tell that to Extinction AD, Dust Bolt, Testament, Over Kill, Bonded By Blood, Toxic Holocaust).  Most blogs only envision Municipal Waste surviving as a band in this genre. This album is filled with dive bombs, crisp riffs, tumultuous drums, and better production. The second track, “Zad” could be an early Slayer song. This is 1988. And Ludichrist was in full metal swing alongside Sacred Reich, Nuclear Assault and friends, Death.

Lyrically, Tommy Christ continues indulging specific creative stories o represent larger ills of society. Corruption, hypocrisy, arson and parties that suck are proper fodder.  Songs are longer. The first album stayed in the one to two minute area, while this album ventures up to and past three and four minutes. It doesn’t have them experimenting or getting all prog; “And So It Goes” and “Well Dress…” are three and five minutes, while utilizing fast as hell rhythms. Powertrip boasts thirteen tracks of fury. “Damage Done” entails some angry breakdowns, but charges forward as any vicious metal band would. “Yesterday for You”, while still a thrashy ripper, has a groove. And that is the peculiar aspect of this film. There were hints of the eclectic influences on ID, but they indulge further here. Odd bass or drum meanderings show up; with a funk or jazz influence – and it’s minimal – b

Those three formed Scatterbrain. If you remember 1990, before grunge, when people dressed like Pauly Shore or Bones Brigade and were “outrageous” but in a transparent corporate matter, this makes sense. This is when bands were eclectic. Whether Mr Bungle or Fishbone, people prided themselves on being a mash of multiple unassociated genres, a la Faith No More or New York brethren, 24-7 Spyz. (“We’re like a punk-mod-funky-reggae-metal-thrash-groove-Norwegian folk jam band, man!”) Anyone remember White Trash? When I played “Most People are Dicks” – I could not help but remember “Don’t Call Me Dude” by Scatterbrain. Now we come full circle. Scatterbrain, who I thought of as a metal band, were lighter and more Mtv accessible. They played fast, but so did late 80’s Chili Peppers. It was silly and catchy, but thick riffs were replaced by lighter catchy stringed aficionado supported techniques.

But I digress. This is what crossover was; exceptional metal that escaped recognition because it was played by NYHC guys. This music still stands up to its contemporaries that continue to propagate respect. This is not some lost classic for hipsters to get the jump on, like Urban Waste or Massachusetts’ Siege. This band was in most late 80’s hardcore thank you lists. Both albums here are fast, powerful, chunky riffed music. This is an essential piece of any hardcore/crossover/metal catalog.

Buy at Dead City Records

RIYL: Final Conflict, DRI, Municipal Waste, Murphys Law, Leeway, Suicidal Tendencies, Septic Death, Cryptic Slaughter, SOD/MOD, Nuclear Assault, Slayer, COC, etc…

Here is a cool interview in print with the band from 1987. It gives you perspective on their attitude, which is basically the East Coast ball busting approach. Not too serious at all.

1987 Interview

There are also multiple interview videos from 1989 in Detroit at Blondie’s. If you enter Ludichrist, these pop up.

But here they are in 2014 at BnB Bowl