DECRY.

In my mind, a classic Los Angeles hardcore record - one that does not get the love that, say, the Adolescents got...

Underrated as fuck, the twin-guitar attack here is ahead of its time, the bass player "laying right in the pocket" (the way bass should be played), etc. Now add some suburban angst (peer pressure, drugs, violence, depression, cops,) and it all adds up to the perfect formula for some classic 1980's first-generation American Hardcore (the good shit).
None of this needs to be said though, honestly - let the music do the talking…

Decry - Falling

Link in comments.

BATTALION OF SAINTS.

Well, it's about fuckin' time those fighting' boys from "America's Finest City" made an appearance here, isn't it?
These guys walked it like they talked it - the majority of the early members never made it out of The Eighties alive, sadly.

Guitarist Chris Smith had a unique approach as far as HC guitar-playing went back then - you either loved it or hated it. Either way, you took notice of what these guys were doing when they came on, and I'm pretty damn sure you got the fuck out of there way when they were doing it.

I would think most of you have this already, but if you don't, now is the time to appreciate this classic hardcore material from the halcyon days of S.D.H.C…



Battalion of Saints - Second Coming

Link in comments.

PRONG.

In 1988, nothing mattered to me - except for my skateboard, my cassette collection, my woman, my weed, & my next issue of Thrasher Magazine.

Each month, I used to read & re-read each issue of that legendary skateboard magazine - (who didn't?). In those days, Pushead did the music writing for them - and like many of you who are of my generation - I found myself delving deeper & deeper into the underground hardcore / metal scenes around the world via the "Puszone" column each month.

Thusly, that is where I first discovered Prong.

The guitar riffs on this thing are all so fucking strong; compelling you to bang your head one minute, & then circle-pit your ass off the next. The bass is bottom heavy w/ a resounding thud, and the drumming is fucking epic - heavy & on-point - yet full of subtle nuances that transcend much of what the crossover scene was doing back then.

The cover art upon first sight was so stark and burly to me - I was heavily into Cro-Mags & Agnostic Front & C.o.C. at this time, so this was a logical next-step (musically) for me. It sounded like nothing else I'd heard before.

Prong did one more record after this that I (sorta) liked, 1990's "Beg to Differ", which contained a cool Pushead cover, a few rippers & a bunch of polished, homogenized tunes that didn't hold that same raw & unbridled power - it was a sign of what was to come for the band - and I didn't bother to follow them any more after that.

This record still holds its own as a unique-sounding NY crossover gem that gets overlooked at times. For a little indie-released record that didn't have much (if any) budget behind it, the mix is very strong, everything is loud in the mix, yet balanced nicely. Certainly grab this if you don't have it already.



Prong - Force Fed

Link in comments.

BEOWÜLF.

The Mid-Eighties Crossover / Thrash phenomena has always been a favorite of mine - I'm not afraid to admit that. As a culture-locked teenaged skate-punk growing up in mid-Michigan in those days (I think I've mentioned that before), those bands just spoke wholeheartedly to me.

For me, bands like Beowülf fueled many a heated session, or a long late-night road trip to infiltrate spots in cities far away. While they may have been overshadowed by the infamy that was garnered upon that "other" band from Venice, these guys slung a mean vato-loco thrash-style somewhat akin to the likes of, say, Motörhead meets Discharge, but definitely with that "gangsta flava" that Venice Beach is famous for.



Beowülf - Beowülf

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THE ACCÜSED.

I've been busy as of late, but this posts worth the wait.
So don't hesitate, (cuz you love won't wait)…

Sorry for the Frampton-ism there; you're boggled now that Peter Frampton & the Kings of Splatterrock would/could/were used in the same post (I know), but damn if this ain't a shit-hot live recording from back when The Accüsed were at the peak of their powers. Enjoy!



The Accüsed - 11.26.1988 Groningen, The Netherlands

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DESTROYER.

Okay, just so you know: I'm NOT a fan of the retro/rehash contemporary thrash revival we've been seeing the last few years - I prefer the classics. That said, I'm pretty hyped on this 2010 release from a rager of a band from Colombia called Destroyer!

While they've been around since 2001, this is their first full-length, and damned if they don't conjure up some choice blackened/thrashy elements of early Destruction, Venom - even a dash of Absu all up in this piece!

Nice short-and-to-the-point songs w/ crazy-psychotic vocals & manic-twisted riffage makes for a fun listen. Nothing really new here, but there has always been something original & GENUINE in the approach of the South American thrash scene, so check it out...



Destroyer - Prepared for Discharge

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REALM.

On this, the seventh anniversary of the War in Iraq, I post this way-under-the-radar (no pun intended) Midwestern Thrash heavyweight via request from my good friend, Nano247. I'm sure he can fill us in on these guys. Kind of reminds me at times of a cross between Nuclear Assault & Exodus, but see for yourself.

I couldn't resist using this photo, and yes, the war SUCKS but this record certainly doesn't. Milwaukee thrash, baby...

Realm - Endless War

Link in comments.

SACRED REICH.

Late night skateboarding in the hot sticky heat.
Long/late night drives in said heat.

This was a staple cassette in my car back in the day, and it still logs a lot of airtime on the iPod at work.
A classic Thrash/Crossover/whatever album for sure; I feel like these guys would have been bigger had they not had such cheesy album covers in their later catalogue.

Their first LP, and still their best.

sidenote:
Home renovation(s) for the last month have made the L-RV pretty much come to a standstill for the most part, but hopefully I'm back on track for my usual massive output of "one-post-per-week" average, ha ha.

Thanks for stopping by, and yes, comments would be nice...



Sacred Reich - Ignorance

Link in comments.

VERBAL ABUSE.

While there's been quite a few lineups / eras of Verbal Abuse, it's pretty much a no-brainer to say that these guys were always at the forefront of hardcore / thrash / crossover at any given time - regardless of the musicians involved.

1995's Red, White & Violent proved to be an explosive and precise pit-inducing monster - never missing a lick, never missing a beat - just a full-on gnarbucket-style Nor-Cal thrash attack at it's finest!



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Verbal Abuse - Red, White & Violent

PRONG.

Now, while I can't say as though I have listened to any Prong record made after 1991's "Prove You Wrong", I gotta say Force Fed absolutely kicked my ass back in the day.
That was another one of those "fuel-for-the-skate-session" records, and this here live board recording from 1990 is pretty good. They play all the good early shit, the sound is exceptionally good, and the between-song banter is amusing at times - especially due to Tommy's heavy "(nasal) Noo Yawwk-ness".

*Enjoy this - the 400th. post - here at Lo-Res Viscera*



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Prong - 10.15.1990 Batschkapp, Frankfurt, Germany

CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER.

Did you know that soccer is hardcore/metal as fuck?

In the case of Santa Monica's Cryptic Slaughter it was!

These young So-Cal teen ragers met whilst playing in a youth soccer league before turning into one of the premiere standouts of the "crossover" genre.

Here's their lightning fast & core-as-fuck first album that still stands the test of time 23 years later.

There's a certain element of fury & angst shown here that seems to be missing from alot of metal/core bands these days that is present on this recording - see for yourself, whydontcha?

*(This shit fits perfectly between "Horrified" and "Animosity")*



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Cryptic Slaughter - Convicted



THIS POST MARKS THE TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THIS BLOG.

It's hard for me to believe that I would still be going strong at this point.
I've done ALOT of blogs over the years, and I think I've finally found the speed/material that works for me - hopefully my ride has been fun for you as well.

While I haven't posted quite as often as I wish I could, I try to post records that are meaningful/under-appreciated/lost classics more often than not.
I like to geek out tweaking images I've found on Google of the bands. Sometimes a cool picture to fuck with inspires the post - what can I say, I love to fuck around in Photoshop!

I've made some cool friends with this blog, as well as made some contacts with some of the bands; also just as important is the fact that ALL the blogs I have linked to in the sidebar I can honestly say are great people who share the same lust for music that I do.
We don't all have the same taste - mine is questionable on most days - but that's what makes "the hunt" so fun, right?

Anyways, I'm gonna go back to my ice cream before it all melts, but I thought I'd say THANK YOU to those of you who stop by - your comments are always appreciated!
While I may not always reply to the dialogue, I certainly enjoy the stories that you share with me, and that in turn has inspired many a post here as well - keep those comments/suggestions coming!

THANK YOU FOR VISITING THE SICKNESS THAT IS LO-RES VISCERA.

(There's more to come).

SUFFER.

Sweden has produced some of the best - as well as some of the worst - death metal throughout the years.
This next record falls under the "some of the best" category.

Suffer were a short-lived act, putting out a handful of demos & EP's prior to recording "Structures", their only full length (which was to be their final release).

While it was recorded by Tomas Skogsberg at the infamous Sunlight Studios, it does not have "that sound". These guys created a sound they could call their own, and there's a bit of a "hardcore" feel/approach to much of the songwriting. Lots of crunch, lots of time signatures, rad shout/bark vocals, etc.

Check these guys out if you haven't before.



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Suffer - Structures

CRUMBSUCKERS.

If ever there was a NYC band that fit the crossover bill, it would be these guys.
Many would label them as a "joke band" - (that would come later) - but honestly? The riffage on here is no fucking joke, son.

A perfect mix of NYHC-meets-Bay Area Thrash, and for me that's a winning combo on most days...



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Crumbsuckers - Life of Dreams

INFERNO.

Rockin' 80's thrashcore from Germany.

Inferno had some reknown in the States back in the day as they were a favorite of Pushead, and were part of the whole Pusmort thing he had going on back then.

(I forgot about how fucking good these guys were; it's easy to forget about music you own due to having 200GB+ loaded in your iTunes)...

Excellent stuff you should certainly check out if you haven't already.
It's MUCH better than say, Mastodon, (or anything with that shitty JD Baizley / Pushead ripoff cover art on it) - or whatever flavor-of-the-week "thrash revival" band you'll read about in next month's Decibel Magazine...



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Inferno - Hibakusha




Now playing: Envy - Invisible Understanding
via FoxyTunes

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately.
I've been inundated with work & holiday stuff - who hasn't, really - and on top of everything else I sold my beloved '96 Ford Bronco on Xmas Eve to a good friend who really needed it.

In return, I splurged and bought myself a 2008 Scion xB.

Now, I bet some of you are saying to yourself, "WTF!?"
Well, for someone who has driven a big-ass truck for a long time in a city that has mega parking problems, I am fucking LOVING it!
No more $50 street cleaning tickets, it only costs me about $25 to fill it up - I can run on that for at least two weeks at a time - and I can actually fit my new vehicle IN MY GARAGE. Imagine that!

By the way, there will be no "Best of 2008" list here at Lo-Res Viscera.

After years of doing them, I have finally come to realize that I always leave something(s) out, and really who fucking cares and what does it mean to YOU what my favorites are anyways, huh?
I hardly have the time to sit down and pick my brain trying to figure out relase dates, etc.
We all have our favorites, and they have theirs, and so on, etc. Yeah.

Enjoy the rock and now it's on to my final post of 2008...

1985 was the year that Mike, Woody & Reed unleashed THE FUCKING PERFECT ALBUM upon my denim-and-flannel flying sk8-carcass.

This record became the soundtrack to many a late night schralp session, and it still stands on its own today.

Hard to believe this band is (sorta) still around - Pepper Keenan's version of C.o.C. could never/will never write a fucking album this stellar.



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Corrosion of Conformity - Animosity




Now playing: The Endless Blockade - Barely Legal
via FoxyTunes

AGNOSTIC FRONT.

While many hardcore "purists" probably dislike this record, I'd have to say it is one of their better LP's.
Of course we all love "Victim In Pain", but this line-up of A.F. to me sounded quite powerful, and I dig the double-bass & guitar solos - I'm sure this bummed out many of the bald-headed meatbags in the crowd.

I'll always love these guys, but to be honest, anything beyond "Liberty & Justice For..." isn't worth listening to.

Enjoy this hardcore classic!



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Agnostic Front - Cause For Alarm




Now playing: Catharsis - Our Fight
via FoxyTunes

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY.

Just went through the L-R V archives and see that I haven't done a single post on one of my favorite bands ever - C.o.C.
So now I present to you, kind reader, a great-sounding live set from 1985 - back when they were a ferocious unit indeed!



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Corrosion of Conformity - 01.05.1985 Wilson Center, Wash. D.C.




Now playing: Into Another - Without A Medium

D.R.I.

I was cleaning out the garage this weekend and found a box of old VHS tapes.
In there was this gem, so I thought I'd fire up my old VCR (they're all old now, aren't they) and record the audio from this solid performance of the best D.R.I. line-up from back in the day.

I wonder what any of their records after "4 of A Kind" sound like; haven't heard anything since - which, by the way - I love said album (as well as the early years).
Lots of fond memories of hot late night sk8 road trips around MI in the summertime, etc.
One for the ages, enjoy my boredom...



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D.R.I. - 06.27.1987 Live at The Ritz, NYC




Now playing: From Hell - Words Mislead You

ANGKOR WAT.

While Corpus Christi, TX may not be known as a hotbed for hardcore or metal bands, it did spawn a truly great thrashcore/crossover/whatever band in the form of Angkor Wat.

Great fucking riffage; all choppy and shit.
Fits perfectly next to that Beyond Possession record.

You should fucking own this.



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Angkor Wat - When Obscenity Becomes the Norm... Awake!




Now playing: Watch Me Burn - Infect

HELL'S KITCHEN.

Another hard-to-find Boner Records recording, this time it's Hell's Kitchen featuring former members of Fang and The Boneless Ones.
That should be enough information for you to figure out what this sounds like, right?



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Hell's Kitchen - If You Can't Take The Heat...




Now playing: Paw - Learn To See