Society Dog - Both 7"s and SF Underground Comp

I was recently turned on to the old Final Countdown radio show that terrorized the LA area on KXLU throughout the 80s. Host Adam Bomb himself posted his personal tapes of the show several years ago, and believe you me...it's FM gold!

While geeking out over an old punk radio show, I found out Bay Area punk band Society Dog had more than one release. I just knew them from their "Title Role" track on the SF Underground 2 compilation and singer Johnithin Christ's other band, Code of Honor. With much joy and fervor, I tracked down the band's two 7"s and now have them for you here.

Working Class People is very much a product of the time. It has that nostalgic 70s punk sound, but worth having in the collection. The band truly finds its footing on the follow-up EP, Off the Leash. The sound is more hardcore and the songs are extremely memorable. You'll be telling cops to fuck off in no time!

I've included the compilation, which has tracks by Spikes, Lewd, and Undead...as well as the killer Society Dog tune.

Look out now!!!

Working Class People - HERE

Off the Leash - HERE

S.F. Underground 2 - HERE

Adam Bomb's Final Countdown Radio Archive - HERE

Juggernaut (TX) - Demos I & II / Baptism Under Fire LP

Admit it, people from Texas are just weird. I had this roommate one time, who was from Texas. We used to drink whiskey out of coffee mugs, ride stolen street signs down flights of stairs, and set abandoned furniture on fire. Can you imagine what our theme song was? Nope, it was "Burn Tonight" by a band from San Antonio, aptly named Juggernaut. Yes, dorkface, they're linked to SA Slayer.

I'll take Lone Star Metal for $400, Trebek. Juggernaut is one of drummer extraordinaire Bobby Jarzombek's early bands. Also, vocalist Harlan Glenn, is somewhat of a historical military guru. I happen to have a copy of this book he penned about old WW2 British airborne uniforms. He also worked extensively with the legendary R. Lee Ermy (insert one-liner from Full Metal Jacket here) on several television shows.

See...Texans are weird, man.

1984 Demo I - HERE

1984 Demo II - HERE

Baptized Under Fire - HERE

Doomwatch - Demos / Rehearsal / Live / LP

What? You're from western Pennsylvania? Pittsburgh you say? I'm sorry.

Unless you were in Doomwatch. Not only did they have a cool name and a classy logo, they forged some of the most pure punk thrash steel ever to hit the head of my tape deck. This is the kind of stuff that makes you want to dropkick an owl. Gimme that tootsie pop, bitch!

A Symphony of Decadence is an underground classic. No home should be without it. You have a disaster kit right?

Bottled water...check.
Flashlight...check.
Matches...check.
Emergency thrashing...CHECK!

I've included The Final Demo, which is really just a comp of all the bands demos. Easy eh? I've also thrown in a rehearsal from 1986, which is a pretty worthwhile document...BUT...the real gem here is the live show from '86 recorded at the City Limits, a bingo hall located in Penn Hills outside of Pittsburgh. Probably the best recording the band ever did...

Relax, have a Jolt cola.

The Final Demo - HERE

Rehearsal 5/27/86 - HERE

Live at City Limits 6/09/86 - HERE

A Symphony of Decadence - HERE

Ruthless - Recordings from Ruthie's Inn

Unfortunately, I can't claim to have memories of Ruthie's Inn...arguably one of the most important punk/metal venues of a generation. Upon my relocation to Oakland a year ago, I wasted no time visiting the breeding grounds of all the bands I grew up listening to. Ruthie's was top priority. Though it hadn't been "Ruthie's Inn" in some time, the building gave me chills just standing next to it.

I read today that the building was being completely renovated...even the famous stage being removed, piece by piece. So as a little tribute, I decided to throw up a bunch of recordings that took place at Ruthie's during the mid-80s. All of this stuff is live except for the second disc of The Eastern Front 3 comp. That side is a collection of demos from various bands that were involved in the scene at the time (Sacrilege, Legacy. Heathen, etc.) Some real gems in there. During the Cro-Mag's show, they actually poke fun at the Eastern Front comps.

Eastern Front 3 Comp (Disc 1) - HERE

Eastern Front 3 Comp (Disc 2) - HERE

Hirax 3/22/1985 - HERE

Cro-Mags in 1986 - HERE

Verbal Abuse - 4/04/1986 - HERE

Gutted - Demo and LP

Is plain old death metal back in style yet?

I grew up in the southeastern portion of the United States. In turn, I was nursed on death metal. Uncle Glenn Benton used to take me squirrel hunting.

I'll always have a soft spot for lumbering midpaced redneck death metal. The brothers Ditch had this shit down with their band Gutted. The Bleed for Us to Live record was always a staple at metal BBQs back in the day. I think it was rereleased not too long ago, but it's still hard to find...so here ya go.

I've also included their 1992 demo, Into the Gates of Insanity. This tape has some killer clipped out distorted death metal.

So get yourself a glass of grandma's sweet tea and kick a corpse.

Into the Gates of Insanity Demo - HERE

Bleed for Us to Live - HERE

Demo Bringer - Order From Chaos Demos

Upon hearing P. Helmkamp's new band, Kerasphorus, I was inspired to dig up an old Order From Chaos demo I have called Crushed Infamy. That sick piece of magnetic tape nearly killed me. The riffs contained therein unleashed an unholy assault on my conformist reality.

With the help of a friend, I was able to track down the first two demos from 1988, Demo 1 and Inhumanities. While raw as fuck, the intensity on these tapes is frightening. That's why I've uploaded them for you here...to fucking scare you! This is metal at its most furious. No gay cabaret glossy production and no mickey mouse breakdowns. This is the sound of a mortar round going off in your brain.

This is pretty much everything the band released up until the official Will to Power EP. So...to complete this collection, there is also a bootleg rehearsal from 1988 that is honestly pretty damn good. The date is listed as December 25th, 1988. Nice.

Demo 1 / Inhumanities / Crushed Infamy - HERE

Rehearsal 12/25/88 - HERE

W.A.S.P. - We Are So Punk! (Demos)

Not really. WASP was never punk nor were they true metal. They were, however, a fucking kickass rock band. Nevermind how douchy Blackie Lawless can be or how silly the band got in later incarnations. The first album and the demos leading up to it are still completely relevant to landing elbow-drops on small children. So wipe that spunk off your hands and get ready to download these rarities.

The first demo is the "Face the Attack" tape from 1982. There are apparently 3 tracks missing, all of which were from sessions for a different band, Circus Circus, that never got off the ground. I've only heard these in an extremely degraded version that was barely audible. Maybe they'll pop up one day. Check out the slick Rik Fox (of Steeler fame) artwork. Wonder if he had the 64 pack of crayons...you know the one with the sharpener on the back.

Demo number two is a collection of demos that sound like they were done around the same time of the "Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)" single. They're probably from the same sessions. The production on these is pretty good...almost as good as the finished record that came out the following year.

I've also thrown in an old Sister demo featuring 'ole Wackie Walrus in his pre-W.A.S.P. band. It's actually a pretty good song, entitled "I Don't Know What I Am". Pay attention to the last section where you get a hint of the Crimson Idol record that Blackie would record a decade later.

HERE

John Zorn Double Feature

I was going through a box from my NYC days and came across a couple of harder to find John Zorn discs.

First is a radio promo from Zorn's label Tzadik. It features a bunch of Tzadik artists...like Ikue Mori, Anthony Coleman, and Alvin Curran; but the real kicker is that it is formatted like a radio program with John Zorn as your host. He adds some pretty interesting insight into the artists and the songs. Kinda like Vincent Price or Rod Serling...just not as sinister.

Second is an old Knitting Factory (NYC) recording of John Zorn's Cobra from 1992. If you're not familiar with Cobra, it's one of Zorn's weirdo "game pieces". Don't be a dumbass, read more.

Short and sweet.

Tzadik Radio Hour Hosted by John Zorn - HERE

John Zorn's Cobra Live at the Knitting Factory - HERE

Dove

What better way to relaunch this blog than with the release of a Dove. A giant fucking blimp of a bird that when it unleashes turds from the heavens, all of the tectonic plates of the earth rumble violently in retort. At least that's how monstrous these riffs are.

Dove was born out of some of the heaviest bands of the 90s, Floor and Cavity. Hank Wilson, drummer of said bands, awoke one morning...had a cup of coffee...and decided to stab me in the brain with bolts of lightning that he found dripping from his amplifiers. This self-titled album is self produced and was pretty much a debut and swan song all wrapped in one. Too bad this was never on vinyl. Shame really...

Rumor has it that Henry has a new band called House of Lightning. Lets cross our fingers for more bolts to the head.

HERE