A Field Guide to the Real Deal,
A look back at albums that influenced Metalcore By "SIN"

Let's face it, the music industry sucks at the moment. Fall Out Boy, Avenged Seven Fold and a slew of other newer artists have infiltrated the airwaves with what mainstream America has adopted as a fashionable, safe, so-called underground movement. Kids from all walks of life have donned the tight pants attire and peacock hair stature with no real education on what underground really is. With this little ditty we hope you little mall-core rockers will search out some of these bands who really matter, the true pioneers of underground music.

The Accused:
The Return Of Martha Splatterhead
Metalcore would probably not be what it is today without early contributions of such metal-fueled pioneers as The Accused. With their gutter style vocals and metal influenced riffs, The Accused built a huge underground following that still stands strong today. With their self-dubbed Splatter-Core rock, these Seattle metalcore veterans built a solid fan base that was helped by the intoxicating merchandising of their infamous mascot Martha Splatterhead. Musically, The Accused were way ahead of the game, mixing distorted metal inspired guitars licks and long hair looks with the underground hardcore ethics that seem to have all but evaporated in this day and age.

Bad Brains: Bad Brains
Bad Brains were a huge contribution to the early U.S. hardcore scene. Unheard of at the time was an all African American punk band, especially one that kicked everybodys ass live. Mixing raw metal guitar riffs with their over-the-top energy, the Bad Brains were furious in their efforts to mix a more musically diverse sound with their political views of the world.

Black Flag: Damaged
Undeniably one of the most in-your-face albums of the Cali hardcore movement, Damaged is a must for any real punk enthusiast. Such pinnacle cuts as Rise Above, Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie and other brutally raw classics still stand the test of time. Poet and spoken word performer Henry Rollins was spawned from Black Flag, and in return brought them the attention they much deserved, making them one of the most important bands in the Cali punk scene. Damaged has so many classic angst-strewn blasts of fury, it reveals how much of an influence their attitude was to the punk rock/underground scene.

Black Flag: Slip It In
Another fine piece of wax, Slip It In was in all regards a sludge fest of metal that was a hard swallow for most Black Flag fans. Guitarist Greg Ginn took his sound almost overnight and transformed it into a concoction of Sabbath-like, out of tune experiments in mind torture, helping sadly lose a lot of their die-hard fan base. Slip It In at times can become somewhat brain numbing, but with every listen it becomes more apparent that it played an important part in mixing punk and metal.

Circle Jerks: Group Sex
These So-Cal punx are the epitome of everything the Cali underground movement stood for in the early eighties. With some of the most intense live shows, the Jerks ripped through halls and clubs, leaving destruction and chaos wherever they played. Such tracks as Red Tape, Beverly Hills, and other slamming classics were pivotal in creating the now commercialized ideas of skanking (to you newbies, this is now most associated with the Mosh pit). Brash and youthful, the Circle Jerks embodied the culture that spawned many bands to follow, but few could compare to the unbridled energy that the Circle Jerks embodied.

Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables
One of the most notorious bands of the early eighties, the Dead Kennedys were probably a little too smart for their own good. Lead vocalist Jello Biafra has held the torch high against censorship, and with topics ranging from politics to poverty, the Dead Kennedys were a pretty good target in this heated debate. Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables is a must for any true hardcore enthusiast. Not as much a metalcore influence musically, but they helped in making punk what it is today.

D.R.I.: Dealing With It
D.R.I. or (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles) are the forefathers of the crossover scene of the early to mid eighties. Combining quick short blasts of songs clocking in at under 2 minutes with distorted metal riffs, this Texas band brought a whole new game to the underground scene. Abusive but metallic, D.R.I. introduced a sound that was a huge help in getting

the underground movement to accept the ideas of long hairs playing with the truest hardcore fan. This album is a definite must for any crust punk who really wants to be educated in the history of metalcore.

G.B.H.: The Punk Singles
Another Euro pioneer of the underground movement, G.B.H. is undeniably one of the biggest influences on the crossover of metal and hardcore in the mid-eighties. Formed in 1979, these Brits introduced the metallic guitar-filled sounds that gave rise to the acceptance of other more rock-driven underground punk bands to follow. Politically charged lyrics and angsty attitude gave G.B.H. the stigma that so many other bands after have tried recapture. This collection of past
singles gives an incredible overview into what made G.B.H. such a huge influence on the soon to be spawned crossover scene.

MINOR THREAT: Minor Threat
Fueling a thriving straight edge ethic, Minor Threat was a breed apart. Singer Ian MacKaye was a huge promoter of the D.I.Y. ethics of punk rock, but also introduced a whole new serge of kids that were at times very misunderstood. Preaching a straight edge lifestyle with a very aggressive concert following, Minor Threat was a very instrumental band that has given birth to a legion of fans still true to this day. It would be fair to say that Minor Threat was far from metal, but their beliefs and strong values seemed to have carried over to the thriving emo-scremo scene that we know today.

MOTVRHEAD: Ace Of Spades
Probably the most respected band to mix the nuances of punk and the sonic volume of hard rock, the members of Motvrhead are the kings of brash rock n roll. Being one of the very few bands to have the punk rock stamp of approval, these English bastards have carried the torch for the acceptance of long hairs and punx to mix in harmony for years. Ace Of Spades is a definite must for any fan who seeks true rock n roll it was meant to be!

THE MISFITS: Earth A.D.
Well before Glen Danzig was a bloated mass of muscle and black leather, there was a little band called The Misfits. These pre-Goth punk rockers helped fuel the Cali punk scene with a whole new look and image that still is adopted today by Hot Topic rockers world wide. Their infamous skull and other heavily merchandised goods are probably more well known then their music, helping carry on their legacy for years to come. Musically, The Misfits were not much more then a punk rock KISS, but their attitude and their loyal fan base will always be dear to many a punks dirty heart.

PLASMATICS: Coup D'Etat
Wendy O. Williams embodied everything punk stood for in the early years. With her over-the-top stage antics and non-law abiding persona, she proved women could rock just as hard as the guys. The Plasmatics were a sonic mixture of guitar fueled riffs, and abusive, self-destructive
shows that have gained a cult following that still thrives today. Stellar performances were a norm for the Plasmatics, including smashing TVs, blowing up cars, and their legendary live television appearance on the now classic music show Fridays.

THE RAMONES
Come on it's the fuckin Ramones. If you don't know then you ain't punk!

SAMHAIN: Initium
After the demise of The Misfits, ole Glen Danzig began to pack on the pounds and formed his earliest incarnation of Danzig. With a more low end sound, but continuing on with the dark imagery of The Misfits, this band was an incredibly influential part in the Goth rock scene. Bands like Aiden and AFI owe their careers to Samhain.

SEX PISTOLS: God Save The Queen
If you don't own this ground breaking piece of wax there is no hope! Attitude, Attitude, Attitude!!!!!!!!!

SUICIDAL TENDIENCES: Suicidal Tendencies
This self titled album is probably the most important recording to help etch the crossover of punk and metal. Hailing from the rough trenches of Venice Beach, S.T. were notoriously related with SoCal gangs and the seedy world that was Venice Beach in the eighties, helping fuel their mystique world wide. Banned from playing locally, S.I. was the epitome of what punk ethics stood for: us against the world. If one album helped firm the association of metal and punk, this easily takes the title, meshing smoking guitar leads with the speed and potency of punk--this is the definitive release that tops them all.