Dr. Know were the darkest of the Nardcore bands with a heavy emphasis on violent themes of destruction, doom and impending death. They had a metal-tinged thrash sound but we just considered them hardcore punk rock at the time.
This LP provides a great glimpse into what the Nardcore scene was like in the mid-198s0s. Hardcore punk, but heavier. It wasn't as urban as Black Flag or the Circle Jerks--Oxnard is a strawberry-picking town on the coast--but these dudes knew how to throw down. The pits for these shows were so vibrant and energetic. It wasn't mosh. It was non-stop slamming.
Their logo (below) was designed by Jaime Hernandez. He was already a well-known illustrator in the underground comics scene at the time. He also did the artwork for Stalag 13 and Agression.
After "Plug in Jesus" they released the "Burn" 7" EP (1985), an LP that contained "Burn" and some added tracks (1986), and then an LP titled "Wreckage in Flesh" (1988). As someone who could not get enough of their earlier recordings, this album was a real let down. Like so many other bands, as the 80s progressed, they changed to conform to the generic speed metal influence that had taken over. The uniqueness and individuality of the band was gone.
I know they released some more material after that, and there is band called Dr. Know that is still around today, and they play some of the old tunes, yadda, yadda, yadda. But this is the real deal. Kyle Toucher on vocals and guitar, Fred Mataquin on guitar, Ismael Hernandez on bass and on Rik Heller on drums.
Download here.
"Plug in Jesus," "Burn," and some earlier material was reissued as "The Best of Dr. Know." You can find it used pretty easily.
| 1. | God Told Me | 02:29 | |
| 2. | Mr. Freeze | 03:08 | |
| 3. | The Intruder | 02:17 | |
| 4. | Circle of Fear | 03:25 | |
| 5. | Citizens of the World | 02:07 | |
| 6. | Life Returns | 03:48 | |
| 7. | Crucified | 02:12 | |
| 8. | Fist Fuck | 03:46 |
God Told Me
Citizens of the World
Life Returns
Watch it Burn
I didn't realize Jaime Hernandez created so many record covers back in those days. Great stuff, and the music aint bad either.
ReplyDeleteJaime did a lot of work for the Nardcore bands. In addition to the Stalag 13 cover (previously posted) and logo for Dr. Know (above) he also drew illustrations for Ill Repute and Agression. See here:
ReplyDeleteIll Repute
http://tinyurl.com/ybuxjur
Agression (they spelled it with one g)
http://tinyurl.com/ya2d2ga
http://tinyurl.com/ybbv92l
You're crazy. Wreckage In Flesh is a masterpeice concept album.The music was more advanced, it had to be, considering the thought-provoking lyrics. Amazing album.
ReplyDeleteA masterpiece? Please, it sucks. Total cookie-cutter speed metal crap (including double-bass drumming) that was commonplace in SoCal at the time. No originality whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteIn the 20+ years it's been since Wreckage In Flesh came out, I believe this is the first time anyone has said anything positive about it. Nice job there, Jeremy.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget "This Island Earth" which was released before Wreckage...
ReplyDelete