Remembering Riley Gale

Posted on by dugtheship

Photo from The Collaborative

Power Trip has been my favorite band since the first time I saw them. I love them the same way I used to love bands as a teenager, excited by every bit of news and every show announcement. It never occurred to me that I’d ever feel like this about a band again, but here I am. Despite 30 years in and around the music business, I’m once again just unconditionally, unprofessionally geeked about something.

Blake Ibanez (lead guitar), Chris Ulsh (drums). Chris Whetzel (bass), Nick Stewart (guitar), and Riley Gale (vocals) brought it 100% every time they hit the stage. But that was only half the equation. Power Trip’s fans brought the rest. You had a decision to make each time you went to a show. Were you going to be part of the mayhem? Or simply watch it unfold? Either way good times lay ahead.

I had a really chill talk with Whetzel once when they were touring with Napalm Death. Just two dudes standing in the back of Numbers main room waiting for the next band to come on. But that’s the only contact I’ve ever had with the band or anyone to do with it.

When I heard the news of Riley’s death a year ago today it felt like my head was going to collapse. Beyond being a generational front man, he had been proof-of-concept for the idea that a normal guy, the kind of guy you’d hang in the garage with just to kill time, a guy like ME, could actually do that job at the highest level. Neil Fallon (Clutch) and LG Petrov (Entombed) had both been relatable in their way, but Riley nailed it. Everything the Super-Me front man could be.

This extended off stage as well. One of my favorite social media runs ever was his 2017 Twitter feud with Proud Boys, calling them out en masse as lunatic dipshits long before most had ever even heard of them and inviting them to come down to the show for a talk.

Riley’s passing left a hole in my existential paradigm. It also simultaneously reignited some dormant fires and made me give a lot fewer fucks than I had.

I was actively looking forward to spending the next 20 years of my life watching Power Trip become the biggest heavy band on earth. Given the age difference, I was going to be watching new tours from the nursing home. Hell, maybe until I was dead! That whole segment of my life was locked down. They were on that kind of arc.

Along those lines, I really hope the rest of the band continues in some way. Riley might have been the focal point, but those riffs (drums included!) can’t be touched. Would love to hear more. It’s not like it’s without precedent for a band to return after the unexpected loss of its front man and brother.

In the meantime, enjoy my 10 favorite videos of Power Trip in action live, arranged chronologically so you too can have fun watching them grow.

Metal! The one true path.

—

PS: I’d be remiss to not express my deepest condolences to the friends and family of Trouble/The Skull vocalist Eric Wagner. A potent, genre-defining force of his own, Wagner died this past Sunday at 62 from COVID complications. The Skull had played Houston just two weeks before, but the band pulled out of its Psycho Vegas slot last Thursday as Wagner’s condition worsened. Hopefully he, Riley, and LG have found each other and are having a great karaoke session. Here’s one of my favorites.

—

On with the shows…

Together for three years when this was filmed, it’s still the oldest YouTube footage available of Power Trip; roughly 15 minutes of fun from Moshfest 2011 in Tyler, Tex. The aesthetic and setting are definitely hardcore, but metal is already baked into the riffs (not to mention Blake’s headbanging!) Already tighter than most bands and still just barely known outside of north Texas.

Here’s a little bonus fun from just a few weeks later, back home in Dallas at the now defunct 1919 Hemphill. Hammer of Doubt!

Fast forward to 2012 and things are starting to get scary. Dallas festivities surrounding Edge Day 2012. Though not a straightedge band, Power Trip, particularly through Riley, advocated continuously for the rights of the downtrodden. Anyway, check this out. You won’t be able to unsee it.

Just a couple of months after that mayhem, I encountered Power Trip for the first time. They were playing downstairs in the small room at Fitzgerald’s in Houston. Was a free show split between the venue’s two floors, w/Pallbearer, Venomous Maximus, Transmaniacon MC, Omotai, Eagle Claw, Mammoth Grinder, Warmaster, Oceans Of Slumber, and Peasant also performing.

Power Trip opened its set with the newly minted ‘Crossbreaker.’ I’d never heard a note of the band’s before music and hadn’t been part of a crowd like theirs in years. I was instantly and permanently hooked. They became my favorite band on earth that night and remain so to this day. Couldn’t be happier to have captured some of it on video.

Not quite the madness of the early home shows, but still super cool in its DIY vibe, Power Trip played the Metal Frat (Sigma Phi) at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on Apr. 15, 2013. It was still two months before the release of the band’s Southern Lord debut, ‘Manifest Decimation,’ but all systems were definitely go.

Winter in Moscow. It doesn’t get much more hardcore than that. A fitting setting then (at the now closed Plan B) for Power Trip’s first ever headlining show outside the US. Sure, Blake’s guitar is super hot on this one, but the overall sound is ultra-live and reminds me of my favorite place to be at a show…anywhere you can hear the backline more clearly than the PA. It sounds just like you’re back in the garage.

Power Trip always kept up a frenetic pace at Austin’s annual SXSW festival, often packing three shows into a single day. 2014 was no exception. PBS’s ‘Everything But The News’ was in the house for the band’s afternoon outdoors Converse/Thrasher Deathmatch set at Scoot Inn, which drew an entertaining mix of true fans and surprised tourists. A few hours later they were tearing up the inside of Beerland as part of the Ground Control Day Party. Outdoors was a hoot as well, APD coming to shutdown Trash Talk’s set on the venue’s patio.

Summer in Philadelphia means it’s time for This Is Hardcore, the annual festival bringing heavy brotherly love to the maniacal masses. As an example of the fun on hand, just the ‘C’s of the 2014 lineup featured CIV, Code Orange, Converge, Crowbar, and Cruel Hand. Power Trip also played. Their set was captured by hate5six (aka Sandeep “Sunny” Singh). His videos always hit, this one is other worldly. Audio, video, editing: all 100/100. Some of the greatest live concert footage ever presented. BEHOLD!

“Spinkick for Jesus.” One year later and back in Philly. Welcomed as old friends in the house of hardcore, Power Trip had spent the bulk of the intervening 12 months on the metal road in North America touring in support of ‘Manifest Decimation.’ Not quite as incendiary as 2014, but the combination of band and videographer remains untouchable. Plus, there’s a guy dressed like a whoopee cushion. And two young women got engaged right before the set.

In 2018 Power Trip got the invitation to appear in Canada on House of Strombo, the concert series hosted from the house (like for real…furniture, kitchen, the whole nine) of CBC music interviewer George Stroumboulopoulos, joining the likes of the Charlatans, Behemoth, John Prine, and the Melvins as guests that year. There’s the occasional pensive face, but what’s going down is inescapable and masterfully captured. It’s likely the band’s most watched live set at 1.4 million views and counting, and it’s easy to see why.

One of the coolest things about watching Power Trip grow was the scale and fanaticism of welcome they got in parts of the world like Asia and Eastern Europe that most US-based heavy bands don’t even get to until they’re headlining the summer sheds and small arenas here. The band toured Southeast Asia in early 2020, and many of the sets are available to watch.

This one from February in Manila is my favorite. The venue’s popping, the band is on fire, and the sound quality might be the best of all of the vids shared here: everything louder than everything else, but all crystal clear.

Power Trip had started writing for a third album in late 2019. Within a few weeks of this set the COVID-19 pandemic shut down live music altogether. The band responded by going into the studio to begin pre-production. The rest, as they say, is history.

Protest 100: Business Machines – ‘Biggest Little Whore House in Texas’

Posted on by dugtheship

https://businessmachines.bandcamp.com/track/biggest-little-whore-house-in-texas

Artist:          Business Machines 

Song:           Biggest Little Whore House in Texas

Album:        Almost Automatic

Engineered/Mixed: Steve Albini

Label:          (self-released)

Year:           2003

Notes:
Here’s what frontman Lucas Juarez has to say about the current state of affairs:

Excerpt from ‘Unreality’ —
People with more specialized platforms—law enforcement officials, garbage men, bus drivers, etc.—were compensated more for whatever role they felt comfortable playing.

Drunken business men
On a drinking binge
On the company dime
Mama I ain’t lying

Energy companies
On their knees
Bankruptcy
But you know them CEOs will be OK
Man, fuck Ken Lay

If you wanna strap money from poor people
Texas is the place to be

I saw this rich motherfucker on the tv
Saying that he needed a little more money
Well that shit ain’t funny
I hope someone comes and takes all your shit
And then they turn around and then they fuck you over

I saw this one motherfucker on the TV
Saying that he needed a little more money
Well that shit ain’t funny
When you spend your whole life working for the man
Then he turns around and fucks you up the ass!

 —

‘Protest 100’s mission is two-fold: dispelling the myth that heavy metal is a brainless, socially unaware music genre, and raising awareness of the issues facing our country in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. The path won’t be exclusively metal—some punk and rap and other stuff will be in here too, including the classics—and is not a ranking. All songs are songs I’ve heard while putting this list together, ordered in a manner designed to entertain and educate.

Protest 100: Creedence Clearwater Revival – ‘Fortunate Son’

Posted on by dugtheship

Artist:          Creedence Clearwater Revival 

Song:           Fortunate Son

Album:        Willie and the Poor Boys

Producer:    John Fogerty

Label:          Fantasy

Year:           1969

Notes:
Pres. Trump has been blasting CCR’s ‘Fortunate Son’ as walk on music during his campaign. Its use works like a charm, highlighting the limited comprehension, scofflaw tendencies, and general trollishness that have been highlights of his time in office. Its use has continued despite John Fogerty’s requests that it stop.

Fogerty’s initial response came in a September video.”I wrote the song back in 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War,” Fogerty said in the video, as reported by Insider.com “By the time I wrote the song, I had already been drafted and had served in the military. And I’ve been a lifelong supporter of our guys and gals in the military, probably because of that experience, of course.”

Fogerty continued in his video, saying: “Back in those days, we still had a draft, and something I was very upset about was the fact that people of privilege, in other words, rich people, or people that had position, could use that to avoid the draft and not be taken into the military. I found that very upsetting that such a thing could occur, and that’s why I wrote ‘Fortunate Son.'”

He then noted the song’s opening verses: “Some folks are born, made to wave the flag / Ooh, their red, white, and blue / And when the band plays ‘Hail to the Chief’ / Ooh, they point the cannon at you.”

In his video, Fogerty compared the beginning lines of “Fortunate Son” to Trump using federal agents to remove protesters from a June demonstration at Lafayette Square in Washington, DC, so he could stand in front of St. John’s Church and hold up a Bible for a photo opportunity.

“It’s a song I could’ve written now, so I find it confusing, I would say, that the president has chosen to use my song for his political rallies, when in fact, it seems like he is probably the fortunate son,” Fogerty said, ending the video.

Trump received multiple deferments that helped allow him to avoid service in the Vietnam War.

The song hasn’t lost an ounce of its edge. I’ve included a couple of my favorite covers at the end of the post (though nothing matches the intensity of the original).

Excerpt from ‘Unreality’ —
People with more specialized platforms—law enforcement officials, garbage men, bus drivers, etc.—were compensated more for whatever role they felt comfortable playing.

Lyrics:
Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Ooh, they’re red, white and blue
And when the band plays “Hail To The Chief”
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no senator’s son, son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, no
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don’t they help themselves, oh

But when the taxman comes to the door
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no millionaire’s son, no, no
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, no
Yeah!

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, “How much should we give?”
Ooh, they only answer, “More! More! More!” Yo

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no military son, son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, one
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no no no
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son, no no no

 —

‘Protest 100’s mission is two-fold: dispelling the myth that heavy metal is a brainless, socially unaware music genre, and raising awareness of the issues facing our country in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. The path won’t be exclusively metal—some punk and rap and other stuff will be in here too, including the classics—and is not a ranking. All songs are songs I’ve heard while putting this list together, ordered in a manner designed to entertain and educate.

Protest 100: Brutal Truth – ‘Get A Therapist…Spare the World’

Posted on by dugtheship

Artist:          Brutal Truth

Song:           Get A Therapist…Spare the World

Album:        Evolution Through Revolution

Producer:     Doug White, Sanford Parker

Label:          Relapse

Year:           2009

Notes:
Outside sources can offer comfort, validation, someone to blame; but peace starts within.

Excerpt from ‘Unreality’ —
“Bradley has been making steady progress toward reducing his therapy. This afternoon a new crease appeared. Though not troubling in terms of its potential for physical harm, it offers a window as to how profound Bradley’s condition might be.”

Lyrics:
Policy of war want more
Callous in your thinking need belief in
What you’d like to find a little piece of mind
But you only find the clandestine

Do as they say — stop thinking
Ask why — they lie
Straight line — cross ties
Genocide — life crime

Bark or bite with no reason why
Future crimes mankind
Graze the sheep are all rolling by
Man and slaughter — we’re all fine…just fine

Do as they ask, back off, behave
With their thoughts, your life
Their grip, feel life slip

All bark, no bite
Feel insane, that’s normal
No one likes this order
Time to ride let’s ride

All this bark all of this might… is it worth the fight
Change is hard for one, imagine global one
All this pain and suffering just go away
If we stopped to think – think

 —

‘Protest 100’s mission is two-fold: dispelling the myth that heavy metal is a brainless, socially unaware music genre, and raising awareness of the issues facing our country in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. The path won’t be exclusively metal—some punk and rap and other stuff will be in here too, including the classics—and is not a ranking. All songs are songs I’ve heard while putting this list together, ordered in a manner designed to entertain and educate.

Protest 100: Nuclear Assault – ‘Critical Mass’

Posted on by dugtheship

Artist:          Nuclear Assault

Song:           Critical Mass

Album:        Handle With Care

Producer:    Randy Burns

Label:          In-Effect

Year:           1989

Notes:
There’s still just one Earth

Excerpt from ‘Unreality’ —
Critics complained that knowing such events might be broadcast helped catalyze the behavior to be chronicled, abetting lawlessness and the general erosion of the country’s moral fiber.

Lyrics:

The bio-sphere, the place we live
It seems like we don’t give a damn
Other species flushed down the tubes
We need another race to rape
The way we live we will destroy
Every other living thing
‘Til none are left except our race
And then we will destroy ourselves

Another oil spill
Atomic waste displaced
Another forest dies
Bring on the acid rain

Slightly insane, the type of greed
That makes a world unfit for life
Toxic wastes destroy the seas
While poison gas pollutes the air
A waste of life, while no one cares
The earth becomes a giant tomb
Critical mass will be achieved
And ruins will be all that’s left

Another oil spill
Atomic waste displaced
Another forest dies

A Hell on Earth, what we create
Dragging life to death with us
All living things destroyed or used
By shortsighted human beeings
We do these things, let them be done
Apathy creates despair
The damage done will be too great
The world wounded beyond repair

Another oil spill
Atomic waste displaced
Another forest dies

 —

‘Protest 100’s mission is two-fold: dispelling the myth that heavy metal is a brainless, socially unaware music genre, and raising awareness of the issues facing our country in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. The path won’t be exclusively metal—some punk and rap and other stuff will be in here too, including the classics—and is not a ranking. All songs are songs I’ve heard while putting this list together, ordered in a manner designed to entertain and educate.

Protest 100: Sacred Reich – ‘One Nation’

Posted on by dugtheship

Artist:          Sacred Reich

Song:           One Nation

Album:        Surf Nicaragua

Producer:    Bill Metoyer

Label:          Metal Blade

Year:           1988

Notes:
I know some have been taught otherwise. But we really are one people. All of us. Everywhere.

Phil Rind (vox/bass), The Republic, Aug. 22, 2019: “It’s up to us. No one is coming to save us. And it’s not enough to talk about it. An intellectual idea is great. But if you don’t put it into practice, it has no real value, Be the change you want to see. Be the example. Everything you need is already inside you. The truth is already inside you. How many billions of people are on the planet? If we weren’t all inherently kind and goodhearted, the place would really be a mess. It would really be a (expletive) show. And it’s not. I mean it’s certainly not perfect. And there’s other parts of the world where they have it much harder than we do.”

Excerpt from ‘Unreality’ —
His ears had gone numb about two months back.

Lyrics:
A vision of unselfishness, a union of black and white
One nation of all races, it’s clear within my sight
I see it clear, no hate, no fear, no soldiers sent to die
A state that’s free and thrives on peace, no greed, no threat to life

We won’t build the weapons of war which looms over your heads
We’ll not feed the war machines that lead our youth to death

We won’t close our eyes to the atrocities which abound
We won’t stand and watch until we’re six feet underground

The future is our burden, we can’t stand and watch
As the world around crumbles, opposing armies march
We work towards our goal: one nation – unity
And you must be the convert who works towards world peace

Muthafuckers around us who stand and say no way
Opposing lessened armies, they say are here to stay
But no one knows until we try, what we all can do
I won’t watch children die, it’s up to me and you

Our world is divided, the boundaries have been drawn
Ideas are decided by where you have been born

You can’t judge people by the government of their land
They’re flesh and blood like us – why don’t you understand?

The future is our burden, we can’t stand and watch
As the world around crumbles, opposing armies march
We work towards our goal: one nation – unity
And you must be the convert who works towards world peace

 —

‘Protest 100’s mission is two-fold: dispelling the myth that heavy metal is a brainless, socially unaware music genre, and raising awareness of the issues facing our country in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. The path won’t be exclusively metal—some punk and rap and other stuff will be in here too, including the classics—and is not a ranking. All songs are songs I’ve heard while putting this list together, ordered in a manner designed to entertain and educate.

Protest 100: Power Trip – ‘If Not Us Then Who’

Posted on by dugtheship

Artist:          Power Trip

Song:           If Not Us Then Who

Album:        Nightmare Logic

Producer:    Arthur Rizk

Label:          Southern Lord

Year:           2017

Notes:
If you want change, you must create it. Sometimes it’s just that simple. At the very least you can rest assured nothing’s going to change without some degree of effort.

Riley Gale, Metal Hammer, 2018: “[Current politics] is just making things black and white, and that’s not the way the world operates. It’s not even black, white and grey. It’s hard for people to grasp that it’s a whole spectrum of colors – and that’s not some hippie fucking energy bullshit! People only wanna see it one way or the other, or some people are able to say, ‘Ah, it’s in between’, but really, it’s a million different things, a million perspectives. Reality as someone sees it, and how the masses perceive it and all this stuff, it’s all a very rich tapestry of what people have gone through in their lives to reach that viewpoint and to do all these things, so I think calling it ‘left’ and ‘right’ is so simplistic. I mean, you’re basically saying that our political spectrum should be easier than a standardized test that has four options, right? Like, really? Everything about our political system is just a true or false answer? ‘The left is true, the right is false’? It’s just really simple-minded to me. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Excerpt from ‘Unreality’ —
If not for the warning it would have crashed straight through the back of his head.

Lyrics:
Get up,
Out of your cave and into the fire
Time’s short, this is our last resort
To get through to you, what have I got to do?
Who’s going to be the difference?
If not us,
Then who?
If not us, then who?

Sound off,
Take a look at your life, tell me to what do you aspire?
I want to know how far you’re willing to go
Can’t stop the force of ruin, this world will run through you
If not now, then when?
If not us, then who?
If not us, then who?

 —

‘Protest 100’s mission is two-fold: dispelling the myth that heavy metal is a brainless, socially unaware music genre, and raising awareness of the issues facing our country in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. The path won’t be exclusively metal—some punk and rap and other stuff will be in here too, including the classics—and is not a ranking. All songs are songs I’ve heard while putting this list together, ordered in a manner designed to entertain and educate.

Protest 100: Fever 333 – ‘U Wanted a Fight’

Posted on by dugtheship

P100 – U Wanted a Fight

Artist:          Fever 333

Song:           U Wanted a Fight

Album:        Wrong Generation

Producer:    Fever 333

Label:          Roadrunner

Year:           2020

Notes:
Brand new music from a band featured earlier in this space following the killing of George Floyd. Frontman Jason Aalon Butler spent 13 days protesting in Los Angeles in the wake of Floyd’s death and began work on ‘Wrong Generation’ immediately afterwards.

Butler says: “This project is art as activism first. I’m talking about what’s happening and what needs to happen. I hope you understand there’s going to be pain in progress. After dismantling and deconstructing all of these things, we can find a beautiful place to be together. For me, this whole EP is that 13 days after 34 years. You fucked with the WRONG GENERATION.”

Excerpt from ‘Unreality’ —
The government was pleased to have such a powerful ally in its fight against social evils.

Lyrics:
You wanted a fight? Well you got one
You wanted a fight? Well you got one
You wanted a fight? Well you got one
You wanted a fight? Well you got one

Well you got one
Well you got one
Well you got one
Well you got one

No justice
Just us
No justice
Just us
No justice
Just us
Nothing left
But us

Anti racist
These black faces
We all screaming “FTP!”
Power to the people
Take a knee while chanting
“I can’t breathe”

You wanted a fight? Well you got one
You wanted a fight? Well you got one
You wanted a fight? Well you got one
You wanted a fight? Well you got one

Well you got one
Well you got one
You wanted a fight? Well you got one
You wanted a fight? Well you got it

‘Cause you really, really thought that
That we’d go quietly?
That we would take it?

12 the biggest gang in the world
12 the biggest gang in the world
12 the biggest gang in the world
12 the biggest…
Yo, fuck that!

We the biggest gang in the world
We the biggest gang in the world
We the biggest gang in the world
We’re the biggest gang, gang, gang

Who’s the biggest gang in the world?
Who’s the biggest gang in the world?
Who’s the biggest gang in the world?
Who’s the biggest?
333

You wanted a fight? Well you got one
Oh, you wanted a fight? Well you got one
Oh, you wanted a fight? Well you got one
Oh, you wanted a fucking fight?

The game is fixed and the timer hands plead guilty
For centuries we’ve played a losing game
And today we find ourselves on the motherfucking winners’ circle
Take what is yours, get what you deserve
Today. Tomorrow. Forever. This is yours

 —

‘Protest 100’s mission is two-fold: dispelling the myth that heavy metal is a brainless, socially unaware music genre, and raising awareness of the issues facing our country in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. The path won’t be exclusively metal—some punk and rap and other stuff will be in here too, including the classics—and is not a ranking. All songs are songs I’ve heard while putting this list together, ordered in a manner designed to entertain and educate.

Protest 100: Megadeth – ‘Symphony of Destruction’

Posted on by dugtheship

P100 – Symphony of Destruction

Artist:          Megadeth

Song:           Symphony of Destruction

Album:        Countdown to Extinction

Producer:    Max Norman

Label:          Capitol

Year:           1992

Notes:
The powers that be will always pull the strings, which makes choosing the person at the top of pyramid exceptionally important.

Excerpt from ‘Unreality’ —
Monitoring any number of groups or individuals based on their associations, beliefs, or sympathies became acceptable ‘surveillance.’

Lyrics:
You take a mortal man
And put him in control
Watch him become a god
Watch people’s heads a’roll
A’roll, a’ roll

Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like the marionettes
Swaying to the symphony
Of destruction

Acting like a robot
Its metal brain corrodes
You try to take its pulse
Before the head explodes
Explodes, explodes

Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes
Swaying to the symphony

Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes
Swaying to the symphony
Swaying to the symphony
Of destruction

The earth starts to rumble
World powers fall
A’warring for the heavens
A peaceful man stands tall
Tall, tall

Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes
Swaying to the symphony

Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes
Swaying to the symphony
Swaying to the symphony
Of destruction

 —

‘Protest 100’s mission is two-fold: dispelling the myth that heavy metal is a brainless, socially unaware music genre, and raising awareness of the issues facing our country in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. The path won’t be exclusively metal—some punk and rap and other stuff will be in here too, including the classics—and is not a ranking. All songs are songs I’ve heard while putting this list together, ordered in a manner designed to entertain and educate.

Protest 100: Napalm Death – ‘When All Is Said and Done’

Posted on by dugtheship

Artist:          Napalm Death

Song:           When All Is Said and Done

Album:        Smear Campaign

Producer:    Russ Russell

Label:          Century Media

Year:           2006

Notes:
People can believe (and even practice) both religion and science. The choice to shun either is conscious, as is the choice to shun those who adhere solely to one or the other. The divide isn’t real. We’re all here together and can either spend our time vexing one another or acting for one another’s benefit. But first we must make the effort to see beyond ourselves.

Excerpt from ‘Unreality’ —
It was an age-old maneuver: when addressing a group of angry halfwits, ask questions leading to some more-generalized inflammatory point than whatever brought you to their attention.

Lyrics:
Blindness feeds the world to madness
Faith’s crumbling, there’s no doubt about it
Religion and science fighting a new kind of war

Helpless – wander the streets in desperation
Fearless – to the path they tread
Shameless – the powers that butcher
Ignorant to the deeds that they commit

When all is said and done
Heaven lies in my heart
No slave to beliefs that propagate pain
When all is said and done
Heaven lies in our hearts
This life is a gift to be lived and loved

Fracturing the structure of nature
Iconic catalysts to slaughter
A stalemate bursting bound by contradictions

Heartless – divine blueprints of hatred
Selfless – Diseased masterplans
Shameless – the powers that butcher
Ignorant to the deeds that they commit

Decoded treachery shielding the tyranny
Black Bible tyrants behind masks of righteousness
Relentless – the onslaught of misunderstanding
Descending into a unified chaos

One more chance for a shot at redemption
Lost within, can we summon the might?

 —

‘Protest 100’s mission is two-fold: dispelling the myth that heavy metal is a brainless, socially unaware music genre, and raising awareness of the issues facing our country in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. The path won’t be exclusively metal—some punk and rap and other stuff will be in here too, including the classics—and is not a ranking. All songs are songs I’ve heard while putting this list together, ordered in a manner designed to entertain and educate.