Shortsight is one of the originators of H8000 Hardcore. The band started out in 1991 as a band with only one Straight-Edge member and they had a passion for Skateboarding. The sound sounded totally different and got inspired by bands like Iron Maiden and Slayer. Although their initial sound didn’t sound like this. It was an identity search. They played their first show in the living room of the bass player Stefaan. Nations On Fire played there as well. Most likely the Straight-Edge influence to Shortsight came from them as well(1).
Hans is also the singer for the demo of Shortsight that was recorded at Hype Studio’s in Aalst, Belgium. That demo was released by Warehouse Records in 1992 according to the discography of Lode Belcollect(2). On the tape you can find the 8000 Crew sticker. Indicating that the band belonged to the initial 8000 Crew. That is in fact the crew before the transition to the H8000 Crew.
They were also on the first crew compilation from the year 1992 with a track from that earlier discussed demo cassette.
They had released a 7 inch vinyl record in 1993 on Conquer The World Records from the United States. That record got re-recorded in 1994 and released by Jeroen on Machination Records.
Sources:
(1) Björn speaking in the H8000 Book
(2) published in the H8000 Book
Good Life Recordings released this as CD only release in 1996 or 1997. They use a Carhartt inspired logo for the label logo. It’s exactly the same as the logo of the clothing company, only mirrored along the horizontal axis. The layout was designed by Onno Hesselink in May or June 1996, confirms Edward Good Life.
Question & answer with Edward Good Life and Jeroen Machination Records (translation from Dutch by Willem Termote):
The recording of the album was done summer 1994 at Midas Studio; short before their tour with Acme, that took place the end of July. Hans Liar would do the compact disc version on Sober Mind Records and I would do the vinyl version on my label Machination Records. The band decided to quit before the release would have been released so all plans were aborted by us both. As you know, most sales for a record take place at the shows. That changed when Good Life Recordings came to existence.
This is their final release. Here follows a review of the music and some lyrics of the songs. Some of the lyrical content is still subject to research. Lyrics were written by Saskia Verbeke, the sister of Hans Verbeke.
Feverchild is the opening track. The guitar sets in a tone and then starts the melody. The first tone will be repeated during the intro and will become more and more manifest as the song evolves. Fast riffing will be supported by atmospheric sound. These lyrics need to be elaborated by Saskia, who wrote them.
Ebony’s Song is actually a song about the exploitation of land inhabited by people of colour by people of the other colour. Their more harmonious way of living with nature is preferred above the white man’s destruction and economy of growth on behalve of others. Also a tongue in cheek verse at the end. Which means it’s all selfish greed and the destruction doesn’t even serve all others.
did the white man say he did it all for me?
Oh no, don’t believe the lie, ebony.
I am on your side
Uprooted is an instrumental song performed and partly written by Josh Fury.
Freeze also hard to interpret. Needs to be elaborated by Saskia the lyric writer as well.
Father is far out the most well-known song of the album. It’s featured on the second Good Life Recordings compilation. Another fragile and emotional intro builds up slowly as it progresses. Then all of a sudden this intro ends and another fades in. This time powerful and with all instruments. Also this one ends slowly and the riffs start. These riffs combined with lyrics that touch a difficult topic, of the pro-life doctrine and the women’s rights that are confined by it. It’s all very emphasising each other. Especially when these lyrics are sung by a woman.
Cold Wounds Waking is a song filled with metaphorical lines. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact meaning of the lyrics. I believe the song deals with the inability of governments and other institutions to make laws and rules that serve everybody equally. But also and more importantly, that fact that cultural and artistical layers of society are also serving those governments and institutions. And that soldiers are dying for those governments and institutions as well.
Give Him Light also hard to interpret. Needs to be elaborated by Saskia the lyric writer as well.
Seizure is about people that change. Relationships that cause pain. Solitude that’s left when people go…
Screaming Trees is a song with an ecological message. It’s starts with asking questions about our future. What will be needed to stop the destruction of nature. We must see the beauty of nature. And there is so much nature being destroyed that we haven’t even seen or discovered yet.
Listen to Feverchild, the opening track of the album:
Musically this record forms a contrast between the demo and the 7 inches. It’s more Metal in the sound. The recordings are much better as well, as they used Midas Studio like Congress. Looking at all these releases you can definitely hear them progressing in sound. The lay out for the album has photo’s taken by Edward and is very well done. One of the defining albums for the label, Good Life Recordings.
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