Why this compilation?
This is a compilation of bands from the United States Of America, Belgium and the Netherlands. Mainly with the purpose to spread the animal rights and animal liberation ethics and message. As the cover suggests. Many vegan or vegetarian bands use shocking images of cruelty done upon animals, up until today. But the record was also created to raise funds for the Mike Hill Memorial fund. This fund was set up to finance an isolation unit for sick animals.
The booklet has the details of the story of the animal rights activist called Mike Hill, being accidentally killed by a hunter who he was trying to sabotage. And was left for dead by that same hunter.
Pressing information
The label that released this record is Subjugation Records from the United Kingdom, lead by two people Ian Simpson and Helene Keller. Labels of this copy are reversed, meaning that side two has the songs from Darkroom and Struggle, while side one has the songs from Shortsight, Feeding The Fire and Framework.
The five bands of the compilation
Struggle
Struggle (from San Diego, USA) bring a song that starts of very fast with fast drumming and ends slower after a break down of the sound. The fast parts remind of early eighties bands. Lyrically the song deals with the slaughter done during the gulf war by the United States government. But also the soldiers serving in the war and that are now forgotten.
It’s the conditioning thrown at society by the ones in charge. The change starts by not living the life that feeds them…
Struggle
Darkroom
Darkroom (from Philadelphia, USA) was the formerly band Reveal. They bring groovier Hardcore Punk music. The song deals with the church and how the lyric writer feels cheated by it. He doesn’t believe believe in life after death. And perceives the enlightenment brought by that church as ‘heretical wickedness’. Sees religion as mind control and hierarchy. And that religion is neither receiving nor returning.
I have not been returned or received. Your hierarchy of hate, of mind control. I won’t pledge myself to that. I tear that veil of righteousness from your face. I’ll not drink the blood in your church. There is no allegiance.
Darkroom
Shorstsight
Shortsight (from Kortrijk, Belgium) bring us the song ‘Agony’. Music was taken from the 1993 recording session at Cat’s Studio in Bruges. It’s a song about the killing of animals during hunting, the uselessness and cruelty of it.
Hunger is no longer, it’s the need to kill. Agony is built in my heart.
Here they come, my struggle for life is their fun.
Galloping horses, barking dogs, I’m on the run.Shortsight
There’s also the message that animal liberation is possible without violence and that certain organisations already succeed in that. And that veganism and vegetarianism should be spread in your daily environment.
Feeding The Fire
Feeding The Fire (from Kerkrade, The Netherlands) also bring a song about cruelty done upon animals. It’s called ‘beyond the doors’. Here these ‘doors’ are those of the slaughterhouse. Describing the tension animals feels behind those doors and the blood that is shed. Targeting the meat industry and those who consume meat.
Isn’t it tradition, egoism and greed to just take what you don’t need? They keep up the lie that it’s healthy for you, making money out of death is what they do. As long as you buy their meat industry is kept on course and so is the cruelty beyond the doors.
Feeding The Fire
Musically they play very fast rhythmic music. The vocals are equally very fast. The songs structure iterates between ultra fast paced rhythm and groovier parts.
Framework
Framework (from Liverpool, New York, USA) are playing more melodic Hardcore Punk. And was ahead of their time lyrically in the song ‘fuse’. It’s about the destruction of the planet, the polluting to skies and seas. The destruction of Eden as they call it. It’s compared to a fuse that keeps getting shorter and shorter. But also about the wars it could induce. The weapons of mass destruction they could use, etc.
Poisons fill the seas and skies
Mother nature cries tears of acid rain
The destruction of Eden, through her children gone insane.
Weapons of mass destruction
Their wrath could come any dayFramework
Also a note written by Shane Durgee with the following message:
It’s good to have compassion with people but compassion should only be felt for the innocent. Feel no sympathy or peace for the animal murderers. Show no compassion for the hunter…
More about this release
There is also more content in the booklet to make you aware of what you are doing when you for example farm animals, wear animal fur or leather, castrate animals unanaesthetised, grow soya in poor countries to feed the farmed animals,…
Conclusion
We conclude that this record has aspects of the Hardline tradition. Combining music with strong and up front messages. Education of facts and making conscious about the animal abuse matter…