Got to hand it to Rykodisc for resurrecting another classic. Time and time again the label has re-leased some of the best music ever put to tape. I probably could not live properly without my MISSION OF BURMA and “Hardcore” DEVO discs. The FRANK ZAPPA/MOTHERS stuff is pretty damn essential as well. If your lacking Ryko in your record/CD collection you are nowhere daddy-o. “Only the Good Die Young” is right the fuck up there, pal.

“Insurance From God” opens things up and the GRAVE are blasting through the atmosphere the same way those missiles were that had Superman had to stop in order to save us sorry humans. It’s hard not to think of “Dance with Me” era TSOL. A good chunk of these tunes were written around that time period. I love how the band mercilessly piss off the punks by following it up with their nearly 10 minute take on the jazz classic “Take 5”. The first half is mostly a guitar piece to show off Paul “Speed Demon” Cutler’s superiority of the instrument. Think Robert Fripp cum Keith Levene meets Derek Bailey. I’m sure fellow LA guitar hero Rick Agnew (CHRISTIAN DEATH, THE ADOLESCENTS) would cringe when this guy hit the stage. On “My Type” his rhythmic Jimmy Page-isms move the musical mantra along. The whole band is just so badass; it’s hard to believe they even existed in the first place. The late Rob Graves (who also played bass in THE GUN CLUB) and drummer Don Bolles are tight as can be.

None of this would matter if were not for Dinah Cancer. Her vocals here define the death rock sound. Unapologetically abrasive and balls out, she puts any and all these goth goobers permanently out to the pasture. I had the pleasure of seeing her with a new lineup and she still got it going on in spades. She really belts it out on the ballsy metallic stomp outs like “Sorceress” and “Party Time”. “Fucked by the Devil” is as punk as it gets. “Evil” has an irresistible musical mix of the DEAD KENNEDYS' intensity with a SABBATH groove. “Wax” is quite possibly one of the most intense (and therefore the most beautiful) rock songs ever written by anyone. The set closer “Akira Raideen” has the band flirting with funk at the beginning. It morphs into a wall of noise and the band starts improvising a heavy groove. The piece ends with church bells as the band exits the stage. No studio tricks. All live. All killer. No filler. Shit, I might just audition for the bass slot next tour and get the fuck away from Florida for a little while. Drop me a line Dinah. Let’s rock!

- Herring

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/dinahcancer

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