SIEGE — Drop Dead (review)

SIEGE — Drop Dead album cover Demo · 1984 · Grindcore Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Drop Dead" is the first demo recording by US, Massachusetts hardcore act Siege. The demo was independently released on cassette tape in February 1984. It was the band´s only official release in their own name before disbanding in 1985, although they did record three more tracks in October 1984 which was included on the 1985 various artists hardcore compilation "Cleanse the Bacteria" (and actually four more which were shelved). Subsequent reissues of "Drop Dead" feature the three tracks from the October 1984 recording sessions as bonus material.

Stylistically Siege play som pretty extreme hardcore leaning towards grindcore and powerviolence, but that was before such genres were coined making Siege one of the earliest of the more extreme hardcore acts to emerge. A band like Napalm Death were for example strongly influenced by Siege and listening to "Drop Dead" it´s easy to understand why. This is furiously fast-paced, raw, and aggressive hardcore with a caustic screaming vocalist in front.

The original demo tape featured six tracks. Five savage and fast-paced hardcore songs and then the 7:23 minutes long "Grim Reaper", which sticks out for being a slow, heavy, and experimental song featuring feedback guitar noises, saxophone, and a generally dark and ominous atmosphere. The three tracks recorded in October 1984 features a sligthly different sound production and they are all aggressive and fast-paced hardcore songs.

It´s easy to hear why "Drop Dead" was such an influential release in the creation of grindcore and powerviolence, because it´s not only extreme to the max, it´s also well performed, well produced, and the tracks are effective and memorable. So these guys may not have left much material behind but the impact of their limited output has been great. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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