Brutal Truth
Encyclopedia
Brutal Truth is an American grindcore
band from New York City
, formed by ex-Anthrax
, Nuclear Assault
, and Stormtroopers Of Death
bass guitarist Dan Lilker
in 1990. The group disbanded in 1999, but reformed in 2006 and continue to release new music.
. The band was originally signed to Earache Records
, on which they released two albums, Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses
and Need to Control
, as well as an EP entitled Perpetual Conversion, and 7" singles for the songs "Ill Neglect" and "Godplayer". During this time, music videos were made for the songs "Ill Neglect", "Collateral Damage" and "Godplayer". Brutal Truth were frustrated with Earache Records and switched to Relapse Records
, known for its roster of grindcore
acts, with whom they stayed until the band's demise.
With Relapse, they released the mini album Kill Trend Suicide
, a full length release entitled Sounds of the Animal Kingdom
and a double CD live album
called Goodbye Cruel World. The band has also released many split 7" singles on smaller labels, with most of these being out of print and difficult to find. The songs from these 7" singles were collected on the second disc of Goodbye Cruel World.
In 2001, the Guinness Book of Records awarded Brutal Truth the record for "shortest music video" for their video "Collateral Damage", which is 2.18 seconds long and consists of 48 still images in rapid succession followed by a clip of an explosion.
Drummer Richard Hoak also provides vocals and drums for a project titled Total Fucking Destruction. Kevin Sharp released an album with Venomous Concept
in 2004, a hardcore punk
band featuring members from The Melvins
and Napalm Death
. He was also a member of Australian grind band Damaged
for a little over a year from 1999. He is also currently involved with the Atlanta-based hardcore/metal/grindcore band Primate with guitarist Bill Kelliher from Mastodon. Dan Lilker now plays for a host of bands and is currently bassist for the re-united Nuclear Assault
.
Brutal Truth reformed in 2006 with three-quarters of the final lineup returning (Lilker, Hoak and Sharp); Erik Burke (of Lethargy
) replaced Brent McCarty on guitar.
On July 8, 2008, four new Brutal Truth tracks were released on the "This Comp Kills Fascists" compilation. This is the first new material from the band in almost ten years.
On January 21, 2009, it was announced that Brutal Truth had finished recording a new album, entitled Evolution Through Revolution
. It was released on April 14 in North America, April 17 in Germany and on April 20 worldwide. The band have also made the entire album available for via streaming
from their website. A video for "Sugardaddy/Branded" was released on July 17, 2009.
Brutal Truth have finished recording a new album, End Time. It was released September 27, 2011 by Relapse.
Former members
Extended plays
DVDs
Splits
Other releases
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
band from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, formed by ex-Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, Nuclear Assault
Nuclear Assault
Nuclear Assault is an American thrash metal/crossover thrash band formed in 1984.-History:After the release of Anthrax's debut album Fistful of Metal, bass player Danny Lilker, a founding member of the group, was fired by the band...
, and Stormtroopers Of Death
Stormtroopers of Death
Stormtroopers of Death, better known as S.O.D., was a crossover thrash band formed in New York in 1985. They are commonly credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes called "crossover thrash." The song "March of the S.O.D.," from their 1985...
bass guitarist Dan Lilker
Dan Lilker
Dan Lilker is a musician from the United States, most known as a bass player, but also guitarist, pianist, drummer and vocalist...
in 1990. The group disbanded in 1999, but reformed in 2006 and continue to release new music.
History
Brutal Truth was formed in 1990 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The band was originally signed to Earache Records
Earache Records
Earache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
, on which they released two albums, Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses
Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses
Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses is the debut full length album by grindcore band Brutal Truth. Music videos were made for "Collateral Damage" and "Ill Neglect"....
and Need to Control
Need to Control
Need to Control is an album by grindcore band Brutal Truth. It was released on CD, cassette, and LP. A box set was also released, containing 5 records: one 5", one 6", one 7", one 8", and one 9". This box set, as well as the Japanese CD, contains four bonus tracks...
, as well as an EP entitled Perpetual Conversion, and 7" singles for the songs "Ill Neglect" and "Godplayer". During this time, music videos were made for the songs "Ill Neglect", "Collateral Damage" and "Godplayer". Brutal Truth were frustrated with Earache Records and switched to Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
, known for its roster of grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
acts, with whom they stayed until the band's demise.
With Relapse, they released the mini album Kill Trend Suicide
Kill Trend Suicide
Kill Trend Suicide is a mini-album by grindcore band Brutal Truth. It was labelled as a "mini-album" due to it being longer than an EP but not as long as a standard album. This release shows a shift from the deathgrind sound that the band had previously played, by incorporating elements of crust...
, a full length release entitled Sounds of the Animal Kingdom
Sounds of the Animal Kingdom
Sounds of the Animal Kingdom was the final studio album by grindcore band Brutal Truth before the release of their 2009 album Evolution Through Revolution. This album features a more varied style than previous albums, incorporating grindcore, crust punk, experimental rock and elements of other genres...
and a double CD live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
called Goodbye Cruel World. The band has also released many split 7" singles on smaller labels, with most of these being out of print and difficult to find. The songs from these 7" singles were collected on the second disc of Goodbye Cruel World.
In 2001, the Guinness Book of Records awarded Brutal Truth the record for "shortest music video" for their video "Collateral Damage", which is 2.18 seconds long and consists of 48 still images in rapid succession followed by a clip of an explosion.
Drummer Richard Hoak also provides vocals and drums for a project titled Total Fucking Destruction. Kevin Sharp released an album with Venomous Concept
Venomous Concept
Venomous Concept is a hardcore punk band; the name itself is a play on Poison Idea, in the style of name-mangling Japanese hardcore acts.-History:...
in 2004, a hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band featuring members from The Melvins
The Melvins
The Melvins are an American band that formed in 1983. They usually perform as a trio, but in recent years have performed as a four piece with two drummers. Since 1984, singer and guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been the band's constant members...
and Napalm Death
Napalm Death
Napalm Death are a death metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1981. While none of its original members remain in the group, the lineup of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris and drummer Danny Herrera has remained consistent for most of the band's ...
. He was also a member of Australian grind band Damaged
Damaged (band)
Damaged was an Australian deathgrind band from Ballarat in Victoria, Australia, active from 1989 to 2004.-History:The band was formed by drummer Matt "Skitz" Sanders...
for a little over a year from 1999. He is also currently involved with the Atlanta-based hardcore/metal/grindcore band Primate with guitarist Bill Kelliher from Mastodon. Dan Lilker now plays for a host of bands and is currently bassist for the re-united Nuclear Assault
Nuclear Assault
Nuclear Assault is an American thrash metal/crossover thrash band formed in 1984.-History:After the release of Anthrax's debut album Fistful of Metal, bass player Danny Lilker, a founding member of the group, was fired by the band...
.
Brutal Truth reformed in 2006 with three-quarters of the final lineup returning (Lilker, Hoak and Sharp); Erik Burke (of Lethargy
Lethargy (band)
Lethargy was a mathcore band formed in Rochester, New York in 1992 and disbanded in December 1999. Their last performance was on Christmas night of 1999. Drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher would later appear in Today Is the Day and Mastodon. Guitarist and vocalist Erik Burke is...
) replaced Brent McCarty on guitar.
On July 8, 2008, four new Brutal Truth tracks were released on the "This Comp Kills Fascists" compilation. This is the first new material from the band in almost ten years.
On January 21, 2009, it was announced that Brutal Truth had finished recording a new album, entitled Evolution Through Revolution
Evolution Through Revolution
Evolution Through Revolution is the fifth studio album by grindcore band Brutal Truth. This was the band's first album since 1997, recorded after an eight-year hiatus. Evolution Through Revolution was released April 14, 2009. It sold around 1000 copies in its first week, and debuted at No...
. It was released on April 14 in North America, April 17 in Germany and on April 20 worldwide. The band have also made the entire album available for via streaming
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
from their website. A video for "Sugardaddy/Branded" was released on July 17, 2009.
Brutal Truth have finished recording a new album, End Time. It was released September 27, 2011 by Relapse.
Members
Current members- Kevin Sharp – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(Venomous ConceptVenomous ConceptVenomous Concept is a hardcore punk band; the name itself is a play on Poison Idea, in the style of name-mangling Japanese hardcore acts.-History:...
, ex-WGHRWGHRWGHR is a noncommercial radio station operated solely by the students of Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Georgia, USA. The station is student- and listener-supported, with diverse programming from a wide variety of genres.-History:...
DJ, Primate) - Erik Burke – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(ex-KalibasKalibasKalibas is a village development committee in Nuwakot District in the Bagmati Zone of central Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3708 living in 671 individual households.-External links:*...
, ex-LethargyLethargy (band)Lethargy was a mathcore band formed in Rochester, New York in 1992 and disbanded in December 1999. Their last performance was on Christmas night of 1999. Drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher would later appear in Today Is the Day and Mastodon. Guitarist and vocalist Erik Burke is...
, Sulaco) - Dan LilkerDan LilkerDan Lilker is a musician from the United States, most known as a bass player, but also guitarist, pianist, drummer and vocalist...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (Nuclear AssaultNuclear AssaultNuclear Assault is an American thrash metal/crossover thrash band formed in 1984.-History:After the release of Anthrax's debut album Fistful of Metal, bass player Danny Lilker, a founding member of the group, was fired by the band...
, ex-AnthraxAnthrax (band)Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, Stormtroopers of DeathStormtroopers of DeathStormtroopers of Death, better known as S.O.D., was a crossover thrash band formed in New York in 1985. They are commonly credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes called "crossover thrash." The song "March of the S.O.D.," from their 1985...
) - Richard Hoak – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(Total Fucking Destruction)
Former members
- Brent "Gurn" McCarty – guitar
- Scott Lewis – drums (ex-WinterWinter (band)Winter is an American death/doom band from New York. They take their name from the Amebix song of the same name. The band will be performing at the 2011 Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands.-Members:Line-Up* John Alman - vocals, bass...
) - Jody Roberts – guitar (ex-Kalibas)
Discography
Studio albums- Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme ResponsesExtreme Conditions Demand Extreme ResponsesExtreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses is the debut full length album by grindcore band Brutal Truth. Music videos were made for "Collateral Damage" and "Ill Neglect"....
(1992, Earache Records) - Need to ControlNeed to ControlNeed to Control is an album by grindcore band Brutal Truth. It was released on CD, cassette, and LP. A box set was also released, containing 5 records: one 5", one 6", one 7", one 8", and one 9". This box set, as well as the Japanese CD, contains four bonus tracks...
(1994, Earache Records) - Kill Trend SuicideKill Trend SuicideKill Trend Suicide is a mini-album by grindcore band Brutal Truth. It was labelled as a "mini-album" due to it being longer than an EP but not as long as a standard album. This release shows a shift from the deathgrind sound that the band had previously played, by incorporating elements of crust...
(1996, Relapse Records) - Sounds of the Animal KingdomSounds of the Animal KingdomSounds of the Animal Kingdom was the final studio album by grindcore band Brutal Truth before the release of their 2009 album Evolution Through Revolution. This album features a more varied style than previous albums, incorporating grindcore, crust punk, experimental rock and elements of other genres...
(1997, Relapse Records) - Evolution Through RevolutionEvolution Through RevolutionEvolution Through Revolution is the fifth studio album by grindcore band Brutal Truth. This was the band's first album since 1997, recorded after an eight-year hiatus. Evolution Through Revolution was released April 14, 2009. It sold around 1000 copies in its first week, and debuted at No...
(2009, Relapse Records) - End Time (2011, Relapse Records)
Extended plays
- The Birth of Ignorance demo (1990)
- Ill Neglect (1992, Earache Records)
- Perpetual Conversion (1993, Earache Records)
- Godplayer (1994, Earache Records)
- Machine Parts +4 (1996, Relapse Records)
- Split 7"s 7" release with the songs from the split with Converge on one side and the songs from the split with Violent Society on the other side (2008, Relapse Records)
DVDs
- For the Ugly and Unwanted – This is Grindcore (2009, Season of Mist)
Splits
- split with SpazzSpazz (band)Spazz was an influential American powerviolence band active between 1992 and 2000. The trio released numerous records within this time, many of which are now highly collectible due to their relative rarity...
(1996, Bovine Records) - split with RuptureRupture (band)Rupture was a hardcore punk band from Perth, Australia, that formed in the 1980s and were active until around late 2001, when vocalist Gus Chamber died....
(1997, Relapse Records) - split with ConvergeConverge (band)Converge is an American band from Salem, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and metal since 1990, Converge has helped to define many of the elements of the metalcore genre.-Description:...
(1997, Hydra Head Records) - split with Melvins (1997, Reptile Records)
- split with Violent SocietyViolent Society (band)-History:Violent Society is a punk rock band that formed in 1990. The band is based out of Philadelphia, PA. The band was formed in high school by two friends, Mike , Pat and drummer Andy Petrov. Bill and Pat Kelly filled out the lineup in 1990/91. Dave replaced Bill shortly before recording...
(1997, Relapse Records) - split with NarcosisNarcosis (band)Narcosis was a grindcore band from Wigan, Greater Manchester, in the north of England, founded in 1995 and split in October 2007.-Final:* Jamie - vocals * Brod - drums...
/Total Fucking Destruction (2007, Calculated Risk Records)
Other releases
- Goodbye Cruel World (compilation of live material and rarities) (1999, Relapse Records)
- For Drug Crazed Grindfreaks Only! Live at Noctum Studios + 1 (2008, Relapse Records)
- This Comp Kills Fascists Vol. 1This Comp Kills Fascists Vol. 1This Comp Kills Fascists Vol. 1 is a compilation album released by Relapse Records focusing on grindcore and powerviolence bands. The LP was released by Deep Six Records. A limited edition box set of 7 7" records was released in January 2009. The album features 14 bands, 51 tracks and has a total...
(2008, Relapse Records)
External links
- Official website
- Brutal Truth interview April 2009
- interview
- [ Brutal Truth] at Allmusic