Fuck the Facts
Encyclopedia
Fuck the Facts is a Canadian grindcore
band from Ottawa
, Ontario
, formed in 1998. They began in the late nineties as a solo recording project constructed by musician Topon Das. After many early recordings, including split tapes with groups from around the world, Fuck the Facts began developing a name in the underground with fans of grind. In 2001, the first full-length CD-R
, Discoing the Dead
, was recorded. The same year, Das would assemble a full band to continue with the project. The band has since coined the terms "bastardized grindcore" and "mullet-core" to describe their sound.
album
. A self-titled
cassette
was released on Topon's own Dedfuk Records that compiled all of the recordings made since the projects’ inception. Fuck the Facts then released split cassettes with Cult of the Damned, Longdreamdead and S.M.E.S. before releasing another full-length cassette entitled Vagina Dancer
in September 2000 on Slovak
label Where Late The Birds Sang. Vagina Dancer showcased a more experimental, noise
side to Fuck the Facts than the self-titled release which featured more of a grindcore
style.
, was recorded in 2000 and released on Ghetto Blaster Recordings (another label run by Topon) on February 6, 2001. Positive feedback with this release motivated Topon to continue Fuck the Facts as a full band. Drummer Matt Connell and guitarist Tim Audette joined in late February. The three recorded music for a split with Ames Sanglates, before the addition of vocalist Brent Christoff in April and bassist Shomir Das in May. In May 2001, the band recorded and released Four0ninE
, an EP
which featured a cover of The Beach Boys
song "409
."
Shomir left the band after only three days, but the band continued on as a four piece performing their first live show on August 4, 2001 in Melbourne, Quebec. Regular performances around Ontario and Quebec continued until the fall when the band decided to record a full length release. Before the end of 2001, the new Fuck the Facts lineup would release Mullet Fever
, the full length follow-up to Discoing the Dead
. Mullet Fever, with its catchphrase "37 songs in 35 minutes," featured a more punk influenced grindcore sound, though still retained some of the noise influence.
, Fuck the Facts parted ways with vocalist Brent Christoff. Soon after, a replacement was found in Mel Mongeon. While Mel had made a guest appearance on a previously recorded split, her first recording as a member of the band was a re-recording of the song "The Burning Side" for the Goreland compilation CD released by Black Hole Productions (the song was originally featured on Discoing the Dead performed by entirely by Topon). Since joining the band, Mel has done most of the artwork for Fuck the Facts releases.
The summer of 2002 saw the band expand their touring area reaching as far west as Winnipeg
, and including a December tour of the Maritimes
. The touring, along with the release of a split with Sylvester Staline, helped expand their fanbase overseas. The summer of 2002 also saw the release of Escunta
, the long awaited noise follow-up to Vagina Dancer
, on Mandarangan Recordings. Escunta had been recorded from late 1999 to early 2000 before Topon had assembled the band, but its release had been delayed until now.
Following the winter Maritime tour, Fuck the Facts recorded their next full length album entitled Backstabber Etiquette
. It was released in early 2003 on Grind It! Records (a sublabel of Great White North Records). This new release featured a matured sound that incorporated progressive death metal
elements to an already expanding sound.
After the release of Backstabber Etiquette, more touring ensued. This proved to be too demanding for guitarist Tim Audette. Tim parted ways with the band in June 2003 following a Maritime tour. The band continued as a three-piece and recorded a series of three splits with Feeble Minded, Sergent Slaughter and Subcut respectively. While recording the material for these splits, guitarist Dave Menard joined the band and brought new inspiration. However, the split with Subcut would be the last recording with drummer Matt Connell who felt it was time to part ways with the band.
Mathieu Vilandré and Steve Chartier (aka Esteve Decalisse) were brought on guitar and bass respectively just in time for touring in support of Fuck the Fact’s next release, Legacy of Hopelessness
. This six-song EP had been recorded in the fall of 2004 and was co-released in June 2005 through Topon's Ghetto Blaster Recordings and Steve's label Capital Kill. A much more experimental release, Legacy of Hopelessness featured more electronic
and ambient elements combined with the usual Fuck the Facts grindcore sound. The summer support tour for the EP took the band all the way from Sydney
, Nova Scotia
to Vancouver
, British Columbia
.
as an indicator of the direction the band would be taking for their next album. These demos were eventually released on two splits (with Pleasant Valley and Mesrine), and were used to look for a possible record deal.
At the start of 2006, Tim Olsen was asked to leave the band. Mathieu Vilandré, who had previously filled in on drums, took over the position permanently and recording began for the next full length album in February. Early in the recording process, the band was contacted by Relapse Records
and secured a three album deal with them that would start with their next album. In the interim, the Collection of Splits 2002-2004
was released by Great White North Records which exposed fans to some of the bands music that was more difficult to acquire due to limited pressings. It included all of the material from the splits released between Backstabber Etiquette
and Legacy of Hopelessness
(with Subcut, Sergent Slaughter, Feeble Minded and Sylvester Staline) as well as enhanced MP3 tracks from some earlier splits.
The summer of 2006 was filled with tours of the Maritimes, North-Eastern United States (including a performance at the New England Doom and Grind Festival), Ontario and Quebec. In August 2006, Stigmata High-Five
was released on Relapse Records
. The album highlighted not just a change in musical direction, but also a development in the recording quality. For the first time, the band had enlisted a separate producer to help them forge their sound and went to a professional studio to record.
Following the release of Stigmata High-Five, the band filmed a music video, featuring local actors Adam Steptoe, Luke Williams, and Eugene Swain, for the song "The Sound of Your Smashed Head" on location in London, Ontario, Canada, and spent seven weeks in the US touring, including a slot on the Relapse Contamination Festival before returning home to start a three week tour of Ontario
and Quebec
which ended in November. Constant touring continued into early 2007 with a Maritime tour in March. A two-week tour followed that took the band down to Texas
and back up to Canada in time for another tour of Ontario. The band decided to take a break in June to begin work on their next album.
tour in June 2007, the band parted ways with bassist Steve Chartier "for reasons that aren't that uncommon of why bands and people split." The band then spent two weeks going on a road trip
to Mexico
and back to write the material for their next album. The album was tracked that August; however, immediately following that, the three remaining members decided that it was time to take a break.
With no plans, the completion of the next album was questionable. At this point, the band still remained somewhat silent on their situation; however, by January 2008, they were back performing again. The touring, along with some personal issues, slowed the mixing
and mastering
progress of the album, however by April it was announced that Disgorge Mexico
would be released in North America on July 22, 2008 as the band's second Relapse Records release. The band celebrated the album's release with a free CD release party in which they performed the entire CD from start to finish on August 2 in Hull, Quebec.
In 2009, Fuck the Facts embarked on their first ever Europe
an tour. Polish
Relapse Records
label mates Antigama
and Dutch
grindcore
band Dr. Doom joined Fuck the Facts for the tour which lasted from February 12 to March 3, 2009. In an interview, Topon noted the irony that the band was only now finding its way to Europe considering that many of their earlier releases (up to a decade earlier) were on European labels. Late in 2009, the band announced that touring bassist Marc Bourgon had become a full-time member of the band. Marc had been touring with the band since January 2008, and had recorded with the band on their latest split with Leng Tch'e
.
having been recorded by the band and featuring artwork created and printed by the band. Many reviewers lauded the band for their "do it yourself
" ethic. In early March, the band left for Europe on their Unnamed European Tour 2010 including a few countries they had yet to visit such as Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Upon returning to North America, the band completed work on their first video release, Disgorge Mexico: The DVD
. The DVD combined a live performance of their 2008 album Disgorge Mexico
with a short art film made by Canadian filmmaker David Hall that used the album as its soundtrack. A bonus DVD featuring a plethora of other videos was also included in limited numbers.
In October, the band announced that their upcoming album would be entitled Die Miserable
and would be released by Relapse Records
. The band begun recording the album in January, but put it on hold to go on various tours and release their EP and DVD. Having recorded the finishing touches and send the album to be mixed, they are projecting a spring 2011 release.
feature only Topon on vocals (aside from a few guest appearances). His singing varies between deep growls
and more high pitched screams
. The Mullet Fever
lineup features Brent Christoff who has a slightly deeper, more grunting sound. The biggest change is with the replacement of Brent with Mel Mongeon who has a very distinctive high-pitched shriek which has become the vocal style that the band is most known for.
Most (if not all) Fuck the Facts songs are played on guitars tuned
down a fourth (B E A D F# B). Bass tuning is the same (B E A D), though depending on the performer, sometimes a 5 string bass is used. Common grindcore elements such as blast beat
s are also present. Generally, most of the songs feature the darker modes such as Aeolian
, Phrygian
, Locrian
and heavy use of the tritone
, though many songs feature other more chromatic scales as well. Different textures are used to create different moods. For example, a common feature will be the use of clean guitar within the context of a grindcore song that creates a radical change in the sound of the piece (an example would be the last half of Gated Community from Mullet Fever
). Despite these few generalities, the musical style of the band has changed over the years.
was released in early 2001, it retained many of these experimental styles, paving the way for the beginning of the first incarnation of Fuck the Facts as a full band.
In addition to the grindcore style of the recordings, there were also many songs that were almost straight noise recordings. Vagina Dancer
and Escunta
, recorded in 2000 and 2001 respectively, are the core of these noise recordings, with some other tracks being featured on various compilations and splits.
Mullet Fever
was released in 2002 and featured a more punk-influenced grindcore sound. However, many of the songs included more experimental (for grindcore) styles including rap, hip-hop, jazz, noise and electronic. The album was largely recorded in one session of the band recording their own jam session and some minimal editing afterwards, and may explain why this album stands out on its own in terms of musical style and scope.
was recorded in 2002, vocalist Mel Mongeon had replaced Christoff, and her distinctive growl was markedly different than Brent's deep sound. Mel's higher pitched scream became the norm for the band. The musical style became more heavily influenced by death metal and showed more technical aspirations. This style persisted over the splits recorded between Backstabber Etiquette and Legacy of Hopelessness (these recordings are largely what make up the tracks on the Collection of Splits 2002-2004
).
Legacy of Hopelessness
showcased a bit of a departure for the band in that it had a lot more electronic influences. Keyboards are featured on nearly every track, and are sometimes the primary focus. Of course, grindcore is still quite present as well as Mel's distinctive vocals. The change in musical style can probably be attributed to this being initially intended to be a solo release by Topon, but was migrated over to the band when it was realized that another full-length release was not quite feasible.
represents the latest musical style of the band. The grindcore and death metal elements are still present, but so are more progressive and experimental ideas mixed with metalcore elements. The album contains longer songs with more intricate riffs and atypical time signatures. For example, the opening song "La Dernière Image" moves from groove-oriented grindcore based around a repeating clave rhythm
with odd meters interspersed throughout (the clave rhythm and odd meters are both basic musical features of much progressive rock). A middle section counters that with more ambient textures and clean guitars.
Disgorge Mexico
contains shorter songs than Stigmata High-Five but retains a similar overall musical style. In some cases, the experimental ideas are expanded further to the point where one track contains a section that is reminiscent of straight ahead jazz and contains a high register melodic bass solo typical of jazz or fusion. Rhythmic elements often featured in progressive rock are still present, and metric dissonance via polyrhythm
s are often present.
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 Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, formed in 1998. They began in the late nineties as a solo recording project constructed by musician Topon Das. After many early recordings, including split tapes with groups from around the world, Fuck the Facts began developing a name in the underground with fans of grind. In 2001, the first full-length CD-R
CD-R
A CD-R is a variation of the Compact Disc invented by Philips and Sony. CD-R is a Write Once Read Many optical medium, though the whole disk does not have to be entirely written in the same session....
, Discoing the Dead
Discoing the Dead
Discoing the Dead is the third album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was created and recorded between November 2000 and February 2001 at Total Bastard Studio . This is the first Fuck the Facts release on CD...
, was recorded. The same year, Das would assemble a full band to continue with the project. The band has since coined the terms "bastardized grindcore" and "mullet-core" to describe their sound.
Formation (1998–2001)
Fuck the Facts began early in 1997 as an unnamed recording project by Topon Das. The project remained nameless until featured on a compilation in 1998, where Topon decided upon the name Fuck the Facts after a song from the first Naked CityNaked City (band)
Naked City was an avant-garde music group led by saxophonist and composer John Zorn. Active primarily in New York City from 1988 to 1993, Naked City was initiated by Zorn as a "composition workshop" to test the limits of composition in a traditional rock band lineup...
album
Naked City (album)
Naked City is an album released on Nonesuch Records in 1990 by John Zorn, featuring the band of the same name. The album was also released as part of Naked City: The Complete Studio Recordings on Tzadik Records in 2005....
. A self-titled
Fuck the Facts (album)
Fuck the Facts is the first full length release by the Canadian grindcore group of the same name. It was released in early 2000 on Topon's own label Dedfuk Records...
cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
was released on Topon's own Dedfuk Records that compiled all of the recordings made since the projects’ inception. Fuck the Facts then released split cassettes with Cult of the Damned, Longdreamdead and S.M.E.S. before releasing another full-length cassette entitled Vagina Dancer
Vagina Dancer
Vagina Dancer is the second full length release by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was released on September 30, 2000 and features the more experimental noise recordings. At the time, Fuck the Facts consisted only of Topon Das.-Track listing:...
in September 2000 on Slovak
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
label Where Late The Birds Sang. Vagina Dancer showcased a more experimental, noise
Noise music
Noise music is a term used to describe varieties of avant-garde music and sound art that may use elements such as cacophony, dissonance, atonality, noise, indeterminacy, and repetition in their realization. Noise music can feature distortion, various types of acoustically or electronically...
side to Fuck the Facts than the self-titled release which featured more of a 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....
style.
Discoing the Dead, Mullet Fever (2001–2002)
With the two full length tapes, and the various splits, Fuck The Facts started to gain notoriety in the underground noise and grindcore world. The next full length, Discoing the DeadDiscoing the Dead
Discoing the Dead is the third album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was created and recorded between November 2000 and February 2001 at Total Bastard Studio . This is the first Fuck the Facts release on CD...
, was recorded in 2000 and released on Ghetto Blaster Recordings (another label run by Topon) on February 6, 2001. Positive feedback with this release motivated Topon to continue Fuck the Facts as a full band. Drummer Matt Connell and guitarist Tim Audette joined in late February. The three recorded music for a split with Ames Sanglates, before the addition of vocalist Brent Christoff in April and bassist Shomir Das in May. In May 2001, the band recorded and released Four0ninE
Four0ninE
Four0ninE is the first EP by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was recorded in mid May 2001 by the band. It marks the first recordings with vocalist Brent Christoff, and the only recordings with bassist Shomir Das. It is the second release by Fuck the Facts as a band, the first being a...
, an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
which featured a cover of The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
song "409
409 (song)
"409" is a song written by Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Gary Usher for the American rock and roll band, The Beach Boys. The song features Mike Love singing lead vocals. It was originally released as the b-side of the "Surfin' Safari" single...
."
Shomir left the band after only three days, but the band continued on as a four piece performing their first live show on August 4, 2001 in Melbourne, Quebec. Regular performances around Ontario and Quebec continued until the fall when the band decided to record a full length release. Before the end of 2001, the new Fuck the Facts lineup would release Mullet Fever
Mullet Fever
Mullet Fever is the fourth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts originally released in 2001. It was released on Topon's label Ghetto Blaster Recordings with only 200 CD-Rs being made...
, the full length follow-up to Discoing the Dead
Discoing the Dead
Discoing the Dead is the third album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was created and recorded between November 2000 and February 2001 at Total Bastard Studio . This is the first Fuck the Facts release on CD...
. Mullet Fever, with its catchphrase "37 songs in 35 minutes," featured a more punk influenced grindcore sound, though still retained some of the noise influence.
Backstabber Etiquette, Splits (2002–2003)
In early 2002, following the recording of Mullet FeverMullet Fever
Mullet Fever is the fourth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts originally released in 2001. It was released on Topon's label Ghetto Blaster Recordings with only 200 CD-Rs being made...
, Fuck the Facts parted ways with vocalist Brent Christoff. Soon after, a replacement was found in Mel Mongeon. While Mel had made a guest appearance on a previously recorded split, her first recording as a member of the band was a re-recording of the song "The Burning Side" for the Goreland compilation CD released by Black Hole Productions (the song was originally featured on Discoing the Dead performed by entirely by Topon). Since joining the band, Mel has done most of the artwork for Fuck the Facts releases.
The summer of 2002 saw the band expand their touring area reaching as far west as Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, and including a December tour of the Maritimes
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
. The touring, along with the release of a split with Sylvester Staline, helped expand their fanbase overseas. The summer of 2002 also saw the release of Escunta
Escunta
Escunta is the fifth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was created and recorded in January 2001 at Total Bastard Studio. This release is different from most of the other Fuck the Facts releases because it is more focused on an experimental noise sound...
, the long awaited noise follow-up to Vagina Dancer
Vagina Dancer
Vagina Dancer is the second full length release by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was released on September 30, 2000 and features the more experimental noise recordings. At the time, Fuck the Facts consisted only of Topon Das.-Track listing:...
, on Mandarangan Recordings. Escunta had been recorded from late 1999 to early 2000 before Topon had assembled the band, but its release had been delayed until now.
Following the winter Maritime tour, Fuck the Facts recorded their next full length album entitled Backstabber Etiquette
Backstabber Etiquette
Backstabber Etiquette is the sixth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. The band recorded the album in 2002 at their own studio. The album was mastered by David Cain at Shark Fin Mastering in Ottawa...
. It was released in early 2003 on Grind It! Records (a sublabel of Great White North Records). This new release featured a matured sound that incorporated progressive death metal
Technical death metal
Technical death metal is a musical subgenre of death metal that focuses on complex rhythms, riffs and song structures. Technical experimentation in death metal began in the late '80s and early '90s by bands such as Death, Atheist and Cynic...
elements to an already expanding sound.
After the release of Backstabber Etiquette, more touring ensued. This proved to be too demanding for guitarist Tim Audette. Tim parted ways with the band in June 2003 following a Maritime tour. The band continued as a three-piece and recorded a series of three splits with Feeble Minded, Sergent Slaughter and Subcut respectively. While recording the material for these splits, guitarist Dave Menard joined the band and brought new inspiration. However, the split with Subcut would be the last recording with drummer Matt Connell who felt it was time to part ways with the band.
Legacy of Hopelessness (2004–2006)
Shortly after Matt’s departure, local drummer Tim Olsen was brought in as a replacement. Also around that time, Marc-André Mongeon was brought as a bassist (the first since Shomir had left the band in 2001). As a five-piece, the band toured throughout the summer of 2004 across Canada. By the time mid 2005 came around, the constant touring proved to be too much for Marc and Dave and they decided to step down.Mathieu Vilandré and Steve Chartier (aka Esteve Decalisse) were brought on guitar and bass respectively just in time for touring in support of Fuck the Fact’s next release, Legacy of Hopelessness
Legacy of Hopelessness
-Personnel:*Topon Das – guitar, vocals, keyboards, midi, recording *Dave Menard – guitar*Mel Mongeon – vocals*Marc-André Mongeon – bass*Tim Olsen – drums*Craig Boychuk – mixing, mastering*Stéphane Danis – recording...
. This six-song EP had been recorded in the fall of 2004 and was co-released in June 2005 through Topon's Ghetto Blaster Recordings and Steve's label Capital Kill. A much more experimental release, Legacy of Hopelessness featured more electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
and ambient elements combined with the usual Fuck the Facts grindcore sound. The summer support tour for the EP took the band all the way from Sydney
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
Collection of Splits, Stigmata High-Five (2006–2007)
Upon return from the Legacy of Hopelessness tour, Mathieu Vilandré and Steve Chartier were brought into the band as permanent members. It was at this time that the band recorded a two song pre-production demoDemo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
as an indicator of the direction the band would be taking for their next album. These demos were eventually released on two splits (with Pleasant Valley and Mesrine), and were used to look for a possible record deal.
At the start of 2006, Tim Olsen was asked to leave the band. Mathieu Vilandré, who had previously filled in on drums, took over the position permanently and recording began for the next full length album in February. Early in the recording process, the band was contacted by 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...
and secured a three album deal with them that would start with their next album. In the interim, the Collection of Splits 2002-2004
Collection of Splits 2002-2004
-Personnel:* Topon Das – guitar, bass, keyboards, samples, recording, mixing, mastering* Mel Mongeon – vocals, artwork* Matt Connell – drums, recording, mixing, mastering* Jean-Philippe Latour – remastering-Additional Musicians:...
was released by Great White North Records which exposed fans to some of the bands music that was more difficult to acquire due to limited pressings. It included all of the material from the splits released between Backstabber Etiquette
Backstabber Etiquette
Backstabber Etiquette is the sixth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. The band recorded the album in 2002 at their own studio. The album was mastered by David Cain at Shark Fin Mastering in Ottawa...
and Legacy of Hopelessness
Legacy of Hopelessness
-Personnel:*Topon Das – guitar, vocals, keyboards, midi, recording *Dave Menard – guitar*Mel Mongeon – vocals*Marc-André Mongeon – bass*Tim Olsen – drums*Craig Boychuk – mixing, mastering*Stéphane Danis – recording...
(with Subcut, Sergent Slaughter, Feeble Minded and Sylvester Staline) as well as enhanced MP3 tracks from some earlier splits.
The summer of 2006 was filled with tours of the Maritimes, North-Eastern United States (including a performance at the New England Doom and Grind Festival), Ontario and Quebec. In August 2006, Stigmata High-Five
Stigmata High-Five
Stigmata-High Five is the seventh full-length album by the Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts released August 20, 2006 . It is the band's first release on Relapse Records. Stigmata High-Five is also the first recording to feature Mathieu Vilandré on drums...
was released on 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...
. The album highlighted not just a change in musical direction, but also a development in the recording quality. For the first time, the band had enlisted a separate producer to help them forge their sound and went to a professional studio to record.
Following the release of Stigmata High-Five, the band filmed a music video, featuring local actors Adam Steptoe, Luke Williams, and Eugene Swain, for the song "The Sound of Your Smashed Head" on location in London, Ontario, Canada, and spent seven weeks in the US touring, including a slot on the Relapse Contamination Festival before returning home to start a three week tour of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
which ended in November. Constant touring continued into early 2007 with a Maritime tour in March. A two-week tour followed that took the band down to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and back up to Canada in time for another tour of Ontario. The band decided to take a break in June to begin work on their next album.
Disgorge Mexico (2007–2009)
Following the final Stigmata High-FiveStigmata High-Five
Stigmata-High Five is the seventh full-length album by the Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts released August 20, 2006 . It is the band's first release on Relapse Records. Stigmata High-Five is also the first recording to feature Mathieu Vilandré on drums...
tour in June 2007, the band parted ways with bassist Steve Chartier "for reasons that aren't that uncommon of why bands and people split." The band then spent two weeks going on a road trip
Road trip
A road trip is any journey taken on roads, regardless of stops en route. Typically, road trips are long distances traveled by automobile.-Pre-automobile road trips:...
to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and back to write the material for their next album. The album was tracked that August; however, immediately following that, the three remaining members decided that it was time to take a break.
With no plans, the completion of the next album was questionable. At this point, the band still remained somewhat silent on their situation; however, by January 2008, they were back performing again. The touring, along with some personal issues, slowed the mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
and mastering
Audio mastering
Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
progress of the album, however by April it was announced that Disgorge Mexico
Disgorge Mexico
-Release history:-Personnel:* Topon Das – guitar, bass, noise, engineer * Mélanie Mongeon – vocals, artwork* Mathieu Vilandré – drums, guitar, bass* Craig Boychuk – producer, engineer , mixing, mastering* Fuck the Facts – producer...
would be released in North America on July 22, 2008 as the band's second Relapse Records release. The band celebrated the album's release with a free CD release party in which they performed the entire CD from start to finish on August 2 in Hull, Quebec.
In 2009, Fuck the Facts embarked on their first ever Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an tour. Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
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...
label mates Antigama
Antigama
-Biography:Antigama formed in Warsaw, Poland in 2000 by guitarist Sebastian Rokicki and drummer Krzysztof Bentkowski, later joined by Lukasz Myszkowski on vocals and Macio Moretti on bass guitar. The band soon entered the studio to write and record material. Their first full length album, Intellect...
and Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
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....
band Dr. Doom joined Fuck the Facts for the tour which lasted from February 12 to March 3, 2009. In an interview, Topon noted the irony that the band was only now finding its way to Europe considering that many of their earlier releases (up to a decade earlier) were on European labels. Late in 2009, the band announced that touring bassist Marc Bourgon had become a full-time member of the band. Marc had been touring with the band since January 2008, and had recorded with the band on their latest split with Leng Tch'e
Leng Tch'e
Leng Tch'e is a grindcore band based in Belgium. The band describes their style as "razorgrind", a combination of grindcore with death metal, stoner rock and metalcore....
.
Unnamed EP and Die Miserable (2010-present)
In late 2009, the band announced that the following year would see the release of a new EP, their first video release, and a new full-length album. In late February 2010, they released Unnamed EPUnnamed EP
-Personnel:*Topon Das – guitar*Mathieu Vilandré – drums, guitar*Mel Mongeon – vocals, artwork*Marc Bourgon – bass, vocalsAdditional*Dave Sarazin – drum recording*Craig Boychuk – mixing*Alan Douches – mastering*Johnny Ibay – guest guitar solo...
having been recorded by the band and featuring artwork created and printed by the band. Many reviewers lauded the band for their "do it yourself
Do it yourself
Do it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
" ethic. In early March, the band left for Europe on their Unnamed European Tour 2010 including a few countries they had yet to visit such as Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Upon returning to North America, the band completed work on their first video release, Disgorge Mexico: The DVD
Disgorge Mexico: The DVD
Disgorge Mexico: The DVD is the first video release by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. The DVD has two parts. The first part is a multi-camera recording of the August 2, 2008 concert in which the band performed their then-newest album Disgorge Mexico live in its entirety...
. The DVD combined a live performance of their 2008 album Disgorge Mexico
Disgorge Mexico
-Release history:-Personnel:* Topon Das – guitar, bass, noise, engineer * Mélanie Mongeon – vocals, artwork* Mathieu Vilandré – drums, guitar, bass* Craig Boychuk – producer, engineer , mixing, mastering* Fuck the Facts – producer...
with a short art film made by Canadian filmmaker David Hall that used the album as its soundtrack. A bonus DVD featuring a plethora of other videos was also included in limited numbers.
In October, the band announced that their upcoming album would be entitled Die Miserable
Die Miserable
Die Miserable is the ninth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It is their third album on Relapse Records from a three album contract with the label.-Track listing:#"Drift"#"Cold Hearted"#"Lifeless"#"Census Blank"#"Alone"#"Die Miserable"...
and would be released by 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...
. The band begun recording the album in January, but put it on hold to go on various tours and release their EP and DVD. Having recorded the finishing touches and send the album to be mixed, they are projecting a spring 2011 release.
Musical style
Fuck the Facts has had three different vocalists, all with their own style and impact on the sound of the band. The first recordings up until Discoing the DeadDiscoing the Dead
Discoing the Dead is the third album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was created and recorded between November 2000 and February 2001 at Total Bastard Studio . This is the first Fuck the Facts release on CD...
feature only Topon on vocals (aside from a few guest appearances). His singing varies between deep growls
Death growl
A death growl, also known as death metal vocals, guttural vocals, death grunts, and harsh vocals among other names, is a vocalisation style usually employed by vocalists of the death metal and black metal music genre, but also used in a variety of heavy metal and hardcore punk subgenres.Death...
and more high pitched screams
Screaming (music)
Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
. The Mullet Fever
Mullet Fever
Mullet Fever is the fourth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts originally released in 2001. It was released on Topon's label Ghetto Blaster Recordings with only 200 CD-Rs being made...
lineup features Brent Christoff who has a slightly deeper, more grunting sound. The biggest change is with the replacement of Brent with Mel Mongeon who has a very distinctive high-pitched shriek which has become the vocal style that the band is most known for.
Most (if not all) Fuck the Facts songs are played on guitars tuned
Guitar tunings
Guitar tunings almost always refers to the pitch of the open string, though some tunings may only realistically be attained by the use of a capo on an unmodified instrument....
down a fourth (B E A D F# B). Bass tuning is the same (B E A D), though depending on the performer, sometimes a 5 string bass is used. Common grindcore elements such as blast beat
Blast beat
A blast beat is a drum beat often associated with extreme metal and grindcore, although its usage predates the genres, and is utilised by many different styles of metal...
s are also present. Generally, most of the songs feature the darker modes such as Aeolian
Aeolian mode
The Aeolian mode is a musical mode or, in modern usage, a diatonic scale called the natural minor scale.The word "Aeolian" in the music theory of ancient Greece was an alternative name for what Aristoxenus called the Low Lydian tonos , nine semitones...
, Phrygian
Phrygian mode
The Phrygian mode can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek tonos or harmonia sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set octave species or scales; the Medieval Phrygian mode, and the modern conception of the Phrygian mode as a diatonic scale, based on the latter...
, Locrian
Locrian mode
The Locrian mode is either a musical mode or simply a diatonic scale. Although the term occurs in several classical authors on music theory, including Cleonides and Athenaeus , there is no warrant for the modern usage of Locrian as equivalent to Glarean's Hyperaeolian mode, in either classical,...
and heavy use of the tritone
Tritone
In classical music from Western culture, the tritone |tone]]) is traditionally defined as a musical interval composed of three whole tones. In a chromatic scale, each whole tone can be further divided into two semitones...
, though many songs feature other more chromatic scales as well. Different textures are used to create different moods. For example, a common feature will be the use of clean guitar within the context of a grindcore song that creates a radical change in the sound of the piece (an example would be the last half of Gated Community from Mullet Fever
Mullet Fever
Mullet Fever is the fourth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts originally released in 2001. It was released on Topon's label Ghetto Blaster Recordings with only 200 CD-Rs being made...
). Despite these few generalities, the musical style of the band has changed over the years.
Early period
Topon has stated numerous times that the name Fuck the Facts was chosen, in part, as a statement about his attitude towards the music he wrote. He tried not to feel hampered by genre labels, and that is reflected in the musical style. The earlier Fuck the Facts recordings up until approximately 2000 featured a combination of grindcore and noise. Though those two genres were prominent during this era of recording, many other styles crept into the music as well including death metal, electronic and even as some as diverse as disco and jazz. When Discoing the DeadDiscoing the Dead
Discoing the Dead is the third album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was created and recorded between November 2000 and February 2001 at Total Bastard Studio . This is the first Fuck the Facts release on CD...
was released in early 2001, it retained many of these experimental styles, paving the way for the beginning of the first incarnation of Fuck the Facts as a full band.
In addition to the grindcore style of the recordings, there were also many songs that were almost straight noise recordings. Vagina Dancer
Vagina Dancer
Vagina Dancer is the second full length release by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was released on September 30, 2000 and features the more experimental noise recordings. At the time, Fuck the Facts consisted only of Topon Das.-Track listing:...
and Escunta
Escunta
Escunta is the fifth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was created and recorded in January 2001 at Total Bastard Studio. This release is different from most of the other Fuck the Facts releases because it is more focused on an experimental noise sound...
, recorded in 2000 and 2001 respectively, are the core of these noise recordings, with some other tracks being featured on various compilations and splits.
Mullet Fever
Mullet Fever
Mullet Fever is the fourth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts originally released in 2001. It was released on Topon's label Ghetto Blaster Recordings with only 200 CD-Rs being made...
was released in 2002 and featured a more punk-influenced grindcore sound. However, many of the songs included more experimental (for grindcore) styles including rap, hip-hop, jazz, noise and electronic. The album was largely recorded in one session of the band recording their own jam session and some minimal editing afterwards, and may explain why this album stands out on its own in terms of musical style and scope.
Middle period
When Backstabber EtiquetteBackstabber Etiquette
Backstabber Etiquette is the sixth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. The band recorded the album in 2002 at their own studio. The album was mastered by David Cain at Shark Fin Mastering in Ottawa...
was recorded in 2002, vocalist Mel Mongeon had replaced Christoff, and her distinctive growl was markedly different than Brent's deep sound. Mel's higher pitched scream became the norm for the band. The musical style became more heavily influenced by death metal and showed more technical aspirations. This style persisted over the splits recorded between Backstabber Etiquette and Legacy of Hopelessness (these recordings are largely what make up the tracks on the Collection of Splits 2002-2004
Collection of Splits 2002-2004
-Personnel:* Topon Das – guitar, bass, keyboards, samples, recording, mixing, mastering* Mel Mongeon – vocals, artwork* Matt Connell – drums, recording, mixing, mastering* Jean-Philippe Latour – remastering-Additional Musicians:...
).
Legacy of Hopelessness
Legacy of Hopelessness
-Personnel:*Topon Das – guitar, vocals, keyboards, midi, recording *Dave Menard – guitar*Mel Mongeon – vocals*Marc-André Mongeon – bass*Tim Olsen – drums*Craig Boychuk – mixing, mastering*Stéphane Danis – recording...
showcased a bit of a departure for the band in that it had a lot more electronic influences. Keyboards are featured on nearly every track, and are sometimes the primary focus. Of course, grindcore is still quite present as well as Mel's distinctive vocals. The change in musical style can probably be attributed to this being initially intended to be a solo release by Topon, but was migrated over to the band when it was realized that another full-length release was not quite feasible.
Later period
Stigmata High-FiveStigmata High-Five
Stigmata-High Five is the seventh full-length album by the Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts released August 20, 2006 . It is the band's first release on Relapse Records. Stigmata High-Five is also the first recording to feature Mathieu Vilandré on drums...
represents the latest musical style of the band. The grindcore and death metal elements are still present, but so are more progressive and experimental ideas mixed with metalcore elements. The album contains longer songs with more intricate riffs and atypical time signatures. For example, the opening song "La Dernière Image" moves from groove-oriented grindcore based around a repeating clave rhythm
Clave (rhythm)
The clave rhythmic pattern is used as a tool for temporal organization in Afro-Cuban music, such as rumba, conga de comparsa, son, son montuno, mambo, salsa, Latin jazz, songo and timba. The five-stroke clave pattern represents the structural core of many Afro-Cuban rhythms...
with odd meters interspersed throughout (the clave rhythm and odd meters are both basic musical features of much progressive rock). A middle section counters that with more ambient textures and clean guitars.
Disgorge Mexico
Disgorge Mexico
-Release history:-Personnel:* Topon Das – guitar, bass, noise, engineer * Mélanie Mongeon – vocals, artwork* Mathieu Vilandré – drums, guitar, bass* Craig Boychuk – producer, engineer , mixing, mastering* Fuck the Facts – producer...
contains shorter songs than Stigmata High-Five but retains a similar overall musical style. In some cases, the experimental ideas are expanded further to the point where one track contains a section that is reminiscent of straight ahead jazz and contains a high register melodic bass solo typical of jazz or fusion. Rhythmic elements often featured in progressive rock are still present, and metric dissonance via polyrhythm
Polyrhythm
Polyrhythm is the simultaneous sounding of two or more independent rhythms.Polyrhythm in general is a nonspecific term for the simultaneous occurrence of two or more conflicting rhythms, of which cross-rhythm is a specific and definable subset.—Novotney Polyrhythms can be distinguished from...
s are often present.
Current
- Topon Das - Guitar (1998–present)
- Melanie Mongeon - Vocals (2002–present)
- Mathieu "Vil" Vilandré - Drums (2005–present)
- Marc "Chops" Bourgon - Bass (November 2009–present)
- Johnny "Beige" Ibay - Guitar (September 2010–present)
Former
- Matt Connell - Drums (February 2001–2004)
- Tim Audette - Guitar (February 2001–2003)
- Brent Christoff - Vocals (April 2001–2002)
- Shomir Das - Bass (May 23, 2001–May 26, 2001)
- Dave Menard - Guitar (2003–2005)
- Tim Olsen - Drums (2004–2006)
- Marc-Andre Mongeon - Bass (2004–2005)
- Steve Chartier - Bass (2005–2007)
Touring
- Travis Tomchuk - Vocals (May 2006)
- Jean-Louis Wittinger - Guitar (September 2006–December 2006)
- Leigh Newton - Guitar (January–March 2008)
- Johnathan Ibay - Guitar (June 2008–present)
Discography
In addition to the releases below, Fuck the Facts have released a plethora of splits that count for a large portion of their repertoire. Additionally, the band has been featured on numerous compilations and tribute albums.Studio albums
- 1999: Fuck the FactsFuck the Facts (album)Fuck the Facts is the first full length release by the Canadian grindcore group of the same name. It was released in early 2000 on Topon's own label Dedfuk Records...
(Dedfuk Records) - 2000: Vagina DancerVagina DancerVagina Dancer is the second full length release by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was released on September 30, 2000 and features the more experimental noise recordings. At the time, Fuck the Facts consisted only of Topon Das.-Track listing:...
(Where Late the Bird Sang) - 2001: Discoing the DeadDiscoing the DeadDiscoing the Dead is the third album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was created and recorded between November 2000 and February 2001 at Total Bastard Studio . This is the first Fuck the Facts release on CD...
(Ghetto Blaster Recordings) - 2001: Mullet FeverMullet FeverMullet Fever is the fourth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts originally released in 2001. It was released on Topon's label Ghetto Blaster Recordings with only 200 CD-Rs being made...
(Ghetto Blaster Recordings) - 2002: EscuntaEscuntaEscunta is the fifth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was created and recorded in January 2001 at Total Bastard Studio. This release is different from most of the other Fuck the Facts releases because it is more focused on an experimental noise sound...
(Mandarangan Recordings) - 2003: Backstabber EtiquetteBackstabber EtiquetteBackstabber Etiquette is the sixth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. The band recorded the album in 2002 at their own studio. The album was mastered by David Cain at Shark Fin Mastering in Ottawa...
(Grind It! Records) - 2006: Stigmata High-FiveStigmata High-FiveStigmata-High Five is the seventh full-length album by the Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts released August 20, 2006 . It is the band's first release on Relapse Records. Stigmata High-Five is also the first recording to feature Mathieu Vilandré on drums...
(Relapse RecordsRelapse RecordsRelapse 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...
) - 2008: Disgorge MexicoDisgorge Mexico-Release history:-Personnel:* Topon Das – guitar, bass, noise, engineer * Mélanie Mongeon – vocals, artwork* Mathieu Vilandré – drums, guitar, bass* Craig Boychuk – producer, engineer , mixing, mastering* Fuck the Facts – producer...
(Relapse Records) - 2011: Die MiserableDie MiserableDie Miserable is the ninth album by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It is their third album on Relapse Records from a three album contract with the label.-Track listing:#"Drift"#"Cold Hearted"#"Lifeless"#"Census Blank"#"Alone"#"Die Miserable"...
(Relapse Records)
EPs and other releases
- 2001: Four0ninEFour0ninEFour0ninE is the first EP by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. It was recorded in mid May 2001 by the band. It marks the first recordings with vocalist Brent Christoff, and the only recordings with bassist Shomir Das. It is the second release by Fuck the Facts as a band, the first being a...
(Ghetto Blaster Recordings) - 2005: Legacy of HopelessnessLegacy of Hopelessness-Personnel:*Topon Das – guitar, vocals, keyboards, midi, recording *Dave Menard – guitar*Mel Mongeon – vocals*Marc-André Mongeon – bass*Tim Olsen – drums*Craig Boychuk – mixing, mastering*Stéphane Danis – recording...
(Ghetto Blaster Recordings / Capital Kill Records) - 2006: Collection of Splits 2002-2004Collection of Splits 2002-2004-Personnel:* Topon Das – guitar, bass, keyboards, samples, recording, mixing, mastering* Mel Mongeon – vocals, artwork* Matt Connell – drums, recording, mixing, mastering* Jean-Philippe Latour – remastering-Additional Musicians:...
(Great White North Records) - 2008: The Wreaking (self released)
- 2010: Unnamed EPUnnamed EP-Personnel:*Topon Das – guitar*Mathieu Vilandré – drums, guitar*Mel Mongeon – vocals, artwork*Marc Bourgon – bass, vocalsAdditional*Dave Sarazin – drum recording*Craig Boychuk – mixing*Alan Douches – mastering*Johnny Ibay – guest guitar solo...
(self released) - 2010: Disgorge Mexico: The DVDDisgorge Mexico: The DVDDisgorge Mexico: The DVD is the first video release by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. The DVD has two parts. The first part is a multi-camera recording of the August 2, 2008 concert in which the band performed their then-newest album Disgorge Mexico live in its entirety...
- 2011: MiseryMisery (EP)Misery is the fifth EP by Canadian grindcore band Fuck the Facts. The EP was released on October 10, 2011, in conjunction with their album Die Miserable...
(self released)