World Burns To Death
Encyclopedia
World Burns to Death are an American Hardcore punk
band from Austin, Texas. Formed in 2000, the current lineup (as of June, 2006) consists of: Jack Control, vocals; Zac Tew, guitar; Craig Merritt, bass; and Jon Guerinot, drums. Current and former members are also involved with other bands, including From Ashes Rise
, Kegcharge, The Bulemics, Severed Head of State
, and Krematorium Dogs. World Burns to Death's singer, Jack Control, was stabbed outside of a show in late January, 2006. The weapon, a 5" knife, barely missed his heart.
band Bastards. In addition, the name reflects the band's apocalyptic imagery and grim outlook on world events.
and Riistetyt.
As well, World Burns to Death's music reflects the tradition of 80s purist American hardcore (Negative Approach
and Minor Threat
), European bands influenced by, and including, Discharge
, and Japanese hardcore punk (Burning Spirits). Also in the mix may be hints of black metal
and crust punk
.
The earliest World Burns to Death EPs are astonishingly fast and lean more in the direction of Japanese hardcore
punk. The band's debut full-length, 2002's The Sucking of the Missile Cock, saw the tempo slow slightly. Also displayed on the LP are greater attention to songwriting and production. Whereas the earliest EPs sound raw and almost impossibly fast, The Sucking of the Missile Cock has a larger, richer sound, with vocal duties alternating between Jack Control and guitarist Zac Tew. The LP was almost universally lauded in punk fanzines and websites upon its release. In 2002, famous British DJ John Peel
played songs from World Burns to Death's Human Meat ... Tossed to the Dogs of War 7" EP
and accorded it "recommended" status at his webpage before his death.
World Burns to Death currently tour and record in a militantly underground milieu of DIY punk bands that includes Tragedy
, Bury the Living, Paintbox
, Hellshock, Inepsy, Gouka, and others. The insert in Sucking of the Missile Cock underscores the band's underground convictions: "No Fucking Copyright ... Fuck That Shit."
The band's striking logo usually appears written in Hebrew
, in the Chaya
font. The Hebrew wording might appear to be a literal translation of the band's name, but it is not. Rather, it is "World Burns to Death" typed out on a standard English computer keyboard with the Chaya font installed. Thus, pressing the "W" key on a standard English computer keyboard would produce the corresponding Hebrew symbol, a tsadi (which looks somewhat like the English letter "y"). The tsadi (sometimes spelled "tzaadi") has become the band's logo. The logo is also noteworthy because the symbol is an inscription commonly used on Israeli army munitions. In addition, the tsadi "Y"-looking symbol is of prime significance in the Kabbalah (the Hebrew metaphysical scripture) identifying "one who fights for the righteous good of mankind". This duality of a cryptic non-language written in an occult alphabet, as well as the deep symbolism, creates an imagery and lexicon that has incited confusion and controversy with those exposed to the aesthetic. The usage of the Chaya lettering lends the band's releases a perhaps unintentional occult
look, something that may have helped the band gain popularity among members of the black metal community. Fenriz of Darkthrone
cites World Burns to Death as a favorite band, as does Maniac from Mayhem.
The band's English font
is an Anglicized version of Chaya font characters. This font may have been inspired by that used on the cover of Simon Wiesenthal
's 1990 book Justice, Not Vengeance. Singer Jack Control designs the fonts, writes the lyrics, and provides the band's graphics.
, and, more directly, the consequences thereof. As singer Jack Control noted in an interview, "Murdering the innocent in the name of 'democracy,' destabilizing economies in the name of 'capitalism,' installing brutal dictatorships in the name of 'freedom'" are all terrible injustices and serve to fill the lyrical coffers of World Burns to Death.
The band's lyric sheets contain references to, or quotes from, writer William Shakespeare
, German
philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche
, individualist anarchist Max Stirner
, leftist writers Susan Sontag
and Herbert Marcuse
, political prisoner Stephen Biko, and others. Sometimes quoted for ironic effect are the inscriptions above concentration camps, such as the "Welcome to the Jewish State" statement written on Belzec
's gates, which is quoted in the No Dawn Comes ... Night Without End 7" EP. Although the imagery of death camps, gulags, and scenes of genocide
appear often (in artwork and lyrics), the point is to underscore the effects of war, barbarism, and ultimately to expose the bleak horror of the human condition.
Some of World Burns to Death's lyrics focus on traditional punk concerns, like the hypocrisy of patriotism within the punk scene, such as the title song of The Sucking of the Missile Cock.
Other songs cover terrorism (and how it's selectively defined by powerful interests), global imperialism, the tendency of many people to be complicit in their own oppression ("In the Country of the Blind ... the One Eyed Man is King"), and more.
. Fall of 2004 saw the "Ghoulish Killing Orgy" US east coast/Canadian tour; Fall of 2005 saw the "Those Who Have Come To The End" tour of the US west coast; 2007 was the Burning Spirits tour of Japan with Forward; 2008 they were back on tour in Europe for 2 weeks; and 2009, a second tour of Japan with Paintbox and Blow Back remembering the late guitarist of Paintbox, Chelsea. 2010 will see a tour of the US east coast and the "deep south" with Japan hardcore legends Slang
.
As of the end of the previous tour they have disbanded to explore other bands each member is in.
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 from Austin, Texas. Formed in 2000, the current lineup (as of June, 2006) consists of: Jack Control, vocals; Zac Tew, guitar; Craig Merritt, bass; and Jon Guerinot, drums. Current and former members are also involved with other bands, including From Ashes Rise
From Ashes Rise
From Ashes Rise is an American hardcore punk band, formed in Nashville, Tennessee in the mid-'90s. They helped define the gloom-heavy thrash sound attributed to groups like His Hero is Gone and Tragedy...
, Kegcharge, The Bulemics, Severed Head of State
Severed Head of State
Severed Head of State is a hardcore punk band with members split between Austin, Texas & Portland, Oregon. Band members play in other bands such as World Burns To Death, J Church, Tragedy, Warcry, Defiance. Their lyrics usually focus on deep detestation of both human nature and the Christian belief...
, and Krematorium Dogs. World Burns to Death's singer, Jack Control, was stabbed outside of a show in late January, 2006. The weapon, a 5" knife, barely missed his heart.
Name
World Burns to Death take their name from the title of a song by the early 1980s Finnish hardcore punkHardcore 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 Bastards. In addition, the name reflects the band's apocalyptic imagery and grim outlook on world events.
Music
The Finnish band referenced in World Burns to Death's name also serves to connote the band's sound: A thrashy, gloom-heavy, driving form of hardcore punk inspired by Scandinavian bands like Anti-CimexAnti-Cimex
Anti Cimex were a Swedish hardcore punk band, based in Skövde, Göteborg, Linköping, and Malmö, at different times, that formed in 1981. They were one of the first bands to define Scandinavian hardcore punk. Their second 7", Raped Ass, is considered to be a subgenre-defining D-beat record...
and Riistetyt.
As well, World Burns to Death's music reflects the tradition of 80s purist American hardcore (Negative Approach
Negative Approach
Negative Approach is an American hardcore punk band, formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1981. The band is considered among of the pioneers of hardcore punk, particularly in the Midwest region. Like most hardcore bands, Negative Approach was little known in its day outside of its hometown...
and Minor Threat
Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
), European bands influenced by, and including, Discharge
Discharge (band)
Discharge is a British hardcore punk band formed in 1977 by Terry "Tezz" Roberts and Roy "Rainy" Wainwright. They are often considered among one of the very first bands to play hardcore punk, and to mix punk with metal...
, and Japanese hardcore punk (Burning Spirits). Also in the mix may be hints of black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
and crust punk
Crust punk
Crust punk is a form of music influenced by anarcho-punk, hardcore punk and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills...
.
The earliest World Burns to Death EPs are astonishingly fast and lean more in the direction of Japanese hardcore
Japanese hardcore
Japanese hardcore punk refers to the fast-paced Japanese punk/hardcore genre. The original intent of Japanese hardcore was to protest the social and economic changes sweeping Japan in the 1980s. The band SS is regarded as the first, forming in 1977. Bands, such as G.I.S.M. and The Stalin, soon...
punk. The band's debut full-length, 2002's The Sucking of the Missile Cock, saw the tempo slow slightly. Also displayed on the LP are greater attention to songwriting and production. Whereas the earliest EPs sound raw and almost impossibly fast, The Sucking of the Missile Cock has a larger, richer sound, with vocal duties alternating between Jack Control and guitarist Zac Tew. The LP was almost universally lauded in punk fanzines and websites upon its release. In 2002, famous British DJ John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
played songs from World Burns to Death's Human Meat ... Tossed to the Dogs of War 7" 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...
and accorded it "recommended" status at his webpage before his death.
World Burns to Death currently tour and record in a militantly underground milieu of DIY punk bands that includes Tragedy
Tragedy (band)
Tragedy is a melodic crust punk band originally from Memphis, Tennessee and formed in 2000.-Members:*Todd Burdette - Guitar/Vocals - Also of Deathreat, Severed Head of State, Trauma and Warcry, Formerly of Copout, Rueben James, His Hero is Gone, Funeral and Call The Police*Yannick Lorrain - Guitar...
, Bury the Living, Paintbox
Paintbox
Paintbox may refer to:* Quantel Paintbox, software* Paint Box , the 1967 Pink Floyd song* Paintbox , graphics utility released for the ZX Spectrum 48K in 1983. Published by Print'n'Plotter Products Ltd in the UK and re-released by Erbe Software S.A. in Spain. Written by Joe Gillespie....
, Hellshock, Inepsy, Gouka, and others. The insert in Sucking of the Missile Cock underscores the band's underground convictions: "No Fucking Copyright ... Fuck That Shit."
Imagery
Almost without exception, World Burns to Death's aesthetic preference is for stark black-and-white imagery: t-shirts, posters, and record covers stick to this formula. These images mirror the lyrical themes of the band, which detail crimes against humanity, religious hypocrisy and religion's effect on society, class oppression, nationalism, and man's general inhumanity to man.Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, in the Chaya
Chaya
Cnidoscolus aconitifolius, commonly known as Chaya or Tree Spinach, is a large, fast growing leafy perennial shrub that is believed to have originated in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. The specific epithet, "aconitifolius", refers to its Aconitum-like leaves. It has succulent stems which exude a...
font. The Hebrew wording might appear to be a literal translation of the band's name, but it is not. Rather, it is "World Burns to Death" typed out on a standard English computer keyboard with the Chaya font installed. Thus, pressing the "W" key on a standard English computer keyboard would produce the corresponding Hebrew symbol, a tsadi (which looks somewhat like the English letter "y"). The tsadi (sometimes spelled "tzaadi") has become the band's logo. The logo is also noteworthy because the symbol is an inscription commonly used on Israeli army munitions. In addition, the tsadi "Y"-looking symbol is of prime significance in the Kabbalah (the Hebrew metaphysical scripture) identifying "one who fights for the righteous good of mankind". This duality of a cryptic non-language written in an occult alphabet, as well as the deep symbolism, creates an imagery and lexicon that has incited confusion and controversy with those exposed to the aesthetic. The usage of the Chaya lettering lends the band's releases a perhaps unintentional occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
look, something that may have helped the band gain popularity among members of the black metal community. Fenriz of Darkthrone
Darkthrone
Darkthrone is a Norwegian black metal band. They formed in 1987 as a death metal band, but after embracing the black metal style in 1991, they became a driving force in the Norwegian black metal scene. For most of this period Darkthrone has consisted of just two musicians, Nocturno Culto and...
cites World Burns to Death as a favorite band, as does Maniac from Mayhem.
The band's English font
Font
In typography, a font is traditionally defined as a quantity of sorts composing a complete character set of a single size and style of a particular typeface...
is an Anglicized version of Chaya font characters. This font may have been inspired by that used on the cover of Simon Wiesenthal
Simon Wiesenthal
Simon Wiesenthal KBE was an Austrian Holocaust survivor who became famous after World War II for his work as a Nazi hunter....
's 1990 book Justice, Not Vengeance. Singer Jack Control designs the fonts, writes the lyrics, and provides the band's graphics.
Lyrical themes
World Burns to Death's lyrics focus almost obsessively on war crimes, religious and class oppression, militarismMilitarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
, and, more directly, the consequences thereof. As singer Jack Control noted in an interview, "Murdering the innocent in the name of 'democracy,' destabilizing economies in the name of 'capitalism,' installing brutal dictatorships in the name of 'freedom'" are all terrible injustices and serve to fill the lyrical coffers of World Burns to Death.
The band's lyric sheets contain references to, or quotes from, writer William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
, individualist anarchist Max Stirner
Max Stirner
Johann Kaspar Schmidt , better known as Max Stirner , was a German philosopher, who ranks as one of the literary fathers of nihilism, existentialism, post-modernism and anarchism, especially of individualist anarchism...
, leftist writers Susan Sontag
Susan Sontag
Susan Sontag was an American author, literary theorist, feminist and political activist whose works include On Photography and Against Interpretation.-Life:...
and Herbert Marcuse
Herbert Marcuse
Herbert Marcuse was a German Jewish philosopher, sociologist and political theorist, associated with the Frankfurt School of critical theory...
, political prisoner Stephen Biko, and others. Sometimes quoted for ironic effect are the inscriptions above concentration camps, such as the "Welcome to the Jewish State" statement written on Belzec
Belzec extermination camp
Belzec, Polish spelling Bełżec , was the first of the Nazi German extermination camps created for implementing Operation Reinhard during the Holocaust...
's gates, which is quoted in the No Dawn Comes ... Night Without End 7" EP. Although the imagery of death camps, gulags, and scenes of genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
appear often (in artwork and lyrics), the point is to underscore the effects of war, barbarism, and ultimately to expose the bleak horror of the human condition.
Some of World Burns to Death's lyrics focus on traditional punk concerns, like the hypocrisy of patriotism within the punk scene, such as the title song of The Sucking of the Missile Cock.
Other songs cover terrorism (and how it's selectively defined by powerful interests), global imperialism, the tendency of many people to be complicit in their own oppression ("In the Country of the Blind ... the One Eyed Man is King"), and more.
Tours
One of the first of World Burns to Death's tours was the Texas-only "Tripple Terror Tour" with Inepsy and Spazm 151. The arrival of 2003 saw a "Queimando Para a Morte" tour of BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Fall of 2004 saw the "Ghoulish Killing Orgy" US east coast/Canadian tour; Fall of 2005 saw the "Those Who Have Come To The End" tour of the US west coast; 2007 was the Burning Spirits tour of Japan with Forward; 2008 they were back on tour in Europe for 2 weeks; and 2009, a second tour of Japan with Paintbox and Blow Back remembering the late guitarist of Paintbox, Chelsea. 2010 will see a tour of the US east coast and the "deep south" with Japan hardcore legends Slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
.
Current members
- Jack Control - vocals - Also of Severed Head of StateSevered Head of StateSevered Head of State is a hardcore punk band with members split between Austin, Texas & Portland, Oregon. Band members play in other bands such as World Burns To Death, J Church, Tragedy, Warcry, Defiance. Their lyrics usually focus on deep detestation of both human nature and the Christian belief...
, Formerly of Scorched Earth Policy - Zac Tew - guitar - Also of Kegcharge, Smash Detox, You People
- Craig Merritt - bass - Also of Children In Heat, Formerly of The Bulemics
- Jon Guerinot - drums - Also of Kegcharge, Deadly Reign, Formerly of Latch Key Kids
Former members
- Brad Boatright - guitar, backing vocals - Formerly of Warcry, and From Ashes RiseFrom Ashes RiseFrom Ashes Rise is an American hardcore punk band, formed in Nashville, Tennessee in the mid-'90s. They helped define the gloom-heavy thrash sound attributed to groups like His Hero is Gone and Tragedy...
- James Nunez - guitar - Also of Spazm 151 and Kegcharge
As of the end of the previous tour they have disbanded to explore other bands each member is in.
Discography
- World Burns to Death demo tape (35 only [self released]) 2001
- Human Meat ... Tossed to the Dogs of War 7" EP (3000 pressed [Prank Records USA]) 2001
- The Sucking of the Missile Cock LP (3000 pressed [Hardcore Holocaust Records USA]) 2002 (2000 repressed April 2004 w/black label on B side)
- The Sucking of the Missile Cock CD (3000 pressed [Hardcore Holocaust Records USA]) 2003 (500 seized by Brazilian customs)
- Acid in the Face of Human Rights 7" EP (1000 pressed [Fight Records] Finland) 2003
- Art of self-destruction 7" EP (3000 pressed [Prank Records USA]) 2003
- No Dawn Comes ... Night Without End 7" EP (3000 pressed [Hardcore Holocaust Records USA]) 2003
- Curse Them Forever split 7" EP with SICK TERROR (? pressed [Terrotten Records Brazil]) 2003
- Split 7" EP with DISCLOSE (700 pressed [Dan-Doh Records Japan]) 2005 (? repressed 2005 [Yellowdog Records Germany] 100 w/poster, envelope, and split badge)
- Totalitarian Sodomy LP (3000 pressed [Hardcore Holocaust Records USA]) 2006. Artwork by Sakevi Yokoyama Beast Arts/G.I.S.M.
- Totalitarian Sodomy CD (500 w/Japanese lyrics booklet [Hardcore Holocaust Records USA])
- Cease To Exist DVD (1000 pressed [Prank Records USA)} 2007
- Graveyard of Utopia CD/LP [HG Fact Records Japan/Prank Records USA] 2008
- "Black Becomes The Sun" 7" EP [HG Fact Records Japan] 2009
- Split 7" EP with BLOW BACK [HG Fact Records Japan] 2009
- Split 7" EP with SLANG [Prank Records USA] 2010