White Cross ‎– Deaf, Dumb And Blind

White Cross (photo from Facebook)

Once again, I find myself behind the 8-ball, watching nunsploitation with nothing on the books for the following morning's post. Let's dig into the magic murder bag and pull out some classic American hardcore.

White Cross were from Richmond, VA, and always seemed like one of those bands I'd hear about but never hear. Pen Rollings played bass on their 7", "Fascist", a year before he joined Honor Role; the rhythm section on their LP, "What's Going On", would join the first incarnation of GWAR after White Cross broke up. White Cross had their greatest national exposure via their two songs on the first "We Got Power" compilation.

Grand Theft Audio put out this shiny 5" disc back in 1995, compiling the LP, the 7", and 12 unreleased cuts, circa 1984-85. I think it's a real cool snapshot of what was filtering out into the world from those early Black Flag/Bad Brains/DOA releases. All in all, you get 41 snotty circle pitters (that's a thing, right?) that haven't been reissued ever. Apparently, they're even still occasionally gigging around Richmond, featuring three of the four members and Greta Brinkman (L7, Wasted Talent) on bass. That's fun, right? I kinda wish I'd known 5-6 years ago; I totally would have booked them to rage out in some 50 person room in Baltimore.

Discogs

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Voorhees - Smiling At Death

Ah, Voorhees.  One of the crucial steps in UKHC's evolution, from Heresy to Perspex Flesh. Just blazing fast hardcore that slotted in well with both the power violence of the late 90s and the early 00s thrash revival. Mike Riley booked them at Goucher on their last tour of the States; this would have been right around the time of their split with Kill Your Idols. I can't remember who else they played with, other than Looks Like Rain, but I remember the show being fairly under attended and just an absolutely, front to back ripper of a night.

What you have here is the 1996 compilation, "Smiling At Death", on the outstanding, sadly defunct Cali reissue label Grand Theft Audio. It contains their first two demo tapes, the "Violent" 7" from 1993, the "Spilling Blood Without Reason" LP, a bunch of outtakes, and two Negative Approach covers that would eventually appear on the first release on Ugly Pop Records. I feel like Tom Haverford when I say it, but every song here is a banger.

I think it's odd that no one's really revisited any of those GTA reissues. I love when the lesser lights of 80s punk and hardcore get a second look, preferably via a legit release. Grand Theft Audio is the way I first heard Rattus and Terveet Kädet. It kept me from having to spend crazy money of a copy of the State 7", and was the only place you could find anything by Trip 6 before the internet. Even a band like Demob, who almost everyone now recognizes as crucial, collected their early demos and live recordings with a GTA release.

Discogs

Click here to download.