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Devoured by the Mouth of Hell
Studio album by Heriot
Released	27 September 2024
Recorded	February–March 2024
Studio	Crescent Records (Swindon)
Genre	Metalcore
Length	33:58
Label	Century Media
Producer	Jake Packer Josh Middleton
Heriot chronology
Profound Morality (2022) Devoured by the Mouth of Hell (2024)
Singles from Devoured by the Mouth of Hell
"Siege Lord" Released: 2 May 2024 "Foul Void" Released: 5 June 2024 "At the Fortress Gate" Released: 14 August 2024

Devoured by the Mouth of Hell is the debut studio album by British metalcore band Heriot, released on 27 September 2024 by Century Media Records. It was co-produced by bassist and vocalist Jake Packer with Sylosis frontman Josh Middleton, whom the band credited with providing an "outside perspective" on their material and performances.

The album saw the band uh experiment with more stuff.

, whilst approaching

ed writing with their live performances in mind.

Devoured by the Mouth of Hell received (...pending) reviews from critics. Heriot performed at various European festivals prior to the album's release, and will tour the continent again supporting Sylosis and Fit for an Autopsy in November and December 2024.

copyvio issues/highest percent: rock sound (37.1%)

may use love it to death as a reference

Background and recording

Devoured by the Mouth of Hell was co-produced by Sylosis frontman and former Architects guitarist Josh Middleton (pictured).

In 2022, Heriot released its third extended play, Profound Morality. In February 2023, they released the non-album single "Demure", which they touted as the start of a "new era". In March, the band wrote the "first iteration" of what would become Devoured by the Mouth of Hell before they toured Europe and performed at various festivals during the summer, including three supporting dates with Architects in July and August 2023. The band resumed writing in November 2023. After scrapping a sizeable amount of their material, they wrote five new songs in two days, one of which they fully completed. Debbie Gough and Jake Packer both credited "Foul Void" with informing the direction of Devoured by the Mouth of Hell, although it was not the first song written for the album. Around this time, the band announced their signing with Century Media Records with the release of the non-album single "Soul Chasm". Towards the end of writing, Heriot began collaborating with Sylosis frontman and former Architects guitarist Josh Middleton, who—in a first for the band—provided Heriot with an "outside perspective" towards their material and performances. Prior to recording, the band sent Middleton a complete demo version of Devoured by the Mouth of Hell, and reworked their material with his feedback in mind. According to guitarist Erhan Alman, Heriot went with Middleton's advice "nine times out of ten" as he was "such a strong songwriter", but did not feel any pressure working with him.

According to Mia Hughes of Stereogum, the Profound Morality EP turned Heriot into "one of the [UK's] most hyped heavy exports", and anticipation for the band's debut album was high. Alman said that although the band did feel pressure to live up to their hype during the writing of Devoured by the Mouth of Hell, it ultimately "became secondary to making something that we thought was wicked." He nevertheless noted that the band had begun to approach writing "thinking about how you're connecting to other people; how you're writing every song off an album potentially to be someone's favorite song. You don't just think, oh, that song's a filler song." Heriot also credited their summer tours with changing their perspective on writing, as they found that some of Profound Morality's material did not translate well with audiences unfamiliar with the band, such as those they played to supporting Architects. Packer stated that in contrast to Profound Morality, which was written during the COVID-19 pandemic when the band were not touring or playing to large crowds, Devoured by the Mouth of Hell was "written with [Heriot's] live show firmly in mind"; he said that Middleton had told the band to write riffs that would attract the attention of a passerby if they were performing at a festival. The band finished writing in January 2024.

Heriot recorded Devoured by the Mouth of Hell at Crescent Records Studios, Swindon, in February and March 2024. The recording marked the first time the members of Heriot had worked in a professional recording studio. The album was co-produced by Packer and Middleton; Will Putney of Fit For an Autopsy handled mixing and mastering, whilst Justin Hill of Sikth was responsible for the engineering of Julian Gage's drum tracks. According to Gage, Middleton "really pushed Deb and Jake [Packer, bass] out of their comfort zones", whilst Hill "got me to do loads of stuff I wouldn't normally do." Gough said that he "pushed [the band] to try new techniques and tones [...] that we'd never really delved into before"; Alman also credited him for improving his playing technique. Packer spent weeks making notes regarding its tracklist, before reaching an agreed "final iteration" with Alman and Gough. and hoped that "people [would] pick up on the sequencing [...] When you listen to it, it sounds like a record, and it should be listened to in that order. Each track makes much more sense as part of the record."

Heriot wanted to work with Putney as they were fans of END, and they discussed working together when Gough collaborated with the band on "Thaw".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9tqMJqMtsY&t=17s

Composition and lyrics

Overview

Devoured by the Mouth of Hell has been described as.... blackened metal, speedcore, slowcore, ambient, intricate fretwork, and pummelling industrial beats (line of best fit) (wild, huh)

continues the "(quote)" of Profound Morality , whilst expanding upon its electronic and atmospheric elements.

whilst expanding up

album's tracks alternative between heavy songs and more ambient stuff

metalcore, industrial synth, shoegaze elements combination.

metal.de notes elements of doom and sludge metal.

Expanding on the electronic/industrial shoegaze elements of Profound Morality.

Alman described the album as "Profound Morality on crack" lol

"Harm Sequence" is "a full-tilt metalcore rampage" featuring a "Slayer-esque" guitar solo from Gough.(kerrang)

"Opaline" and "Visage" tap into shoegaze elements (metal hammer rev) and ambient and progressive rock (line of best fit)

also embraces more clean singing from Gough (brooklynvegan)

Heriot cited various artists, including Billie Eillish, Korn, Slayer, Slipknot and Sophie, as influences on the album. According to Metal Hammer, the album is a "work of extremes" that is equally influenced by Gough's and Packer's respective love of shoegaze and electronica "as it is by hardcore, thrash, and industrial." Gough cited Wand, specifically their second album Golem (2015), as a "huge source of inspiration in aiming to capture depth within our clean sections". Packer cited industrial artists including Justin Broadrick, Scorn, Kahn & Neek and Kevin Martin (a.k.a. The Bug) as influences on the album's post-production and atmosphere, and the Silent Hill soundtrack on its ambience.

The Line of Best Fit described "Foul Void" as " a powerhouse of groove with melodic touches".

The electronic "Lashed" was inspired by the works of Sophie and Sara Landry, and features no live drums. Went through around 10 versions before final result.

"Visage" was Gough's favourite song from the album (Knotfest) according to gage it reflects gough's eilish influence (rock sound)

'Hell' is a very interpretable concept. For us, hell is everyday life and scenarios, real places that exist in this world. It's easy to imagine it as an underworld of fire and pain, but I think we see that in our lives and everyone faces a version of it in some form. I think that's a much more terrifying depiction.

— Debbie Gough

Packer and Gough were jointly responsible for writing the album's lyrics, which explore "themes of existential despair, societal decay, and personal torment", according to The Line of Best Fit. They also incorporate medieval motifs, of Packer's influence. According to Gough, each of the album's tracks revolve around how "the idea of 'hell' [...] translates into your life". She felt that its title reflected this, and the idea of "being completely consumed by something." The overall presentation of the lyrics was deliberately kept vague to allow people to come up with their own views and interpretations. "Foul Void" is about "the inner struggle of an individual facing uncertainties about their faith." "Opaline" concerns "addresses the need to accept that sometimes you must sit with the truth alone, however isolating it may be, until others are ready to understand it."(citation..) "Siege Lord" is about "the fragility of soul searching." According to Gough, "Solvent Gaze" was intended to be an instrumental track and was named after its sonic and visual feel; " 'Solvent' stands for harmful and 'Gaze' for the twisted view that the harmful created." "At the Fortress Gate" "explores the experience of being trapped within a regime, battling against overwhelming forces, feeling powerless, and reflecting on the immense suffering endured by humanity."

Release

Promotion

On 2 May 2024, Heriot released "Siege Lord". The band filmed a music video for the song at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham. On 5 June 2024, the band announced the release of Devoured by the Mouth of Hell and released its second single, "Foul Void". The music video was filmed inside an old college-turned-property guardianship in Walsall, where Gough lived at the time and where Heriot spent six weeks working on the album. the band performed "At the Fortress Gate" at many a festival before its release.(citations plse)

Touring

Throughout June 2024, Heriot performed at the Rock im Park and Rock Am Ring, Download, Resurrection, Jera on Air and Hellfest festivals. They also performed at the inaugural Bastard Fest in July. On 14 August 2024, the band released "At the Fortress Gate" as the third single, alongside a music video filmed by Harry Steel during their 2024 festival shows. The album will be released on 27 September 2024. On the day of the album's release, Heriot will perform an "Album Release Show" at The Exchange in Bristol, supported by Cauldron. Between 22 November and 21 December 2024, the band will support Sylosis and Fit for an Autopsy on their co-headlining tour of Europe. The band has expressed interest in touring the United States.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Distorted Sound	9/10
Kerrang!	5/5
The Line of Best Fit	8/10
Metal.de	6/10
Metal Hammer
Rock Hard	6.5/10

Devoured by the Mouth of Hell received generally positive reviews from critics.

Stereogum:

The Line of Best Fit: and considered its themes "both contemporary and timeless"

Track listing

All tracks are writen by Heriot.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Foul Void"	4:07
2.	"Harm Sequence"	1:49
3.	"Opaline"	3:21
4.	"Siege Lord"	3:25
5.	"Sentenced to the Blade"	2:45
6.	"Solvent Gaze"	2:56
7.	"Lashed"	3:30
8.	"At the Fortress Gate"	3:46
9.	"Visage"	3:44
10.	"Mourn"	4:35
Total length:		33:58

Personnel

Adapted from liner notes.

Heriot

• Erhan Alman – guitars
• Debbie Gough – guitars, vocals
• Jake Packer – bass, vocals
• Julian Gage – drums

Production

• Jake Packer – production
• Josh Middleton – production
• Will Putney – mixing, mastering
• Justin Hill – engineering

Artwork

• ????

External links

• when the damn thing is uploaded

scraps

According to Gough, "Soul Chasm" showcased Heriot's growing experimentation with their "our atmospheric side" and hinted that the band's debut album would display a "bolder and more ambitious version" of its sound.

spending six weeks

http://archive.today/2024.08.15-142504/https://www.centurymedia.com/new/heriot-3

Scrawl (the band)

Scrawl
Origin	Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Genres	Indie rock post-punk indie pop ????
Years active	1985–2001 2007–present
Labels	No Other Rough Trade Feel Good All Over Simple Machines Elektra
Members	Marcy Mays Sue Harshe Jovan Karcic
Past members	Carolyn O'Leary Dana Marshall

Scrawl is an American indie rock band from Columbus, Ohio. Guitarist and vocalist Marcy Mays and bassist and backing vocalist Sue Harshe have been the band's sole constant members. been a member since 1985. The band's have been recognized as an influence on (or at least a precursor to....) riot grrrl , although the band did not associate themselves with the term.

Scrawl released

O'Leary left the band in 1992 and was replaced by Dana Marshall, who made his recording debut on Velvet Hammer (1993). The band moved to Elektra Records for two albums, Travel On, Rider (1996) and Nature Film (1998), which were underpromoted by the label. Although they have not released any new material since Nature Film, the band have continued to tour with drummer and former Gaunt guitarist Jovan Karcic, who has been with the band since 2007.

History

Scrawl wer

Formation and independent releases

Marcy Mays

Before the band played a show with the Meat Puppets, the band changed their name to Scrawl. (as it sounded too heavy metal, and because it rhymed with skull lol). 2016 book. band did not expect to be long lived.

In 1987, Scrawl released their debut album Plus Also Too. The album received a favourable review from Robert Christgau in The Village Voice, who wrote .... Christgau's review would trigger a label bidding war that resulted in their signing to Rough Trade Records.

or this was because of a uhhhh cbgb show.https://web.archive.org/web/20220519162306/https://www.columbusalive.com/story/entertainment/music/2012/10/23/rewind-marcy-mays-scrawl/23015768007/

recorded he's drunk in october 1988 at paisely park studio.s date citation. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-10-29.pdf

e (1990 1995)

scrawl tours the west coast of US in june 1990

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/1990/CMJ-New-Music-Report-1990-06-22.pdf

label spotlight on Feel Good All Over

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/92/Gavin-1992-01-31.pdf

robin hurly responds to the scrawl rough trade dispute

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/92/Gavin-1992-02-14.pdf

in jan 1993, contributed song to label compilation.

https://web.archive.org/web/20211130195641/https://www.allmusic.com/album/simple-machines-working-holiday-january-mw0001896170

in 1993 inaugurated the empty bottle in Chicago illinois

band plays at reading festival in 1994.

Elektra Records (1996 1998)

In 1996, Scrawl were signed to Elektra Records by A&R rep Terry Tolkin. The band's signing took place amidst major label signing spree of Columbus bands in the mid-1990s, including Royal Crescent Mob, the Toll and Watershed, that was later dubbed the "Columbus Curse" due to their shared collective fates.

To the band's dismay, Elektra did not promote the album, and it only sold 2,500 copies by 1998.

Nature Film. they recorded half new half old purely because they knew elektra didn't care.

Six weeks after the album's release, Elektra dropped Scrawl from its roster. In response, the band launched a uh.. mailing campaign with its fans. (CMJ)

David Martin of the Cleveland Scene associated Scrawl with the "Columbus Curse" of bands from the city signed to major labels, including Royal Crescent Mob, the Toll and Watershed, that were soon dropped.

When the band told the crowd at a show at Middle East, a fan told the band not to worry, as "half the people in this room have been dropped by major labels."https://archive.org/details/sim_boston-phoenix_july-31-august-06-1998_27_31/page/14/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22marcy+mays%22

Later activities (1999 present)

Although Scrawl have not released any new material since Nature Film, the band have continued to perform shows and rehearse together.

On March 16, 2000, Scrawl played their final show with Dana Marshall, who moved to Sweden. https://cringe.com/issues/10.1/lowdown.shtml

the band played some shows in spring 2001https://web.archive.org/web/20010721161208/http://www.scrawl.net:80/

https://web.archive.org/web/20010721161208/http://www.scrawl.net:80/

By 2001, Scrawl had been reduced to a due, with Mays and Harshe duelling on Keyboards due to lack of drummer.https://www.clevescene.com/music/scrawl-1476005

In 2007, Scrawl reformed with drummer Jovan Karcic.

In a 2023 interview, they indicated that they may work on a new album together. https://matternews.org/culture/scrawl-continues-to-keep-the-drama-to-a-minimum/

Musical style, influences and legacy

Scrawl have been described as indie rock, post-punk and indie pop. (bostphonenix aug698) uhhhh

The band's first two albums, Plus, Also, Too and He's Drunk, have been described as indie pop.

The band's infliences include the Meat Puppets and Wire.

Relationship with riot grrrl

Scrawl have been identified as an influence on riot grrrl. (or, in antiquated terms, foxcore lmao)

Reviewing the 1993 reissue of Bloodsucker, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian reffered to the band as the "founding mothers of the Riot Grrrl female-empowerment movement."

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/93/Gavin-1993-12-03.pdf (on the girl band phenomenom)

the band disliked being associated with the term; in 1993, they went as far as to embark on the "Foxcore, My Ass" tour.

Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill cited the band as an influence, whilst Jenny Toomey of Simple Machines labelmates Tsumani called them an "enormous influence on what we did and how we did it." Greg Dulli of the Afghan Whigs is a longtime fan of the band; after seeing them for the first time during their tours in support of Plus, Also, Too; the Afghan Whigs began covering "Green Beer". The band would later enlist Mays to provide vocals for "My Curse", from their fourth studio album Gentlemen (1993), and "Domino and Jimmy" from How Do You Burn? (2022).

Band members

Current line-up

• Marcy Mays vocals, guitar (1985–present), keyboards (2001)
• Sue Harshe bass, vocals (1985–present), keyboards (2001)
• Jovan Karcic - drums (2007–present)

Past members

• Carolyn O'Leary - drums (1985–1992)
• Dana Marshall - drums (1992–2000)

Timeline

Discography

https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofpo0007unse/page/314/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22dana+marshall%22

https://archive.org/details/greatindiediscog0000stro/page/492/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22dana+marshall%22

Singles

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/1995/CMJ-New-Music-Report-1995-07-10.pdf

References

Bibliography

• Anon. (1989) [Published June 24, 2021]. Scrawl (Live on WNYU + Interview 1989) (Radio broadcast). WNYU-FM. Retrieved 4 October 2024 – via YouTube.
• DiFrangia, Diane (3 October 1996). "Experience Paying Off: Columbus' Scrawl Enjoying Major-Label Success at Last". Cleveland Scene. Vol. 27, no. 40. p. 15. JSTOR community.32630365.
• Gentry, Brandon (2012). "Tsunami, Deep End (Simple Machines, 1993)". Capitol Contingency: Post-Punk, Indie Rock, and Noise Pop in Washington, D.C., 1991-99. Garrett County Press. ISBN 9781891053740.
• Helm, Mike (11 May 1990). "Concert line: 2 bands with an Ohio connection at Cabaret Metro". Chicago Tribune. ProQuest 1466923962.
• McDonnell, Evelyn (September 1999). "54: Bikini Kill Bikini Kill EP (Kill Rock Stars, 1992) | The 90 Greatest Albums of the '90s". Spin. Vol. 15, no. 9. p. 146.
• Schieber, Curtis (18 March 2000). "Solid Scrawl Celebrates Its Time Together". Columbus Dispatch. p. 4H. ProQuest 394401616.
• Sullivan, Caroline (14 May 1993). "Pop/Rock: Sugar with spice". The Guardian. ProQuest 293402178.

SCRAPS

https://archive.org/details/ink_disease_17/page/n33/mode/2up?q=scrawl

https://archive.org/details/McGillLibrary-mcgill-daily-culture-v83-n059-january-27-1994-13868/page/n3/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22dana+marshall%22

Also see: the reference ideas on talk page

https://archive.org/details/allmusicguidetor0000unse_k1o0/page/982/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22dana+marshall%22 (text version of allmusic, online)

https://reader.exacteditions.com/issues/35289/page/66 (the wire July 1993)

https://drownedinsound.com/community/boards/announcements/4413334

https://www.mcall.com/1995/08/12/sweat-fest-becomes-a-pretty-cool-event/

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/291024/from-despair-to-where/

https://www.clevescene.com/music/reluctant-godmothers-1471950 (archived version here)

Gamboa, Glen (25 February 1999). "Scrawl sees writing on wall". The Akron Beacon Journal. p. F2.

Swift, Orla (12 October 1990). "Scrawl likes to keep things short and simple". Record-Journal. p. 24.

Theobalds, Frankie (28 May 1993). "Scrawl re-write history". Buckinghamshire Examiner. p. 42.

Speck, Chris (14 May 1999). "Scrawl: Grit and determination". The Chapel Hill News. pp. B4–B5.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gU45AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA10&dq=scrawl+%22marcy+mays%22&article_id=329,5043526&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjOopSs9b-IAxW2W0EAHU4hMBoQ6AF6BAgJEAI

https://www.chickfactor.com/an-interview-with-scrawl/

https://archive.org/details/sim_boston-phoenix_june-1-7-1990_19_22/page/n59/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22marcy+mays%22 (1990 smallmouth review)

https://archive.org/details/mademoiselle104jannewy/page/n1047/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22marcy+mays%22 (mademoiselle considers the band ahead of their time in association to riot grrl, like spin)

https://archive.org/details/outweek/OutWeek%2047/page/n67/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22marcy+mays%22 (outweek, issue 47

Daily Rind (blog of Sony Music's The Orchard) makes bold proclamation: "Another band, Scrawl, was opening the space for women in rock long before the riot grrrl movement [...] Listening to their subtle anger and political messages, it’s clear that riot grrrl was inspired by Scrawl." https://dailyrindblog.com/underground-music-a-celebration-of-riot-grrrl/

we'll see

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wg4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA22&dq=scrawl+band&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiDiZG81_SIAxXCUkEAHejOH1AQ6AF6BAgGEAI#v=onepage&q=scrawl%20band&f=false 1995; describes scrawl as "an edgy all-female band that presaged the riot-grrrl movement".

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Microphone_Fiends/SzrJAwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=scrawl+band&pg=PA254&printsec=frontcover (again; scrawl resistant to "angry women in rock" label)

Madam X (23 May 1998). "The Girls Next Door". OutWeek. No. 47. pp. 69, 73.

https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780810385948/page/64/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22marcy+mays%22

https://archive.org/details/martlet-1990-09-13/page/16/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22marcy+mays%22

https://atlengthmag.com/scrawl-punk-rock-for-grown-ups-a-retrospective/ (dunno if i can use this...)

see also? https://archive.org/details/microphonefiends00ross/page/272/mode/2up?q=scrawl+%22foxcore+my+ass%22

Lake Malice

Lake Malice
Origin	Brighton, England
Genres	Alternative metal et. al.
Years active	2021–present
Labels	SO Recordings
Members	Alice Guala Blake Cornwall
Website	lakemalice.com

Lake Malice are a British alternative metal band from Brighton

Musical style and influences

Lake Malice have been described as alternative metal . mixing pop influences?? idk man i am stallin

References

metal hammer april 2023, new noise

https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2024/03/10/dont-stop-the-party-as-lake-malice-are-on-the-case/

https://boolintunes.com/interviews/in-conversation-alice-guala-blake-cornwall-of-lake-malice/

https://distortedsoundmag.com/introducing-lake-malice/

https://v13.net/2023/09/lake-malices-alice-guala-talks-award-nominations-sci-fi-inspirations-and-the-origin-of-their-name/

https://www.kerrang.com/lake-malice-are-the-uks-most-exciting-new-alt-metal-band

https://rocksound.tv/features/lake-malice-tour-essentials

https://www.messedmag.com/2023/08/29/lake-malice-on-their-explosive-rise-balancing-work-and-italys-alternative-scene-interview/

https://hardbeat.co.uk/2023/07/17/interview-with-lake-malice-2000trees-2023/

https://www.scenemusicmedia.com/interview/interview-lake-malice-misery-loves-company-2023

https://www.scenemusicmedia.com/interview/interview-lake-malice-2000trees

https://devolutionmagazine.co.uk/2023/07/06/interview-the-download-tapes-lake-malice/

https://altcorner.com/interviews/a-chat-with-lake-malice-at-download20/

https://www.hivemagazine.net/features/one-on-one-an-interview-with-lake-malice

https://www.asbomagazine.com/2023/08/17/lake-malice/

https://rocksound.tv/news/lake-malice-share-power-game-music-video-and-announce-uk-tour

https://www.loudersound.com/features/best-new-metal-bands-march-2024

https://www.metal-rules.com/2022/08/17/bloodywood-lake-malice-the-boston-music-room-london/

https://www.kerrang.com/in-pictures-lake-malices-first-ever-uk-headline-show

according to bands facebook band was established on June 3 2021

https://hmmagazine.com/alt-metal-duo-lake-malice-releases-debut-single-blossom/

Scratch the Surface

Scratch the Surface
Studio album by Sick of It All
Released	October 18, 1994
Studio	Normandy Sound, Warren, Rhode Island
Genre	Hardcore punk
Length	35:20
Label	East West
Producer	Sick of It All
Sick of It All chronology
Just Look Around (1992) Scratch the Surface (1994) Live in a World Full of Hate (1995)
Singles from Scratch the Surface
"Scratch the Surface" Released: 1994

Scratch the Surface is the third studio album by American hardcore punk band Sick of It All, released on October 21, 1994, by East West Records. It was the band's major label debut, and their first album with bassist Craig Setari.

Heavily supported by East West in Europe (albeit less so in the United States),

Sick of it All promoted the album with tours supporting Helmet Sepultura etc etc,

STS was released as a single, reaching number 91 on the UK Singles Chart, whilst the music video for "Step Down" entered rotation on MTV.

Scratch the Surface proved to be the band's breakthrough album, with over 250,000 copies sold worldwide by 1997. The album had a significant impact on hardcore music, and has been credited with introducing the genre to a wider audience.(metal hammer)

Background and recording

In 1992, Sick of It All released their second album, Just Look Around, through Relativity Records. The album sold 100,000 copies and "catapulted the band to the top of the [hardcore] scene", according to Rock Hard. In spite the album's success (paticularly in Europe), the band were dissatisfied with Relativity's promotion of the album and it's predecessor, Blood, Sweat and No Tears (1989)

in paticular. the band played a sold out show at the Palladium and Relativity did nothing.(and another source)

and sought to leave the label; according to vocalist Lou Koller, "Relativity made money from us, but didn't invest in us, which is why we were so keen to get away from them." With various record labels expressing interest in signing the band due to their previous albums, Relativity was willing to sell Sick of It All's contract for $20,000. Derek Oliver, an A&R rep at East West Records who had seen the band perform at amnesty international shows, eventually expressed interest in signing the band. Upon learning this, Relativity raised the price of Sick of It All's contract to $200,000. The move to a major label was met with skepticism and criticism from members of the hardcore scene, who accused the band of selling out and questioned whether the label would change the band's sound.

Lou said that East West "let us write whatever we wanted. They never tried to turn us into Green Day or anything like that."

Sick of It All wrote Scratch the Surface in an open loft on Canal Street, Chinatown, sharing the space with Rollins Band. positive vibes and money from the label deal.

STS was band's first album with bassist Craig Setari, who joined after Rich Cipriano quit the band. Setari was a longtime friend of the band; during the recording of Blood, Sweat and No Tears, he had helped tune the band's bass and guitars and collaborated with drummer Armand Maljidi on the lyrics to "Bullshit Justice". (ALSO: LYRICS, MANY)

Sick of It All recorded Scratch the Surface at Normandy Sound, Rhode Island. The band self-produced the album with engineer Tom Soares.

Although the band enjoyed working with him, they were dissatisfied with his attempts to mix the album, finding its "clean" and "perfect" sound unrepresentative of them. Lou compared the album's sound to Twisted Sister's Under the Blade; "[the album] was good, but it was tame as fuck. That's what Tom had us sounding like. We were like, 'We gotta dirty this up!' " The band subsequently enlisted Billy Anderson to add more grit or something. Despite this, Lou considered "Consume", which Anderson and Soares mixed together, to be one of the album's "best sounding tracks".

Composition and lyrics

Scratch the Surface is a hardcore

In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Lou summarized the album's lyrics as "Don't be ignorant, because that's the basis of all evil." Although they do not explore any particular themes, Majidi has described them as more introspective than on their previous releases, which he felt made them "easier for people to relate to".

"Who Sets The Rules"

"Goatless" was insipred by the media controversy surrounding Sick of It All following the 1992 Bard College at Simon's Rock shooting, due to perpetrator Wayne Lo wearing one of the band's t-shirts. Lou said the song was "written from the point of view of authority figures that contribute to or ignore this kind of problem, but don't want to deal with it when it blows up in their faces." "Malajusted" concerns "personal frustration" in how one interacts with others. "Step Down" and "Farm Team" both address hardcore bands whom are "not true to their fans", inauthentic, or have returned to the scene for financial motivations. Regarding the former song, Lou told Seconds in 1994 that Sick of It All were "trying to tell the audience to wake up and realize who's who".

The former in particular focuses on "the importance of staying true to your underground roots", according to Metal Hammer.

Release

Promotion

According to Metal Hammer, the album was the first hardcore album released by a major label.

Scratch the Surface was heavy promoted by East West in Europe, less so in the United States.

"Step Down" was released as a promo in February 1995.https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/Billboard-Rock-Airplay/1995/Airplay-Monitor-Rock-1995-02-10.pdf

The album was released on vinyl through Equal Vision Records; it sold 4,000 copies.

Two Music videos: For "Scratch the Surface" and "Step Down"

video was aired on MTV, contributing to an increase in sales. (this??)

according to lou, the STS video was to show women could be into hardcore as well (macomber 2012)

In March 1997, Lou claimed that the album had sold 250,000 copies worldwide.

Touring

Following the album's release, Sick of It All toured with Helmet and Quicksand in November 1994.

In early 1995, band embarked on a headlining tour with Korn, Orange 9mm and Trial.

Korn began to overshadow the band; which Lou was affected by or smth.

In 1995, the band performed at the Dynamo Open Air festival in the Netherlands to a crowd of 120,000 fans.

Critical reception and legacy

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Kerrang!
MusicHound Rock
Ox-Fanzine
Rock Hard	8.5/10

??? of the Boston Phoenix considered it to be the band's best album.(bost phoenix 94)

In a 2006 retrospective for Rock Sound, Alexander Kelham called the album the "high point of [Sick of it All]'s career and the ultimate silencer to those who doubted the integrity" of the band following their signing to East West. Alistar Lawrence, writing for Kerrang! in 2011, similarly commented that the album "proved that hardcore bands could poke their heads up above the parapet of the toilet circuit without selling out or diluting their sound one bit."

Legacy

Scratch the Surface had a significant impact on hardcore music, and it has been credited with introducing the genre to a wider audience. According to Vice, the album "took NYHC worldwide" and turned Sick of It All into "the closest the hardcore scene has to a household name." Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional, Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory, and Frank Turner have credited the album with introducing them to hardcore music. whilst Eighteen Visions, Gallows bassist Stuart Gili-Ross (a.k.a. "Stu") said that the album inspired him to become a bassist, whilst Walls of Jericho guitarist Chris Rawson cited it as an album that "changed [his] life". Alan Williamson of LostAlone listed it as one of his favourite albums, whilst Ben Koller of Converge and Mutoid Man considers it one of the 10 best hardcore albums of all time. In 2006, Napalm Death, Sepultura, and others covered various songs from the album for Our Impact Will Be Felt: A Tribute to Sick of it All, released via Abacus Records. In 2024, readers of Revolver voted the album as the second-greatest NYHC album of all time, behind Cro-Mags' The Age of Quarrel.

The members of Sick of It All have reflected favourably on Scratch the Surface. In a 2012 interview with Decibel, Lou Koller said that he considers the album to be the Sick of it All's most important as it "pushed us up into the higher realm", whilst Majidi saw it the band's "quintissential album [...] that we are always forced to try to top." In 2011, the band re-recorded the album's title track for their tenth album XXV Nonstop. In 2014, Sick of it All performed the album in its entirety at the Fun Fun Fun Fun Fest in ????.(e)

"Step Down" and its video also had an impact. i guess.

Track listing

e

Personnel

e

Charts

e

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Borzillo, Carrie (29 October 1994). "Popular Uprisings: Sickly Sounds". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 44. p. 28. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
• Brannon, Brian (February 1995). "Notes". Thrasher. p. 92. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
• Chirazi, Steffan (12 November 1994). "Albumz". Kerrang!. No. 520. EMAP. p. 43.
• Eugene (August 2010). "Renegades: Burn the Jukebox". Big Cheese. No. 125. p. 50. Retrieved 25 September 2024 – via thebrpage.net.
• Hermes, Will (November 2005). "Punk Floyd". Spin. Vol. 21, no. 11. p. 87.
• Hiller, Joachim (April–May 2014). "Review - Sick of It All - Scratch the Surface". Ox-Fanzine (in German). Retrieved 29 August 2024.
• Ives, Brian (1999). "Sick of it All". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. p. 1013 – via Internet Archive.
• Jaedike, Jan (21 October 1994). "Scratch The Surface". Rock Hard (Vol. 90) (in German). Retrieved 29 August 2024.
• Johnson, Howard, ed. (19 July 1995). "90 for the '90s: The Essential Albums". Raw. No. 180. EMAP. p. ??.
• Kelham, Andrew (September 2006). "Revolutionaries: Sick of It All". Rock Sound. No. 88. UK: Rock Sound Ltd. pp. 62–63.
• Kemp, Mike (September 2006). "On the Record: Walls of Jericho". Rock Sound. No. 88. UK: Rock Sound Ltd. p. 44.
• Koller, Lou; Koller, Pete; Abrams, Howie (2020). The Blood and the Sweat: The Story of Sick of It All’s Koller Brothers. Post Hill Press. ISBN 9781642932263.
• Larkin, Colin (2006). "Sick of It All". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 442. ISBN 9780195313734 – via Internet Archive.
• Lawrence, Alistar (November 2011). "Sick of it All: Scratch the Surface". Kerrang!: 666 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die!. Bauer Media Group. p. 103.
• Macomber, Shawn (October 2012). "Dragons Awake: The Making of Sick of It All's 'Scratch the Surface'". Decibel. No. 92. Red Flag Media, Inc. pp. 64–72.
• Miller, Kirk (24 May 1995). "'Sick' of all the controversy". The Michigan Daily. p. 9. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
• Pascual, Tomas (1995). "Sick of It All". Pit. No. 13. Mosh, Inc. pp. 9–10. ISSN 1553-2844 – via Internet Archive.
• Stern, Adam Keane (1994). "Sick of it All: Licensed to Ill". Seconds. No. 29. Archived from the original on 19 December 1996. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
• Stratmann, Holger, ed. (1998). "Sick of It All". Rock Hard Enzyklopädie [Rock Hard Encyclopedia] (in German). Germany: Rock Hard GmbH. pp. 372–373. ISBN 3-9805171-0-1.
• Wessel, Lauri (April–May 2010). "Interview - Sick of It All - A Look Back". Ox-Fanzine (in German). Retrieved 7 October 2024.
• Winwood, Ian (April 1997). "Sick of It All: Fucking Hardcore!". Metal Hammer. UK: Dennis Publishing. pp. 36–37.

(scraps)

Seconds Magazine Info is here: https://www.secondsmagazine.com/pages/mags.php (issue 29)

https://archive.org/details/sim_boston-phoenix_may-19-25-1995_24_20/page/n107/mode/2up?q=%22sick+of+it+all%22+%22scratch+the+surface%22

https://metalinjection.net/av/decibel-clips-of-the-month/decibel-clips-of-the-month-april-2013-videos-from-incantation-today-is-the-day-suffocation-and-cathedral

https://archive.org/details/greatalternative0000stro/page/564/mode/2up?q=%22sick+of+it+all%22+%22scratch+the+surface%22

https://archive.org/details/rollingstonesalt00schi/page/52/mode/2up?q=%22sick+of+it+all%22+%22scratch+the+surface%22 (you can put this as "considered one of the band's essential albums, if anything?)

https://archive.org/details/trouserpressguid00robb/page/648/mode/2up?q=%22sick+of+it+all%22+%22scratch+the+surface%22 (trouser press, book version; 1997)

https://web.archive.org/web/20241005185622/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/sick-of-being-in-hibernation-20120502-1xz2o.html (koller, lou ; better vocal confidence??)

https://www.earcandymag.com/sickofitall-0610.htm "SCRATCH THE SURFACE, Armand wrote the song, we’re like “Yeah, that’s the title track."

questionable

https://grapevine.is/music/2001/07/11/there-comes-a-point-when-you-get-so-sick-of-it-all-you-just-have-to-start-a-band-called/

formatting influenced by maxinquaye

????

ayo is there a heriot b-side; "Metanoia", played during the band's 2023 summer tours as a double set with "Enter the Flesh". honestly as an intro its a w

https://www.noizze.co.uk/live-review-heriot-inhuman-nature-and-ordeal-the-devils-dog-digbeth-birmingham-13-05-2023/

https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/heriot-live-review-2023