I can still remember going to Criminal Records in Atlanta to pick up Systems Overload when it came out, May 1st, 1995. Those Who Fear Tomorrow was a record that I worshiped for several years prior, countless hours spent moshing Neighbor, SauceMaster and Mike Phyte while yelling “Meeeeeeeshhhhhhaaaaaaa” in dorm rooms, living rooms, and in cars on road trips. It sounded like nothing else at the time and in the days before the internet, rumors spread of these maniacs from Cleveland which only added to the lure of the band… One tale I’d heard several times had Dwid wearing a human ear around his neck. When “Systems” came out I was mildly disappointed… it was less ‘evil’ than I had expected. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved it, but it didn’t live up to the unholy expectations I had. 18 years later Aaron Melnick has fixed this with a new mix that is insane. Insane. The vinyl showed up today. This is now the record that it originally should have been. It quite possibly the best Integrity record ever.
You still have to hand it to “For Those Who Fear Tomorrow” as best Integrity record due, not only, to the incredible songs, but also the impact it had on the progression of hardcore at the time (musically, aesthetically, and ideologically).
Plus, “Wings Tear” is the fucking most gnarly shit ever. Incredible!
Let’s hear more about Saucemaster moshing.
I have to agree with you, I was bummed by the record. It sounded too much like a ‘hardcore’ record. I’d have to go back and listen to parse out the differences of this mix.
Well SauceMaster more bore the brunt of my moshing… he was more of an unwilling participant, a body to dive off his dorm bed onto.
btw, the picture on the youtube video is hilarious.
Even with a beefed up mix, the riffs and song structures on this album aren’t as revolutionary as those on the previous one.
The song (and Porcelly image) are badass though.
…YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!!!