Poison Idea - Feel The Darkness

This is a re-release of this legendary band's 1990 LP on German label Farewell Records, distributed in the US by Havoc. I can remember when I was pretty young and first exposed to Poison Idea I thought they were pretty good but was really just totally into the graphics they used (hey, I was fucking 13 when this thing originally came out), but I always wondered why more people weren't into them. Now, more than a decade later, I feel like I'm hearing about Poison Idea much more often, and things like this reissue are forcing me to listen to some of their classic material again and kick myself for not having gotten more into them when I was a kid! Because this is perfectly pissed off hardcore/punk with a subtle rock 'n' roll sort of thing going on, most noticeably in tracks like "Deep Sleep". But there's also some metal in here, there's no denying it, and I love metal, so tracks like "The Badge" win me over. But this shit is just so fucking catchy it's insane, and it's catchy in the best possible way. Shit, check out tracks like "Just to Get Away", because there's no denying that this shit is an awesome song. Hands down. Most of the rock influences seep in with quick little lead breaks or the occasional chord progression that rings a bit more openly, while the metal side is usually a hint of thrashy picking patterns or a little extra crunch on one or two brief rhythms (check out the start of the incredible "Alan's on Fire"). But there are still a few straight up punk rock tunes as well, namely "Taken by Surprise". The shouted vocals (which do have a bit of a sung edge at times) get more acerbic and over the top in songs like "Death of an Idiot Blues" (which also drops some quirky crossover styled riffs), which is one of the most unusual pieces herein for sure, as is the title track, which closes the LP on a slightly more laidback note with a lot more space and nearly spoken vocals during the verse parts. The vocals are strong though, varying from faster vocal patterns and sarcastic snarls to more of a straightforward delivery. The production sounds a little dated, but not that much. It stands up fine 14 years later. The vocals are a little far up front and the bass doesn't play that large a role, but I'm fine with the guitar and drum tones. The songwriting is what truly shines here anyway, so the fact that the recording's not holding anything back suits me fine. The record comes in a simple sleeve with what I believe is the original cover art and a black and white insert with a band photo and the lyrics. It's pretty plain, but I'm guessing it's sticking true to the original release without a need for any modern flare. The lyrics are all just dealing with day to day bullshit and pull no punches, be it about drugs, the cops, whatever. I have to say, I'm ashamed that I never owned this record until now. There's no fucking excuse. This is great material. God damn... if you've had your head in the sand about this band for the last two decades let this be your wakeup call. Why didn't I pay more attention when I was 13? (8/10)--aversionline



Genre: Hardcore/Punk
Year: 1990



Tracklist:

01. Plastic Bomb
02. Deep Sleep
03. Badge, The
04. Just To Get Away
05. Gone For Good
06. Death Of An Idiot Blues
07. Taken By Surprise
08. Alan's On Fire
09. Welcome To Krell
10. Nation Of Finks
11. Back Stab Gospel
12. Painkiller
13. Feel The Darkness
14. (untitled) - (hidden track)



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