Last time we heard from Oakland's Scorched-Earth Policy was back in Issue #24 and they were good then. Well, they are probably better now.
Still as solid as they come with all the shit the "big boys" deliver, SEP have an amazing collection of songs here and it'd be a shame for you not to hear them.
Pure modern heavy rock with tons of metallic influence, great and much improved vocals and riffs, oh the riffs just keep coming. If I had a record label, I would sign these guys today!
I mean this is pretty flawless stuff here and is heavy yet melodic and structurally inspiring enough to appeal to more than just the underground. Brilliant Neil Young cover closes this thing out, too.
We last heard from the Scorched Earth Policy boys back in September of 2000 when the bestowed their TONES OF AMBIVALENCE/BOOTCAMP DEMO discs upon us all. A lot has changed with this San Francisco Bay Area band since then, with bassist George Astin and uber-vocalist John Miller both departing and being replaced by Terry Goss and Richard Perot respectively. As well the band has spent considerable time in rehearsals and doing numerous live shows in and around the Bay Area. Oh, and they also prepared material for this new CD. Busy busy, the life of an independent metal act.
I was somewhat apprehensive about the new disc because I was a big fan of the previous vocalist, and wondered if S.E.P. could keep it up without him, but man did new guy Perot's vocals ever prove me wrong. He's in possession of a great throaty howl and a good mid-ranged croon. The band has definitely not lost anything here. New bassist Goss bass lines are sometimes too buried in the mix, but when audible he also slays, laying down a thick bottom end with pocket grooves.
Musically, the band has continued on their path of slowed down thrash, honing their sound into a vicious razor. They've also added a more atmospheric touch to their music, working a whisper-to-roar style that is awesome (see the Grip Inc.-like "Dissatisfaction"). Elsewhere the band proves that they have mastered their style, opening with the vicious "Slaveboy" and never releasing your ears until the disc is finished.
I continue to be impressed by this band, and am stunned that they don't have a proper record deal by now. Keep pounding them out guys; it's only a matter of time.
Here's a great demo from this California band that picks up where their last self-titled CD left off with plenty of diverse heavy rock drawing on influences that range from pummeling sludge/doom to tasteful grunge (don't cringe, I mean it in a good way) and straight ahead rock 'n' roll, as well as some subtle post-hardcore and industrial influences and things of that nature. The vocals are all over the place from forceful singing, to shouting, to speaking, etc.
Samples are often used at the beginnings or ends of tracks, which is fine, but I would definitely like to hear them integrate those textures into the actual compositions more often, because it adds another interesting dimension to their music. The songs are pretty damn good, though. I'm really surprised that these guys are still without a label, because there's so much potential here.
"Oblong" is very rhythmic with some awesome dissonant riffing and tons of added percussion just before the solo that sounds pretty fucking cool (plus the Buddy Rich sample at the end is a real winner). "Dissatisfaction" shifts back and forth from calm and dark to a strong rhythmic groove that's got a good rockin' tempo to it, and I also dig the layering of the guitar parts and the excellent vocal patterns. They even close out with a fuckin' Neil Young cover! "Don't Let it Bring You Down"!
And it's not that bad at all! In fact, despite the fact that I am not a fan of Neil Young, this rendition is actually pretty damn good.
The production is very nice for a demo, and this sounds better than their previous work. Everything is dense as hell, but very clear, and the mix is pretty even as well, so nothing is overpowering, the bass has some room to roam around, etc. As always there are some minor adjustments that could be made, but nothing worth mentioning in this case. The CD comes packaged in a plastic sleeve with one flap for the booklet and one to hold the CD, and everything is printed in black and white and yellow.
Aside from some band photos the imagery seems to consist of odd scientific equipment or experiments.
I like the lyrics, they have a nice flow and are just open enough to leave room for interpretation: "I caught a blind man staring at me the difference is obvious that exactly nothing is a mystery to me analyze the topic that we have chosen to be an infant unto us all it seems we're busting the seams evading the dreams that won't let us be give it a name now and push it far away then match the answers to all of the wrong questions" I must say that visually this does leave a little to be desired, though it is just a demo
but musically they're still on the right track, and hopefully they'll start getting proper support in the future. Imagine a slew of unlikely candidates like Clutch, Neurosis, and Alice in Chains ganging up in a fistfight against Black Sabbath, Quicksand, and Machine Head. I know, I know it doesn't make sense. But it's pretty good shit.
Scorched-Earth Policy has been sending me demos for the past few years and the great news is that they get better with each release. "Salvage Nothing" continues where this Bay Area thrash band has always gone: fast-paced thrash metal with groove and balance, always tight and well-produced.
After scorching opener "Slaveboy", the band slows down a bit for the stomping sway of "Forgotten Try" and the band even gets a bit technical on "Dissatisfaction". While these songs offer a different approach for them, they work. Don't worry, "Frozen" and a nice cover of Neil Young's "Don't Let It Bring You Down" close out this album noisily.
Good to see a band staying familiar with their root style, but not afaid to expand a bit and add some colour.
Thick and meaty rock done to metal-fisted perfection. Scorched-Earth Policy is so good you don't even know. Or maybe you do. If you're one of the lucky ones to actually know about these 5 guys from Oakland then you know what I'm talking about.
For those who are not in the know, SEP are like a cross between Prong, Godflesh, Goatsnake and any other fuzzed out heavy outfit bent on industrial antics and being calm enough to let us all in on the actual musicality of their ability.
Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, but all very accessible to metalheads, stoner rockers, doom enthusiasts and yours truly, who is a little bit of all three. This is the exact medium to keep metal and heavy rock alive.
Scorched-Earth Policy formed in 1997 from San Francisco’s Bay Area. After gruelling it out on various stages and rehearsal rooms, they released their debut E.P. ‘Insurrection’ in 1998. The follow up E.P. ‘Tones Of Ambivalence XCIX’ was released in 1999.
It wasn’t long before the band headed back into the studio, but with engineer Thilo Fehlinger (Skinlab, 40 Grit) and mixer Neil Kernon (Judas Priest, Queensr˙che, Nevermore) roped in behind the desks.
The result, ‘Bootcamp Demo 2000’ was greeted with a whole host of rave reviews and critical acclaim.
England’s Rage Of Achilles Records saw the bands previous potential, and in 2001, decided to release both E.P.’s ‘T.O.A. XCIX’ and ‘B.D. 2000’ on the one C.D.
It also saw the departure of two members within the band, with vocalist Richard Perot and bassist Terry Goss joining the crushing fold (Along with long standing members Mark Lamb on guitars and backing vocals, Lance Lea on drums and Carlos Santiago on guitar).
With high profile supports slots to Prong and Strapping Young Lad, the band soon headed back in to the studio (With Fehlinger back behind the desk), and finally emerging with the new E.P. ‘Salvage Nothing - 2002 Demo’.
Over the space of the six tracks on offer, S.E.P. deliver what many established bands could simply never deliver (Consistency, great production, dynamics etc…).
The opening chaos of ‘Slaveboy’ is excellent example of mixing of genres, without losing anything in the delivery. The instrumentation allows both Lamb and Santiago to move around while complimenting each other’s style, but it's Perot’s biting and varied voice that steals the show.
The chorus stands out well, and in recent times, is something quite lacking in groups these days.
‘Forgotten Try’ moves with a menacing groove, while ‘Oblong’ is a riff heavy number that simply shatters the standards of most heavy acts.
There’s a little more experimentation within ‘Dissatisfaction’. Again, Perot’s vocals display versatility. The double up technique provides the eerie effect, but still allows him to hit the aggressive highs and the melodic lows.
Meanwhile, the remaining members show an obvious love of all things Meshuggah-like, with off kilter time changes and Lea shining behind the drums.
The heaviest track on offer has to be ‘Frozen’. There's a slight hardcore feel, but unlike most, still stay within the lines of decipherable lyrics and hard hitting music that sounds thick without becoming a wall of noise.
Neil Young’s ‘Don't Let It Bring You Down’ is a curious addition, but is hardly the version most would recognise. After giving it a thorough work over, I would almost say that they could well call it their own! (The inspired cello ending is also a stoke of genius.)
Scorched-Earth Policy is one of those rare cases of an undeniably talented group of musicians that has yet to be signed.
With some of the so called talented major label acts that release average album after album, a least there’s comfort in the fact that just below the surface, there are still bands of this ilk thriving in the most unique and creative way.
Scorched-Earth Policy, hailing from San Francisco, has been tearing up the stages of California since 1997. S.E.P. has received favorable reviews such magazines as Metal Maniacs and Illliterature, Kerrang and Terrorizer, RockHard, Unrestrained and Metal-Rules.com, among others.
S.E.P.'s last two demos, Boot Camp 2000 and Tones Of Ambivalence XCIX have been released to great acclaim in California and Europe, and they helped secure S.E.P opening slots for Prong and Strapping Young Lad. S.E.P returned to the studio with Boot Camp producer Thilo Fehlinger to produce Salvage Nothing, their best effort to date.
Their music is a mix between pulsing metal with a hard rock edge. Just listening to this CD, despite its short length, gets my lit up and ready for a fucking pit. The music balances the thrashing metal of Pantera with the melodic rock of acts like Slash's Snakepit. I can't say enough about these guys.
The tracks alternate seemingly between metal and heavy rock. It starts off with "Slaveboy", a dense and crunching number that clocks in at just over six minutes. A great fucking opening track. "Forgotten Try" is pretty groove-oriented, and it reminds me just a BIT of Tool. Not bad. "Oblong" is fast and furious, just absolute straight metal. "Dissatisfaction" is slow with a nice groove, but it has it's good moments.
The highlight of this album is the last two songs. "Frozen" is a hard-hitting number with a slight hardcore tinge to it. It also refrains from straying into hardcore, but it still has a slight hardcore tinge.
The last track, "Don't Let it Bring you Down" is a Neil Young cover. This is enough to concern some metalheads, but trust me, this track will not disappoint. S.E.P manages to reinvent the Young classic, and had I not known before the fact that it was Neil Young, I would have called this the best track on the EP. The cello at the end is inspired too. A great ending to a great CD. Highly fucking recommended.
S.E.P. manages to balance the demands of hard-hitting metal and melodic rock 'n roll. If you like Pantera, you might want to check out Scorched-Earth Policy. Fuck, even if you loathe Anselmo and company (if so, why the FUCK are you reading this?), you owe it to yourself to pick up Salvage Nothing. Highly recommended.
Demo my ass. This is full on ready to go. Cleanly articulated new metal (as opposed to nu-metal), building off the last decades mid-tempo groove chompers. Totally pro-recording and mix/mastering come off the line ready to slot in between the radio rock of Chevelle and Tool without throwing off the programming.
Promo says they’ve
played with Prong and SYL and while not as aggro as that stuff, certainly forcefully syncopated enough to get the crowd all worked up. They maintain a certain cool control that wouldn’t be out of place on late 90ąs Paradise Lost disc. So when they bare their, Pantera - Vulgar Display rules! tattoo that seemed like a great idea when 17 in the
back when you understand that’s part of the deal but not all of it.
You get more rolling stroll, atmospherically pitched soloing and melodious singing flowing into tightened throat growl. I’m really not cognizant of
the metal world at large and where this may lie within that underworld, (try BW&BK, Pit or Metal-Rules.com), but this is a good one and the Neil Young cover on the tail is great.
Moody, complex, intricate and heavy. That's some of the words I'd enlist in describing Scorched Earth Policy.
Somehow, these Oakland stalwarts elude category like I avoid work - with style and stealth. There's elements of Nor Cal’s best - Neuroisis mood rock, Bay Area thrash stylings, but it I had to draw close comparisons, it'd have to be Tool's heavier moments. Streamlined, clean, introspective and progressive.
Scorched-Earth Policy voice is the very capable and emotive Richard Perot. Whom, if the B&W photo does him any justice, looks like a tattooed and deranged Elvis Costello. The dude can emote like nobody's bizness and I wish they'd have covered "Alison" instead of Neal Young's "Don't Let it Bring You Down". But I realize that I can't always get what I want. But I try sometimes. And I get what I need.
Aside from Mark Lamb's and Carlos Santiago's clean Escher-like angular riffs, drummer Lance Lea is amazing. There is a drum section in the very heavy "Oblong" that is incredible. Unfortunately I can't tell you the name of the drums he's using because I'm no musician and I have a hard time even remembering where I put my keys from minute to minute. Suffice it to say, the guy rules.
They've gotten some good exposure in national and international metal rags (Metal Maniacs, Terrorizer, Ill Literature, Unrestrained, Kerrang!.... wait, that really isn't a metal rag. Anymore) so I predict that it's a matter of time before Scorched-Earth Policy get warped onto the Relapse mothership. Let's hope. Great band with some unique chops, they deserve some success.
- Tom T. Vader, Midwest Metal Magazine, July 2003
- Waspman, Metal-Rules.com, June 2003
- 7/10, Aversionline.com, May 2003
- 7/10, Adrian Bromley, Unrestrained Magazine, May 2003
- Mark Whittaker, Section M Magazine, April 2003
- Justin Donnelly, Blistering.com, April 2003