Ever find yourself thinking, “Man, I really love mid-80s hardcore, but sometimes I wish they’d just lose the self-righteous socio-political agenda and get down to tackling really important topics…”?
And if politics, religion, and personal ethics aren’t the really important issues, you ask, then what could be?
If you’ve ever wished Ian Mackaye spent less time preaching about his values and more time shouting about hating Jesus, then this is the band for you. This Nunslaughter / Midnight spin-off released only this one 7” back in 2008, though it sounds like it came from about two decades earlier. In To Hell is lifted straight from the playbook of the hardcore classics, as if the logo and name borrowed from Minor Threat didn’t clue you in. (Even the songs pay homage – one is titled “Guilty Of Hating Christ,” vs. the original “Guilty Of Being White,” whilst another is titled “Being Black,” and then the disc closes with a live cover of “Stepping Stone.”)
Back then, In To Hell was eight songs, ten minutes in total running time. A few songs stand above the rest – “Guilty Of Hating Christ,” “I Ain’t Gotta Worship,” “Don’t Follow Him.” But for the most part, this is straight-up 80s hardcore with no frills and no deviation from the norm, aside from the change in lyrical focus. The riffs are chord-based, the tempos chaotic and fast, the whole thing barely clinging to the rails in that certain exhilarating hardcore-punk manner. The vocals are shouted – no screams, growls, or actual singing; only one of eight songs lasts longer than one-and-a-half minutes.
Since the original release is only ten minutes long, this CD reissue adds an additional eight tracks (spanning a whopping thirteen minutes), a live recording of the band’s only performance. The entire studio recording is reprised here, in the same order as on the 7”, only without opening number “Guilty Of Hating Christ” and with closing tune “Stepping Stone.” (The absence of “Guilty” is a bummer, since it’s one of the band’s best songs.) As a bonus, the live performance is a nice one, additional fare for the Satanic Threat completist (should such exist), the only other recording the band has ever made. Still, make no mistake: It’s bonus material, and of appropriate quality and interest. The sound quality is very much a live punk recording, suitably unpolished, but as with the best hardcore punk, there is still that certain energy in the band’s performance that overcomes the roughshod recording.
In To Hell is capably performed and certainly amusing for a few initial spins, but in the end, it’s a side project, and Satanic Threat’s goofy reliance upon anti-Christian sentiment is all that makes it truly memorable. It’s a novelty act that, by design, sits too closely on top of too many hardcore classics, separated only by a singular factor. Still, it’s fun while it lasts, and classic 80s ‘core enthusisasts will likely quite enjoy it, even if it doesn’t approach the heights of the bands it’s aping.
And hey, that cover art is pretty awesome, too…
