The Awesome Sloth emerges from a months-long hibernation with this thrashtastic two-fer-one by these related and underrated Chicago acts.
First up, Znöwhite (note the Sloth's insistant use of the metal umlaut, which would come and go during Znöwhite's lifetime and actually wasn't featured in the logo by the time this song came out)... Arguably the best female-fronted thrash band, this incarnation of Znöwhite features original vocalist Nicole Lee, who was replaced by Sentinel Beast's Debbie Gunn shortly before Znöwhite's demise... "I can not; I will not; I shall not...OBEY!"
With only one full-length release to their name, Znöwhite hit hard and then vanished, but thanks to the kind souls at Metal Mind Productions, 1988's Act Of God is now available in a handy-dandy limited edition digipack with its abominable cover art intact.
And up next:
After the departure of Lee and the defection of Gunn back to Sentinel Beast, Znöwhite added vocalist Brian Troch and changed their name to Cyclone Temple. (Guitarist Ian Tafoya also changed his name, becoming Greg Fulton in the process.) Not as furious as Znöwhite, Cyclone Temple nonetheless had a solid grasp of the more commercial side of thrash. Signed to Relativity, the Temple released their first record I Hate Therefore I Am in 1991, right around the time that thrash became passe and just in time for their label to be purchased by Sony and promptly shut down. Cyclone Temple struggled on in various incarnations to diminishing artistic and financial returns before calling it quits in 1994, morphing into something called Rebels Without Applause, which the Sloth has thusfar avoided. To the Sloth's knowledge, I Hate Therefore I Am hasn't been reissued, but it's a solid (albeit dated) slice of mid-period-Metallica-esque melodic thrashing metal if you're lucky enough to find it.
The Sloth says, "Watch. Listen. Rock...err...thrash."
Posted
Feb 26 2010, 01:19 PM
by
JW