Brutal Truth


Brutal Truth was an American grindcore band from New York City, formed by ex-Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, and Stormtroopers of Death bass guitarist Dan Lilker in 1990. The group disbanded in 1999, but reformed in 2006 and continued to release music until 2014.

History

Brutal Truth was formed in 1990 in New York City. The band was originally signed to Earache Records, on which they released two albums, Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses and Need to Control, as well as an EP entitled Perpetual Conversion, and 7-inch singles for the songs "Ill Neglect" and "Godplayer". During this time, music videos were made for the songs "Ill Neglect", "Collateral Damage" and "Godplayer". Brutal Truth were frustrated with Earache Records and switched to Relapse Records, known for its roster of grindcore acts, with whom they stayed until the band's demise.
Brutal Truth toured the US with Carcass, Napalm Death and Cathedral on the Campaign for Musical Destruction tour in 1992.
With Relapse, they released the mini album Kill Trend Suicide, a full-length release entitled Sounds of the Animal Kingdom and a double CD live album called Goodbye Cruel World. The band has also released many split 7-inch singles on smaller labels, with most of these being out of print and difficult to find. The songs from these 7-inch singles were collected on the second disc of Goodbye Cruel World.
The band disbanded around 1999 due to internal financial and management conflicts.
In 2001, the Guinness Book of Records awarded Brutal Truth the record for "shortest music video" for their video "Collateral Damage", which is 2.18 seconds long and consists of 48 still images in rapid succession followed by a clip of an explosion.
Drummer Richard Hoak also provides vocals and drums for a project titled Total Fucking Destruction. Kevin Sharp released an album with Venomous Concept in 2004, a hardcore punk band featuring members from the Melvins and Napalm Death. He was also a member of Australian grind band Damaged for a little over a year in 1999. He is also currently involved with the Atlanta-based hardcore-metal, grindcore band, Primate, with guitarist Bill Kelliher from Mastodon. Dan Lilker now plays for a host of bands and is currently bassist for the re-united Nuclear Assault.
Brutal Truth re-formed in 2006 with three-quarters of the final lineup returning ; Erik Burke replaced Brent McCarty on guitar.
On July 8, 2008, four new Brutal Truth tracks were released on the This Comp Kills Fascists compilation. This is the first new material from the band in almost ten years.
On January 21, 2009, it was announced that Brutal Truth had finished recording a new album, entitled Evolution Through Revolution. It was released on April 14 in North America, April 17 in Germany and on April 20 worldwide. The band have also made the entire album available via streaming from their website. A video for "Sugardaddy/Branded" was released on July 17, 2009.
On September 27, 2011, Brutal Truth released End Time on Relapse. In 2012, the band participated in the Lausanne Underground Film and Music Festival, performing material composed by Robert Piotrowicz. In October 2012, Dan O'Hare took over guitar duties. Brutal Truth will release a split with Bastard Noise on November 11, 2013.
On January 10, 2014, Lilker announced that he would be retiring from being a full-time recording and touring musician on October 18, 2014, which was his 50th birthday. As a result, Brutal Truth disbanded on this day.

Musical style

Alex Distefano of OC Weekly said of the band's sound: "The level of intensity in terms of drums, guitar speed and vocals was off the charts. This was a group of east coast dudes who loved death metal and hardcore punk. With grindcore these two sounds merged, and the band took the sound to an extreme level."

Legacy

Alex Distefano of OC Weekly said: "The band has always been recognized as being true to the underground DIY spirit."

Band members

  • Dan Lilker – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals
  • Brent "Gurn" McCarty – guitars
  • Scott Lewis – drums
  • Kevin Sharp – lead vocals
  • Richard Hoak – drums
  • Jody Roberts – guitars
  • Erik Burke – guitars
  • Dan O'Hare – guitars

    Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

  • Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses
  • Need to Control
  • Kill Trend Suicide
  • Sounds of the Animal Kingdom
  • Evolution Through Revolution
  • ''End Time''

    Extended plays

  • The Birth of Ignorance demo
  • Ill Neglect
  • Perpetual Conversion
  • Godplayer
  • Machine Parts +4
  • Split 7-inches 7-inch release with the songs from the split with Converge on one side and the songs from the split with Violent Society on the other side

    DVDs

  • ''For the Ugly and Unwanted – This Is Grindcore''

    Splits

  • split with Spazz
  • split with Rupture
  • split with Converge
  • split with Melvins
  • split with Violent Society
  • split with Narcosis/Total Fucking Destruction
  • First United Meth Church split with Blood Duster
  • The Axiom of Post Inhumanity split with Bastard Noise

    Other releases

  • Goodbye Cruel World
  • For Drug Crazed Grindfreaks Only! Live at Noctum Studios + 1
  • ''This Comp Kills Fascists Vol. 1''