Wrecking Crew “Balance of Terror” CD

Last year, in my review of Bridge Nine's release of the Wrecking Crew "1987—1991" CD, I ranted about how fucking stupid and annoying it is when great records go out of print and remain completely rare and obscure for basically no reason other than red tape bullshit. Well, the "Balance of Terror" LP is about as fine an example of such an occurrence as I can think of. Originally released on the little-known Roadrunner imprint of Hawker Records in 1989, this absolutely classic example of Boston hardcore/crossover—not to mention Wrecking Crew's sole full-length—has remained out of print and virtually unheard for over a decade. So... I have to give massive, massive respect to I Scream Records for taking the time to somehow pull off this killer CD re-release of said LP—complete with two bonus tracks, lyrics, old school photos, and of course the obligatory set of liner notes outlining the band's rise and fall. I wish more labels had the interest or ability to pull off such feats! Impressive...

Anyway, as with the demo/7" material that was offered up on the aforementioned "1987—1991" collection, "Balance of Terror" is a pretty straightforward onslaught of textbook late-80's hardcore/metal crossover, complete with a good range of tempos and a general vibe that walks the line between the two genres very well. I'm definitely still hearing similarities to Agnostic Front's "Cause for Alarm" era both musically and vocally, but the songwriting seems a little more varied in some respects—though definitely quite memorable in its finest moments. Most of the songs clock in under three minutes apiece, and they basically cut to the chase and take care of business. It's a sound that was most at home during that specific run in the late-80's, and one that really hasn't been very accurately matched since. I'm all for it, and we all know how much I love reissues. For the longest time Wrecking Crew was one of those bands that so many people from slightly younger generations had heard of, but never actually heard, so it's incredible to finally see that mishap remedied. Better late than never, right?

Wrecking Crew "Always Talk"
Wrecking Crew "Balance of Terror"

If you download this record for no good reason instead of buying it you're a complete fucking douchebag and are directly contributing to the obstacles that can keep labels from making the harrowing effort to get raging albums like this back out there for new audiences to experience. Don't pull that shit. I Scream Records fucking rules for making this happen, as well as that Maximum Penalty reissue, etc. So, please, support their efforts and buy this CD if you dig the tunes:

RevHQ
Very Distribution