RR 9495 1
LP, Europe
1988
 
Media: VG+
Sleeve: VG+
 
All pre-owned vinyl is professionally cleaned with a Project VC-E record cleaner before shipping
 
 
Crossover thrash/doom metal from the Nardcore scene? No way! But in fact, Dr. Know's Wreckage in Flesh does precisely that. Indeed, the punk inhabitants of Oxnard, California has a scene that, in reality, was far less rigid than many others when it came to crossover thrash. By the late '80s, California had already become a hub for heavy, thrash, power, and even doom metal, and Dr. Know brought that broader influence into their local sound. Much like how Saint Vitus found an audience among punks in Los Angeles, Dr. Know push their hardcore punk and thrash foundation into doom territory. They achieve this through basslines that closely follow and reinforce the main riffs, combined with Sabbathian song structures filtered through a hardcore lens.

Tracks like "Wreckage" and "Lake of Fire" lean more toward straightforward crossover thrash, echoing contemporaries such as S.O.D. and Verbal Abuse. Throughout the album, the drums maintain a consistent thrash pace, yet the bassline follows the guitar more closely, even being given full prominence in the intro of "City Wheels," a trait iconic of doom metal. That same track delivers a crushing riff clearly indebted to Black Sabbath, reinterpreted through a thrash-oriented approach and paired with environmentally conscious lyrics. The other obviously doom-influenced track (aside from the Black Sabbath cover) is "Mastermind," playing much like the thrash/doom band Seventh Angel, who open with a doom riff that persists throughout the song, interspersed with thrash metal passages and vocals.

However, one primary struggle with this album for a more conventional doom metal listener is its unapologetic blend of hardcore punk with aggressive, thrash-styled vocals, as heard in "War Theatre" and "Lake of Fire." This stylistic clash can feel uneven at times. Also, the final track, "Satan’s Black Throne of Doom," proves more serious than comical, contrary to what was presumably intended.

Overall, Dr. Know deliver a classic Nardcore record that also stands as a genuinely unique fusion of crossover thrash and doom metal - The Metal Archive 
 
Tax Included
Shipping information can be found here.