ANARCHY

If you know me, and we've ever talked about records, then you have heard me talk about AFTERBIRTH. 1988's Who's In There? EP is truly one of the most mystifying records I own, and I have celebrated its inept glory more times than I can remember (and more times than most of my friends would prefer). Before everything was on the internet, the greatest sonic export from Tawas City, Michigan was a source of wonder, of laughter, of mystery, and even though we know more today than we did then....that knowledge has really only led to more questions. 1992's Oblivion & Ecstacy, released by an AFTERBIRTH rebranded as ANARCHY, shows a band who has spent a few years practicing, but whether or not those newfound chops worked in the band's favor is very much up for debate. The magic of Who's In There? is not that is is good, the sheer sonic abomination is exactly the appeal, and sadly that abomination has grown into a moderately competent but utterly horrific band. They are still noteworthy for the comedic Allin-esque growl and the sixth grade band class guitar solos, and I note with some resignation that the subject of "Sixteen" (the only track from Who's In There? that made the transition to the ANARCHY-era, and a track that is especially cringeworthy when heard in the context of 2020 ears) seems to have remained, well, sixteen. Even during their existence, AFTERBIRTH and/or ANARCHY was a band that couldn't decide if it wanted to be punk, shock rock, shitty Sunset Strip glam metal, or classic rock crooners (take a deep breath and accept my apologies before starting the five and half minute brutality of "Special Place" or the third rate "More Than Words" ripoff that ends the tape disguised as "Many Years Ago"), but I hope you will take some solace in hearing that they were, ultimately, bad at all of the things they tried. It would have been nice to have an entire cassette filled with the indescribable and accidental brilliance crammed into the grooves on that inimitable EP from 1988 but we all move on, and I accept the evolution of my beloved AFTERBIRTH. I wish they had never practiced. I wish they hadn't learned to overdub guitar solos, I wish they had never tried to layer backing vocal harmonies and I wish they had never stepped foot in a proper studio...but I accept them. 

OBLIVION & ECSTACY (sic)