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Despite the fact that I just wrote up the Ringworm lp last week, I’m doing an Integrity entry today, which may do much to further erode my credibility, but seriously fuck it. This one’s rare and also, I love it. Integrity and Ringworm being arguably the only cool “metal-core” bands ever (despite certain members of the former), in a court of law, this might be exhibit-A. Humanity Is The Devil (on pink vinyl). Despite all the baggage that this band carries, all the bad blood and ripped off mail orders, it all washes away when you play this.

At certain times I’ve felt this was the best Integrity record, which is funny because it’s a 10″, and we all know it’s one of the stupidest formats known to man. But here it is adorned with one of the only legitimately good Pushead covers of the 90’s (man I wish this was a 12″ EP so bad) and featuring a lean 6 songs with crisp production, each delivering maximum payload. It opens with what some have termed the best 1-2-punch of the 90’s.  “Vocal Test” into “Hollow”.  I’m sure many will disagree. Well if you do, to paraphrase Raybeez, this mic is your mic, this stage is your stage… and thus implicitly, this blog is your blog. Vocal Test is one of the most absurd intros ever. Literally it’s just a hard riff with wordless screams laid over it. It sounds so stupid when describing it, but whether you’re 16 or 27 it’s a fist-pumper when you’re hearing it. The segue into “Hollow” is a distorted bass line reminiscent of the Cro-Mags glory days before a snare roll leads the charge for the rest of the band. As the riff descends the vocal delivery builds to an urgent chorus which features guest vocals by Ringworm’s Human Furnace, who has never sounded better than this. When the break down comes, it’s huge. Stadium huge, which is only emphasized by Aaron Melnick’s vintage Hammett-style soloing. It pulls on you from inside your chest and lifts you up, or maybe pulls your down depending on how you’re looking at things. There are a few riffs/parts in songs that have given me goose bumps every time. For years this has been one.

Psychological Warfare brings back the slow crawl of Those Who Fear Tomorrow complete with “Micha” style plucky bass intro. It fits well after the up tempo openers. I think it (as well as the track Abraxas Annihilation) was written by Frank Novinec (formerly of Ringworm), and I also think these were his first creative contribution to the band. Both bring to mind the older Integrity sound but with more precision and less meandering.The lp closes with “Jagged Visions Of My True Destiny…” a contemplative hardcore approximation of Metallica’s “Fade To Black” that works the same kind of clean guitar intro and then builds it into a thick wall of anger and melancholy with of course, liberal guitar soloing. It may not be for everyone, but it’s definitely for me.

Copies of this record on pink vinyl are supposedly limited to less than 100 as it was a mis-press, however, I’ve seen a considerable amount in my life and would guess there’s at least 200. Nonetheless it’s the version of “Humanity” to have. The insert inside it has a photo of the band from their brief lineup with Bob Zeiger as drummer. He’s wearing an SDS shirt which is kind of cool, and Integrity were definitely making reference to various Japanese hardcore bands in interview material and whatnot at this point. Somewhere I have an ad for a G.I.S.M. tribute that Dwid was going go put out, hmmm. Tomorrow I promise not to write about a record from 1990’s Cleveland.