By Ben Forsberg
You all saw it coming. I knew I had to talk about the self titled Crossed Out EP because… well it's just the fucking best. Schizophrenically switching between slow pit riffs and light speed blast parts, there's really nothing to complain about on this thing. I remember the first time I heard this album I was on BART going to the Oakland airport for some reason, and my jaw just fucking dropped on the train. Released by Chris Dodge's iconic West Bay powerviolence label Slap A Ham records, it would be an understatement to call this album influential. Seriously, eight minutes that set the tone for west coast hardcore to come; insanely iconic riffs and a great vocal performance. Really just super, super fast. Anyway, yeah, this thing is from '91, Slap A Ham records and the feature track today is the fourth track on the album, "Locked In".
Blindly uphold the status quo / Never question the way things are / Locked into a mindless void / Spend a lifetime licking ass
Society of slaves / Lifeless clones / This is the way it's supposed to be?
Taken in isolation, this song offers a general critique of the unquestioning rule-abider, but really, I read this song as being specifically about soldiers. Obviously these readings are not mutually exclusive but the EP has a pretty consistent anti-military agenda, both in the cover art and in other lyrics which specifically address masculine violence and the fraudulent veneration of soldiers. Anyway, yeah, short one this week, but guess what that means! You have enough time to listen to the whole EP fool!!
This is the good rip on youtube:
Original Lyric sheet and back cover below:
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