![]() In late Fall 1990, the band again took to the road, this time in support of SACRED REICH for another tour of the West, accompanied by ATROPHY. The band went on the road in support of DRI, touring the Western United States, Canada, and Mexico in the heat of the summer, and played with other up-and-coming thrash bands such as EXCEL. The album was released in June of 1990, receiving an 83 from Metal Forces, and three out of five stars from Kerrang! In Europe, the album was issued on the Music for Nations imprint, and was produced in both CD and vinyl formats. ![]() In February of 1990, under the guidance of producer Randy Burns (MEGADETH “Peace Sells.”, KREATOR.), BITTER END recorded “Harsh Realities”, at Dodge City Recording in Studio City, CA. Melcon left the band soon afterward, and BITTER END signed a seven-album deal with Metal Blade/Warner-Elektra-Atlantic.Īs pre-production got underway for the debut release, guitarist Russ Stefanovich (MAD HATTER) joined the band, and the contribution of his neoclassical shredding (his nickname at the time was “Russ-wie”) to the band’s sound was immediate and powerful. A 1989 showcase attracted the interest of then-Metal Blade A&R rep Dyana Kass, and the band enlisted the help of legendary Seattle producer Jack Endino to record a five song development demo. More gigs in and around Seattle followed, with acts such as ALICE IN CHAINS, WILD DOGS, and MY SISTER'S MACHINE, and the band added a second guitarist, Melcon Wagner. The next year, 1988, the band recorded the “Meet Your Maker” demo with Chris Hanzsek at Reciprocal Recording. Finally, the band decided to DIY the vocals themselves, and Matt ultimately became the voice of BITTER END. The band’s first show, opening for FORCED ENTRY and COVEN in 1987, was played as an instrumental three-piece. The parties became a locus of the Seattle metal scene, with members of FORCED ENTRY, SANCTUARY, COVEN, PANIC, and HEIR APPARENT among the regular attendees.Īll of this musical and professional progress, however, was no help in finding a vocalist. In 1987, Matt and Chris rented “The House of Deth” in Seattle’s University District, and began hosting parties every Sunday night during KCMU’s “Brain Pain” metal radio show. But despite their best efforts, they could not find a suitable vocalist. Two years of woodshedding followed, during which the band wrote a dozen original songs. In 1983, the Fox brothers moved to Edmonds, WA, a suburb of Seattle, and by 1985 had managed to land powerhouse, double-kick drummer Harry Dearinger. But judging by the songs the band later would cover (“My Generation” by The Who, “Hocus Pocus” by Focus) what came to be the BITTER END sound owed as much to the late 1960s - early 1970s record collection of Matt and Chris’ parents as it did to the NWOBHM then storming the airwaves. In the course of imitation, they began to develop their own sound: acrobatic unison riffs, precision picking (with finger-style bass), and traditional metal rhythms played at breakneck speed. Jamming together for days, weeks, months, and years, Matt (guitar) and Chris (bass) learned dozens and dozens of songs. There, in the early 1980s, high schoolers Matt and Chris Fox would see “local” bands like SLAYER and ARMORED SAINT, and Bay Area bands like EXODUS and an early version of METALLICA featuring Dave Mustaine. Though BITTER END was an integral part of the late '80s / early '90s Seattle Thrash scene, the band’s musical roots trace back to Orange County, CA. The high skill of all the musicians is on display here - even when they slow down, you can often relish some really tasty solos. Brilliant, inspired songs with attitude, driven by usually fast, but clean and perfectly flowing riffs, that should appeal mostly to fans of MEGADETH, but also FORCED ENTRY, HEATHEN, FORBIDDEN and ATROPHY. ![]() After 20 years "Have A Nice Death!" finally sees the light of day (together with "Meet Your Maker" '88 demo and 4 live tracks as a bonus) and shows progression from "Harsh Realities" in all departments. One of the most underrated technical thrash bands, BITTER END from Seattle, called it quits soon after releasing their debut on Metal Blade, but before they did, they recorded songs for their 2nd album. ![]()
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