Siege was formed in Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1981. Originally comprised of guitarist Kurt Habelt, bassist Hank McNamee and drummer Rob Williams, Kevin Mahoney (whose brother-in-law is reputed to have been Rick Jones from Jerry's Kids) would be recruited just a few years later as the group's vocalist. He happened to be from another city in Massachusetts known as Braintree, and also played the saxophone as he had previously taken membership in a Ska Punk band. Some of Siege's influences included Discharge, Minor Threat, Void, Chaotic Discord, SS Decontrol, Venom, Motorhead, Flipper and oddly enough, Devo. Siege entered Radiobeat studios on February 1984 with producer Lou Giordano (who had also worked with other Punk bands such as Mission Of Burma, The F.U.s, The Proletariat and the aforementioned Jerry's Kids) to record live the first demo, Drop Dead. Judging from what they laid down on tape that day, it appeared as if Siege was determined to play even faster than both their influences and contemporaries. On this miniscule but dynamic effort, Siege took the unrelenting velocity and aggression of Thrashcore to an even more extreme level (up to the point where their style resembles an early, primitive form of Grindcore or Powerviolence). The majority of the tracks from Drop Dead are very short, ranging from thirty seconds to two minutes (as a matter of fact, the entire 1984 demo is only about thirteen minutes in duration). The music may be absolutely vicious in temperament, but concerning the lyrics it's not your stereotypical nihilistic or misanthropic affair; they still convey a sense of meaning and positivity, endorsing themes such as pacifism and unity, while also addressing other significant issues (poverty and racism). For a Hardcore/Thrashcore demo from the mid 1980s, the sound quality is surprisingly clear (and overall, just satisfying).
Later that year, Siege performed at Weymouth North High School for a "Battle Of The Bands" contest. One of the songs the quartet performed was Venom's "Warhead". Things went awry during their set when Kurt took off his shirt in order to display a black tank-top he had underneath, which had the words, "FUCK OFF", imprinted on it in large, white block letters. According to Eric Conrad (who was the school newspaper reporter at the time and the one who took the photographs), the principle of the high school, Mr. Concannon, stopped the teens by disconnecting the cord from Kurt's guitar amp until he agreed to cover or remove his obscene shirt. After the guitarist had complied with the principal's demand, Siege was allowed to resume (although they were later disqualified when Hank destroyed his bass onstage, which in turn caused an upheaval in the audience). In October of 1984, Siege recorded three more tracks - "Sad But True", "Walls" and "Cold War". These were to be featured on a 1985 Hardcore Punk compilation titled, Cleanse The Bacteria (produced by Septic Death's Brian "Pushead" Schroeder). Siege disbanded shortly after this, right when they were all set to play a gig at CBGB's, but Kevin was dead on arrival. Despite their short-lived existence, they would leave a permanent mark on the underground music scene (even if it took several years for them to receive some proper recognition). Siege didn't just raise the standards for Hardcore Punk and Thrashcore, they also helped establish the foundations for both Grindcore and Powerviolence. Some bands influenced by them include the likes of Napalm Death, Carcass and Dropdead (who took their name from the same 1984 demo). Now, onto the recording itself:
Siege wastes no time and obliterates with the title track, "Drop Dead", which features maniacal velocity, Rob Williams' explosive battering percussion and convulsive time signature changes. All the while Kevin Mahoney rabidly snarls apocalyptic, doom-mongering lines like, "No relief, no release, no peace!!! None survive, none alive, genocide!!! DROP DEEEEEEAAAAAAAD!!!!". He was one hell of a front-man (unfortunately, Kevin passed away in 2011 due to health complications). "Conform" is a highly infectious Hardcore anthem that endorses the trope of individuality ("Have no mind of your own / Just another zombie clone / Slave of the majority"). Parts of it such as Hank McNamee's bass notes are reminiscent of "I Saw Your Mommy" by Suicidal Tendencies. Kurt Habelt's guitar riffs tend to get stuck in my mind due to them being so catchy. By this point, you know that these guys are filled with lots of energy and are not holding back whatsoever. Siege also rapidly blaze through "Life Of Hate" as they deliver a message of anti-racism and tolerance. At under thirty seconds in length, it is the shortest track here. "Starvation" is another compact, but powerful song featuring the "D-Beat" rhythm, more ST-influenced guitar licks and insane shifts in tempo. Famine and nuclear weapons are issues mentioned here (raising the whole "enough money for war/nuclear weapons, but not enough money to feed everyone" dilemma, in a similar fashion as Discharge did on "Meanwhile"). Whining feedback signals the beginning of "Armageddon" before all hell is unleashed upon the audience. Hank breaks the current with a quick bass solo before the rest of the group finishes the tune off.
At the very end of the demo is the hauntingly avant-garde "Grim Reaper". Compared to all of the previous material, it is seven-and-a-half minutes in length, making it the longest track Siege ever recorded. You can bet your bottom that this is the most experimental thing on Drop Dead. Why, "Grim Reaper" doesn't even resemble Hardcore Punk or Thrashcore! (it's too lethargic and off-the-wall). I would personally describe this track as a fusion of Experimental Rock and improvised Jazz with some Punk and Noise Rock nuances (something along the lines of Post-Hardcore). The atmosphere is also quite surrealistic; ominous bass lines creep throughout and strange guitar melodies are heard as it gets underway, with Kevin eventually integrating the blaring, discordant saxophone. Brass instruments do not normally fit in on the majority of releases labelled as Hardcore Punk and Thrashcore, but surprisingly enough, the saxophone sounds pretty cool here. The inspiration for "Grim Reaper" was derived from Kevin and Robert's fondness for both Flipper and James White & The Blacks (a seemingly forgotten, quirky No Wave act from the late 1970s). Rob was once asked about this oddity. He stated that "Lou Giordano mixed the thing with the sound effects on the fly, too… It was improv’d. Mahoney was an amusing, tolerant person, aspiring poet..". The lyrics while morose, aren't without some humor. The reissues of Drop Dead aggregate the three tracks from the Cleanse The Bacteria compilation - "Walls", "Sad But True" and "Cold War". Even if I don't personally find them to be as remarkable compared to the previous tracks, they still rip and shred nonetheless. In summary, Siege was a vicious Thrashcore group that was quite ahead of their time. While their existence turned out to be very brief, they still managed to be a strong influence for many of the Grindcore and Powerviolence bands that followed after. Drop Dead is highly recommended to enthusiasts of these types of music. ... See More
