EXCEL: SoCal Thrash/Hardcore Crossover Group To Reissue The Joke's On You Via Southern Lord This November
SoCal punk-hardcore-metal hybrid outfit EXCEL has remastered
their seminal 1989 release, The Joke's On You, which is now set to be released
via Southern Lord in November.
Originally released via Caroline Records, and produced by
Randy Burns (Megadeth, Kreator, Possessed), The Joke's On You is EXCEL's second
full-length, which saw wide acclaim from thrash, punk, metal, and skate rock
circles, as members have been known to share ramps with pros Christian Hosoi,
Eric Dressen, and Tony Alva, and others. Drawing influence from a diverse range
of artists including Black Sabbath, Black Flag, Jimi Hendrix, and early
era-Corrosion Of Conformity, people often talk of "crossover" acts,
but none quite do it as exceptionally well as EXCEL.
The Southern Lord reissue of The Joke's On You, remastered
by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (Poison Idea, Integrity, Nails) contains the
twelve tracks featured on the original CD edition, including the track
"Blaze Some Hate" -- initially released as a 12" single via
Caroline, not the original release of the LP - appears as the closing track of
the new reissue/remaster. This isn't the first time Southern Lord has
documented the importance of EXCEL either, as the label also reissued the
band's first album, Split Image, in 2014.
Formed in 1984 from the remains of Los Angeles hardcore band Chaotic Noise,
EXCEL caught wide attention of the masses with the release of their Personal
Onslaught demo (1985). Fellow Californian thrash crossover influencers,
Suicidal Tendencies, accelerated EXCEL into wide acclaim with frontman Mike
Muir's inclusion of them on his Welcome To Venice compilation (1985) and
releasing EXCEL's Split Image debut LP on the Suicidal Records imprint. Sold
out tours and further successful releases soon followed, all which stomped over
various sonic terrains whilst always spreading a punk attitude and a harbored
love for heavy metal.
Southern Lord will re-release The Joke's On You on November
18th, but the album is now available early from the band's webstore RIGHT HERE.
"Shows a great deal of depth and development musically,
and the lyrics are awesome." - Flipside
"EXCEL display a maturity and an honesty that most
bands lack...they don't settle for basic boring riffs, they fill their songs with
melody and tempo changes, always keeping it interesting. The lyrics are top
notch too. Nothing clichéd here. Intelligent stories and ideas...a band to pay
attention to." - Ink Disease
"Really good. No fooling'...Powerful and clean slow
hardcore. More lyrics than you can shake a stick at." - Maximum Rock And
Roll
"A gripping, grinding, adventurous ride...The Joke's On
You will send shivers up your spine while shaking the posters off your wall.
And that's no joke." - Rip Magazine
"And the new songs were the best of all, stunningly
complicated, multipart riffs alternating with simple, powerful choruses,
something sort of in a supercharged Soundgardenian groove, yet wholly
Excel." - LA Times (1992)
"Sure the band cut its teeth with a tear-it-up three-song
appearance on Suicidal Mike Muir's Welcome to Venice compilation. But this is undeniably an
LA band, its various members brining the spectres of personal influences to the
group to produce a hard-driving maelstrom..." - Thrashmetal Magazine
(1985)
EXCEL The Joke's On You era lineup:
Dan Clements - vocals
Adam Siegel - guitar
Shaun Ross - bass
Greg Saenz - drums
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