Band : Disturbing Foresights

Album title : De-Grunged

Label : Deity Down Records

Distributor : Deity Down Records

Release date : 31/03/2008

Release : CD

If De-Grunged sounds like a weird album title to you, please take in account that the recording of this album happened in the heydays of the Grunge scene, in 1993. And don't be ashamed/ astounded at the fact that Disturbing Foresights happens to be a bandname you'd never heard before, because the band ceased to exist in 1996! In fact, the band existed from 1989 to 1996, 7 years during which the band (which witnessed 6 changes in its line-up during their existence) spent most of their time writing songs, occasionally recording their stuff, and playing gigs locally and sóme abroad as well. Besides having done a total of 3 European tours, the band's bio (on myspace.com/disturbingforesights) displays a certain pride in having supported the likes of Alloy , Apoplexy , Brotherhood Foundation , Brutal Obscenity , Celestial Season , Iron Fist , M.D.C. , N.R.A. , Orphanage , Osdorp Posse , Seein' Red , and Youth Brigade ...and hails the band for being one of the first acts in Holland to combine Hardcore and Metal with a Punk Rock attitude.

The original line-up consisted of mainstay drummer Cor (also playing with The Incredible Softies and Hang To Drip Dry ), bassist Martin (also in Confusion ), guitarist Chiel (also in T.I.S. ), and singer Demis Fifi , and it's in that line-up that the band records its only demo Struggle To Speak . After only a few local shows the bassist called it quits and was replaced by former Lobotomy 's Koen (he'd stay on with the band 'til the end). With re-newed vigor the band starts to play more and more gigs, and even start getting out of their own area (Den Hague/ Utrecht), when the singer starts loosing interest. He was replaced by two lead singers Iwan and Ron , something rarely seen in those days, and with the new line-up the guys got to play gigs outside Holland, touring also in Belgium, Germany, Spain (where the band even recorded their Live In Madrid video), and Denmark. The same line-up also recorded the songs which got included on the 1991 Tegenwind compilation album (on which the band would be featured among other bands from the North-Holland area) issued by W.R.F. ( West Fries Radiofront ). The same label also issued the Couch Potatoes 7-inch EP, split with Antic Hay , and another compilation vinyl album entitled Welcome To Our Scene . Towards the end of '91 the boys did their X-Mas European Tour with Germany's Apoplexy . On their own effort, DF had just produced their 1992 conceptual EP, and by the end of the tour the complete limited rotation of 500 copies was sold out.

The guitarist was asked to leave in 1992, and exchanged by former Just Another Band 's Bas . Around the same time Ron left to pursue other interests, and was not replaced... Cor and Koen taking over additional vocal duties from that day on. And this is the line-up which went into the famed Rotterdam Excess Studios with renowned producer Peter Kloos (who'd go on to record with the likes of Beef , Peter Pan Speedrock Anarcrust , Motorpsycho and others). Unfortunately, the label they'd singed with ( GAP Records ...putting the finger where it hurts, so to speak) fucked things up, and the album (which was to become the band's first CD) never got released! In stead, the Walking Violations Of The Laws Of Nature demo containing 4 tracks from the album sessions was unofficially available for some time.

Undaunted but somewhat disappointed, DF again toured Europe with Apoplexy , but then Bas decided to quit. Former Brutal Obscenity guitarist Arjen already had brough in some good ideas to songwriting before, and his definite addition to the line-up made the music both heavier and groovier, while also the lyrical content changed somewhat. DF again went on a European tour, this time with Brutal Obscenity . The final line-up still recorded the 4-track 7-inck EP Come On Baby (released through the Smart Records imprint in late 1995), and got a track featured on the late 2005 Bits Of Noise compilation CD (again a WRF release), but disbanded soon after. Drummer Cor and singer Iwan are the only ones who continued in music (the first in a variety of projects including Tresspassers W. , Stanislaw , and AA Kismet , the second as guitarist for Possible Suspect).

Around the end of 2007 interest in the band flared up again, leading in the band being featured on the early 2008 releases of two compilation albums (for the completionists among us: The Harder The Better, Volume 14 on Turkey Vulture Records from the USA is to feature the De-Grunged song "This 1's 4 You" , and Down For The Core, Volume 8 on Dutch Back Ta Basics Records would contain the song "Chemical Century ", also off De-Grunged ). Also, the DF members from the De-Grunged recording days and Deity Down Records inked a deal for the release of the album, the recordings mastered by original producer Pieter Kloos . Listen to some of the album's songs (plus a couple of older tracks, clearly with the original singer and when the singing was still in the Dutch language, contrary to the days of the album, which has its socio-politically aware lyrics completely in English) on the Myspace page. As you will notice, the music ain't exacty world-shudderingly original, and especially the vocal department can be disappointing at times. And a combination of Hardcore and Metal does nót always mean you get "Metalcore" as a result! Still, when you listen to the album enough (as I personally feel is requiered before starting any review) you'll find some pleasurable moments, the ones remaining in my mind being album opener "Work It Out" with its "human beat-box" intro, the Street Punk-flavoured "Going To The Pub" , the somewhat simplistic album's instrumental NPM , "Robin Hood" with its sound sample intro ("stolen" from some children's program chronicling the hero's tribulations in a series on Dutch television) and, not surprisingly, the above mentioned tracks "This 1's 4 You" and the somewhat anthemic "Chemical Century" , which recently made it to compilations.

For people like myself, who've been around to see all the different sub-genres grow during the '80s and '90s, the release certainly has its (historical) worth. Those who've actually séén the band perform and neglected to buy material by them at the time, might even get themselves the album just to remenisce...but I'm not sure about hów this release will be received outside thóse circles!

78/100

Tony.