The Suicide Machines have been a band for a long time now. Close to fifteen years, actually. In that time, they've released 6 studio albums, a retrospective compilation that included two new songs (2002's Least Worst of The Suicide Machines (1995-2001)), and even recorded a song with fellow Detroit "musicians" Insane Clown Posse while both groups were on Hollywood Records (no, seriously).
In late 2005, The Suicide Machines frontman Jay Navarro and his wife Sandra launched the record label Noise Riot Records. The first release on the label? Why, a Suicide Machines rarities compilation titled On The Eve Of Destruction (1991-1995).
The release contains the band's original 1991 demo, the "Green World" demo, and early demo versions of songs such as "New Girl" and "The Real You" that would eventually make it onto the stellar Destruction by Definition album.
It seems a lot of the songs included here might be unfinished ideas, such as "Vans Dub" which, you guessed it, is, or was to be, a dub styled take on "Vans Song." The song kicks off with a horn part similar to that what you already know, followed by an echoed dub style guitar part. As the song reaches the verse, parts of the lyrics, as well as the music, cut out, barely audible in the background of the song. I guess the boys didn't feel like this song made the cut.
One of the nice parts about this compilation is that you get to hear some of your favorite Destruction by Definition songs in various stages of demonstration. Included here are two versions of "Vans Song" in one form or another, and two versions of "Hey," along with demos of "The Real You," "Too Much," and "Inside/Outisde." Songs like the album opener, "Skachoo!" define a style that these boys from Detroit, Michigan would eventually bring to the masses, with unequalled intensity.
This review is only a taste of what this album holds. The songs on this record aren't necessarily the best material the band has produced, and the quality of recording on most of the songs isn't great (these are demos, after all), On the Eve of Destruction (1991-1995), is an archive of material for a band who have come a long way since their formation.
This release allows us to see where the band once known as Jack Kevorkian and the Suicide Machines came from. Although this release isn't something I would recommend for someone to use as a springboard into the rest of this bands catalog, it's something that should definitely be picked up by any hardcore Suicide Machines fan.
