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Cause for Alarm (album)

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Cause for Alarm
Studio album by
Released1986
RecordedSystems II (Brooklyn, New York)
GenreHardcore punk, crossover thrash
Length23:48
LabelRelativity, Combat
ProducerNorman Dunn
Agnostic Front chronology
Victim in Pain
(1984)
Cause for Alarm
(1986)
Liberty and Justice For...
(1987)

Cause for Alarm is the second full-length studio album by New York hardcore band Agnostic Front. It was released in 1986 on Relativity/Combat Records and follows 1984's Victim in Pain. The album is still available on a split release with Victim in Pain on the same disc.

Overview

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The addition of a second guitarist Alex Kinon led to a more metallic approach, although the songs still had mostly a hardcore sound. One other line-up change was the replacement of Dave Jones by Louie Beatto on drums. The band would further explore the metal sound on their next album, 1987's Liberty and Justice For...

Controversy

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Several critics, including Phil Donahue,[1] Jello Biafra and the fanzine Maximum Rocknroll,[2] have criticized Agnostic Front for the controversial lyrics of the song "Public Assistance", written for the band by then-Carnivore frontman Peter Steele.[3] Steele went on to write a very similar song for his new band Type O Negative named Der Untermensch, which appeared on their album Slow Deep and Hard.

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Kerrang![5]

In 2005, Cause for Alarm was ranked number 302 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[6]

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."The Eliminator"3:10
2."Existence of Hate"2:18
3."Time Will Come"1:22
4."Growing Concern"4:10
5."Your Mistake"1:26
6."Out for Blood"2:13
7."Toxic Shock"2:27
8."Bomber Zee"2:28
9."Public Assistance"2:44
10."Shoot His Load"1:30
Total length:23:48

"Your Mistake" was covered by Fear Factory, with Freddy Cricien of Madball, on the Demanufacture digipak as a bonus track, and by Hatebreed on their album For the Lions.

Personnel

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Agnostic Front
  • Roger Miret – vocals
  • Vinnie Stigma – lead guitar
  • Alex Kinon – rhythm guitar
  • Rob Kabula – bass
  • Louie Beatto – drums
Production
  • Recorded at Systems II, Brooklyn, New York
  • Produced by Norman Dunn
  • Engineered by Mike Maricano
  • Written by Peter Steele[7]

References

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  1. ^ "A Brief History of Conservative and Libertarian Punk". Reason. May 15, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  2. ^ "KFTH - Agnostic Front Page". Homepages.nyu.edu. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  3. ^ "Steele Discography at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  4. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Agnostic Front Cause for Alarm review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  5. ^ Miller, Paul (September 18, 1986). "Hardcore Hardware". Kerrang!. Vol. 129. London, UK: Spotlight Publications. p. 20.
  6. ^ Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten (in German). Rock Hard. 2005. p. 91. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.
  7. ^ Blush, Steven (October 2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Feral House. p. 294. 1986's Cause For Alarm LP (on Combat Core) made AF infamous. Vinnie and Roger inexplicably hired the late Pete Steele (Carnivore, Type O Negative) to write the record — as they were too fucked-up/lazy/devoid of ideas. Cause For Alarm proved divisive, for its Metal tendencies and for Steele's lyrics (like his dim view of welfare recipients on "Public Assistance").
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