ICONS
OF FILTH –
USED, ABUSED, UNAMUSED
And then from the Corpus
Christi label came Used, Abused, Unamused, a 4-track 7” EP
by Icons Of Filth. Based in Cardiff, Wales, they had first started
out as friends just following Crass around the country on their tours
whereupon they had encountered fellow Crass fans Conflict and Omega
Tribe. Inspired by Crass, they had formed themselves into an Anarcho
Punk band whose first cassette-only release entitled Not On Her
Majesty's Service was put out by Conflict's very own fledgling label,
Mortarhate. Following healthy sales of the tape, Corpus Christi
offered to release their début single.
Over taut, frenetic and
wired hardcore Punk Rock played at breakneck speed, hoarse-voiced
lead singer Stig delivered impassioned observations on the system,
religion, indoctrination and war. Tried and tested Anarcho Punk
subjects one and all but in the hands of Stig, a clearly intelligent
thoughtfulness was being applied to each: “Fear is the
maintainer of this living death called system... Voting concedes
incapability to run your own life. Well, how would you know if you
ain't ever tried? Used, abused, unamused? Yeah, every day... God is a
measure of our insecurity. We want life after death. We're so afraid
that we may be alone, and the responsibility of past, present and
future lies with us alone... People always die, we all die in the end
and as sure as this is to be expected, we see war as natural.”
In addition to the
obvious thought behind the lyrics, what was of particular interest
about the record was the artwork adorning the Crass-style fold-out
sleeve. Drawn by one Squealing Niallee Wheelee, the style and subject
matter was reminiscent of Nick Blinco's; being very detailed pen and
ink drawings of skeletal figures and human skulls though it was
distinctive enough in its own right that it would be an influence
upon and be emulated by other Punk artists for years to come.
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