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Sealed Records release the complete remastered ICONOCLAST Discography including the immense self released 1983 Demo, The Flipside 7″ from 1985 plus Two Compilation tracks. It’s a small but perfectly formed discography and one that 36 years after it was first recorded still has power, intensity and rage. ICONOCLAST were part of the early 80’s American peace punk scene that included CRUCIFIX, BODY COUNT, AGAINST, ANOTHER DESTRUCTIVE SYSTEM, DIATRIBE, ARMISTICE and A STATE OF MIND. Idealistic bands highly influenced by CRASS which shined amongst the heavily nihilistic California Punk scene of the era. ICONOCLAST sound was in tune with DISCHARGE, early ANTISECT or WRETCHED while lyrically the songs were political and to the point. They played benefits for animal rights, anti nuclear, anti apartheid, anti police brutality, and Big Mountain. The demo was followed by their only vinyl release on Flipside which has two ragers and the more mellow In These Times which has a touch of THE MOB and OMEGA TRIBE about it. The band had tracks on various compilations including the seminal International P.E.A.C.E. Benefit LP on R Radical in 1984 which had the cream of the crop of international hardcore punk of the heyday.
Domination Or Destruction comes housed in a heavy reverse board sleeve and includes a 24 page 11”x11” booklet containing interviews, photos and flyers from the era documented, 1983-1985, which will help understanding the band ideas and the local scene of the era.
Sealed Records are proud to finally reissue Iconoclast’s catalogue, a criminally overlooked band for some but in the label’s eyes this LP is a must have for all punk households!
Our take: It’s no secret that the punk reissue market has long segued into the back side of the bell curve, but this reissue from California’s Iconoclast proves that there’s still gold in those hills. Domination or Destruction does what a great punk reissue should, plucking an under-appreciated gem from the depths of record collector land and giving it the packaging and presentation that it needed to stand alongside the classics. The video footage of Iconoclast in Flipside Video Fanzine is the stuff of legends, years ahead of its time and one of the most raging things ever committed to (video) tape. However, when you went poking around for audio recordings by Iconoclast (no easy task!) it was easy to get frustrated by the poor electronic rips you could find online and/or the poor-sounding bootleg of their collectible lone 7”. This reissue on Sealed Records, however, leaps out of your speakers with the huge, explosive sound this band always deserved. Stylistically, Iconoclast fit in well with the small batch of North American bands who took inspiration from Discharge (Crucifix, Against, Michigan’s Heresy, Canada’s Unruled), with a sound that brought together the primitive riffing of early Anti-Cimex and Shitlickers with the high-energy sound of American hardcore like Minor Threat and Negative Approach. They also have some peace punk touches that are cool, but their hardcore tracks are perfect music. Besides the brilliant sound, this recording comes with a thick booklet full of reproductions of flyers, interviews, and vintage zine reviews. It wouldn't surprise me if this wasn’t every significant scrap of documentary material related to the band. Domination or Destruction is just a brilliant record, and if you’re a person who takes the time to read this, then I’m almost certain you’ll love it.