Welcome to another edition of From My Collection. Yesterday, April 1st, sadly marked 20 years since the passing of Chicago metal luminary and drummer extraordinaire, Barry Stern. Being a Chicago based publication, it’d be wrong if we didn’t pay our respects to this underground icon. In fact, we should’ve years ago, but I guess better late than never, as the old saying goes. While I could’ve used this week’s essay to highlight Stern’s tasty playing on Trouble’s 1990 self titled, one of my favorite albums of all time, I figured it would be more appropriate to shine a light upon Stern’s baby, Zoetrope, and their classic debut album, Amnesty, which turns 40 this year. So get ready for some street metal brutality, straight out of the Chi, ya dig?! “We want amnesty!”
Alongside Trouble, Zoetrope were one of Chicago’s first flat-out metal acts, having formed way back in 1976. Come 1980, in the thick of the NWOBHM explosion, the band would release their first single: A KISS flavored rocker entitled “The Right Way”, backed by the far tougher “Call “33””, the latter definitely boasting some early “street metal” vibes. While not indicative of the Zoetrope sound that would follow, this debut single serves as a curious glimpse into the American metal underground circa 1980, as well as a springboard for one of Chicago’s most pivotal acts.
In the years to follow, Zoetrope remained alert of what was happening around them, the hard and heavy sounds of the era changing radically with each passing year. The two biggest developments that’d shape Zoetrope’s sonic identity would be the advent of hardcore punk, and subsequently, thrash metal. As I’ve said numerous times before, Discharge and GBH were as important to thrash’s inception as Judas Priest and Accept, and there’s no denying the punk cred of Motörhead and Venom too. Zoetrope were listening to all these bands and more, resurfacing in 1983 with the blistering “Speed Zone” on the Metal Massacre IV compilation, before finally getting it together in ’85 to drop their mission statement, Amnesty.
Some bands wear their influences on their sleeves. Zoetrope wore theirs on the lapels of their leather jackets. If we take a peek at the inner sleeve of Amnesty, we’ll see Stern wearing a leather jacket containing buttons championing hardcore pioneers Fear and anarcho radicals Crass, alongside fellow Chicago metallists Witchslayer and even Curley of Three Stooges infamy (Woob, woob, woob!). Meanwhile, guitarist Ken Black seems to be wearing a VERY early Master shirt, though my eyes might be deceiving me. On second thought…nah, that’s a Master shirt indeed. I’ve lived in Chicago long enough to recognize that font anywhere!
Even more interesting is when we flip the sleeve over to the back. Amidst the menacing song titles and live action shots that adorn each corner of the jacket, we’re greeted by an explicit message: “For speed and death metal addicts, this is hardcore street metal!” Now while the “street metal” terminology never caught on outside of Zoetrope’s orbit, what’s even more interesting is the use of the term “death metal” in 1985, and not just as a song title à la Possessed or Onslaught. Clearly, the phrase is being used here as a form of metal that not only already exists, but boasts addicts, who are bound to appreciate Zoetrope’s brand of “hardcore street metal”. So what on earth is hardcore street metal? In the case of Zoetrope, think high speed thrash metal with hints of NWOBHM-esque traditionalism and an unrelenting hardcore attitude.
As we drop the needle on side A of Amnesty, we’re treated to the breakneck thrashing violence of “Indecent Obsessions”. Admittedly, even by ’85, there are aspects of this song that already feel slightly “dated”, especially considering acts like Slayer, Possessed, Sodom, and Destruction are further paving the way for death and black metal at the time. However, Zoetrope keep it raw and straightforward, drawing from the well of Kill ‘Em All era Metallica and Exciter with a powder keg of an opener that sets the stage for a truly high octane affair.
“Kill the Enemy” keeps the pummeling going, with Zoetrope unleashing a sort of thrashified spin on NWOBHM mania circa ’81. It definitely thrashes hard enough to mosh to, but with razor-sharp riffs and melodious ENOUGH vocals akin to Di’Anno era Maiden, a band who, in hindsight, might’ve laid down the template for so-called “street metal”. The band then doubles down on these traditional leanings with “Mercenary”: An anthemic fist-pumper sounding straight off a Priest album, minus the vocal heroics of Halford. The riffs evoke Tipton and Downing at their most no-nonsense, and Stern’s four on the floor drumming drive it on home.
For any thrashers who felt they’d been duped into buying a by the numbers trad metal album masquerading as a thrash affair, fear not! The title track, and my personal favorite Zoetrope song, comes storming in no holds barred, absolutely brutalizing the listener in its 3 minute and 42 second runtime. The guitar riffs fly like shrapnel, Stern beats the daylights of his kit and gives an absolutely throat-shredding vocal performance to top it off. Put this next to any cut off Feel the Fire or Bonded by Blood, and I dare you to tell me it’s of lesser quality with a straight face. Go on, try me! You totally don’t stand risk of losing some teeth.
Side A closes with the rowdy and raucous “Member in a Gang”: A song that showcases Zoetrope’s “street metal” philosophy if there ever was one. Lured in by bassist Calvin Humphrey’s rough and tumble bass groove, “Member in a Gang” plays like a high speed musical companion to beloved cult flick The Warriors, albeit set in Chicago instead of New York. Gang life and the violence that accompanies it have always been a staple of the Windy City, and was especially dominant in the ’70s and ’80s. Almost everyone knew someone who represented a “set”, but that’s another essay for another day.
As we flip over to side B, the aptly titled “Break Your Back” gets things going in unrelenting thrashing fashion. If all the songs on here thrashed as hard as this one and the title track, chances are Amnesty would’ve gained more notoriety widespread. However, such one-dimensionality would’ve taken away from the character of this release, and as we know with ’80s metal, a little character goes a long way. In the case of Zoetrope, they can crush our skulls with “Break Your Back”, then confidently follow it up with a Priest/Maiden tinged heavy rocker like “Another Chance”. That’s balls!
One of the most underrated cut on an album of underrated gems, “Creatures” is a crucial banger, if only for its moshy breakdown section. While the verses have that thrashing Maiden vibe heard on “Kill Your Enemy”, the breakdown is pure crossover, sounding like a template for the Suicidal Tendencies and Cro-Mags riffs that’d cause brawls between thrashers and skinheads come the late ’80s. Seriously, put it on and try NOT to throw down. The bulldozing “Trip Wires” closes things out, and it’s on this one that Zoetrope showcases their technical chops. The leads particularly, courtesy of Black, are spectacular, and really push this one over the top.
Unfortunately for Zoetrope, while the rest of their thrashing peers got swept up by major labels, MTV, and mainstream rock radio, they wallowed in obscurity for the remainder of the ’80s and ’90s. Stern would depart his very baby for a few years to record and tour for fellow Chicago icons, Trouble, before returning to the fold in 1993 and remaining until their 1995 breakup. Stern would remain a driving force in the Chicago metal scene until his untimely 2005 passing, due to complications of hip replacement surgery.
While I could lament that Zoetrope were a band who “never got their due”, deserved all the “fame and fortune”, and so forth…in hindsight, maybe it was for the better. You never had to worry about this band releasing a trend-hopping mainstream metal album to stay with the times, or cut their hair to look fashionable for MTV. No, Zoetrope were exactly how they sounded: Fast, loud, dirty, chaotic, and dangerous. No record exec in the world could ever change that, and Stern wouldn’t have hade it any other way. Rest in power Barry. The Windy City still thrashes in your honor.
Leave a Reply