Earth Crisis History and Retrospective
Eighteen Years of Vegan Straightedge Hardcore and Counting
May 6, 2009
Earth Crisis disbanded in 2001, after ten years of making powerful and thought provoking music which fused elements of metal and hardcore, and whose militant vegan straightedge beliefs inspired a generation of hardcore fans.
The Early Demos and EPs
Earth Crisis originally began in 1989, but that initial lineup fell apart. In 1991 bassist Karl Buechner reformed Earth Crisis with himself as the vocalist. The reformed Earth Crisis lineup also featured Bassist Ian "Bulldog" Edwards, Guitarist Scott Crouse, Drummer Mike Riccardi, and Guitarist Ben Read. The band wrote songs and played out in the Syracuse scene before recording their first demo which according to Ryan Downey on All Music would become the bands All Out War EP (1992), released on Conviction Records (later re-released on Victory).
The band embarked on their first US tour, bringing drummer Dennis Merrick on board to replace Riccardi who could not commit to touring. With Merrick, the band recorded a second demo in 1993, featuring tracks that would wind up on the Firestorm EP (1993), and later on their first full-length album. October 24th 1993 saw the band play their now legendary record release show for the Firestorm EP, which according to webzine xStuck in the Pastx was the last time the original All Out War lineup shared a stage together, bringing back drummer Riccardi to fill in for Merrick, who had school commitments.
Destroy the Machines
Recorded in October & November of 1994, Destroy the Machines (1995) was the bands first full-length album, and where they fully came into their own sound. By the time recording began on the album another lineup change had happened, with Read departing the band to be replaced by Kris Wiechmann.
The band toured heavily following the album's release through most of 1995, and the band's popularity soared as hardcore fans around the world embraced both their music and their vegan straightedge message.
Accident, Recovery, and California Takeover
On December 10th 1995, in the middle of a North American tour, tragedy struck the band. Their tour van flipped on icy roads in Washington state, injuring all the band members, most severely drummer Dennis Merrick who was ejected from the van when it flipped.
Miraculously all the members of the band lived, but Merrick had two collapsed lungs, broken ribs, and other injuries which would keep him from playing for quite some time. The band returned to upstate New York, and while waiting for their friend's recovery, the other members of EC started a side project recruiting friends, including former EC drummer Riccardi into the fold for what came to be Path of Resistance.
After several months of recovery, the band returned triumphantly, playing their first show back as part of a triple bill with Snapcase and Strife in Los Angeles on April 12, 1996. The show was immortalized on the California Takeover...Live (1996) album.
Gomorrah's Season Ends and Ozzfest
Later that year, Earth Crisis returned to the studio and recorded their second full length album, Gomorrah's Season Ends (1996) which Ryan Downey describes as a" decidedly more metallic affair," than their earlier efforts.
By now, the band had developed a huge following, and they and the larger straightedge scene of which they were a part had garnered national media attention. This metallic sound, combined with the band's popularity and media hype helped land them a berth on the inaugural Ozzfest tour in 1996, bringing their sound and their message to an even larger audience.
The Oath That Keeps Me Free and Breed the Killers
On December 7th, 1997 Earth Crisis played a benefit show in their hometown of Syracuse to raise money for guitarist Kris Wiechmann's father. Featuring a number of other local bands, the show drew a huge crowd. Earth Crisis' set featured favorites from all of their albums, as well as two new songs. The set was recorded and released as The Oath That Keeps Me Free (Live) (1998) album.
Wiechmann departed from the band not long after, and was replaced by Bassist Edwards' brother Eric. This new lineup went into the studio to record their third full-length album, Breed the Killers (1998), which marked the band's departure from longtime partner Victory for the mainstream label Roadrunner Records. The new album continued the progression to a more metal sound seen on Gomorrah's Season.
Slither, Last of the Sane, and Hellfest
After one album on Roadrunner, Earth Crisis returned to Victory Records and released Slither, the band's fourth full-length studio album in 2000. The new album took the band's sound in a direction different than their past efforts, with a more melodic and nu-metal sound. The album spawned a single and a music video for MTV2, but served to alienate many of the bands longtime fans.
An album of covers and newly recorded versions of tracks from their 93 demo Last of the Sane (2001) followed, but received a similar lukewarm reception. In the Spring of 2001, the band announced they were turning the page, playing their last show at Hellfest in Syracuse on July 7th 2001.
Reunion and Rebirth
Earth Crisis reunited in 2007 for a one off show that spawned a North American tour in 2008, and convinced the band they still had things to say. Late in 2008, they announced a new studio album as part of a deal with Century Media Records, and a commitment to continue the band full-time. The new record, To the Death, released on May 5th, 2009 was described by vocalist Buechner in an interview for Hardtimes.ca as a cross between their two previous albums Destroy the Machines and Breed the Killers.
The band has hit the road in support of the new album, playing their first of several dozen shows on May 1st in New Haven, CT. The band has lost none of it's energy on stage, and despite a short set, barricades and bouncers, loyal fans crowded the front of the venue for sing-alongs and stage dives. A list of upcoming tour dates is available on the band's website.
