FRINGE PRODUCT (RECORDS)

Age Of Quarantine, day # 40 - Defunct Toronto based label that put a lot of weird stuff in the 80's and 90's but also hold the license pressings to many punk and metal classics for the canadian market. In the midst of its 130 or so releases I selected a few obscure albums from the FRINGE PRODUCT hoster (or under its sublabel Diabolic Force), this is the side result after digging up for the 80's Canadian Skatepunk article.

PART I - Thrash Metal & Crossover

CORPUS VILE - What Does It Take [1989]

Although active during most of the 1980's Winnipeg's own CORPUS VILE managed to record only this album, a full moshing 12-song crossover LP with a gnarly SSD cover (from their rock metal era)! They used to gig with many other crossover greats like Cro-Mags and Corrosion Of Conformity, underrated af!

M.A.D. - Taboo Of The Western World [1991]

Their acronym stands for Mutually Assured Destruction (surely not the RVA hardcore one), another Thrash act hailing from Ontario, land of mighty RAZOR. Taboo Of The Western World is a pretty solid Crossover album despite the art cover tells you otherwise, a true tribute to the Bay-Area sound of that era.

PARADOX - Product Of Imagination [1987]

By far the most well-known release on this selection of underground Thrash and the easiest to track down. Based in Bavaria (Germany) PARADOX put out 2 monster albums before they first disbanded in 1990, this one being the first and it has all the classic 80's Thrash Metal elements. The LP features art by Joe Petagno, famous for his work with Motörhead!

DISSECTION - Final Genocide [1988]

Under different band names it is with DISSECTION they've put out their best work, more cult than classic, Final Genocide is a 11-song LP with Thrash and proto-Death Metal elements and occasionally over-the-top frantic/aggro sections.

SPLATTERPUNK - This Infinite God... [1992]

The weirdest pick of this selection which I was in doubt to either add it here or not but by the 4th or 5th track I found myself bangin' my head to it. This Infinite God is the only release by these Ontario technical/progressive Thrashers, think Voivod meets Sacred Reich.

DOWNLOAD [Part I]


PART II - Hardcore Punk & More Metal

DOGS WITH JOBS - Shock [1991]

Considered by some as a Speed Metal band despite the big Thrash Metal influence (remnants of past projects), DOGS WITH JOBS gathers the best of the canadian underground realm including the occasional goofiness, their first album Shock is my favorite because the Thrash parts are more prominent here. Both their records were reissued just recently by a brazilian label, Tales From The Pit. 

NORTHERN VULTURES - Tabarnak Hardcore [1991]

Another obscure Montreal locals hosted by Fringe, NORTHERN VULTURES was active between 1985 to early 90's. They played anarchopunk-influenced hardcore and were oftenly sharing the bill with the likes of SC.U.M.,  Sudden Impact, UK Subs, Broken Bones and label-mates in Bunchfuckingoofs. Their last album Tabarnak Hardocre was engineered by Mike Amstadt (known for his work with Voivod) and featured a live version of their anthemic song Rise Up. 

MALLET-HEAD - Self Titled LP [1988]

GANG GREEN goes Heavy Metal! That's right, two members of the legenday punk band embarked on a metal trip (like many from that era) and MALLET HEAD LP is what they came up with, a very fun album containing good doses of traditional Heavy Metal, Speed Metal and touches of Glam Rock here and there. Sic My Duc!

Bonus: M.S.I. - 9 Out Of 10 Doctors Recommend More Stupid Initials

Their only 2 releases came out in the late 80's by 2 unknown labels and 30 years later Schizophrenic Records puts their entire discography on a LP plus a thick zine. I was trying to find a connection with Fringe Product but I failed to connect the dots, just a note on a Corpus Vile poster (see below) but since this discography can't be found anywhere else and M.S.I. being one of the first straight edge bands in whole Canada I couldn't miss the chance to add them here!

DOWNLOAD [Part II]


Plenty of others records/bands can be worth of your attention in the extensive FRINGE PRODUCT catalog, check this bandcamp for more Canadian punk classics and the skatepunk article I mentioned at the beginning. As usual pay a visit to EqualizingxDistort for more detailed history on Canadian punk!