SET THE TONE SERIES 2 – THE STRAIGHTS OF EDGE
Earth Crisis – Firestorm
Released 1993
Earth Crisis is one of the bands I was hesitant to tackle because of the density I attributed to their message. I was particularly unsure about diving into Firestorm because I have been carrying doubts about its lyrics for a while and finally studying it might result in a tainting the band’s legacy. However, here we are and Earth Crisis is the next logical step.
If ever one band could be the symbol of the transition between the youth crew era of straightedge and the 90’s era, it just might be Earth Crisis. At least, it was, to me. Their songs brought a darker, more metallic sound, along with a different level of austerity. Supporting that impression, in an interview with Hard Lore, Karl Buechner states that he became straightedge in 1986i, at the age of sixteen. He confesses that drugs, alcohol or cigarettes never appealed to him because he had seen, in his surroundings, the negative consequences they could have. In the same interview, Karl also states about the way straightedge has evolved, saying : ‘I dearly love all of the founding fathers from the original era of straightedge. I love their music. We’ve toured with them. We’ve played with them. They’re friends. They gave me everything I have and everything I’ve tried to pass on, but what was missing with that first incarnation of it was, like, solidified guidelines.’ This desire to define and expand on the idea of straightedge provides a pertinent element of context in the analysis of their lyrics.
About the expression ‘are you Floorpunch straightedge or Earth Crisis straightedge?’ previously referred to in the Floorpunch article, Karl states ‘[i]t’s like, yes, Earth Crisis experimented with different tempos and darker guitar tones and more aggressive vocals and different subject matter, but I mean we’ve got our youth crew band, too. We’ve got Path of the Resistance. I love youth crew as much as anybody else ever did. You know. ‘Cause it’s what I grew up with. I love it just as much and I wanted to do something different before I went back and revisited that and celebrated it in our own version.’ Although Earth Crisis’ stance and sound might have been different, this acknowledgement of other perspectives cements their place in the tapestry of the evolution of straightedge by its inclusiveness, rather than distancing.
Now that context has been established, to some extent, let us see what meaning can be derived from some of their lyrics.
Firestorm
Street by street, block by block
Taking it all back
The youth’s immersed in poison
Turn the tide, counterattack
Violence against violence
Let the roundups begin
A firestorm to purify the bane that society drowns in
No mercy
No exceptions
A declaration of total war
The innocents’ defense is the reason it’s waged for
Born addicted, beaten and neglected
Families torn apart, destroyed and abandoned
Children sell their bodies
From their high they fall to drown
Demons crazed by greed cut bystanders down
A chemically tainted welfare generation
Absolute, complete moral degeneration
Born addicted, beaten and neglected
Families torn apart, destroyed and abandoned
Children sell their bodies
From their high they fall to drown
Demons crazed by greed cut bystanders down
Corrupt politicians, corrupt enforcement, drug lords and dealers
All must fall
The helpless are crying out
We have risen to their call
A firestorm to purify
If any one song were to qualify Earth Crisis as a militant straightedge band, Firestorm would undoubtedly be one of choice, as their position regarding drugs could not be established in clearer terms. It is also the one song that gave me pause over the band because, at first glance, it could appear to propose wiping every addict, user, and drug dealer from the face of the planet to realize a straightedge agenda, which generated an internal conflict when thinking about friends and family members who indulged. If that were so, screaming these lyrics aloud would equal to an endorsement of the murder of these people I claim to love. The time has come for me to settle this matter once and for all.
From the first notes played in staccato to the very last word, the song screams of conflict and draws a definite line in the sand. The first line, straight forward as it may be, is significant on many different levels. On the first one, it establishes the location of the battlefield in this war against drugs. On a second level, it also taps into the idea that drugs come from the street. The whole genre of gangsta rap may be relied upon in support, as many rappers glorify their experience gained there. For the sake of providing at least one example, we could name WC’s the Streetsii. Although not exclusively, it is in the streets that the drugs can be sold, bought, fought over, and consumed. On a final level, the line also suggests that the plan put forth will be a step by step process. Following with “taking it all back” defines the claim that they will not be satisfied until the entirety of no man’s land has been cleansed of drugs.
The face of the enemy is revealed as a “poison” plaguing children. The idea of the “youth” being “immersed,” along with the image of “the tide,” suggest the significance of the damage as the victim population is completely submerged. The image could evoke both the manner in which drugs have become a problem and the enthusiasm generated in users. The tide having to be turned implies resistance against a certain current.
The structure of this manifesto continues to reveal itself. After detailing the where and the what comes the how. Fight fire with fire. Eye for an eye. ‘Violence against violence.’ The spread of the poison is considered an attack, which would be violent in nature, and the reaction would, therefore, be self-defense.
Then comes the perplexing phrasing ‘let the roundups begin,’ reminiscent of World War II and the time a group of people decided to place themselves above others and project this point of view upon the rest of the planet, sending millions to their death or concentration camps. Roundup who, exactly? And what are they to become? The next three lines add fuel to the fire, as they state ‘[n]o mercy / [n]o exception / [a] declaration of total war.’ Such lack of nuance and contrast should raise a flag. There will be no fair trial as the judgment has already been passed. A dogmatic point of view that even appeals to emotions in an attempt to establish its righteousness when it mentions that they have the best interests of ‘innnocents’ at heart.
While the apparent structure of the argument made, so far, may evoke logic, the first three lines of what could be qualified as the chorus of the song further appeals to the emotions of the audience through the use of images of child abuse and exploitation, as they state : ‘[b]orn addicted, beaten and neglected / [f]amilies torn apart, destroyed and abandoned / [c]hildren sell their bodies.’ Although it should come as no surprise that a topic so important to Karl Buechner, as has been established in the introduction to this article, should generate such an emotional reaction, this nonetheless denotes a certain shift in his discourse. As emotional as the images may be, they are not unjustified, as the Stanford Medicine website defines Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome as ‘a set of signs and symptoms that may occur after babies are exposed to medicines or other substances in the uterus before birth.’iii It also defines Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) as a term ‘used to refer specifically to withdrawal from opioids only.’ The website lists heroin as one of the opioids that could possibly cause these syndromes. This is one of the ways in which a person could be ‘born addicted.’ An article published on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website, based on survey results obtained between 2009 and 2014, children of parents with a Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD) ‘are at risk of experiencing direct effects, such as parental abuse or neglect.’iv Not only do these two articles support and document Earth Crisis’ claim that drugs have a direct, negative impact on children and families, but their publication years after Firestorm was released demonstrates the progress made in terms of preventing these situations and the relevance of the band’s message. Drugs and child abuse are still afflicting children and families to this day. As for the link drawn between drugs and child prositution, an article published on the National Library of Medicine website does support the idea that research has demonstrated the existence of a correlation between child abuse, sex work, and drug usev. The chorus, because it summarizes the argument being made in a few concise, catchy phrases, does exactly what a chorus is supposed to do. After the where, the what, and the how, the who has been defined on the sides of both the perpetrators and the victims.
The second part of the chorus serves as a proverbial nail in the coffin with the lines ‘[d]emons crazed by greed cut bystanders down / [a] chemically tainted welfare generation / [a]bsolute, complete mental degeneration’ predict the outcome of complacency. The rich will continue to profit from exploiting a population of drug users that is bound to slowly and painfully self-destruct.
In the final lines of the song, the proposal is summarized in clearer terms. The people to be rounded up are listed as being ‘[c]orrupt politicians, corrupt enforcement, drug lords, and dealers.’ Almost as a mission statement, the song ends with ‘[t]he helpless are crying out / [w]e have risen to their call / [a] firestorm to purify.’
If my first impressions of Firestorm gave me pause, an analysis of the actual lyrics lays to rest the fear of condoning the murder of loved ones. The song is directed at those exploiting, rather than those using. I would argue that anyone engaging in the commerce of drugs, whether they be facilitating it through legislation or selling it on a street corner, should be aware of the risk it entails, and that this enteprise has a way of regulating itself. Althought the fear of advocating for retribution upon family members has been relieved, there remains a point of contention in the idea that the band has appointed themselves as judge, jury, and executioners. A doubt persists in my mind that things may not be so clear cut.
An analysis of Firestorm would not be complete without a look at what is undoubtedly a response by Propagandhi, with their song Firestorm, My Ass, appearing on the 1998 release Where Quantity is Job #1.
Firestorm, My Ass
Heard a song and I counted out loud
The two-steps, the goose-steps, back from square one
From where we’d just begun
And then it rang a bell
But is this kristallnacht or what the fuck is your plan?
‘Cause I don’t deny the voice
But I defy you as the voice
Of anything I’ve stood for in these past 9 years
I’ve conquered the nurturing and found that anything
Worth conquering is powered, built, and backed
By fear, not by fact
But, having said that…
Meat is still murder
Dairy is still rape
And I’m still as stupid as anyone, but I know my mistakes
And I have recognized one form of oppression, now I recognize the rest
Life’s too short to make other’s shorter
The juxtaposition of the image of a two-step dance, a type of dance that is popular in hardcore pits, to the one of the goose-stepping of an army, a demonstration common in military parades, Propagandhi are establishing a link between the hardcore scene and conformity. Although the origins of goose-stepping can be traced to the Prussian armyvi, according to an article on the We Are the Mighty website, the image has been associated to the armies of nazi Germany because of the films used from that period. If this association appears circumstancial, the reference to kristallnacht, three lines further, closes the gap that had to be covered in such a leap. Kristallnacht refers to the night of November 9 during which the Nazi German leaders ‘a nationwide anti-Jewish riot’vii in an attempt to generate public outrage. With this comparison, Propagandhi signal the questions raised by the lyrics and ask for further details. Moreover, they are questioning the appointment of the band as the spokespeople for such a revolutionary program. Their approach would imply more compassion, as they state ‘I’ve conquered the nurturing and found that anything / [w]orth conquering is powered, built, and backed / [b]y fear, not by fact.’ In this perspective, if the world had to be ridden of drugs, they would prioritize working in cooperation rather than rounding up the perpetrators and eliminating them.
While the title and the image two-stepping appear to point a finger to Firestorm and its drug free agenda, the last part of the Propagandhi song allude veganism, sharing lyrics with their song Meat is Still Murder, appearing on Less Talk, More Rock. One could argue that it is a way to express disagreement with part of Earth Crisis’ message while shifting attention to a cause they both endorse.
Forged in the Flames
Forged in the flames of chaos
Hammered by trials to tempered steel
Convictions, tried, and tested onto a razor’s edge that’s true and real
Wrought between the hammer and the anvil
Strengthened to never breaking
The weakness that surrounds is the evil that I forsake
Never have I taken in vain the sacred vessel of my soul
I am the master of my faith, my destiny I control
Nobility lies in actions
Corrections where once was wrong
Ascension from evil with a heart that’s true and strong
Through this veil of shadows, the light of truth is my only guide
A knight unyielding
To the X I’m crucified
As mentioned in the introduction to this article, Karl Buechner stated in his Hard Lore interview that one of his intent with Earth Crisis was to provide clear guidelines to straightedge. In that same interview, Karl states that Forged in the Flames was inspired by people falling away from straightedge and them perceiving themselves as the last few remaining.
In this context, Forged in the Flames is a statement that the straightedge committment is strenghtened by resistance to temptations. If ‘chaos’ is the fire heating the blade to a degree that allows it to be molded, as supported by the line ‘[t]he weakness that surrounds is the evil that I forsake,’ and the straightedge committment is the blade being forged, reinforcement is derived from the disapproval of the behavior witnessed in the author’s environment. The ‘trials’ are the situations that test an individual’s resolve, making their committment stronger with each success. After all, how could one possible assess the strength of a committment that has never been put to the test?
The line ‘[n]ever have I taken in vain the sacred vessel of my soul’ could be interpreted as implying that Karl Buechner has never taken drugs or consumed alcohol. In this perspective, the consumption of drugs or alcohol would corrupt the user’s soul. This statement draws a line in the sand, not only among users and non-users, but also among the straightedge community, as it distinguishes two levels of straightedge -those who have never used and those who have stopped using. However, emphasis returns to the most crucial element, which would be for an individual to maintain control over their ‘faith’ and ‘destiny.’
In Firestorm, straightedge is presented as a reaction from a set of individuals to a culture of debauchery and exploitation perpetrated by society. An alternative, perhaps marginal, lifestyle choice made to stand up for the innocent. In Forged in the Flames, straightedge is qualified ‘the light of truth,’ a formulation reminiscent of organized religion. An image reinforced by the metaphor of the ‘knight,’ which could be interpreted as a reference to the knights templar, who were combining ‘ideals of chivalry’viii to a Christian faith. Support for this idea can be found in the last line of the song evoking the crucifixion. One could argue that crucifying oneself to an ‘X’ could be posturing to be a martyr. In this perspective, those who claim the edge would be martyrs of a society that glorifies the consumption of drugs or alcohol.
The origins of metal forging can be traced back around 9,000 years agoix. It could be qualified as a practice that is as old as time. The juxtaposition of the idea of metal forging, the crucifixion, and straightedge principles could be perceived as an attempt to provide a historical dimension to the conflict. The implications being that the struggle has been ongoing since time immemorial.
Unseen Holocaust
Demons descended upon the lands
The fire of greed burned within their minds
They destroyed the paradise that filled their eyes
From the East they swarmed to pillage
To populate the righteous under siege
The stream of invaders rose into a raging flood
Now the arrow shaft lays broken where the grasses dripped with blood
Unavenged apparitions of the dead walk down this trail of tears that never ends
Conquered by the sword, by treaties that were lies
Millions perished in the wars for their genocide
Decimated by Manifest Destiny
Tortured and enslaved in the name of christianity
The stream rose into a raging flood
Now the arrow shaft lays broken where the grasses dripped with blood
Unavenged apparitions of the dead walk down this trail of tears that never ends
Manifest Destiny prevails
Felled their rainforests, flood their lands
Ancient cultures destroyed by so-called civilized man
The tribal peoples of today
Survival is at stake
History means nothing if nothing’s learned from past mistakes
Stop the unseen holocaust
Relying on the image of ‘demons’ to establish a setting suggests a sort of tale and creates an mythological effect. It could be compared to the use of the phrase ‘once upon a time’ of fairy tales. In the present context, the time period referred to would begin in the 15th century, with the colonization of the americas by Portugal and Spainx, who came from ‘the East.’
By characterizing the colonizers as pillaging ‘demons’ and ‘invaders,’ Earth Crisis is acknowledging the horrifying nature of the attack, as the first nations are characterized as ‘the righteous.’ The disapproval in the results of this process is displayed in the images of blood-soaked fields and ‘unavenged’ victims returning as ghosts. Combining the barbarity of the actions to a time length of four centuries, through the reference to the Trail of Tearsxi, confers an unimaginable intensity that inreases the severity of the judgement. Replacing conquest with relocation or eradication with removal may be less direct methods, but the results are just as condemning. These results are here labeled as ‘genocide.’
Unseen Holocaust criticizes the colonization of the americas when Manifest Destiny is compared to a decimationxii. It also criticizes christianity when it implies that it was invoked to entitle people to murder and ownership of geography. While the theme of straightedge is absent for the first time on the EP, another recurrent theme in Earth Crisis lyrics appears -the environment. One only needs to think about the shirt design with the recycling symbol or later songs suchs as Destroy the Machines and Ecocide. Not only was it wrong to seize land, exact an holocaust, and justify actions with a divine proclamation, the destruction of the ecosystem of the land they were claiming for themselves would only benefit them in the short term.
Providing context for the song Unseen Holocaust in his Hard Lore interview, Karl Buechner explains that New York is surrounded by reservations and these people were coming to the shows in Syracuse. There were the Onondagas and possibly the Iroquois. Through this explanation, a certain proximity is established. With origins much closer to the band than a history book, the song draws attention to a topic still relevant today. By saying ‘[h]istory means nothing if nothing’s learned from past mistakes,’ they are saying that although irreparable damage has been done, it is not too late to gain awareness and apply this knowledge to the way you behave, today.
Eden’s Demise
Poisoned tears fall from a corroding sky down to a tortured earth that’s been left to die
The oceans diseased, the stricken lands decay
Mankind’s supremist mentality has set this world ablaze
Nature’s plan forever altered, animals lost to extinction
This society based on greed fuels the onslaught of destruction
The circle of death ends with the instigators victimized
The means to quench a selfish lust brings eden’s demise
Mass-murder, demonic cruelty
Absolute fascism
To end the enslavement and slaughter, the antidote is veganism
Don’t let your outrage for injustice end where your selfishness begins
I have conquered through self-control
Together we can win
Respect for nature and innocent life
The end of human over human oppression
A peaceful world can evolve after animal liberation
To persist with what is immoral is illogical
There’s no excuse for violence against nature or for the innocent to be killed
I see so much sickness
The enemy surrounds
I see so much sickness
I fear what the future holds
I have hope that the point of no return has not yet been passed
These are the final moments
Sand pours from a broken hourglass
Once more, christianity appears through the image of the Garden of Eden. It appeared in Forged in the Flames, through the image of the crucifixion. In Unseen Holocaust, it appeared as the justification for land grab through the image of Manifest Destiny. Because the connotation is not the same in both past references, Earth Crisis cannot be perceived as making a statement on faith, but rather as making a statement on the consequences of organized religion.
As the ‘[p]oisoned tears’ falling ‘from a corroding sky’ could be interpreted as a metaphor for acid rain, the topic of the song appears to be a reccurrence of the theme of the environment. If the first instance was to criticize colonization, or perhaps Imperialism, the present critique could be aimed at Industrialization. Among the sources for acid rain would be the sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissionsxiii, which would be caused in part by human activity through the burning of fossil fuels, for examplexiv. ‘Mankind’s supremist mentality’ and ‘greed’ are listed as the driving forces behind the pollution of a once pristine environment.
The attention focuses to one industry in particular -the food industry, as another important part of the Earth Crisis agendan appears -veganism. ‘Mass-murder,’ ‘cruelty,’ ‘fascism,’ ‘enslavement,’ ‘slaughter,’ ‘injustice,’ selfishness, and ‘oppression’ are all attributed to the meat industry, whether it be the producers or the consumers.
Veganism is presented in a dogmatic point of view, as Karl states he has ‘conquered through self-control’ and proceeds to display these principles as an absolute truth. This truth is based on respect for nature, compassion towards all life, and the idea that humans are projecting a self-proclaimed superiority on both in order to further their own agenda. In their perspective, there cannot be peace while oppression endures.
Detailing what inspired the lyrics of Eden’s Demise during his interview with Hard Lore, Karl Buechner refers to the pollution of Onondaga Lakexv and radiation towers. The Onondaga Nation website indicates that 20% to 30%, depending on the season, of the lake’s water comes from sewage from the Onondaga water treatment plant. The levels of ammonia and phosphorus in the water have increased by this dumping of human waste, catalyzing a growth in algae, which, in turn, has choked out the fish and plant populations. Amongst other issues of Onondaga Lake lay in its sediments, its solvay wastebeds, as well as its mercury levels.
In comparison to Floorpunch’s perspective on straightedge, Earth Crisis’ point of view appears to be projected on a larger scale. While the Floorpunch lyrics for Division 1 Champs appear to be directed more specifically to their community, Earth Crisis are proposing the ideals be applied to the entire world. Moreover, by addressing issues such as Colonialism, Imperialism, and Industrialization, they are taking a stand against forces much larger than the mere infiltration of a scene. Although they appear to have condescension, arrogance, and a dogmatic view in common, the lyrics of Earth Crisis are made more dense by the references they include. The formality and almost academic tone in the texts, combined to the amplified intensity of the principles, give an impression to be addressing the whole world, whereas Floorpunch may have been more limited in their target audience.
In conclusion, if the original intent of Earth Crisis was to clarify the implications of a straightedge lifestyle, Firestorm presented a program and proposed a revolution to effect change on a world set on destroying itself. In his interview with Hard Lore, while discussing the song the Discipline from their later album Destroy the Machines, Karl stated that he ‘wanted straightedge to be clearly defined as to what it means to me, Scott, and Ian, and Dennis, and Eric. Like, this, to us, is not a phase. This is not a chapter. This is the story, and the story is if we abstain from drugs, and alcohol, and smoking, and promiscuity, we are going to be sweeping obstacles out of our path. We’re going to achieve our goals quicker and faster and we’re going to be able to see things with a type of clarity that other people can’t. So I wanted to present it, to the world, what it meant to us. Which is : it’s a lifetime commitment to stay loyal to those ideas.’ Interestingly, this quote offers a certain insight in how the clarity provided by their straightedge lifestyle has motivated them to address issues on a larger scope, which is what Firestorm does.
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