Sounds of Nature

A largely underrated hardcore band of Northern California’s skate-punk heyday, Christ on Parade recorded Sounds of Nature for Pusmort Records (the label of underground artist Pushead) in 1985. The East Bay quintet lived and played at the infamous New Method Warehouse where they shared the stage with Circle Jerks, Agnostic Front and Subhumans before being the very first band to headline the legendary Berkeley punk venue 924 Gilman Street. Their debut long-player reiterates Christ on Parade’s stalwart politically motivated stance – fan favorite “America the Myth” questions Reagan-era foreign policy while the driving opening tune “Drop Out” suggests that since history was written by the winners, one must drop out of the system to learn more historically accurate truths and injustices as well as to redefine terms like “success” and “happiness” by experience. The anarcho-pacifist “Don’t Draft Me” and “My Life” were both featured on Thrasher Magazine’s Skate Rock Vol. 3 in 1985 – the latter opens with a riff inspired by Sacred Denial before flirting with classic garage rock. A more aggressive cover of the Avengers’ “The American In Me” ends the album.