Great Punk/Metal Albums of 1986: Dayglo Abortions: Feed Us a Fetus

The success of thrash metal in 1986 prompted a lot of punk bands to cross over into heavy metal. However, no band did it better that year than Canada’s Dayglo Abortions. What was once known as hardcore punk won over many metalheads, like me, who were getting heavily into thrash.

One song which highlights the successful crossover is “Argh, Fuck Kill.” What I love here is the fact that they took all the stereotypes people had about punk and thrash and made a song out of it. The main lyrics of the song simply go, “Blah, blah blah, blah, blah blah, blah, blah” until the shouting of the title in the chorus. It has been said that those three words are the most common in punk songs. Therefore the Dayglo Abortions take those stereotypes and make fun of them in a cool hardcore way.

That is the great thing about “Feed Us a Fetus,” it makes fun of lots of things, especially all the things I found wrong with 80s Reagan America. A definite target is religion, actually the rise of the TV evangelists which seemed to dominate Sunday morning television back then. “Die Sinner Die” and “Religious Bumfucks” tackle it very well. America itself is also targeted via songs such as “Wake Up America” and “Ronald McRaygun.” On the other hand, the band takes a poke at their own country with “Proud to be a Canadian.”

Darker issues are also up for satirical scrutiny in the songs. At the time, many people were still in awe of the lyrics in Suicidal Tendencies’ “I Saw Your Mommy.” Dayglo Abortions take it even further with the song, “I Killed Mommy,” where the chorus goes: “I killed mommy with an automatic.” I don’t think that song would have gotten airplay on commercial radio. Then again, in another song, they want to kill the hosers but with the hardcore thrash sound this band produces, it all sounds good. One noteworthy piece of musicianship is on “Stupid World,” where there is a part borrowed from the Led Zeppelin classic, “Whole Lotta Love.”

With twenty-four songs in less than forty-four minutes, one might think the album goes by in a blur. Not with these songs, each one is unique and not enough praise is given to the band for pulling it off so well. Still, there is one song which stands out above the rest and that happens to be “Black Sabbath.” It’s not really a dig at Sabbath, although Murray Acton does sound a little like Ozzy here, okay maybe a little, after all the second verse goes:

Tony Iommi is my God, his guitar solos have been asterialized

Ozzy Osbourne is so out in space, he probably like it if I pissed in his face

In reality, I think the song simply makes fun of those who copy their favourite rock stars to the point of being a fanatic. Then again, very little is sacred when viewed through the satirical eye of the Dayglo Abortions.

Track Listing:

1. Stupid Songs
2. Argh, Fuck Kill
3. Die Sinner Die
4. My Girl
5. Dogfarts
6. Inside My Head
7. Wake Up America
8. Proud to Be Canadian
9. Stupid World
10. Ronald McRaygun
11. Kill the Hosers
12. Religious Bumfucks
13. 1967
14. I Killed Mommy
15. I’m My Own God
16. Used to Be in Love
17. Suicide
18. The Idiot
19. Germ Attack
20. Scared of People
21. Black Sabbath
22. I Want To Be an East Indian
23. Kill Cunt Brain
24. Whiter Than Hitler

‘The Cretin’ Murray Acton- guitar, vocals

Spud- bass, vocals

Jesus Bonehead- drums

“Feed Us a Fetus” by the Dayglo Abortions is not for the feint-hearted or the easily offended. I can see why they dedicated the album to Tipper Gore. But if you like some good hardcore punk/thrash and have a sense of humour, then this is the album for you.

Next post: Reflecting on Some Local Bands

To buy “Rock and Roll Children,” email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

Note: If Mike’s experiences with the book is making you reluctant to take the plunge, Steve from Every Record Tells a Story has received his copy no problem. Another copy has been posted to Mike.