KINETIC DISSENT
CONTROLLED REACTION (DISTORTED BLOOD VINYL 2LP)

What should and could have been? That is one of the joys uncovering the vast metal underground. As music fans ourselves we love to churn up old favorites and re-present them again via reissues and collections. KINETIC DISSENT are one of those groups in the late '80s that graced fanzine pages and college radio playlists with invigoratingly fresh sounds combining technical flair with a fine mix of aggressivity and melodicism to appeal to diverse audiences. The Atlanta 5-piece even garnered the elusive label deal, with Roadrunner no less, but still future success alluded them. Yet it doesn't take away from the appeal and memories of a bygone day so we celebrate KINETIC DISSENT with a 2LP reissue collecting the progressive/power metallers 4 demos on limited-edition (250) on distorted blood colored vinyl with an incredible 8-page zine insert filled with original photos, lyrics, and an interview in cooperation with the band. 

Their infancy dates back to around 1984 with a small group of friends writing and recording initial ideas on a four-track home studio. Having immediately set out to be an all-original band, once solidified as KINETIC DISSENT in 1987, the group quickly set out to work on a six-song demo, The Fall of Individualism, that same year. The core line-up - Dwight Irvin (vocals), Stephen Danyo (guitar), and Ed Reimer (drums) - was then joined by new bassist Troy Stephens and the return of early guitarist Rick MacConnell. As a five-piece, the band commenced performing live and subsequently recorded the classic 4-song Controlled Reaction demo in 1988 at Audio Animations in Smyrna, GA.

The strengths of that demo landed KINETIC DISSENT a deal with Roadrunner Records. The label covered the band at Musicplex Studios in Atlanta to demo four new songs that would eventually be re-recorded for their full-length debut. That album, I Will Fight No More Forever (1991) - the group’s lone proper release - remains an unsung masterpiece of truly unique and innovative progressive thrash metal. However, despite having opened for the likes of Death Angel, Pantera, Type O Negative, Fates Warning, etc., KINETIC DISSENT never received proper tour support to promote the album. Danyo left, and the remaining quartet self-financed the recording of three new songs in 1992. Roadrunner decided to pass, and within a year this promising young outfit had run its course far too soon.