Battalion of Saints – Death-R-Us – Review

Battalion of Saints

Death-R-Us (Taang!)
by Joshua Brown

On the eve of their reunion (with the singer as only original member) under the moniker Battalion of Saints A.D., Taang! has issued a compilation of most of their songs from the early ’80s. Along with these are two new tracks, “Hell’s Around the Next Corner” and “Thru With You,” also released as a 7″ single. Battalion of Saints were personal heroes of mine “back in the day” (When I was your age, I had to walk 20 miles through the snow to hardcore shows and I liked it!). They lived up to the “live fast die young,” “hope I die before I get old” ethic (four members have died) without feeling the need to obnoxiously burden us with their pain (unlike our beloved GG, of blessed memory). I wish them luck in the ’90s, because they were the fucking best. Oldies like “I Wanna Make You Scream,” about the Hillside Strangler (“My hands around your neck, it’s a better world that you’re dead”) and “Intercourse,” about prostitution (“Intercourse is the only way, that’s what keeps me alive”), still bring me to the verge of tears with their ability to face reality head-on with no artificial barriers. When they were passing out rose-colored glasses, Battalion of Saints were probably off taking a high-speed joyride through the Hollywood Hills, a joyride destined to be short-lived.