DEATHRASH CANADIAN LEGENDS DISCIPLES OF POWER!!!
Disciples Of Power, is a name that holds a lot of meaning for me. I grew up since 1989 with their amazing music. You probably never heard of them!? They were a local act from my area back in Canada. I thought I would write this article on them as they never came even close to receiving the recognition they so richly deserved! Their style started out in the early days mainly as thrash but before long they heavily incorporated death metal stylings into their attack. The band started out in the Medicine Hat, Alberta region in 1987, later that same year they released a demo entitled "Call Of The Cathulu", which I have unfortunately never heard. The next year (1988) heralded a 2nd demo tape called "The Power Of Death", a very cult sounding tape that shows a unpolished band with much potential. At a young age (still in high school I believe) D.O.P. penned songs that showed a great deal of maturity. This 2nd demo caught the attention of a small Canadian indie label from the east called Fringe Product (Who had a couple cult Canadian bands such as Slaughter, Razor, Sacrifice and Dogs With Jobs (featuring the ex-Piledriver singer)). Fringe issued the bands stellar debut "Power Trap" which boasted an array of memorable catchy thrashing tunes such as "Disciples Of Power", "Shades Of Grey", "Crisis", "Night Of The Priest", & "Bitch Of Doom". Since the beginning D.O.P. has really been the brainchild of the very talented biker looking Hart Bachmier (composer/guitarist/vocalist/manager). Their debut album set the stage for the band as they hit the road in support doing a full Canadian tour and recording a video for the metal anthem "Crisis", which funnily enough due to a artistic slush fund was paid for by the Canadian government! It received heavy play on the Canadian Much Music video channel during the Power Hour and later Power 30 programs. After a small inactive period the band produced their 2nd LP (1992) for Fringe entitled "Ominous Prophecy", which showed composer Hart flexing his ample technical muscles and death metal influences. Abandoning slightly their straight on thrash balls out thrash attack and the songs no less amazing were more intricate and lengthy. A second video once again paid for by the government was made for the emotion and heavy song "Nature's Fury (Betrayed Earth)", filmed with the band apparently very inebriated. Another Canadian tour followed with a host spot on Much Music's metal show Power 30 which featured all videos picked by the band. Those videos included 2 of their own plus videos from bands like Razor and Sacrifice. 1993 saw Disciples Of Power leaving Fringe Product and they released their 3rd full-length "Invincible Enemy" thru their own newly formed label Mindt Gash Records. Their most mature effort it seemed to combine the first albums perfectly melding the technical with brutality and heaviness. Yet another Canadian tour helped spread their name. I was fortunate enough to see them play on that tour at the Moshfest show in their new home town of Edmonton (still their home), Alberta. Live the band are really in their element very commanding, tight and always making sure the sound was great so every classy note of their death metal art could be heard. After this the band became inactive once again, not surfacing until 1996 with "Mechanikill", a still very good album in it's own right. But my least favorite as they expanded their sound into what they dubbed 'Cyber Metal'. They played shows this time just around our native province. I caught them once again live closer to my home base in Red Deer, they had added a new vocalist and him and Hart split the vocals which did surprisingly work out well. Shortly after due to increasing frustration at their lack of recognition releasing 2 demos and 4 extremely great, stylish, classic in the making albums and no one seemed to notice. All the band members remained active doing other projects. However, in the closing months of 1997 they reformed to play some shows (I saw them yet again and it was maybe their best performance yet!) around the area. I talked to them recently and they said they had plans of possibly another tour and a possible live album and then a new studio release!! I hope it becomes reality and I can only hope this time people stand up and notice their genius, and brilliant music not to mention talents. Try to find their stuff I promise you will not be disappointed!!! The last address I have is quite old so I do not know if it is still any good or not!? Keep this in mind when writing.
* *DISCIPLES OF POWER
P.O. Box 474
Medicine Hat, Alberta
T1A 7G2 CANADA**
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