Tales From The Hard Side

Album: State Of The World Address (1994)
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Songfacts®:

  • Biohazard has never been shy about addressing difficult social issues. The video for this song portrays a young gang member carrying out a crime as initiation. Taking a closer look, the lyrics run deeper as highlighted by the line, "the virus of hate infects the ignorant mind."

    Evan Seinfeld, who was the lead singer at the time, told us about his writing approach: "I look for inspiration in everyday life things. I like to write using metaphors. I feel I can reach more people like that when I write about relatable topics, more metaphor driven. All my lyrics my whole life are based on some kind of reality."
  • State Of The World Address marked the first time the band worked with producer Ed Stasium, who had helmed the albums Road to Ruin and Too Tough to Die for the Ramones.
  • All six guitar strings are tuned down a semitone, creating a thick and deep sound. Most of the guitar chords in the song are played using only the top three strings. This is common in Heavy Metal because it provides the option of using just one finger to fret all three strings, allowing for faster movement along the neck with more complicated riffing.
  • The sinister edge to the song can leave the listener wondering if that dark shadow known as the augmented 4th chord, sometimes called "the devil's interval," will make an appearance. When played in the right context it is a disturbing aural vibe similar to the sounds of emergency sirens, and sirens do slide into the song at the 2:36 mark.

Comments: 1

  • Beanerman69 from New YorkBiohazard, you are the best!
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