𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…
November 30, 1985 — Watchtower released their debut full-length studio album, Energetic Disassembly via Zombo Records.
This is the band's only album to feature vocalist Jason McMaster and guitarist Billy White, who were replaced by Alan Tecchio and Ron Jarzombek respectively for their next album Control and Resistance.
Energetic Disassembly has been recognized as one of the first albums in the technical Thrash Metal genre, and Chuck Schuldiner of Death had cited the album as a significant influence on the band's transition from traditional Death Metal to Technical Death Metal on their 1991 album Human.
Background:
Watchtower was formed in May 1982 in Austin, Texas. The quartet made its recording debut in 1983 with an early version of the song Meltdown, which was included on the Cottage Cheese from the Lips of Death - A Texas Hardcore Compilation LP.
It was followed by Energetic Disassembly, issued in 1985 on the band's own DIY label, Zombo Records. An earlier version of the album was recorded at B.O.S.S. (short for Bob O'Neill Sound Studios) for the group's label Rainforest Records (home to S.A. Slayer). The album was scrapped after Rainforest Records closed its doors. These "lost" recordings have since been released as part of the 2002 Demonstrations in Chaos archives release. The album also contains a re-recording of the song Meltdown (originally from the Cottage Cheese From the Lips of Death compilation).
Energetic Disassembly is notable for its heavy use of time changes and is considered to be a landmark in Progressive Metal, as well as the first album for crossing over the genres of Progressive and Thrash/Speed Metal, thus the creation of the subgenre known as Technical Thrash Metal. The album saw Watchtower tour with bands such as Slayer, Anthrax, Helstar, Celtic Frost, Voivod and Armored Saint.
Original Release Info:
Energetic Disassembly was originally released on the band's own label, Zombo Records. Zombo was the name of the band's then-manager's mute dog. Financed by drummer Rick Colaluca, 3,000 LPs and 1,500 cassettes were pressed up at the time.
Re-issues:
In 1993, Germany's Institute of Art label issued Energetic Disassembly on CD for the first time. A further Institute of Art reissue with slightly altered artwork followed in 1997. San Antonio, Texas-based Monster Underground, formerly Monster Records, would reissue Energetic Disassembly in October 2004. The album was re-released for a fourth time in 2008 via Rockadrome, formerly Monster Underground.
Energetic Disassembly is also known to have been bootlegged both on vinyl and CD.
Post-release of Energetic Disassembly:
In the fall of 1986, guitarist and founding member, Billy White, quit the band in order to pursue different styles of music. He formed the short-lived Khymera with Juggernaut drummer Bobby Jarzombek and former Karion bassist Pete Perez before joining vocalist Don Dokken for the Up from the Ashes album in 1990.
With Watchtower's future briefly in doubt, Doug Keyser auditioned for Metallica following the death of bassist Cliff Burton.
Similarly, Jason McMaster was approached by fellow Texans Pantera in search of a new vocalist. McMaster eventually exited in 1988 after getting signed to a major label deal with his side project Onyxx, later renamed Dangerous Toys, whose self-titled debut album on CBS scored the MTV hits Teas'n, Pleas'n and Scared and reached near gold status.
(Jason McMaster with Dangerous Toys)
Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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