DÉTENTE - Recognize No Authority SLIPCASE CD

Mastered by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY in February 2023.

Détente were formed in Los Angeles in 1984 by ex-First Attack and Allies frontwoman Dawn Crosby along with drummer Dennis Butler and guitarist Fred Tutone. The thrash metal outfit recorded a 4-track demo tape at the end of 1985 consisting of the songs “Widow’s Walk”, “Holy War”, “Shattered Illusions” and “Vultures In The Sky”. Brian Slagel of Metal Blade got wind of the band and placed “Widow’s Walk” on the seventh volume of his compilation series »Metal Massacre«.

Détente played around Los Angeles until the group’s original bass player was fired along with Tutone. This line up shuffle heralding the arrival of the dual guitar team of Celeb Quinn and Ross Robinson plus new bassist Steve Hochheiser.

This incarnation of the band recorded the debut album »Recognize No Authority«, which was produced by Dana Strum (bassist of Vinnie Vincent Invasion). The album was far ahead of its time in combining speed metal with socially conscious lyrics. In his book »The Collector’s Guide To Heavy Metal: Volume 2 – The Eighties« renowned Canadian metal journalist Martin Popoff wrote: “Actually, the production kinda blows, and musically this sounds like more memorable Bay Area thrash put through a sausage grinder, ‘Catalepsy’ in particular sounding like a trailer for Mustaine’s first record.”

Dawn Crosby supposedly refused to accept an offer of 15,000 US Dollars for nude photos by OUI magazine. “I am not taking off my clothes, neither for money nor for fame,” is what she said in an interview with German magazine Crash back in 1986.

Following the album release Détente broke up in acrimonious circumstances. Guitarists Ross Robinson and Caleb Quinn quit together with bassist Hochheiser claiming the band name for themselves while Dawn Crosby carried on under the new name of Fear Of God (not to be confused with the Swiss band of the same name).

Fear Of God eventually signed to Warner Brothers and in 1991 released a full-length album entitled »Within The Veil«. »Toxic Voodoo« followed on Pavement in 1993.

Lori Dawn Crosby Little died on December 15th 1996 of liver failure from substance abuse at the age of only 33.

MATTHIAS MADER

High Roller Records, reissue 2023, slipcase, poster, mastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony.

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