Fake Metal Sampler

4-way split between 2 punk bands and 2 Crossover bands from the Ohio area.

A test pressing version also exists in extremely small quantities, which only includes the Bagwhan/The Bastard Squad side.

The cover art is actually based on a real photo of Malcolm Ryder and Chuck Ryder of Cleveland Experimental Punk band Sosumi, where Malcolm is hitting Chuck with a mic stand in the same way. Except the in the real picture Malcolm, the singer, is wearing a Domestic Crisis shirt. For the cover they drew stereotypical Metal poseurs to go with the idea of the split being "Fake Metal", when actually only The Bastard Squad was truly a Metal band at all, and they were always known for outlandish lyrics and on/off-stage antics, such as collaborating on a split entitled "Fake Metal Sampler". Sosumi on the other hand, always included Metal elements in a few songs per-release (which cover various genres while being rooted in punk rock) and made a song about the very people caricatured on this cover, "Glam Metal is Dead".

Recording information:

The Bastard Squad's "Sure Thing" was recorded and mixed by John Walsh (also drummer of Sosumi) at Modern Recording Services. This split contains a different mix specifically done for vinyl, different from the "Desperation" and "Distant Thunder: Sounds of the Cleveland Metal Storm" version.