Radical Research Podcast

It began with suffering and ended with screams (and whispers). St. Louis' radically-progressive Anacrusis never enjoyed the recognition they so deserved, but popular neglect did little to temper their potent vision. A product not only of the ‘80s thrash scene but also of the fertile post-punk and alternative rock landscapes, Anacrusis mined an especially personal sound that reconciled the aggression of the heaviest metal with a plaintive, often painful, sense of melancholy. On their final two albums, the towering Manic Impressions and Screams and Whispers, the band developed a harmonic guitar strategy that continues to test the limits of innovation. On this, the 34th episode of Radical Research, we survey the expanse of the band's four albums and hope to convert both initiates and skeptics to the Anacrusis faith. Note I: In 2010, Anacrusis independently released re-recorded versions of their first two albums, Suffering Hour and Reason, with the original lineup (Nardi, Heidbreder, Emery, Owen). While we unde