This is an archive of the former website of the Maoist Internationalist Movement, which was run by the now defunct Maoist Internationalist Party - Amerika. The MIM now consists of many independent cells, many of which have their own indendendent organs both online and off. MIM(Prisons) serves these documents as a service to and reference for the anti-imperialist movement worldwide.

One King Down CD's Reviewed
Bloodlust Revenge
1997

by a RAIL comrade

This six song ep was OKD's only release with singer Rob Fusco, and by far their most popular. Kids in cities all over the northeast were singing along to OKD before this CD even came out. The music is heavy, with that Albany metal edge, screamy vocals, and very danceable. With Rob as the frontman, OKD's image was strictly vegan straight edge. With this message, Rob brought the energy on stage that really got kids excited. One King Down

"Absolve" is a song of personal struggle that says, "No savior can salvage my past. As your savior bleeds so do I." Here he is taking responsibility for his actions, rather than leaving them with a mystical savior. This is a concrete criticism of religion, telling people to face the real world, rather than escaping in fictional ideas. MIM takes a materialist outlook of the world in order to understand how things occur, and struggles against mystical ideas amongst our allies.

"Prey to Human Silence" is a song calling for the end of humyn consumption of other animals. The conclusion is "Butchers...vivisectors...the killers should be killed." The song ends in anger, and surely OKD have not put this into practice. However, if they truly want to reach their goals they should promote a strategy that will succeed. Obviously killing individual butchers will not end the slaughter of animals for food. Building socialism will allow more access to the media for progressive movements such as veganism. It will also eliminate the profit motive for the production of animal products. Meanwhile, guaranteed employment will allow butchers and vivisectors to play other roles in society without threatening their personal well-being. Animal liberation won't occur under capitalism.

Straight edge is a popular theme on this album. "Mass Suicide" takes the best approach to the subject. The refrain goes "This poison's addiction is a global self-genocide and the apathy it breeds is the mass suicide." It points out that through drug abuse people are killing themselves in two ways. The physical effects have the effect of killing individuals. Meanwhile, the apathy it breeds allows for the oppressers to keep the oppressed in their place. Drugs are used as a means of escapism from reality, similar to religion as mentioned above. By avoiding reality, people allow the current system of oppression to continue. And it is this system that causes people to escape from drugs in the first place. To eliminate drug abuse we must give people an alternative. Organizing for communist revolution is the best way to fight the current system, and on a personal level it gives people an alternative to drugs.

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God Loves, Man Kills
1998

This is One King Down's third CD with their third singer. Less than a year after releasing this album OKD called it quits after shows brought sparse crowd support, compared to hundreds of kids that sang along to the previous album (they have since reunited with Rob Fusco). God Loves, Man Kills has a familiar flavor to it, without the kick that OKD had in the past. And of course the title caused people to ask, "Did One King Down go christian-core?" And one look at their lyrics indicate an affirmitive.

For some reason, hardcore bands are always using religious imagery in their work, even when the message isn't religious. But God Loves, Man Kills is more than a few religious phrases such as "Deliver Me," the title of their first song. The title track is the best example of this: "without discretion / we destroy his creation." And the song concludes, "poor fallible mankind / repent for the end is near." Perhaps OKD trading in their compassion for animals for their new love of god helped them lose some of their followers. For a long time people have argued that religion does not belong in hardcore because it serves to support the status quo, while hardcore is about rejecting it. Kids are right to reject religion just as they are to reject drugs or promiscuity, for they all prevent people from struggling against the system. However, religion has taken more positive forms, for example liberation theology, which encourage people to ally with Maoist or other revolutionary forces. These religious people can play important roles in the struggle. However, if liberation is the goal, only the scientific study of reality will show you the way, not mysticism.

Jon, the new vocalist, does get some credit for rejecting the system forced upon him. The last two songs of the CD take a turn for the better. "Forever Your Enemy" is a song of youthful rebellion, refusing to give in to the system trying to manipulate him, with strong statements, such as, "as big brother watches / with my dying breath I'll spit in his face." Similarly, the final song, "From Cradle To Grave," proclaims that we were not born to serve and then die; wasting our youth away. What this song needs is a link to the oppressed people of the third world. He sings, "living a life of toil and woe / then we die." While young people in the United $tates may not face a great future depending on one's standards, the material conditions of the third world make it necessary that the system is changed according to their needs, in order to ensure a peaceful future where all have the right to self-determination. This is the sort of analysis that is not possible through mysticism. If OKD had any desire to change things they would throw out god and study the science of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.

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