POISON IDEA - "Feel The Darkness" (Multiple Versions & Formats)

Between the band's 40 year run, to their massive discography of well over 50 titles, we’re hoping that at this point POISON IDEA doesn’t need any introduction. But just in case, let’s cover the broad strokes:

-POISON IDEA is a pioneering American Hardcore/Punk band founded in 1980 in Portland, OR.

-POISON IDEA boasts an unblemished and unprecedented catalog of 8 studio albums, 25+ singles and EPs and many, many other releases.

-POISON IDEA's music continues to influence generations of Punk, Hardcore and Metal bands worldwide.

-This legacy cements POISON IDEA’s inarguable status as one of the GREATEST PUNK BANDS OF ALL TIME.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s discuss the album in question, POISON IDEA’s 1990 masterwork, Feel The Darkness.

Feel The Darkness was widely hailed as an immediate classic upon its original release, and its status as one of the greatest Punk albums of all time has endured to the present day. This is evident from its regular and frequent inclusion in music press-published “Greatest Punk Albums Of All Time” lists. Among diehard P.I. fans, this album is rivaled only by Kings Of Punk”as the crown jewel of POISON IDEA’s discography.

Longtime P.I. and TKO Records devotees alike are doubtlessly familiar with the previously released 2018 version of Feel The Darkness. This complete remix and remastering was a massive undertaking that sought to deliver the definitive version of this album. BUT, valiant and noble as our efforts were, over the subsequent years, repeat listens began to reveal a few cracks in the armor: a missing guitar part here, an absent backing vocal there, etc. So with a renewed vigor and the power of hindsight, we decided to take another crack at constructing the ULTIMATE version of this important album. Gathering the multi-track transfers from the original master tapes and newly unearthed audio sources, we returned to the studio.

This time around, TKO entrusted venerated Portland recording engineer Larry Crane with the monumental task of this new remix. Larry’s impeccable credentials (founding Jackpot Studios and Tape-Op magazine) and his deep connection to Portland underground music (as archivist of the Elliot Smith estate, etc) made him an obvious choice for the job.

What resulted is a carefully crafted mix that restores many of the original decisions which the previous 2018 version steered away from, as well as improving and refining on the 1990 version where appropriate. Reverse-engineered with love and attention, this new version is true to the spirit of the original album, preserving its authenticity in every way possible.

So, without further ado, TKO Records is proud to reintroduce Feel The Darkness, now in its definitive version.

As the first entry in the new POISON IDEA REMASTERS series, this release sets the standard for the subsequent titles that we’ll be reissuing in 2024. For now, please enjoy the final word on POISON IDEA’s magnum opus, Feel The Darkness.

FIRST PRESSING, FEBRUARY 2024
BLACK VINYL - 1,801 copies

Side A (Original Album)

1. Plastic Bomb
2. Deep Sleep
3. The Badge
4. Just To Get Away
5. Gone For Good
6. Death Of An Idiot Blues
7. Taken By Surprise

Side B (Original Album)

1. Alan's On Fire
2. Welcome To Krell
3. Nation Of Finks
4. Backstab Gospel
5. Painkiller
6. Feel The Darkness

Side C (Singles, B-sides & Outtakes)

1. We Got The Beat (the Go-Gos)
2. Discontent
3. Jail House Stomp
4. The Harder They Come (Jimmy Cliff)
5. Lawdy Miss Clawdy (Lloyd Price)
6. This Is It

Side D (Alternate Mixes)

1. Plastic Bomb (Alternate Mix)
2. Death Of An Idiot Blues (Thee Idiot Mix)
3. Feel The Darkness (Remix)
4. Crack Smoking Freak