TRACK #382:

Freddy Krueger by Stormtroopers of Death

Despite the extensive line-up from Monster Raps Pt. 3, MCs in 1987 weren’t the only ones speaking on Freddy Krueger.

In fact, as far back as 1985 comes tonight’s entry, from Punk-Thrash crossover legends, Stormtroppers of Death.

Affectionately referred to by their ardent following as S.O.D., the Stormtroppers were a side project of Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian and fellow Anthraxer, drummer Charlie Benante. They brought along former Anthrax bassist Dan Lilker and rounded the whole thing out with the bassist from The Psychos, Billy Milano, on vocals.

What followed was the landmark one-off (for almost 15 years anyway) album, 1985’s Speak English or Die, a record that was just about immediately (and is even still) held in almost universal regard by Metal, Thrash and Hardcore fans alike.

While not without their controversy (the album is aggressively jingoistic and baked in 80’s Islamophobia) S.O.D. maintained that their decidedly un-PC approach was all in good fun and, as Scott Ian himself put it “just to piss people off.” Well, they certainly made good on that, managing to get the album banned in both Canada and Europe.

And that was in 1985! Given our current cultural climate the buzzy “problematic” probably wouldn’t begin to describe how S.O.D.’s Speak English or Die would be viewed today. Though, most of the current vitriol is aimed squarely at Billy Milano, as Scott and the others stand by the “satire.” Now, whether Billy was joking or not remains to be seen, but the remainer or his career definitely didn’t disavow anyone of the notion that he was not.

For some folks (fans or otherwise) none of that really matters, as the defense of “oh we’re just having fun, and you’re being too sensitive” doesn’t really hold much water with them in 2024 coming from 4 white dudes that look like this invoking the image of Stormtroopers.

As it stands, this 37 year old album, though legendary as it is to those who would proclaim it as such, is largely only known to those very same people.

But if you do know it, chances are you love it. So, fuck it. Besides, despite glorifying a child murdering pederast, this song isn’t problematic at all!

Here’s Freddy Krueger…

Spelled properly. Just sayin’.