NATIONS ON FIRE - STRIKE THE MATCH - TAPE (STTC 018)
Originally released 35 years ago by Strive Records (sublabel of X-Mist Records), Nations on Fire “Strike the Match” LP became one of the best and most inspiring albums of the decade. This great-sounding material was recorded at Metropool Studios in Holland and at Westbeach Recorders in California (Bad Religion’s studio!).
On this LP, Nations on Fire managed to capture the best elements of current hardcore from the USA, along with the aggression, energy and political awareness of European bands of the 80s. All of this was combined with deeply passionate lyrics and liner notes. These writings became manifestos of the political scene and of Straight Edge hardcore during this period.
Their lyrics covered a wide array of topics: radically targeting racism and nationalism
(“Put down that flag!”; “Striving for a master race – my fist in your face”); organized religion ( “No god – no prophet – no profits – no leader – no masters – no book of lies”); corporate interest in the creation of the European Union (“Europe 1992 is a joke”); exploitation and abuse of animals, while promoting social activity (“You can
get involved, there’s a lot of social problems that you can solve”); straight edge as a personal choice (“It’s my lifestyle, it remains my choice”); inclusiveness in the hardcore scene (“Join the Brotherhood! Join the Sisterhood!”); and commitment (“Dedication”). Their message were both confrontational, encouraging and inspiring and make big impact on hardcore scenes worldwide.
35 years since the release of this album, it’s message is still valid, especially as we take into account the current political situation both in Europe and the world. There are many reasons that this album should still be readily available!
In 2021 Edward Verhaeghe from Nations On Fire/Good Life Recordings found a box of unused inlays in his warehosue from the original 1991 tape release on X-Mist Records. So we decided to make a 30th anniversary edition doing different color variants of only 30 copys each including the original 1991 inlay + a including digital download.
In 2026 we will be celebrate its 35 th anniversary, so we decided to once more repress it and make available again. Including free digital download.
Track info:
1. Flag Song
2. Nice Song
3. Iron Will
4. Radical But Not Cool
5. Experts Agree
6. Nations On Fire
7. Strong Song
8. Bug In My Eye
9. Learn Song
10. New Hope For A Dead Scene
11. The Line
12. Dedication
Pressing info:
1 st press: 30 th ANNIVERSARY (2021)
30 YELLOW TAPES
30 RED TAPES
30 BLUE TAPES
30 GREY TAPES
2 nd press: 35 th ANNIVERSARY (2026)
50 BLACK TAPES
including digital download
https://sticktothecore.bandcamp.com/album/strike-the-match
THIS IS A PRE-ORDER AND WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JANUARY 2026
AND WILL BE SHIPPED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT
(c) 1991 Nations On Fire
(p) 2021 Stick To The Core
