Stormtroopers of Death | TheAudioDB.com

Artist Name
Stormtroopers of Death

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Rise of the Infidels
(2007)

Bigger Than the Devil
(1999)

Speak English or Die
(1985)

Members
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4 Male

Origin
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New York

Genre
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Thrash Metal

Style
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Metal

Mood
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Born

born icon 1985

Active
1985 to dead icon 2007

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Alternate Name
S.O.D.

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Artist Biography
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Stormtroopers of Death (abbreviated to S.O.D.) were an American crossover thrash band formed in New York City in 1985. They are credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes referred to as crossover thrash. The band is also known for reuniting Anthrax members Scott Ian (guitars) and Charlie Benante (drums) with their former bassist Dan Lilker. The song "Chromatic Death" from their 1985 debut album, Speak English or Die, was the Headbanger's Ball intro anthem for many years.

The band were the source of some controversy due to their deliberately offensive lyrics. Scott Ian described the songs on Speak English Or Die as "ridiculous" and "just a big inside joke", adding: "Some people thought we were racist, and those people are stupid." Bassist Dan Lilker stated: "The lyrics were never intended to be serious, just to piss people off." The band had several periods of inactivity following their formation in 1985. According to singer Billy Milano, the 24-song extended play of live and unreleased material called Rise of the Infidels, released in August 2007 on Megaforce Records, "will finally be the last of S.O.D.," laying to rest rumors of another reunion.

After finishing his guitar tracks on the Anthrax album Spreading the Disease, Scott Ian would draw pictures of a character known as "Sargent D." The pictures would be accompanied by slogans such as "I'm not racist; I hate everyone" and "Speak English or Die," and Ian would write lyrics about the character. He decided to form a hardcore band based on Sargent D, so he recruited Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante, ex-Anthrax bassist Dan Lilker, and Psychos bassist Billy Milano on vocals.

They recorded a 63-song demo called Crab Society North and set to work on an album for Johnny Zazula's Megaforce Records. The album, titled Speak English or Die, was recorded and mixed over three days and has since been hailed as a landmark album that was among the first to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal. They toured in support of the album in 1985, opening for Motörhead and The Plasmatics, among others. Their music served as the theme of the '80s incarnation of MTV's Headbangers Ball. They planned a follow-up titled USA For S.O.D.,, which was ultimately scrapped and never recorded.

After their tour ended, Lilker carried on with the band Nuclear Assault while Benante and Ian continued with Anthrax. Milano formed the spin-off band Method of Destruction, known as M.O.D. The band's first album U.S.A. for M.O.D., featured many lyrics written by Scott Ian, as well as an altered version of "Aren't You Hungry," an unrecorded S.O.D. song played during their 1985 tour.