Addictive were an Australian

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...

band formed in 1987. The original line-up was Joe Buttigieg on guitar, Greg Smith on lead vocals and bass guitar, and Matt Coffey on drums. In February 1988, Mick Sultana was recruited on lead guitar. They released two studio albums, ''Pity of Man'' (November 1989) and ''Kick 'Em Hard'' (January 1993). In July 1990 Steve More (ex-Enticer) had replaced Coffey on drums. They were influenced by

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

Sacred Reich Sacred Reich is an American thrash metal band based in Phoenix, Arizona, that was formed in 1985. The band split in 2000, but reunited in 2006. Sacred Reich has been credited, along with Testament, Destruction, Death Angel and Dark Angel, for ...

and Nuclear Assault. Addictive disbanded in 1996. In 2004 both Buttigieg and Sultana joined a reformation of fellow thrash metallers, Mortal Sin.

History

Addictive were formed in 1987 in Blacktown by Greg Smith (vocals and bass guitar) and Joe Buttigieg (guitar), with Matt Coffey (drums) joining soon after. They expanded to a quartet when Mick Sultana (guitar) joined in February of the following year. In October 1988 they recorded a five-track extended play, ''Ward 74'', which was released by the end of that year. The group completed a tour of Sydney, Newcastle and Canberra. Their first studio album, ''Pity of Man'' was released in November 1989 on the Survival label. Justin Gaines of ''Hardrock Haven'' felt it was "a harsher, more Kreator meets Testament raw energy, which works very well." Australian musicologist,

Ian McFarlane Ian McFarlane (born 1959) is an Australian music journalist, music historian and author, whose best known publication is the '' Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop'' (1999), which was updated for a second edition in 2017. As a journalist ...

, noticed that "It revealed the band's heavily Metallica/Flotsam & Jetsam/Sacred Reich-influenced style." Steve Moore (previously of Enticer) replaced Coffey on drums in July 1990. By September they had signed with Rattlesnake through Normal Records for European distribution of their debut album. In June 1991 they supported a gig by

Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...

at the Hordern Pavilion. Addictive's second album, ''Kick 'Em Hard'', was recorded in 1991 with producer,

Bob Daisley Robert John Daisley (born 13 February 1950) is a retired Australian bass guitarist. He has collaborated on several occasions with Ozzy Osbourne, for whom he contributed bass, backing vocals, co-production and songwriting. He has also worked wi ...

. The master tapes for the album went missing for over 18 months – it was finally released in February 1993 – by which time the band had fallen from favour. Gaines rated the album as 8.5 out of 10 observing that it was "still full-on thrash metal but had a more polished sound" despite changes in musical trends. Both albums were remastered, expanded and issued as a 2×CD compilation, ''Kick 'Em Hard (Rebooted Edition)'', in 2015 on the Divebomb label – the writers of ''Hardrock Haven'' voted it as one of the top 10 albums of that year. Addictive continued to play live infrequently, but finally broke up in 1996. A short time later, Moore joined Dungeon. In 2004, guitarists Buttigieg and Sultana joined the reformed line up of fellow Sydney thrash band, Mortal Sin, although Buttigieg left that group early in the following year.

Media

*Official Video Clip: "Crazy Train" (Featuring Bob Daisley)YouTube – ADDICTIVE – 'Crazy Train' (Feat. Bob Daisley)
filmed 18 November 1991

Discography

Studio albums

* ''Pity of Man'' (Survival, November 1989) * ''Kick 'Em Hard'' (Survival, February 1993)

Compilation album

* ''Kick 'Em Hard (Rebooted Edition)'' (Divebomb, 2015)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Addictive Australian musical quartets Australian thrash metal musical groups Musical groups from Sydney Musical groups established in 1987 Musical groups disestablished in 1996