''Purge'' is the major label debut by the Canadian industrial

alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...

band Econoline Crush. It was released in 1994 by

EMI Music Canada EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...

, and the following year it garnered the band a nomination for a

Juno Award The Juno Awards (stylized as JUNOS), or simply known as the Junos, are awards presented by Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to recognize outstanding achievements in Canada's mu ...

. Initially in 1993, an EP titled ''The Purge Demo'' was self-released by the band (with H.M.G. as the management entity). It features a different tracklisting and a slightly altered lineup from the 1994 ''Purge'' release.

Background

''The Purge Demo'' is the band's only release to feature original members Chris Meyers and Tom Ferris, although the latter received songwriting credits on the band's two subsequent releases. ''The Purge Demo'' features eight songs. Despite "demo" in its name, only two of the songs were re-recorded for the official release of ''Purge'': "T.D.M." and "Cruel World". Two other songs off of ''The Purge Demo'', "Lost" and "Wicked", were eventually re-recorded for Econoline Crush's 1995 album '' Affliction'' (in addition to "Cruel World" for a third time). The remaining four songs on ''The Purge Demo'' remained exclusive to the release: "This Abyss", "C.D.I.D.", "Something", and "Deep Down". The songs on ''The Purge Demo'' were pulled from various recording sessions in 1992 and 1993, primarily with Ferris' equipment. Some of the songs were recorded on a

16-track Multitrack recording (MTR), also known as multitracking, is a method of sound recording developed in 1955 that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources or of sound sources recorded at different times to create a cohesive who ...

Alesis Alesis is an American company that designs and markets electronic musical instruments, audio processors, mixers, amplifiers, audio interfaces, recording equipment, drum machines, professional audio, and electronic percussion products. Based ...

. Afterwards, the band signed to EMI and they released ''Purge'' as their official debut in 1994, with Gregg Leask and Hack joining the lineup. ''Purge'' is the band's only release to feature Hack as he left the band after the supporting tours. On ''Purge'', "Pssyche" is a

Killing Joke Killing Joke were an English rock music, rock band formed in Notting Hill, London, in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass). Their first album, ''Killing Joke ...

cover. The original song initially appeared on Killing Joke's " Wardance" single in 1980.

Rhys Fulber Nowell Rhys Fulber (born October 10, 1970) is a Canadian electronic musician and producer. He is a member of Front Line Assembly and Delerium, along with Bill Leeb. He also records under his own name and under the name Conjure One. Biograph ...

, known for his work with

Front Line Assembly Front Line Assembly (FLA) is a Canadian electro-industrial band formed by Bill Leeb in 1986 in music, 1986 after leaving Skinny Puppy. FLA has developed its own sound incorporating elements of electronic body music and electro-industrial. The ba ...

and

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, provided keyboards and programming as a studio musician. Vocalist Trevor Hurst considered ''Purge'' an "introductory EP" since it was only recorded in roughly a week. The EP ultimately gave the band something to tour behind upon their signing to the EMI label.

Track listing

Track listing (''The Purge Demo'')

Personnel

Econoline Crush * Trevor Hurst – vocals * Robbie Morfitt – guitar * Dan Yaremko – bass * Gregg Leask – drums * Hack – guitar * Tom Ferris – keyboards, programming (''The Purge Demo'') * Chris Meyers – drums, programming (''The Purge Demo'') Additional personnel *

– keyboards, programming * Dale Penner – production, engineering, mixing * Noel Golden – mixing * Jason Mauza – engineering * Delwyn Brooks – engineering * Eddie Schreyer – mastering

References

Econoline Crush albums 1994 EPs {{1990s-alt-rock-album-stub