by Justin Gaines
– Sr. Columnist —
Utah-based hard rockers Hard Knox made their debut in 1993 with the independently-released Psyco’s R Us. The band was a little too late for the Hair Metal party, but they rocked like that party was never going to end. Hard Knox played loud, raucous, in your face party Rock along the lines of Dirty Looks, Dangerous Toys, Kix and Spread Eagle, but they also threw in a few surprises to keep things interesting.
Hard Knox had that perfect combination of heavy, flamboyant guitars, brash, raspy vocals, and a full-on party rock attitude. Had they released this album just five years earlier, Psyco’s R Us probably would have gotten a lot of love on MTV. That ship had sailed by 1993 though. It did allow for some interesting sounds to creep into Hard Knox’s style. The mostly acoustic “Not So Bad” for example, would not have been out of place on an Alice in Chains album, and there are moments in a couple of these songs that bring to mind Mother Love Bone. There’s also a definite Metal edge that gives Psyco’s R Us a Lizzy Borden feel at times. At the end of the day though, Hard Knox played party Rock, and they did it really well.
Aside from the more somber “Not So Bad,” the best tracks on Psyco’s R Us are the brashest rockers. “Feels So Good,” “O.G.A,” Hairy Kari” and “Pushin’” in particular are all high energy, hard hitting rock songs.
Obviously, Hard Knox didn’t make it big. As much fun as their sound was, they were just playing the wrong kind of music when the grunge wave rolled in. Psyco’s R Us was their only release, and until recently was really only heard by their local fans and some serious collectors. Now that it has been re-issued though, it’s an album fans of bands like Spread Eagle, Dangerous Toys, Dirty Looks, Junkyard, Slave Raider and Lizzy Borden are definitely going to want to get their hands on.
For the longest time, Psyco’s R Us was one of the hardest to find hard rock albums, fetching upwards of $300 on ebay. Thanks to the Divebomb label, this highly sought after gem is back in fans’ hands, and as a deluxe reissue at that. Divebomb’s reissue of Psyco’s R Us features the full album, newly remastered, plus the rare 4-song demo that preceded the album (also remastered). It also features a booklet loaded with vintage photos and a new interview with vocalist Therron Arrington. It’s a reissue that looks as good as it sounds, and is going to make a lot of collectors of the ’80s and early ’90s hard rock bands very happy.
Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Band:
Chris Gigliotti (g)
Therron Arrington (v)
Perry Murphy (g)
Bryant Watson (d)
Kenny DeLand (b)
Track Listing:
1. Freight Train From Hell
2. R.R. Tracks
3. Feels So Good
4. OGA
5. Psyco’s R Us
6. Not So Bad
7. Hairy Kari
8. You’re a Mess
9. Keepin’ Up
10. Pushin’
11. Don’t Point Your Finger
12. Pushin’ (demo)
13. We Will Make It (demo)
14. She Do It For Money (demo)
Label: Divebomb Records
Hardrock Haven rating: 8.75/10
