- published: 11 Dec 2013
- views: 69398
downset. (originally called Social Justice) was a rapcore group hailing from Los Angeles, California.
The band's original moniker was Social Justice. They released their debut album, Unity Is Strength, in 1989 and the EP I Refuse To Lose under this name with a different lineup in 1992. They are known for being one of the first hardcore bands to incorporate hip hop and funk influences into their music.
In 1992, Social Justice (1987–92) changed their name to downset., and released the Our Suffocation demo in 1993. The album, which explored various social issues such as the death of lead singer Rey Oropeza's father at the hands of the LAPD, was praised by critics.
Later in 1994, downset. signed a deal with Mercury Records, a subsidiary of Polygram Records, and released their self-titled effort in the same year. In 1994 downset began gaining popularity in Europe after touring there with Biohazard and Dog Eat Dog followed by a tour with Pantera and The Almighty later that year. In early 1995 downset. returned to Europe with Sullen for a massive headlining tour. In 1995 they also appeared at some major rock festivals throughout the continent including Roskilde and Dynamo. In 1996, the band released their most commercially successful album, Do We Speak A Dead Language?, through Mercury.
Come with the bloody moon and the chaos,
Gog and magog triple six reigns over spirits lost.
Satanic nations and thrones reign and slay,
but solid is super-souls love and righteous pathways,
Asking me why I ain't down with the bloodshed,
wicked fool we approve of lies as eternal truth,
Worship the mark of the beast demonic feast,
Seven the seals sacred faith no need to pack steal,
No "geed-up" rap anywhere up and on me,
Strictly KRS, Public Enemy, Bob Marley,
Mad ups to MLK and the infintie Ghandi,
Doom to the demons that dominate all around me.
Deep in the soul fool,
you know you aint right running around with your eyes shut tight!
I know what it's like to not want to see the sunrise,
So shattered the pictures on fire, the winter never lies,
but that chemical won't allways keep the empty space full,
Bludgeon corrode desecrate the body temple,
Half the fools we know yes they sick style sprung,
Deeper and further from ourselves I have always watched us run,
From the family perspective yes I've watched the dope wreck shit,
Deep "veteranos, Tequatos" fool this childhood knows!
Deep in the soul,
Fool you know you ain't right going around with them eyes shut tight!
Further away from ourselves! Further away from the truth!
You can throw the set in the sky,
But the eternal majestic Mount Zion you can't deny.
A gat, a clip, a hollow-tip with your name on it,
loving to trip but one day you'll get caught up and slip!
So cheap a death but my brother so precious is life,
speaking the language of fratracidal sights,
You do like "Cain" did "Able" you love to watch your brother's blood,