Wino Wednesday: The Obsessed, “Fear’s Machine” from 1992 Demo
There’s a fair amount of The Obsessed demo material floating around the limitless disorganization of the internet, but this version of “Fear’s Machine,” said to be taken from a 1992 rehearsal, is something I hadn’t yet encountered. “Fear’s Machine” was never on a The Obsessed studio album, though it was included on the 2004 reissue of 1999’s Southern Lord CD/2LP compilation, Incarnate, along with “Field of Hours,” “Climate of Despair” and “Decimation,” but it wouldn’t make a proper appearance on a studio album until Spirit Caravan recorded it for 1999’s Jug Fulla Sun debut. Seven years isn’t the longest a song has ever waited to come out, but it’s a considerable stretch anyway, and the demo proves to be much different than the finished product.
Part of that has to be due to the lineup. It’s certainly Scott “Wino” Weinrich on guitar and vocals and Greg Rogers on drums, who was with The Obsessed from the reunion in 1991 until they again disbanded in ’95, but I’m not sure who’s on bass. If this track is indeed from 1992, then it could either be Guy Pinhas or Scott Reeder. Granted, Reeder went on to join Kyuss that year shortly after the seminal desert rockers released Blues for the Red Sun, but he played in 1991’s Lunar Womb and I guess what’s not clear is if “Fear’s Machine” was recorded before or after he left and Pinhas joined [the Incarnate liner notes might be able to clear this up, but my CD is in a box from last year’s move]. The info for the video cites it as the “new lineup at the time.” Well, The Obsessed had only been kicking around again for a year or so. Wasn’t it a new lineup either way?
Whichever player it is — I have my suspicions — the bass sounds right on, and Wino‘s solo late into the track kicks into this psychedelic multi-layer swirl that’s not to be missed. Of course, Spirit Caravan‘s version was killer as well, but the demo is naturally rawer and thus also a little bit darker sounding.
Enjoy and have a happy Wino Wednesday:
