Sacrifice and Slaughter were booked to open for Corrosion Of Conformity and D.R.I. at the Starwood Club (as it was called at the time, also known as Ildiko’s and The Bridge) on November 23 and November 24, 1985 respectively. November 24 was an off-day for the co-headliners so they decided to do a follow-up surprise show with Slaughter after the previous evening had seen soon-to-be thrash icons Sacrifice open the show that blended hardcore punk and thrash metal for the first time on a Toronto stage. Sacrifice was admittedly nervous about how they would be received by the punk rock audience but were also excited as they looked up to both co-headliners and were pumped to share the stage with them. The night ended up being the stuff of legends and instantly became an “I was there” event.  Worlds collided and it resulted in a raucous and rowdy night that performers and fans alike will never forget. 

All of this was unknowingly captured on tape by a crafty fan in the front row. Ray Berkis was a regular fixture at many Toronto and area shows during this time and had developed an ingenious system to be able to take the show home with him every night.  Berkis would attach an external microphone to his Sony Walkman with the mic affixed to the lapel of his leather jacket.  The bands would set up and Ray would simply hit record and find a good spot to stand where the sound was best.  Rumors of these recordings have circulated for years and even made a brief appearance on YouTube, but it wasn’t until Berkis reached out to Cursed Blessings Records President Al Nolan (who attended the show) that the existence of these legendary recordings was fully confirmed.  Live in ‘85 is a full-length vinyl and digital LP of the recordings from this night, remastered for digital and vinyl and available exclusively from Cursed Blessings Records. 

This recording is as much a time capsule as it is a thrash metal record, capturing future legends of their genre in the infancy of their journey. These recordings are RAW and UNEDITED with the sounds and ambience of the Starwood Club on full display.  If you were there, it will take you back to that November night and if you weren’t there, you’ll feel as though you were.  Limited to only 500 hand-numbered copies, this album is a must have for all fans of thrash metal and heavy music in general. Head to the Cursed Blessings webshop to order Live In ’85.

Listen to Sacrifice’s “Possession (Live In 85)”:

Listen to Slaughter’s “One Foot In The Grave (Live In 85)”:

Sacrifice was formed in Toronto by guitarists Rob Urbinati and Joe Rico in 1983. They played a prominent role in the '80s underground metal scene in Toronto, and along with Voivod, Razor and Annihilator, they are considered one of the "big four" of Canadian thrash metal. Sacrifice released four studio albums before parting ways in 1993. Reuniting in 2006, they released their fifth studio album, The Ones I Condemn, on Brazilian label Marquee Records in 2009.

Slaughter was a Toronto-based death metal band launched in 1984, with Death frontman Chuck Schuldiner briefly being part of the line-up on guitar in 1986. The band released two demos and two full albums before splitting up in 1989. In 1996 they reunited to record a cover of Celtic Frost's "Dethroned Emperor" for a tribute album, In Memory of Celtic Frost. In 2001, they re-released their iconic debut, Strappado, via the Nuclear Blast.