Warrior Soul
Last Decade Dead Century

THE REVIEW

"I don't pledge allegiance to flags, I burn them"

Kory Clarke, singer and mind of one of the most underrated bands in the entire American rock scene of the 90s, alias Warrior Soul, long before Rage Against The Machine and other politically engaged groups, proposed and shouted through music a vision of reality full of contradictions, oppression, violence, and injustice.

His warm voice, more inclined towards blues, in my opinion, than hard rock, and at the same time angry, advocated ideals of fighting against power and the system. He essentially aimed to be the spokesman for those street experiences that marked him in his youth, experiences he himself lived with his own eyes and on his skin (he was the driver of a notorious Detroit mafia boss and his dealer). Perhaps his limitation lies precisely in having gone too far, in the sense that at some point he perhaps immersed himself too much in the role until he wanted to become almost a prophet, a mass leader. So much so that Warrior Soul were soon dropped by Geffen, their record label, partly due to Clarke’s legal troubles.

Musically, the band offers an incredible dark and acidic rock at the same time, in which Clarke's distorted voice fits perfectly. The masterpiece of their discography, and the one that achieved the most success, was “Last Decade Dead Century”. An album that is the expression of an innovative sound for those times when Guns N’ Roses and other similar bands were prevalent. A rock reminiscent of the same Guns, but also Black Sabbath, characterized by profound psychedelic and acidic undertones (the comparison with Killing Joke, although a bit forced, is perhaps the most fitting). The strong point is, needless to say, the poignant voice of the singer that reaches its highest expression in the ballad “Lullaby”, a song which perhaps was initially conceived as a romantic ballad, but due to Clarke's vocals, becomes a sick yet fascinating song. But each song on this album represents a mark of the greatness of this band, where the best chapters are to be found in the anthems of “I See the Ruins”, in the desperation of “The Losers”, and in the anger of “Downtown”.

With this piece of writing, in my small way, I intended to pay homage to what could have become the cursed poet of rock music, but who burned out quickly perhaps due to his excessive ego. A cursed poet who, however, left us, along with his band, musical episodes of undeniable value, pieces intense and engaging like few others that intended to be a warning to the oppressed to raise their heads and fight.

"on your deathbed don’t stop smiling while the coma devours you"