Band:	Détente
Album:	Recognize No Authority
Style:	Speed metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	1986
A review by:	Marcel Hubregtse

01. Losers
02. Russian Roulette
03. It's Your Fate
04. Holy War
05. Catalepsy
06. Shattered Illusions
07. Life Is Pain
08. Blood I Bleed
09. Widows Walk
10. Vultures In The Sky

Finally, Détente's Recognize No Authority from 1986 has been re-released. Roadrunner's Midprice version has been discontinued long ago and that was the only available version on cd of this minor classic (for a small fanatic thrash in-crowd). Originally produced by Dana Strum of Slaughter and Vinnie Vincent Invasion but with quite a dodgy production to say the least. Side two of the album (or the second half of the cd, if you like) was recorded at a lower recording level than side one, there's a difference of about a decibel between the two sides. RNA was screaming for a remastered re-release. Unfortunately the master tapes are apparently missing, so a remixed version was out of the question. Steve Hochheiser (bass) did his best, however, on what he had to work with. The sound is better than that of the original version. The decibel discrepancy has been put right and now I do hear a bit more bass than on the midprice version. And all the lyrics and rare pictures are now featured as well.
Détente's biggest claim to fame for many people is the fact that it features Ross Robinson on guitar. Yes, that's right, that's the same person as the one known for his production skills of Sepultura, Korn and many a nu-metal band.
But for true fans of Détente and thrash their biggest claim to fame is the fact Recognize No Authority features the vocals of Dawn Crosby. She was one of the very first women in metal to use extreme vocals, not the growling kind but the screaming kind. Détente only released one album but Dawn did get more recognition for her vocal work in Fear Of God.
Recognize No Authority is chock full of punkish thrash metal with lyrics focusing on political and social issues such as exploitation of women (Blood I Bleed), the Middle East conflict (Holy War).
But back to the music. Like I said, Recognize No Authority is full of punkish thrash. Ten songs (one instrumental) in just over 34 minutes. The vocals are the instant focal point. Dawn screaming her lungs out in true thrash fashion. She must have been one of the very first extreme female metal vocalists back in 1986. Vocals such as Dawn's on Recognize No Authority were totally unheard of at the time. So, imagine what sort of effect they would have had on the listener back then. I certainly can remember being totally blown away by them, being the impressionably 18-year-old who had only heard normal female singing voices in metal at the time.
Except for the vocals the songs themselves also hold up well. Even after 20 years they sound pretty fresh. Well executed thrash with nice riffs, hooks and breaks, choruses you can shout along to and of course Dawn's vocals lifting them to a higher plain.
All in all, a very welcome re-release which aged very well and is relevant once again through its lyrical and musical content.
Personal favourites on this album for me are, still after 20 years, Losers, Catalepsy, and Blood I Bleed.