Excel reissuing debut on Southern Lord, playing NYC w/ Strife

by Ian Chainey

Split Image album art

Venice, California crossover thrashers Excel will be playing a one-off show with fellow SoCal-ians Strife on June 17 at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn. Tickets are on sale now.

The show is yet another neat development in a flurry of recent activity for Excel, who reformed in 2012 after a 17 year break. Earlier this week, it was announced Southern Lord would repress the outfit’s debut LP, Split Image. Released in 1987, Split Image was a landmark recording in the then-burgeoning Venice scene that counted bands like Suicidal Tendencies, No Mercy, and Beowülf within its ranks. The album matched the quick push of thrash with the pull of chunky core strums, all delivered with a snottiness befitting its punk roots. The re-release will include heaping helpings of bonus material (demos, collected comp tracks), new art, and a book of photos. Keep your eyes peeled for pre-orders, as those will be fulfilled with a gift: a limited single collecting two tracks from the group’s early demo days.

Of course, the more hardcore-aligned Strife are no slouches themselves, also hitting the Boston date of the Chain of Strength reunion tour.

To get you ready for the show, take a gander at both bands playing live and a Split Image video below…

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