Metal Duck "Quackcore" demo tape 1987

Metal bands are usually dead serious, what with their cheesy poses, epic perms and monster-themed artwork. Well, I suppose quite a few punk bands could fit the above definition too. So what's not to like about a spoof metal band with songs about ducks?

Metal Duck are probably to early thrash-metal what Hard Skin are to oi music. Formed in 1985 in Cheshire, MD are notorious for their split Lp with the equally silly Lawnmower Deth, but I think their crowning glory - so to speak - is that first demo entitled "Quackcore", recorded in 1987. As we all know, the mid to late 80's saw many punk bands toying more or less successfully with metal. The blend could go very well (Antisect, Concrete Sox, mid-80's English Dogs) or sink in metallic cheesiness, lengthy solos and ridiculous lyrics (late 80's English Dogs, late Onslaught, late Anihilated as those three bands definitely lost it at some point). Despite the lack of information about Metal Duck, I am pretty sure they were punx who enjoyed metal but found the lyrics and the attitude ridiculous and thus decided to have a laugh.  The result is actually highly enjoyable as this demo can attest. It is much more metal-punk than straight-up thrash to be honest, reminiscent of the good metallic punk period of English Dogs, The Fiend, Anihilated, Broken Bones or Onslaught (bar the terrible devil-worshipping obviously), some early crust music (think Apocalypse or Sacrilege) and real metal bands like Metallica or Sodom. There is even a grinding song on the tape with "NDQC". The riffs are effective  and the guitar sound has this dirty yet heavy, vibrating sound that is so loveable. The drumming is simple and the vocals are shouted and sound very punk, actually, as anarchonistic a comment this might be, MD's singer sounds just like Ausgebombt's.

As you can guess from the artwork (a demonic rendering of Daffy Duck) and the songs' titles, the lyrics are pretty silly with songs called "Bomb bay duck" or "The march of Metal Duck to the ponds of hell" but apart from some ridiculous and funny intro, the music on the whole doesn't sound like a joke, not unlike Hard Skin's music doesn't give away the parodic element. If you like proper metal-punk that doesn't take itself seriously, you are bound to love Metal Duck.    

Metal Duck "Quackcore" demo 1987