8-Way Santa [Deluxe Edition]

Tad: Tad Doyle (vocals, guitar); Gary Thorstenson (guitar); Kurt Danielson (bass, vocals); Steve Wied (drums).
Recorded at Smart Sudios, Madison, Wisconsin.
An album so ferocious that it had to be defanged of both its mischievous original cover and one of its best song titles ("Jack Pepsi," rechristened just "Jack"), 8-WAY SANTA placed the mighty Tad on the grunge-metal map. Fronted by hefty singer/guitarist Tad Doyle, the Seattle act lumbers through this bold offering, presenting hard-hitting tunes such as "Giant Killer" and "Trash Truck," sounding like a more straightforward, backwoods version of the Melvins. Although SANTA has its moodier moments (the brooding "Candi" and "3-D Witch Hunt"), it's mainly content to charge ahead with gleeful malice, easily making it one of Tad's finest outings.