Battle Zone
History
A Chelmsford based Oi! / RAC band, formed in early 1989.
The original line-up was Alex Ellui on vocals, ‘J’ on bass and Raf on drums and Scouse on guitar.
The first single ‘Way Of Death’ was only intended as a demo. Raf played guitar and programmed the drum machine – there were no real drums on that recording. This was recorded on to audio cassette at Adelaide Studios in Maldon, Essex on 5th July 1989.
However, the demo proved popular and Rebelles Europeens decided to release it as a single. In the meantime they found a full line-up, Alex on vocals, ‘J’ moved to guitar and they recruited Leon on bass and Trev on drums.
They developed a set of about 12 songs and on the eve of their first concert in 1990, where they opened the Rock Against Communism all-day event in Newcastle with Skullhead, Brutal Attack. They also recorded their second single ‘Right To March’.
They did more gigs in 1990 but Trev left the band, a few drummers passed through the band, before they settled on Richard who stayed in the band for about eight months.
Battle Zone then went on to record their debut album ‘Nowhere To Hide’ in early 1991. Andy Nixon played saxophone on the album. He also played in a few concerts. The line up for this album was Alex, J, Leon and Richard.
Richard was sacked for the band not long after the album was released in 1991 and was replaced by Jim. Jim remained in the band for a couple of years, and played concerts with Battle Zone in Valencia in February 1992, Spain and other UK cities. In 1992 the band suffered a mayor upheaval, due to general disagreements and personality clashes, the band completely changed its line-up.
Alex remained on vocals, and his then wife, Antonella Cavanna of the Italian band Klasse Kriminale came in on guitar, Doc on bass and Simon “Charlie” Childs on drums. During 1992 and 1993 this new line-up worked on the second album, which at that stage was untitled. They recorded five or six new songs.
The new line-up played a couple of gigs in the UK and also headlined, with Krakty Proces, in the Czech Republic. Not too long after those gigs in 1994, the band decided to call it a day and the album material was left unfinished.
During this period Alex and Antonella collaborated closely with the bands Straw Dogs (backing vocals and guitar tracks), Frankie Flame and Superyob.
In 1998 Alex struck a deal with US label Hang ’em High Records to release the songs recorded for the second album. It was decided to re-release the first two singles on the album too as they original copies were hard to get hold of. The vinyl version came out in 1998 titled ‘Arson Around With Matches’ and Dim Records released the CD in 2000.
Alex moved to Peru in 1999 and has been living there ever since. In 2004 Alex enlisted some people on the punk scene and decided to reform non-political Battle Zone in Peru called BZ Peru. The line-up consisted of Alex on vocals, Kimba Vilis on guitar, ‘P.P’ on bass and Sandro on drums. They played one concert with the band Leusemia and lots of other bands in Lima in April 2005. Alex and Vilis recruited a new bassist Jota after ‘P.P’ moved to Canada. Under the band BZ USA Alex played in the USA with support from the multi-cultural band The Templars and played a few gigs. For both bands the songs were the same as from the original Battle Zone but with altered non-political lyrics.
Discography
Official Productions
1989 – Battle Zone – Own Production – UK – Cassette
1989 – Way of Death – Rebelles Européens – RE 45 15 89 – France – 7″ single
1990 – Battle Zone – Own Production – UK – Cassette
1990 – Right to March – Rebelles Européens – RE 45 18 90 – France – 7″ single
1991 – Nowhere To Hide – Rebelles Européens – RE 33 29 91 – France – LP
1991 – Nowhere To Hide – Rebelles Européens – RE CD 02 91 – France – CD
1999 – Arson Around With Matches – Hang ´em High Records – HHR02 – USA – LP
2000 – Arson Around With Matches – Dim Records – DIM076 – Germany – CD
2021 – Nowhere To Hide – Nouveaux Rebelles Européens – NRE 33 29 91 – France – LP
Bootlegs
1997 – Debout! Vol. 6 – Rebelles Européens- USA – (07. Way of Death)
1995 – White Resistance Volume 2 – C18 – Germany – (11. England, 12. Way of Death (Saxophone Mix))
2012 – Tribute – She Is My Skinhead Girl – Arcabuz Records – AR003 – Brazil – CD – (03. Skinhead Girl)
Track Lists
Battle Zone Demo ’89
A1. Way of Death
A2. Nation of Sorrow
Battle Zone Demo ’90
A1. Right To March
A2. Squalor
Way of Death
01. Way of Death (3:50)
02. Nation of Sorrow (3:18)
Right to March
01. Right to March
02. Squalor
Nowhere to Hide
01. Battlezone
02. Victimized
03. England
04. Cosmetic Murder
05. Way of Death (Saxophone Mix)
06. Nowhere to Hide
07. Rent Boy
08. Young Gifted & White
09. Nerves of Steel
10. Skinhead Girl
Arson Around With Matches
01. Nation of Sorrow
02. We Will Play On
03. Answer to You
04. One Day
05. Another Life
06. Way of Death ’89
07. Nation of Sorrow ’89
08. Right to March ’90
09. Squalor ’90