Epsiode 306: Dawn Crosby

VHF-306 (Dawn Crosby) takes another spin through the late American singer’s catalogue. 

Dawn fronted early Eighties thrash outfit Detente, which released the highly regarded album Recognize No Authority in July of ‘86. There were very few women in lead singer roles in extreme bands at that time. Fellow member of the band Ross Robinson would eventually become a highly regarded record producer. The album was quite successful but the group broke up shortly after the release due to band friction. 

Dawn eventually formed a new band towards the end of the Eighties called Fear Of God. They released their first album in 1991, Within The Veil. It had a gothic metal sound, more melodic and less thrash. Once again, shortly after its release the band imploded. 

By 1994’s Toxic Vodoo, Dawn had a completely new lineup of FOG for a heavier sound featuring double bass drums and a more raw vocal delivery. 

In 1995 Fear Of God released a three track cassette, Killing  The Pain, which demonstrated a more speed metal and industrial metal sound. 

Sadly Dawn Crosby passed away in 1996 at the age of 33 from liver failure after years of alcohol and drug abuse. 

Very High Frequencies has pulled together tracks from all of the music that Dawn Crosby released. An innovator in a genre of music that didn’t have a lot of women in it, it’s been nearly 40 years now since the first Detente album and it still sounds amazing today. Dawn had a lot of personal issues no doubt but her contribution to alternative music is something to be appreciated. Nobody roared quite like her and nobody else will. It’s a heavy episode this week on VHF-306 (Dawn Crosby).