Monster Squad Strength Through Pain

Monster Squad's debut LP Strength Through Pain is back in print for its 20th anniversary! This 2004 LP was the definitive statement their fans were waiting for after 7 years of the band honing their sound and their message on tapes, CD-Rs, 7"s,comps, and splits, and it introduced them to wider audiences across the world! “Strength Through Pain -you can’t destroy the heart inside” was a lyric written by the band’s original guitarist Dave Gale in 1998. Its message of defiance against oppressive forces, internal or external, had become a central theme for the band and their audience. It was a rallying cry to overcome mental illness, abuse at home, government persecution, and all other ways young people are kept down. After Dave’s departure, the band crafted a new version of the song.The bonus flexi included with this re-issue of the LP features the original version of the song for the first time ever, along with “Won’t Conform,” another rare track from the era. The release of this record brought an even more ambitious slate of touring for the band, playing to bigger and bigger audiences, and crossing over to Europe for the first time. Reissues in both North America and Europe over the past 20 years have only solidified its place as the essential starting point for the band’s LP catalog. In addition to the bonus flexi, this new edition of Strength Through Pain features an 18x24 poster of the band’s iconic artwork, a 12-page booklet full of photos, stories, original lyric sheets and notes from the band members’ personal vaults, and a tribute to the band’s late friend, Travis “Bobby Hill” Gustafson. Pirates Press Records is proud to give this monumental album the deluxe treatment on 12” Black Vinyl, 12” Hot Pink Vinyl with Black Splatter, and 12” Neon Yellow Vinyl with Hot Pink Splatter!