The Thirteenth Article of Faith | Children’s Songbook, pg. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. Alternative Tentacles also repackaged and rereleased all the AOF stuff with bonus tracks for the completists.The Articles of Faith were written by Joseph Smith in 1842 to “John Wentworth, a Chicago newspaper editor who wanted information concerning the history and beliefs of the Church.” 1 They were included in what is now known as the Wentworth Letter, but they are now part of the Pearl of Great Price as foundational truths and doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their early material has been reissued by Bitzcore (who also reissued Give Thanks) as the Core collection. The band reunited briefly for a tour of Europe in the early 90’s from which a concert album was culled. Vic Bondi went on to play in Jones Very and Alloy, and taught for a while at the University of Massachusetts. It came out on Lone Wolf records in 1987, after the band’s demise. Their final release, In This Life, shows a definite Hüsker Dü influence – more personal song subjects and even a little acoustic guitar. By 1985, the band had just about come to an end. In 1984 they put out Give Thanks, the first of two full-length records produced by Bob Mould, and were given the opening slot on the amazing P.E.A.C.E. Vic Bondi also had a stint as a columnist in Maximum Rock’n’roll.Īrticles of Faith released two EPs: the first on midwest label Version Sound and the second a split release on their own Wasteland label and the Paul Mahern’s (Zero Boys) label Affirmation.

These shows gave life to an eclectic new underground punk scene and lasted until the band broke up in 1985. Turned off by the age restrictions of the bar and club scene, AOF began booking DIY shows in the auditorium of the Chicago Centro-American Social Club. They did have allies, however, in like-minded Midwest bands like the Zero Boys, Die Kreuzen, and Hüsker Dü. They had a bitter, public rivalry with the Effigies, whom they saw as suburban posers-skinheads with a closet right wing agenda (and who accused them as miming the DC hardcore sound). They expoused the idea that the “personal is the political” when getting neither political nor personal was fashionable in American punk.Īlthough from Chicago, AOF was not embraced by the original punk scene there. AOF also specialized in the protest song: writing anthems like “Buy this War” and “I’ve Got Mine” as well as many songs addressing alienation and dissatisfaction with society. Solos and hooks melt into the wonderful din. Elements of reggae, funk, and jazz rhythms were thrown back to back with hyper-thrash. Even on the early singles, AOF’s songs were jarring and discordant not just because of their sheer velocity, but also in their structure. This was thanks to Vic Bondi’s singing style and, especially after the addition of third guitarist Dorian Taskbasksh, the band’s complex guitar parts and songwriting. Although one of the faster groups at the time, what set them apart was their ability to infuse straightforward thrash with a melodic element (not unlike the early Bad Brains). Formed by Vic Bondi and fellow Chicagoans Dave Shield, Joe Scuderi, and Bil l Richman (aka “Virus X”), AOF started off writing mid-tempo punk rock (I’ve heard their demo) and quickly evolved into a tight hardcore band. Articles of Faith was one of the great hardcore bands of the early 80’s.

Articles of faith