Death Was Too Kind (EP)

Released in 1979 on Vancouver’s Quintessence Records, Death Was Too Kind is a blistering document of the Subhumans at their most volatile and vital. This four-track 12" EP captures the anarchic spirit and confrontational wit that made the band a cornerstone of Canadian punk and a key force in the Vancouver underground.

The EP kicks off with the ferocious title track, “Death Was Too Kind,” a no-holds-barred takedown of societal complacency. It's followed by the now-iconic “Fuck You,” an uncompromising blast of pure defiance that became an anthem of disillusionment and was later covered by D.O.A. and metal titans Overkill—evidence of its long-standing cultural impact.

Side two dives into “Inquisition Day,” a darkly urgent warning about creeping authoritarianism, and closes with “Slave to My Dick,” a sharp and self-aware satire on male sexual ego. Both tracks reveal the Subhumans' talent for pairing political edge with brutal humor, delivered through unfiltered punk fury.

Recorded at Vancouver’s Little Mountain Sound by a then up-and-coming Bob Rock—years before his rise to mainstream fame with Metallica—the EP walks the line between raw immediacy and crisp production. The lineup for this release features Brian “Wimpy Roy” Goble (vocals), Gerry “Useless” Hannah (bass), Mike Graham (guitar), and Jim Imagawa (drums), each bringing ferocity and intent to the studio floor.

But Death Was Too Kind is more than a punk milestone—it marked the end of an era. Shortly after its release, bassist Gerry Hannah left the band, sold his gear, and turned to political militancy. As a member of the infamous Direct Action collective—also known as the Squamish Five—he was arrested for his role in the bombing of a nuclear-related facility in Toronto and a B.C. hydroelectric site. Convicted in the early 1980s, Hannah served five years in prison, becoming a symbol of radical dissent far beyond the punk scene.

Today, Death Was Too Kind endures not only as a fierce slab of punk history but as a vivid portrait of a band that refused to soften their message. Its reissue has ensured that the Subhumans' early work continues to resonate, uncompromised and unapologetic—just as it was meant to be.
-Robert Williston

Wimpy Roy (aka Brian "Sunny Boy Roy" Goble): lead vocals
Gerry Useless (aka Gerry Hannah): bass, background vocals
Jim Imagawa (aka Koichi Imagawa): drums, background shouts
Mike Graham (aka Mike Normal): guitar, background shouts

Art Direction by Eli Productions