S.O.D. ("Stormtroopers of Death") - a heavy
metal side-project band formed by two members of Anthrax (Charlie Benate - drums, Scott Ian -
guitar), Anthrax's roadie Billy Milano on vocals, and Dan Lilker (originally a member of Anthrax, but better known from the band Nuclear Assult).
The band recorded the album "Speak English or Die" in 1985, during a
gap in Anthrax's schedule. It was essentially meant to be a novelty record, with the band planned as being a one-
time side project. The album was notorious for its few outright sexist and
racist themes, blue humor, plus songs that were hilariously short (the last
track being "Diamonds And Rust (extended version)", which is literally two seconds long). Billy Milano would eventually form M.O.D. (Method of Destruction) his own band in a similar
metal novelty vein.
However, S.O.D. achieved an unexpected cult following, and many have cited the album as being a historical bridge between the genres of hardcore punk and speed
metal. The band reunited in 1992 and again in 1997, before finally recording an album of new material in 1999.
S.O.D. patches and t-shirts were not an uncommon site among
metal fans in the 1980s, despite the fact that the
band only had made one album at the
time.