Dying Fetus, Sanguisugabogg, Crowbar, y Left To Suffer

With a name like Dying Fetus, it probably goes without saying that anybody who likes to while away their spare time watching videos of cute kittens on YouTube is best advised to steer well clear. You’ll certainly struggle to find anything in the vein of ‘Walkin’ on Sunshine’ in their back catalogue, but what you might uncover - assuming you’re that way inclined - is a slew of some of the most impressive technical death metal records of the past couple of decades. The Maryland trio - comprised currently of John Gallagher, the only remaining founding member, on guitar and vocals, Sean Beasley on bass and vocals and Trey Williams behind the kit - are among the pioneers of this particularly complex offshoot of the death metal genre.

Their records, which include the likes of 2007’s ‘War of Attrition’, 2009’s ‘Descend into Depravity’ and 2012’s ‘Reign Supreme’, are characterized by intense, furious guitar work, Gallagher’s hellish vocal delivery, and unerringly sophisticated percussive work. The former two of those records introduced a move, in the group’s sound, towards groove-based metal, but with ‘Reign Supreme’, they made the decision to return to their roots - much to the delight of their international fanbase, which they regularly perform in front of - the band are regular fixtures on both the U.S. and UK touring circuits.

Prior to forming Crowbar, guitarist and vocalist Kirk Windstein joined the band Shell Shock alongside drummer Jimmy Bower. When the band’s guitarist Mike Hatch committed suicide, Windstein and Bower carried the band on as Aftershock and experimented with a more doom metal sound. After a series of name and personnel changes, by mid 1991 the band was renamed Crowbar with a line-up consisting of Windstein, bassist Todd Strange, drummer Craig Nunenmacher, and lead guitarist Kevin Noonan.

Crowbar’s debut came in 1992 with the album “Obedience Through Suffering” and signed with Pavement Music. Crowbar’s subsequent self-titled album in 1993 and “Time Heals Nothing” in 1995, were issued by the new label, the former of which earned national promotion on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball. After the release of “Time Heals Nothing” Nunenmacher left the group, and was replaced by Jimmy Bower for the albums “Broken Glass” in 1996 and “Odd Fellows Rest” in 1998. Choosing to focus on his other project Eyehategod, Bower left shortly after and was replaced by Sid Montz who recorded drums on 2000’s “Equilibrium”.

In 2001 with a line-up consisting of Windstein, Sammy Duet on lead guitar, Jeff Okoneski on bass, and Tony Constanza on drums, Crowbar released their seventh studio album “Sonic Excess in its Purest Form” on Spitfire Records. The band supported the album with an extensive touring schedule, and with Crowbar plagued with tumultuous line-up changes, often members of other bands needed to fill in. The band has subsequently released the albums “Lifesblood for the Downtrodden” in 2005, “Sever the Wicked Hand” in 2011, and “Symmetry in Black” in 2014.