Dying Fetus
Dying Fetus |
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Dying Fetus is an American death metal band originally from Greater Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Formed in 1991, the group is known for their consistently hook-laden song structures, characterized by blast beats, complex riffing, slam riffs and heavy breakdowns. Additionally, their reality-based lyrics characterized by political/modern themes are notable in death metal. Various line-up changes throughout the years have left John Gallagher as the sole remaining original member, as well as the band's driving force. According to Gallagher, the band name was chosen while the members were of adolescent ages and was intended to be offensive. To date, Dying Fetus has released eight studio albums.
History
Beginnings (1991–1996)
Dying Fetus was founded in 1991 in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, by John Gallagher (guitar, vocals) and Jason Netherton (bass, vocals). The band began in earnest when the pair met up with guitarist/vocalist Nick Speleos in 1992. It was decided then that Gallagher would fill in on drums until a proper drummer was found. The writing of this period resulted in the 1993 demo Bathe In Entrails In late 1993, the band found drummer Rob Belton, as well as guitarist Brian Latta, who replaced the departing Nick Speleos (which also thrust John Gallagher back into the role of guitarist and vocalist). Together the new four-piece lineup recorded the Infatuation with Malevolence demo in early 1994, later released together with the first demo in 1995 as a compilation on California Indie label Wild Rags Records. Songs included all tracks from both demos as one CD.
In 1996, the band released their first album, Purification through Violence, on short-lived Illinois label Pulverizer Records. The album marked a further refinement of the band's developing sound of death metal riffing, combined with heavy slams, over seven original songs, and one Napalm Death cover, "Scum". Drummer Rob Belton left and the band was joined briefly in 1995 for a year by drummer Casey Buckler, with whom they performed live, yet never recorded with. Casey was asked to leave the band as they agreed he would play drums for a tour they had that year.
Rise to underground prominence (1996–2000)
With no promotion and no label, Dying Fetus toured off and on, sporadically, for 4 years straight starting in summer 1996 with their first full US tour alongside Kataklysm and Monstrosity, with the first appearance of future drummer Erik Sayenga as drummer replacing Casey Buckler. However, by 1997, Erik Sayenga had left the band, and after a short Texas tour in May 1997, drummer Kevin Talley joined full-time in the summer of 1997. At this point, the band caught the attention of German indie label Morbid Records, who signed them early in 1998 for a one-album deal. Almost immediately afterwards, the band released their second album, Killing on Adrenaline.
Morbid Records supplied the band with scant promotion in the death metal underground, and the band subsequently rose to slightly higher prominence, yet the band's live performances still gained them the most attention. However, guitarist Brian Latta left the band in late 1998, ushering in new guitarist "Sparky" Voyles, and in 1999 the band embarked on their first headlining tour of the US, over three weeks dubbed the "Underground Terrorism" tour. The tour was followed shortly thereafter by the Grotesque Impalement EP, which the band released on their own Blunt Force Records label imprint.
Relapse Records, new lineups (2000–2003)
By 2000, Dying Fetus caught the attention of another underground metal label, the indie company Relapse Records, who subsequently signed the band.
Once more returning to Steve Carr's Hit and Run Studios in Maryland (where each previous Dying Fetus album was recorded), Dying Fetus recorded in the spring of 2000 their Relapse debut (and overall third full-length album), Destroy the Opposition. This album featured even stronger political themes, and songwriting that was to highly influence the "deathcore" scene in subsequent years. The album was included in Decibel's Top 100 Albums of the decade list for the 2000s (Decibel Magazine Special Edition, December 2009), as well as to Decibel's "Hall of Fame" (#89, July 2012).
However, following the release of Destroy the Opposition, original member Jason Netherton left the band for personal reasons, and thereafter guitarist Voyles and drummer Talley left the band only months after the album's release (they since went on to form the band Misery Index). Gallagher recruited guitarist Mike Kimball, singer Vince Matthews, bassist/backup vocalist Sean Beasley, and the returning Eric Sayenga on drums.
With the new lineup, the band released their 4th album, Stop at Nothing, in 2003, another album featuring Carr's production and strong political themes. A promotional video was shot for the track "One Shot, One Kill".
So besocally they're like, rock or something idk
Musical style
Dying Fetus has been described as death metal,[1][2][3] grindcore,[3] and technical death metal.[4]
Their sound is noted for its "vicious" blast beats as well as the guttural vocal style of frontman John Gallagher.[5]
Members
Current members
- John Gallagher – guitars, vocals (1991–present), drums (1991–1994)
- Sean Beasley – bass, vocals (2001[6]–present)
- Trey Williams – drums (2007[7]–present)
Former members
- Nick Speleos – guitars, vocals (1991–1994)
- Rob Belton – drums (1994–1997)
- Brian Latta – guitars (1994–1999)
- Jason Netherton – bass, vocals (1991–2000)
- Kevin Talley – drums (1997–2001)
- John "Sparky" Voyles – guitars (1999–2001)
- Bruce Greig – guitars (2001[6]–2002)
- Vince Matthews – vocals (2001[6]–2004[8])
- Erik Sayenga – drums (2001[6]–2005[9])
- Duane Timlin – drums (2006[10]–2007)
- Mike Kimball – guitars (2003[11]–2008[12])
Live musicians
- Casey Buckler – drums (1995–1996)
- Erik Sayenga – drums (1996–1997)
- John Longstreth – drums (2004)
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [13] |
US Heat. [14] |
US Indie. [15] |
US Hard Rock [16] | |||||||||||
| 1996 | Purification Through Violence
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 1998 | Killing on Adrenaline
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2000 | Destroy the Opposition
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2003 | Stop at Nothing
|
— | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2007 | War of Attrition
|
— | 25 | — | — | |||||||||
| 2009 | Descend into Depravity
|
168 | 4 | 28 | 24 | |||||||||
| 2012 | Reign Supreme
|
186 | 3 | 34 | 14 | |||||||||
| 2017 | Wrong One to Fuck With
|
180 | 2 | 7 | 8 | |||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. | ||||||||||||||
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Infatuation with Malevolence |
|
Video albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Killing on Live |
|
EPs
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Grotesque Impalement |
|
| History Repeats... |
|
Demos
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Bathe in Entrails |
|
| Infatuation with Malevolence |
|
Music videos
| Title | Year | Directed |
|---|---|---|
| We Are Your Enemy | 1998 | |
| Kill Your Mother/Rape Your Dog | 1998 | |
| One Shot, One Kill | 2003 | Kip Bissell |
| Homicidal Retribution | 2007 | Frank Huang[20] |
| Shepherd's Commandment | 2009 | Kevin Custer[21][22] |
| Your Treachery Will Die with You | 2010 | |
| From Womb to Waste | 2012 | Scott Hansen[23] |
| Second Skin | 2013 | Jakob Arevarn[24] |
| Fixated on Devastation | 2017 | Mitch Massie[25] |
| Die With Integrity | 2017 | |
| Panic Amongst the Herd | 2017 | Mount Emult[26] |
| Wrong One to Fuck With | 2018 | James Pesature[27] |
References
- ^ Norton, Justin M. (April 4, 2010). "Dying Fetus Interview". About.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
- ^ Grow, Kory (June 21, 2012). "Dying Fetus, 'Reign Supreme' (Relapse)". Spin. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
- ^ a b Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Dying Fetus | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
- ^ Ulibas, Joseph (November 25, 2015). "Dying Fetus will be part of the 2016 Metal Days Festival in Slovenia". AXS. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
- ^ "Dying Fetus on breaking the mainstream". Loudersound.com. September 15, 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Archive News May 22, 2001". Blabbermouth.net. May 22, 2001. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ "Dying Fetus replaces drummer". Lambgoat.com. July 25, 2007. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ "Dying Fetus dismiss vocalist". Lambgoat.com. October 5, 2004. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ "Drummer Erik Sayenga Quits Dying Fetus". Blabbermouth.net. May 8, 2005. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ "Dying Fetus announces new drummer". Lambgoat.com. May 25, 2006. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ "Dying Fetus Add Second Guitarist". Blabbermouth.net. September 15, 2002. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ "Guitarist Mike Kimball Quits Dying Fetus". Blabbermouth.net. March 8, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ "Dying Fetus – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ "Dying Fetus – Chart History: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ "Dying Fetus – Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ "Dying Fetus – Chart History: Hard Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ "Infatuation With Malevolence by Dying Fetus on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. March 9, 2004.
- ^ "Grotesque Impalement by Dying Fetus". Itunes.apple.com. January 1, 2000.
- ^ "History Repeats… by Dying Fetus". Itunes.apple.com. July 19, 2011.
- ^ "DYING FETUS – 'Homicidal Retribution'". Bravewords.com.
- ^ "DYING FETUS: 'Shepherd's Commandment' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. September 16, 2009.
- ^ "DYING FETUS: 'Your Treachery Will Die With You' Video Available". Blabbermouth.net. January 6, 2010.
- ^ "DYING FETUS: 'From Womb To Waste' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. June 15, 2012.
- ^ "DYING FETUS: 'Second Skin' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. January 15, 2013.
- ^ "DYING FETUS – "Fixated On Devastation" (Official Music Video)". YouTube. April 20, 2017. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021.
- ^ "DYING FETUS – "Panic Amongst The Herd" (Official Music Video)". YouTube. May 17, 2017. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021.
- ^ "DYING FETUS – Wrong One To Fuck With (Official Music Video in 4K)". YouTube. February 5, 2018. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021.
External links
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