Rorschach (band)

Last updated

Rorschach
Rorschach Reunion Santos NYC 9-25-09.jpg
Rorschach live in New York City in 2009
Background information
Origin New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Years active1989–1993, 2009–2012
Labels Gern Blandsten
Chainsaw Safety
Old Glory
Vermiform
Wardance
Past membersCharles Maggio
Andrew Gormley
Nick Forte
Keith Huckins
Chris Laucella
Thom Rusnak

Rorschach is an American hardcore punk band from New Jersey that existed from 1989 to 1993 and again from 2009 to 2012. Their typical blend of hardcore with dissonant metal elements provided an inspiration to many later metalcore and post-hardcore bands.

Contents

The first release by the band, Remain Sedate, shows the band's sound at a stage when they played fast, heavy hardcore with a metal slant and raspy hardcore vocals. At this time they also drew heavy comparisons to Die Kreuzen for their bizarre chord progressions and Charles Maggio's unearthly howl. [1] However, as the band progressed, they developed a slower, more sinister, sludge sound that was influenced by New York band Swans. [1] Additionally, the vocals developed into high-pitched, tortured screaming rather than shouting, due in part to voice problems Maggio was experiencing at the time. This change in sound can be heard primarily on their second full-length release, Protestant . Shortly after issuing this album, the group disbanded, some members eventually joining Deadguy and Kiss It Goodbye.

Rorschach has performed occasional reunion shows from 2009 through 2012. [2]

Decibel magazine inducted Protestant into their Hall of Fame. [3]

In the 2012 film Zero Dark Thirty, the Rorschach song "Pavlov's Dogs" is used to torture suspected terrorists. [4]

Members

Final line-up
Previous members

Discography

YearAlbumTypeLabel
1990 Remain Sedate Studio album Vermiform Records
1991NeedlepackEPWardance Records
1991Split w/ NeanderthalEP Vermiform Records
1993 Protestant Studio album Gern Blandsten Records
1993Close Your Eyes and See DeathLive albumComo Caca! Edizioni
1993Split w/ Operation MindfuckEPLund Castle Core Records
1994Split w/ 1.6 Band EPChainsaw Safety
1995AutopsyCompilation album Gern Blandsten Records
2009Remain Sedate/ProtestantCompilation album Gern Blandsten Records

Compilation appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naked City (band)</span> American band

Naked City was an avant-garde music group led by saxophonist and composer John Zorn. Active primarily in New York City from 1988 to 1993, Naked City was initiated by Zorn as a "composition workshop" to test the limits of composition in a traditional rock band lineup. Their music incorporated elements of jazz, surf, progressive rock, classical, heavy metal, grindcore, country, punk rock, and other genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shai Hulud</span> American metalcore band

Shai Hulud is an American metalcore band formed in Pompano Beach, Florida, in 1995, and later based in Poughkeepsie, New York. The band is named after the giant sandworms in Frank Herbert's novel Dune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thrashcore</span> Fast-tempo subgenre of hardcore punk

Thrashcore is a fast-tempo subgenre of hardcore punk that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up hardcore, adopting a slightly more extreme style by means of its vocals, dissonance, and occasional use of blast beats. Songs are usually very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less dissonant, minimally metallic forerunner of grindcore. The genre is sometimes associated with the skateboarder subculture.

Mathcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk and metalcore influenced by post-hardcore, extreme metal and math rock that developed during the 1990s. Bands in the genre emphasize complex and fluctuant rhythms through the use of irregular time signatures, polymeters, syncopations and tempo changes. Early mathcore lyrics were addressed from a realistic worldview and with a pessimistic, defiant, resentful or sarcastic point of view.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Integrity (band)</span> American hardcore punk band

Integrity is a hardcore punk band originally from Cleveland, Ohio, but based in Belgium since 2003. It was formed in 1988 by lead vocalist Dwid Hellion.

Deadguy is an American metalcore band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. The band formed in 1994 and disbanded in 1997. Deadguy is considered to have played an important role in the development of the mathcore genre, their sole studio album Fixation on a Co-Worker being cited as a classic within the genre by some. In 2006, Decibel magazine included the album in its "Hall of Fame" list.

Beautiful Skin were an American post-punk band extant from 1997 until their 2001 split. Despite never achieving real mainstream or commercial success, they are regarded by some as a trailblazer for the post-punk revival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harkonen (band)</span> American post-hardcore band

Harkonen was an American post-hardcore band from Tacoma, Washington, most active between 1997 and 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Today Is the Day</span> American noise rock band

Today Is the Day is an American noise rock and experimental metal band that originally formed in Nashville, Tennessee. The band's diverse sound combines influences from areas such as noise music, avant-garde metal, grindcore, post-hardcore, and alternative rock among other genres. Most of the band's recordings make extensive use of dissonance and sampling, as well as unusual production techniques and psychedelic overtones. Lyrical themes include depression, warfare, violence, altered states of consciousness, and mental disorders.

Kiss it Goodbye was an American hardcore punk band from Seattle that formed in 1996 and broke-up in 1998.

<i>She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not</i> 1997 studio album by Kiss It Goodbye

She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not is the sole studio album by American hardcore punk band Kiss It Goodbye, released on April 1, 1997 though Revelation Records. The album was repressed on vinyl format in 2012 to celebrate the band's short 2012 reunion tour.

<i>Choke</i> (Kiss It Goodbye EP) 1999 EP by Kiss It Goodbye

Choke is the final release by hardcore band Kiss It Goodbye, released as a 7-inch single as well as a compact disc on November 2, 1999 through Revelation Records. The tracks "Choke", "Cement", and "Watching Hellraiser" were originally recorded in 1998 to be released as an EP through Sub Pop Records, however the band broke-up in September 1997 after vocalist Tim Singer left the group.

Starkweather is an American heavy metal band from Philadelphia formed in 1989. They have a complex experimental metal sound often including use of dissonance, intricate tempo changes and avant-garde sensibilities. Starkweather helped pioneer the hardcore punk/heavy metal crossover sound that would later be known as "metalcore", as well as being a major influence on the mathcore subgenre. They have influenced many of today's top selling hardcore/metal bands such as Converge, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Mastodon and Coalesce among many others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Gormley</span> American drummer

Andrew Gormley was the drummer for the band Rorschach (band), a hardcore band from New Jersey.

<i>Darker Handcraft</i> 2011 studio album by Trap Them

Darker Handcraft is the third studio album by the American grindcore band Trap Them. The album was first released in a vinyl LP format on March 1, 2011 and on CD and digital formats two weeks later on March 15, 2011 through Prosthetic Records. It's also the group's first release through Prosthetic after announcing their departure from Deathwish Inc. in 2009. Darker Handcraft was produced by Kurt Ballou of Converge.

<i>Entrench</i> (album) 2013 studio album by KEN mode

Entrench is the fifth studio album by the Canadian rock band KEN mode. The album was released on March 19, 2013 through Season of Mist. Producer of this album is Matt Bayles.

Thom Rusnak is most known for playing bass for the hardcore bands Rorschach, Ambush, and later for Kiss it Goodbye. Thom also recorded and toured with Playing Enemy, Evil Dean and Hunger, and played as a touring member with Poison Idea, King Black Acid, Cober and World Of Lies.

<i>Protestant</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Rorschach

Protestant is the second and final studio album by American hardcore punk band Rorschach. It was released in 1993 through Wardance Records and Gern Blandsten. The majority of the songs were written during the band's Europe tour.

<i>Fixation on a Co-Worker</i> 1995 studio album by Deadguy

Fixation on a Co-Worker is the only studio album by American metalcore band Deadguy, which was released on November 20, 1995 through Victory Records. The album is now considered to have played an important role in the development of the metalcore fusion genre and was included in Decibel Magazine's "Hall of Fame" list in 2006. It is the last recording by the group to feature vocalist Tim Singer and guitarist Keith Huckins.

<i>Remain Sedate</i> 1990 studio album by Rorschach

Remain Sedate is the debut album by Rorschach. The first ever release to be labelled metalcore, it shows the band's sound at a stage when they played fast, heavy hardcore with a metal slant and raspy hardcore vocals. At this time they also drew heavy comparisons to Die Kreuzen for their bizarre chord progressions and Charles Maggio's unearthly howl.

References

  1. 1 2 "Powerviolence: The Dysfunctional Family of Bllleeeeaaauuurrrgghhh!!". Terrorizer no. 172. July 2008. pp. 36–37.
  2. "RORSCHACH". Facebook.com. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  3. "Rorschach - Protestant". Decibel . August 4, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  4. "'Zero Dark Thirty': Interrogating Reality | VICE | United States". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2017.