Devourment is an American death metal band from Dallas, Texas. Formed in 1995, the band has split up and reformed three times leaving Brad Fincher as the only original member. The current lineup is Ruben Rosas, Chris Andrews, Dave Spencer and Brad Fincher. The band is currently signed to Relapse Records, and was previously signed to Brutal Bands, United Guttural and Corpse Gristle Records. Devourment has also had albums re-released by other labels.
Since the band's foundation, Devourment released a demo, Impaled, and an album, Molesting the Decapitated, before disbanding due to the jailing of vocalist Ruben Rosas. There was a brief reformation of the band during his incarceration, which saw the initial release of the compilation album 1.3.8., and a brief reformation upon his release in 2002. The band reformed for a third time in 2005, and has since released two reissues of 1.3.8., two DVDs, and four full-length albums: Butcher the Weak, Unleash the Carnivore, Conceived in Sewage and Obscene Majesty.
History
Early years
Devourment was formed in 1995 following the breakup of Dallas death metal band Necrocide.[3] Necrocide's drummer, Brad Fincher, and guitarist, Braxton Henry, met up with former Meatus vocalist Wayne Knupp to play brutal death metal.[3] However, the newly formed band achieved little—Knupp moved back to his hometown of Chicago, and Fincher moved to San Antonio for educational reasons. Months later, when the two of them had moved back to Dallas, Henry had formed his own band—Dead Industry. Knupp got in contact with someone he had known years earlier, Brian "Brain" Wynn, and they reformed the band.[4][3] This lineup is often cited as the "original".[4][5] The band then developed its first promo, featuring two songs, "Shroud of Encryption" and "Festering Vomitous Mass",[3] which was produced by former and future guitarist Braxton Henry.[5]
Over the next few months, Kevin Clark (formerly of Sintury) joined the band as a secondary guitarist, and Mike Majewski joined on bass.[3] Majewski had previously worked publicizing the band and providing artwork. He had first seen Devourment when the band's only song was "Shroud of Encryption".[6] The band recorded "Choking on Bile" which they added to their original demo. This was released in 1997 by Corpse Gristle Records under the name of Impaled. Knupp later left the band "due to some internal problems".[3] He was replaced by Ruben Rosas, who played guitars and provided vocals in a local band called Detrimental.
In 1999, Devourment signed a record deal with United Guttural and started developing its first album, Molesting the Decapitated, again produced by Braxton.[3] The album was released later that year.[5] Reviews were positive, with Blas, of Global Domination, who praised the album for being so brutal, claiming that "if you look up the word 'Brutal' in the dictionary right now, you'd see Devourment's logo right next to the definition".[7] He praised the vocals, but said that the drums, in places, let the album down due to them being too fast.[7] Dan Staige, of Metal Review, said that the instruments were "remarkably balanced and crisp", and his only criticism was that the "ultra heavy breakdowns" "may sound a little monotonous", but that "you will still bang your head".[8]
The band had a release show for the album in Colorado. Although Majewski claimed that this was in 1998,[9] the album was apparently released in 1999, so he was probably mistaken.[3][5] This show was alongside Macabre and Cephalic Carnage, among others.[3] Shortly afterwards, Rosas was arrested and jailed for two and a half years, meaning the members of the band went their separate ways.[9] Rosas's arrest was described by Majewski as the "last straw",[9][6] as the band was becoming more and more business-like, with Wynn and his wife arranging concerts without consulting the rest of the band.[6]
Reformation
Devourment reformed during Rosas's incarceration, with Knupp taking Rosas's place on vocals, and Braxton Henry rejoining the band in the place of Brian Wynn. The band recorded a single song, named "Babykiller", which was featured on a compilation album named Southern Uprising.[3] The song was also featured on the band's own compilation album, 1.3.8., the title of which represents the one song, "Babykiller", with the three songs from Impaled, and the eight songs from Molesting the Decapitated.[8][10] The compilation was released four times—once on Corpse Gristle Records while Rosas was in jail,[10] once on Unmatched Brutality in 2004,[11] once after Rosas's release while the band was working on new material, including the band's first DVD, on Displeased Records,[12] and finally as a limited edition record by the label Night of the Vinyl Dead.[13] Upon Rosas's release in 2002, he reformed the band with new members, featuring himself on vocals, guitarists Robert Moore and Kevin Clark, Jeremy Peterson on drums and Joseph Fontenot (later of Jacknife) on bass.[4] Clark was then replaced by Chris Hutto of Ingurgitate.[4] Rosas's new lineup played a few shows, but then split up again.[3] Majewski later referred to the time between the band's two full-length albums, explaining that "Ruben and I both made attempts to get the band going again but both failed".[9]
A few years later, Knupp, Rosas, and Majewski finally properly reformed Devourment.[6] Eric Park, formerly of Suture, filled out the lineup which would record the second Devourment album.[3] The band entered the studio in August 2005 to begin recording Butcher the Weak, and the completed album was released in November 2005.[3] For this album, Majewski performed vocals, Rosas provided guitars and bass, and Park was on drums.[3][14] According to Josh Thorne of fourteen g, the "production is a lot better" than it was on Molesting the Decapitated, but Majewski explained that both albums had been recorded in the same studio.[9] The album contained artwork by Majewski,[15] who works for a special effects company.[9]
Felix Schoonen of Vampire Magazine said it was odd that the album was self-released by the band, asking, "why should a band like Devourment release their own album... every week countless useless releases are thrown on the market by bands that nobody will ever care for and Devourment is somehow forced to release its own album."[16] In 2005, former Kill the Client drummer Chris Andrews joined the band on bass to round out the lineup for live shows. In 2006, the band signed a two-album deal with label Brutal Bands,[17] and proceeded to re-record and re-release Butcher the Weak.[3] The new release's cover was yellow, while the self-released version sported a green cover, though they bore the same design.[14]
On September 15, 2007, Wayne Knupp died of multiple organ failure due to alcohol abuse.[5] Despite no longer being with Devourment, his links with the band were widely reported, including his guest appearance with Devourment at the Central Illinois Metalfest earlier in the year.[18] Knupp's girlfriend posted a message on his Myspace profile confirming his death and thanking people for their support and messages.[19] In an interview with SMNnews.com, Majewski spoke of the impact of the death on the band, saying,[20]
It had a big impact. He was a founding member and really created the vocal style we are known for. Just felt like part of the band died too. Like when he died, it was just weird to think about doing shows or recording without him around, even if he was no longer in the band. He was a good person and definitely deserves to be remembered.
Since Butcher the Weak, Devourment recorded new material for compilation albums and continued to tour.[3] The band appeared at various festivals,[3] including Central Illinois Metalfest,[21] The Goregrowler's Ball[22] and Germany's Fuck the Commerce.[23] Devourment also released its second DVD in January 2007.[24] In an interview with SMNnews.com in October 2007, Majewski said that the band aimed to complete a third studio album by mid-2008 which saw them performing less in 2008.[20]
2009–present
Devourment performing in 2016. Left to right: Dave Spencer, Ruben Rosas, Chris Andrews.
Devourment's third full-length studio album, Unleash the Carnivore, was released in 2009 through Brutal Bands. The cover features artwork by artists Dan Seagrave and Pär Olofsson. Unleash the Carnivore was followed in 2010 with the "Unleash the Carnivore tour". On July 14, 2010, Devourment announced that the band had signed with Relapse.[25][non-primary source needed]
Devourment began writing new material in 2011, and traveled to St. Petersburg, Florida in June 2012 to record its fourth album.[26] In January 2013, Devourment released a promotional single for the song "Fifty Ton War Machine".[27] The new album, titled Conceived in Sewage, was recorded with Erik Rutan, and was released on February 19, 2013.[28]
The band intended to play a 2013 fall US tour headlined by Dying Fetus and supported by Exhumed, Waking the Cadaver and Abiotic, but dropped off the tour roughly three months in advance.[29] This caused speculation that the band had broken up or would be breaking up due to it being Devourment's second planned line of concert appearances that year that went abandoned.[30] The rumors that the band had broken up were later dispelled by Majewski, with the statement, "Just to squash rumors, Your ol pals Devo are not broken up!"[31]
On May 19, 2014, Devourment announced that Majewski and drummer Eric Park quit the band. Ruben Rosas moved from his position from guitar to vocals while bassist Chris Andrews moved to playing guitar. Brad Fincher (who quit Devourment in 2001) rejoined the band on drums, and Meshiha bass player Dave Spencer joined on bass.[32][non-primary source needed][33]
Devourment began writing new songs with the revamped line-up in late 2014. They entered the studio in late-2018 to record their fifth full-length album, Obscene Majesty, with Producer D. Braxton Henry. The first single, "Cognitive Sedation Butchery", launched online June 18, 2019. This is their first album in six years and first with Ruben Rosas on vocals and Brad Fincher on drums since Molesting the Decapitated in 1999. The album was released on August 16 through Relapse Records. Loudwire named it one of the 50 best metal albums of 2019.[34]
Members
Devourment in 2016. From left to right: Ruben Rosas, Brad Fincher, Dave Spencer, Chris Andrews.
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, featuring double kick and blast beat techniques; minor keys or atonality; abrupt tempo, key, and time signature changes; and chromatic chord progressions. The lyrical themes of death metal may include slasher film-style violence, political conflict, religion, nature, philosophy, true crime and science fiction.
Brutal Truth was an American grindcore band from New York City, formed by ex-Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, and Stormtroopers of Death bass guitarist Dan Lilker in 1990. The group disbanded in 1999, but reformed in 2006 and continued to release music until 2014.
Necrophagist was a German technical death metal band founded and fronted by guitarist and vocalist Muhammed Suiçmez. The band used baroque music-influenced compositions paired with extreme metal drumming.
Psycroptic are an Australian technical death metal band formed in Hobart, Australia in 1999. Mainstay members are Dave Haley on drums and his brother Joe Haley on guitar. Their lead vocalist, Jason Peppiatt, joined in 2004. In 2008 they signed to Nuclear Blast. As of August 2022, the band have released eight studio albums. They have undertaken Australian national tours supporting international acts, Incantation, Decapitated, Origin and Misery Index. Psycroptic have also toured Europe with Nile and with Deicide. In February 2019, the band started a co-headlining tour alongside Aversions Crown and support bands Within Destruction, Hadal Maw and Hollow World across Europe. They also headlined a 2019 tour in the United States in support of their album As the Kingdom Drowns.
Cruachan are an Irish folk metal band from Dublin that have been active since the 1990s. They are recognised as one of the founders of folk metal, and have been acclaimed as having "gone the greatest lengths of anyone in their attempts to expand" the genre. With a specific focus on Celtic music and the use of Celtic mythology in their lyrics, Cruachan's style of folk metal is called Celtic metal.
Asphyx is a Dutch death metal band formed in Oldenzaal, Overijssel in 1987.
Symbolic is the sixth studio album by American death metal band Death, released on March 21, 1995, by Roadrunner Records. The album was remastered and reissued on April 1, 2008, with five bonus tracks. It is the only album to feature Bobby Koelble and Kelly Conlon on guitar and bass, respectively, and the second and last album to feature drummer Gene Hoglan. The album has received unanimous critical acclaim.
Organic Hallucinosis is the fourth studio album by Polish death metal band Decapitated. The album was released on 7 February 2006 in the United States, on 13 February in Europe and on 22 February in Japan. The release was followed by European and North American tours.
1.3.8. is a compilation album by American death metal band Devourment, released in 2000 by Corpse Gristle. The album was reissued in 2004 by Displeased Records and Unmatched Brutality Records with an upgraded layout and new artwork. 1.3.8 was also released as a limited edition record by the label Night of the Vinyl Dead. It includes one new song called "Babykiller", the three tracks from the Impaled demo, and all eight tracks from Molesting the Decapitated.
Defeated Sanity is a German technical death metal band from Dachsbach, Bavaria that was conceived in 1993 by guitarist Wolfgang Teske and his son, drummer Lille Gruber. The group's lineup currently consists of Gruber (drums), Jacob Schmidt, Josh Welshman (vocals), and Vaughn Stoffey (guitar). The band is known for their very brutal, abrasive and intricate style of death metal, while at the same time maintaining almost jazz fusion style influences. Defeated Sanity's genre has also sometimes been categorized as progressive death metal.
Deeds of Flesh is an American brutal death metal band from Los Osos, California, U.S. They were formed in 1993 by Jacoby Kingston, Erik Lindmark (1972–2018) and Joey Heaslet. They founded their own label, Unique Leader Records, which has since become home to a number of other death metal bands from around the world. Deeds of Flesh have released nine studio albums, their most recent being Nucleus which was released in 2020.
The Harvest Floor is the fourth studio album by American deathgrind band Cattle Decapitation. It was released through Metal Blade Records on January 20, 2009. The album was recorded and mixed at Sharkbite studios in Oakland, California, with engineering and production handled by Billy Anderson. The artwork was designed by Wes Benscoter, and shows the outside of a large slaughterhouse with the "general public being herded inside to meet their demise." It is the band's last album to feature bassist Troy Oftedal, and their first to feature drummer Dave McGraw. The album was inducted into Decibel's hall of fame.
Devouring The Prophecy is the debut studio album by the Californian brutal death metal band Odious Mortem.
Unleash the Carnivore is the third studio album by American death metal band Devourment. It was released through Brutal Bands on June 26, 2009.
Decapitated is a Polish death metal band formed in Krosno in 1996. The group comprises guitarist, founder and composer Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka, vocalist Rafał Piotrowski, bassist Paweł Pasek and drummer James Stewart. Decapitated have gained recognition as one of the genre's most widely respected bands and one of the finest exponents of technical death metal. The band earned an international fan base in the underground music community and became an innovating act in the modern death metal genre.
Pathology is an American death metal band from San Diego, California, formed in 2006 by drummer Dave Astor. Known for their brutal and aggressive sound, the band has released several albums and gained a dedicated following within the death metal community. Their lyrics often revolve around themes of gore, violence, and medical pathology. The band's lineup has changed over the years, but they continue to create intense and uncompromising music.
Asylum Cave is the sixth studio album by French death metal band Benighted. The album was recorded at Kohlekeller Studios in Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany and released on March 21, 2011.
Cerebral Bore was a Scottish brutal death metal band from Glasgow, formed in 2006.
Monolith of Inhumanity is the seventh studio album by American death metal band Cattle Decapitation, released on May 8, 2012. Upon its release, it was met with positive reviews praising the addition of melody into their sound.
Conceived in Sewage is the fourth studio album by American death metal band Devourment. It was released by Relapse Records on February 19, 2013. A music video was released for "Parasitic Eruption".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
