Fear Factory is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released ten full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of groove metal and industrial metal. Over the years, Fear Factory has seen changes in its lineup, with lead vocalist Burton C. Bell being the only consistent member for 31 years until his departure in 2020. Other than guitarist Dino Cazares, there are no original members left in its current lineup. The band went on hold in March 2002 following some internal disputes, but resumed activity a year later without founding member Cazares. Previous bassist Christian Olde Wolbers replaced him as the new guitarist, and bassist Byron Stroud joined the band. In April 2009, a new lineup was announced. Cazares returned as guitarist, and Gene Hoglan as drummer. Bell and Stroud reprised their respective roles, and this lineup recorded the band's seventh studio album titled Mechanize (2010). Former members Wolbers and Raymond Herrera—both of whom were playing in Arkaea—disputed the legitimacy of the new lineup, and a legal battle from both parties had begun. Despite this, Fear Factory has since released three more albums: The Industrialist (2012), Genexus (2015) and Aggression Continuum (2021).
Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in Oslo in 1984. They were one of the founders of the Norwegian black metal scene and their music has strongly influenced the black metal genre. Mayhem's early career was highly controversial, primarily due to their notorious live performances, the 1991 suicide of vocalist Per Yngve Ohlin ("Dead") and the 1993 murder of guitarist Øystein Aarseth ("Euronymous") by former member Varg Vikernes of Burzum.
Edguy is a heavy metal band formed in Fulda, Germany in 1992.
Ron Raphael Braunstein, better known by his stage-name Necro, is an American rapper from Brooklyn.
Shane Embury is a British bassist and, since 1987, a member of grindcore and death metal band Napalm Death.
Anaal Nathrakh are a British extreme metal band formed in 1999 in Birmingham, England by multi-instrumentalist Mick Kenney and vocalist Dave Hunt. They are currently signed to Metal Blade Records. The band's name is Irish for snake's breath and was taken from Merlin's Charm of Making in John Boorman's 1981 film Excalibur. The band recorded two demos in 1999, which were later released as an album.
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is the first studio album by the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began in 1987, but due to the suicide of vocalist Per "Dead" Ohlin and the murder of guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth, the album's release was delayed until May 1994. De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is widely considered one of the most influential black metal albums of all time. It is the band's only studio album to feature Aarseth and Varg "Count Grishnackh" Vikernes.
The Beautiful Letdown is the fourth studio album by alternative rock band Switchfoot. Released on February 25, 2003, it launched the band into the mainstream on the strength of two top 20 singles: "Meant to Live" and "Dare You to Move." The album was hugely popular and remained a staple on the Billboard 200 album chart for a considerable amount of time. The album sold over 2.7 million copies in the US and was eventually certified double platinum by the RIAA.
Mick Kenney is a musician, artist, and record producer from Birmingham, United Kingdom. He relocated to Orange County, California in 2007. He currently plays in extreme metal acts Anaal Nathrakh and Make Them Die Slowly.
Domine Non Es Dignus is the second studio album by British extreme metal group Anaal Nathrakh. It was released on 2 November 2004. The title translates to "Lord, you are not worthy" in Latin.
Dave Hunt is an English extreme metal vocalist. He is the vocalist of Anaal Nathrakh under the pseudonym V.I.T.R.I.O.L.,, a phrase found in alchemical literature which purports to be the origin of the name of vitriol. He was also the vocalist of Mistress under the pseudonym Dave Cunt until their split in March 2008.
Eschaton is the third studio album by British extreme metal band Anaal Nathrakh. Musically, the album continues in the vein of the previous album, Domine Non Es Dignus. Some reviewers have commented that the overall atmosphere and production are at the same time a step back towards the out-and-out ferocity of the band's debut. The album features guest appearances by Shane Embury (Embryonymous) on bass, and Attila Csihar performs vocals on "Regression to the Mean".
Total Fucking Necro is a compilation album comprising two complete Anaal Nathrakh demos, Anaal Nathrakh and Total Fucking Necro, and one previously unreleased track from the unreleased We Will Fucking Kill You demo (2001). This album was originally released on Leviaphonic Records in 2000 with only 8 tracks and a different track order. A re-issue of the album was released on June 11th, 2021. The re-issue includes a limited edition run of special vinyls, along with a jewel case CD.
When Fire Rains Down from the Sky, Mankind Will Reap as It Has Sown is the first EP by British extreme metal group Anaal Nathrakh. It was released by Mordgrimm Records in Europe and on Earache Records in North America. The EP was written right after The Codex Necro, and features guest appearances by Aborym's Sethlans Teitan on guitar and Attila Csihar of Mayhem on vocals. It was re-released in 2006 with three additional bonus live tracks. "Genesis of the Antichrist" is a remake of their earlier song "Anaal Nathrakh".
Hell Is Empty, and All the Devils Are Here is the fourth album by British extreme metal band Anaal Nathrakh, released on 29 October 2007 by FETO Records. The album title is a quote from the first act of William Shakespeare's The Tempest.
In the Constellation of the Black Widow is the fifth studio album by British extreme metal band Anaal Nathrakh, released on 29 June 2009 by Candlelight Records. The album was also released on LP, limited to 500 copies. 250 copies are pressed on black and white splatter vinyl, and 250 copies are pressed on black and purple vinyl.
Passion is the sixth studio album by British extreme metal band Anaal Nathrakh. It was released on 17 May 2011 by Candlelight Records. The album features guest appearances by Drugzilla, Rainer Landfermann, Ventnor and Alan Dubin.
Vanitas is the seventh full-length studio album by British extreme metal band Anaal Nathrakh. It was released on 23 October 2012 on Candlelight Records. The album was released in North America on 6 November 2012.
A New Kind of Horror is the tenth studio album by British extreme metal band Anaal Nathrakh. The album was released on 28 September 2018 through Metal Blade Records. The album has released two singles, “Forward!”, and “Obscene as Cancer”. The album is a follow-up to their 2016 album The Whole of the Law. The album's lyrics deal with the horrors of the First World War, contemporary politics, and the letters of D.H. Lawrence. Vocalist Dave Hunt stated:
"This is not a happy album. It is bitter, vengeful, sarcastic, sardonic, violent, terrified and horrified — terrifying and horrifying in equal measure. Above all, it is human, and all that that entails. It's as sincere as we could make it. There's a lot that goes into our albums, of course, but it all comes about as a natural result of who we are, and for A New Kind of Horror we felt early on that it was clearly its own thing. It doesn't have to stand in comparison with anything because to us it's in a class of its own."
Endarkenment is the eleventh studio album by British extreme metal band Anaal Nathrakh. The album was released on 2 October 2020 through Metal Blade Records. Two singles were released from the album: "Endarkenment" and "The Age of Starlight Ends". The music was recorded in Mick Kenney's studio in southern California, while the vocals were recorded in the band's home town of Birmingham, UK. Vocalist Dave Hunt said of the album, "I think in terms of feel, it's brighter, more open and direct than maybe we've been in the past. Obviously I don't mean it's happy-go-lucky sounding, or suggestive of a sunny disposition. I mean something more like it burns with light rather than glowers with darkness. It's coruscating." Most of the music was written by Kenney in less than a week.
