Cephalic Carnage is an American death metal band formed in
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
in 1992. The band comprises vocalist Lenzig Leal, guitarists Steve Goldberg and Brian Hopp, drummer John Merryman and bassist Nick Schendzielos. Cephalic Carnage has released six studio albums and toured in North America, Europe and Japan.
Cephalic Carnage play a technically proficient
deathgrind
Grindcore is an extreme fusion genre of heavy metal and hardcore punk that originated in the mid-1980s, drawing inspiration from abrasive-sounding musical styles, such as thrashcore, crust punk, hardcore punk, extreme metal, and industrial. ...
style, progressively experiment with other genres, and incorporate songs of joke nature into their albums, such as parodies of
black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw (lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an emp ...
or metalcore. They refer themselves as "rocky mountain hydro
grind
A blade's grind is its cross-sectional shape in a plane normal to the edge. Grind differs from blade profile, which is the blade's cross-sectional shape in the plane containing the blade's edge and the centre contour of the blade's back ( ...
".
History
Conforming to Abnormality, Exploiting Dysfunction (1992–2001)
Cephalic Carnage formed in
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
, in 1992 by vocalist Lenzig Leal, former drummer Anthony Chavez, and guitarist Zac Joe. The trio recorded a demo EP titled ''Scrape My Lungs'' in 1993, but then took a break until 1996, when they recruited drummer John Merryman, guitarist Steve Goldberg and bassist Doug Williams. Merryman also collaborated with
Secret Chiefs 3
Secret Chiefs 3 (or SC3) is an American avant-garde group led by guitarist/composer Trey Spruance (of Mr. Bungle and formerly, Faith No More). Their studio recordings and tours have featured different lineups, as the group performs a wide ran ...
. Soon after the reformation, their second demo EP ''Fortuitous Oddity'' was released. During 1997, Cephalic Carnage financed its own tour across the United States.
In 1998, the band caught the attention of Italian record label Headfucker Records, which released the band's debut album ''
Conforming to Abnormality
''Conforming to Abnormality'' is Cephalic Carnage's first full-length album. It was first released in 1998 on Italy's Headfucker Records. In 2002, the album was re-released on Hybrid Records. In 2006, Subordinate Records from Italy re-released th ...
'' that year. Williams left in 1999 and joined
Origin
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...
. He was replaced by Jawsh Mullen, and the band toured at the Milwaukee Metalfest in 1998, the Dallas Grindfest, the Ohio Deathfest and the Denver Hatefest in 1999.
In 2000, Cephalic Carnage signed to the American heavy metal record label Relapse Records and released its second album '' Exploiting Dysfunction'', which included a tour with Napalm Death and
The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan was an American metalcore band. The band was formed in 1997 in Morris Plains, New Jersey by guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Adam Doll, vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, and drummer Chris Pennie. The band's use of odd time si ...
.
Lucid Interval and Anomalies (2002–2006)
'' Lucid Interval'', the band's third album, was recorded in early 2002 and released in August that year. The band toured a month later in Canada and subsequently in the U.S. with German
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
veterans
Kreator
Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédé ...
and
Destruction
Destruction may refer to:
Concepts
* Destruktion, a term from the philosophy of Martin Heidegger
* Destructive narcissism, a pathological form of narcissism
* Self-destructive behaviour, a widely used phrase that ''conceptualises'' certain kin ...
. In May 2003, the band undertook the "North American Contamination" tour alongside
Mastodon
A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of th ...
and others. That September, Cephalic Carnage and
Madball
Madball is an American New York hardcore band formed in New York City, that originated in the late 1980s as a side project of Agnostic Front. The band developed after Agnostic Front's front man Roger Miret would let his younger half-brother Fr ...
supported
Hatebreed
Hatebreed is an American hardcore band from Bridgeport, Connecticut, formed in 1994. The band released its debut album '' Satisfaction is the Death of Desire'' in 1997, which gave the band a cult following. The band signed to Universal Records ...
on the North American "Rise of Brutality" tour.
In September 2004, the band recorded its next album, '' Anomalies'', with producer Dave Otero.
Darren Doane
Darren Doane (born September 20, 1972) is an American filmmaker, actor, and music video director. which premiered at MTV's '' Headbangers Ball''. The song parodies American metalcore with its music, lyrics and vocals. In March 2005, ''Anomalies'' was released, and the band toured in North America once again.
Mullen exited in January 2006 to prioritize his education and other acts, and the band soon found replacement Nick Schendzielos. In March, the band's recording studio was robbed. They played several shows in the United States in April, and an extensive European tour followed in June with Darkest Hour.
Xenosapien (2007–2009)
The band recorded its next studio album between November and December 2006, and its release was set for May 2007 under the title ''
Xenosapien
''Xenosapien'' is the fifth full-length album by Cephalic Carnage. It was released on May 28, 2007, on Relapse Records. "Endless Cycle of Violence" is the first single, and is available on the band's MySpace page. The album has received strong r ...
''. In March 2007, the band supported
Brujeria
Various types of witchcraft and occult religious practices exist in Latin American and Afro-Caribbean cultures, known in Spanish as (pronounced ). Influenced by indigenous religion, Catholicism, and European witchcraft, the purpose may range ...
on U.S. dates and subsequently embarked on "Xenosapien World Tour", which started in continental Europe on May 4, continued in United Kingdom and Ireland in May and resumed in the "Summer Slaughter" trek (dubbed the "Summer's Laughter" by band members) across the U.S. throughout June and July along with
Decapitated
Decapitation or beheading is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the i ...
among others. The band also filmed a music video for the song "Endless Cycle of Violence". On November 20, 2007, the band's van was robbed. Their "recent earnings from the tour (close to $4,000), a laptop with more than $2,000 in music-software programs loaded, an iPod and various personal items" were stolen.
Cephalic Carnage reissued Conforming to Abnormality under Relapse Records on April 29, 2008. Cephalic Carnage participated in a "mini-tour" of Japan in May 2009, performing in
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
,
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...
and
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
. In June 2009, Cephalic Carnage, along with
Cattle Decapitation
Cattle Decapitation is an American deathgrind band from San Diego, California, formed in 1996. The band's current lineup includes vocalist Travis Ryan, guitarists Josh Elmore and Belisario Dimuzio, bassist Olivier Pinard, and drummer David McGr ...
and
Withered
Withered is an American extreme metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, founded by Mike Thompson and Chris Freeman. Both members also participate in a crust punk/grindcore band Social Infestation, which also features Mastodon bassist T ...
, pulled out of the Blackenedfest tour due to organization problems and said they were "getting on with writing the next full length, (...) as well as finishing construction of our late night poutine stand, where we will serve country-fried giraffe eggs and your favorite French-Canadian specialty." In October 2009, the band released a music video for the song "Vaporized" while writing a new album and announced a planned concert DVD entitled ''Live at Your Mom's House''.
Misled by Certainty (2010–present)
Cephalic Carnage began recording their new album, ''
Misled by Certainty
''Misled by Certainty'' is the sixth studio album by the Colorado-based deathgrind band Cephalic Carnage. It was released on August 31, 2010, through Relapse Records. ''Misled by Certainty'' sold 1300 copies in the United States in its first week ...
'', in May 2010. It was released August 31, 2010 by Relapse Records. They also reissued ''Lucid Interval'' on September 13, 2011.
Musical style
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
describes the style of Cephalic Carnage as "crazy concoction of truly experimental grindcore, death metal, and jazz". Their music varies from death-grind,
technical death metal
Technical death metal (also referred to as tech-death) is a musical subgenre of death metal that began and developed in the early- to mid-1990s, with particular focus on challenging, demanding instrumental skill and complex songwriting.
Techni ...
flamenco
Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...
interludes or violin-and-sax ambient jams. Their early style is typically progressive and technically proficient, with some comedic songs. Their later work developed into a more experimental, complex direction.
Cephalic Carnage is also known for its humorous songs.
Popmatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
points out some examples: "On past albums, the band has taken satirical swipes at the overtly image-oriented
black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw (lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an emp ...
("Black Metal Sabbath") and the oversaturated, angst-ridden metalcore sound ("Dying Will Be the Death of Me"), and even in live settings, they're not above taking the odd spontaneous piss-take to bring some levity to a situation. One notorious YouTube clip has a fight starting in the pit at a Cephalic show in Toronto, and in an inspired moment, the band launches into a rousing excerpt from "
Eye of the Tiger
"Eye of the Tiger" is a song by American rock band Survivor. It was released as a single from their third album of the same name and was also the theme song for the 1982 film ''Rocky III'', which was released a day before the single. The son ...
", to a raucous ovation from the kids."
Members
Current members
* Lenzig Leal – lead vocals (1992–present)
* John Merryman – drums (1996–present)
* Steve Goldberg – rhythm guitar (1996–present)
* Nick Schendzielos – bass, backing vocals (2006–present)
* Brian Hopp – lead guitar (2010–present)
Former members
* Anthony Chavez - drums (1992-1995)
* Zac Joe – lead guitar (1992–2010)
* Doug Williams – bass (1996–1998)
* Jawsh Mullen – bass (1998–2006)
Conforming to Abnormality
''Conforming to Abnormality'' is Cephalic Carnage's first full-length album. It was first released in 1998 on Italy's Headfucker Records. In 2002, the album was re-released on Hybrid Records. In 2006, Subordinate Records from Italy re-released th ...
Xenosapien
''Xenosapien'' is the fifth full-length album by Cephalic Carnage. It was released on May 28, 2007, on Relapse Records. "Endless Cycle of Violence" is the first single, and is available on the band's MySpace page. The album has received strong r ...
'' (2007)
* ''
Misled by Certainty
''Misled by Certainty'' is the sixth studio album by the Colorado-based deathgrind band Cephalic Carnage. It was released on August 31, 2010, through Relapse Records. ''Misled by Certainty'' sold 1300 copies in the United States in its first week ...
'' (2010)
Extended plays
* ''
Halls of Amenti
''Halls of Amenti'' is a one-song EP by Cephalic Carnage released by Willowtip Records. The song is 19 minutes in length. It is an experimental song done in a doom metal style, using some death metal vocals.
''Halls of Amenti'' was intended to b ...
'' (2002)
* ''Digital Carnage'' (2005)
Demos
* ''Scrape My Lungs'' (1994)
* ''
Fortuitous Oddity
''Fortuitous Oddity'' is a 1996 self-released demo by deathgrind band Cephalic Carnage. In 1997, the band released it again with different artwork.
Track listing
# "Analytical" – 4:36
# "Chelsea" – 1:55
# "Waiting for the Millennium" – 3 ...
'' (1996)
* ''Promo 1997'' (1997)
Splits
* ''Cephalic Carnage / Adnauseam'' (1998)
* ''
Impaled / Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage is an American death metal band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1992. The band comprises vocalist Lenzig Leal, guitarists Steve Goldberg and Brian Hopp, drummer John Merryman and bassist Nick Schendzielos. Cephalic Carnage has rel ...
'' (1999)
* ''Perversion... and the Guilt After / Version 5.Obese'' (2002)
* ''HF Seveninches Collection Vol. 1'' (2008)