Eyehategod (also abbreviated and referred to as
EHG) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sludge metalSludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that fuses doom metal and hardcore punk. In addition, it sometimes takes inspiration from sources as disparate as industrial music and Southern rock. Sludge metal is typically aggressive and abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted...
band from New Orleans who formed in 1988. They have become one of the most important bands to emerge from the NOLA metal scene. Throughout the years, their core line-up has remained the same, with the exception of the
bass guitarThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
ist, a slot which has seen several come and go.
Eyehategod have noted Melvins,
The ObsessedThe Obsessed was a doom metal band from Maryland led by Scott "Wino" Weinrich, who also fronted Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan, Place of Skulls and The Hidden Hand.-Biography:...
,
Black FlagBlack Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established largely as the brainchild of Greg Ginn: the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes...
, and
Black SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English rock band, formed in Birmingham in 1968 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple lineup changes, with a total of twenty-two former members...
as key influences to their sound. Heavy, detuned, and
bluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre created within the African-American communities in the Deep South of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
y guitar riffs dominate the band's sound. They are combined with walls of feedback and tortured vocals to create a harsh misanthropic vibe. Their records had been released consistently by
Century Media RecordsCentury Media Records is an independent record label with offices in the United States, Brazil, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :...
though the band's most recent output is on Emetic Records, not including the numerous
splitsA split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...
released under various labels. The band is friends with
Anal CuntAnal Cunt, also known as AxCx and A.C. for censorship reasons, is an American grindcore band that formed in Newton, Massachusetts in 1988. Since its inception, the band has undergone a number of lineup changes, currently consisting of core vocalist Seth Putnam, guitarist Josh Martin and original...
and performed with A.C. for the first show after
Seth PutnamSeth Edward Putnam is the founder of grindcore band Anal Cunt. He is known for his brutal screaming and lyrics that either shock, offend, or invoke morbid humor...
came out of his coma.
Early years – In the Name of Suffering
Very little is known about early Eyehategod.
Jimmy BowerJimmy Bower is an American sludge/heavy metal guitarist and drummer who has played with six bands, most notably Eyehategod, Crowbar, Down, and Superjoint Ritual....
and Joey LaCaze founded the band on April 20, 1988 (in accordance with
4/20 in cannabis culture420, 4:20 or 4/20 refers to consumption of cannabis and, by extension, a way to identify oneself with cannabis drug subculture.-Origins:...
), and they recruited
Mike WilliamsMike Williams is the singer for Eyehategod and former associate editor for Metal Maniacs. He has also worked on other projects, always as the vocalist.-Eyehategod:Mike was invited to join Eyehategod by Jimmy Bower in 1989...
, Brian Patton and Steve Dale. The band then recorded the demo
Lack of Almost Everything in 1990 and sent it out to various labels. They eventually got signed to the small
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
label Intellectual Convulsion, and released their first album
In the Name of SufferingIn the Name of Suffering is Sludge metal band Eyehategod's debut album, released on December 1 1992. The album was originally released on French label Intellectual Convulsion, but only 1500-2000 copies were pressed of this release before the label disappeared. They were then picked up by Century...
on December 1, 1992. The album had a far more primitive and raw sound than later releases (as it was recorded very cheaply and the band members were fairly inexperienced at the time), and had a more
hardcoreHardcore punk, often just called hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated primarily in North America in the late 1970s. The new sound was generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock...
feel to it. The label dissolved with only a couple of thousand copies having been printed, leaving the band to look for new labels. They were soon picked up by Century Media however, who re-released
In the Name of Suffering as it is known today. Also in 2006,
In the Name of Suffering was re-issued with four bonus tracks. These four tracks were the same as those on the original demo
Lack Of Almost Everything.
Take as Needed for Pain
Eyehategod then went on to record
Take as Needed for PainTake as Needed for Pain is the second album by American sludge metal band Eyehategod, released on November 22 1993. According to Mike Williams, it was the favorite album of nearly all band members, and his favorite album title, with the exception of Poison Idea's Record Collectors Are Pretentious...
in 1993 with new bassist Mark Schultz who had also contributed on
In The Name Of Suffering. The album was recorded at Studio 13, a small label working from the 13th floor of an abandoned
department storeA department store is a retail establishment which specializes in satisfying a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
on an old canal street in New Orleans. The band got together daily during this period to put down tracks for the album. At the time, Mike Williams was homeless (having been thrown out by his former girlfriend) and was living in an abandoned, flea-infested room above a
strip clubA strip club is a nightclub or bar where striptease is regularly performed, and possibly other related acts such as lap dancing. While usually considered much less objectionable than more explicit adult entertainment such as sex shows, they are often the focus of morality campaigns and restrictive...
just a few minutes away from the studio. The sound of
Take as Needed for Pain seemed much closer to what the members intended than the material on
In the Name of Suffering, and it shows a cleaner, more distinct sound with better defined riffs. The
southern rockSouthern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of country music. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals.-1950s and 1960s – origins:...
, blues and
doomDoom metal is a form of heavy metal music that typically uses very slow tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much 'thicker' or 'heavier' sound than other metal genres...
influences are also more distinctly felt on this album. After the release of the album, the band toured extensively with acts such as Buzzov*en,
White ZombieWhite Zombie was a Grammy Award-nominated American rock band named afterthe 1932 film of the same name, which starred Béla Lugosi.Based in New York, White Zombie was originally a noise rock band. White Zombie are better-known for their later heavy metal-oriented sound, with lyrics heavily...
and
Corrosion of ConformityCorrosion of Conformity is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina formed in 1982.-Early years :...
. After touring, the band members briefly spread out in different directions. Mike Williams busied himself contributing to
Metal ManiacsMetal Maniacs was a heavy metal magazine founded in 1989 by Mike G. and Katherine Ludwig of Metal Shop. It was focused largely on covering underground metal, with emphasis on the black and death metal genres...
magazine. Jimmy Bower played drums on
CrowbarCrowbar is an American sludge metal band from New Orleans, Louisiana, characterized by their extremely slow, low-keyed, heavy and brooding songs that also contain fast hardcore punk passages...
's
Broken GlassBroken Glass is the fourth album by Crowbar released on October 29, 1996.-Track listing:#"Conquering" – 2:48 #"Like Broken Glass" – 3:43 #" Turn Away from Dying" – 5:00 #"Wrath of Time Be Judgement" – 3:32 #"Nothing" – 5:29...
as well as
DownDown is an American heavy metal supergroup formed in 1991 in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2009, the band consists of vocalist Phil Anselmo, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, bassist Rex Brown, and drummer Jimmy Bower....
's debut album,
NOLANOLA is the debut album of Louisiana-based heavy metal band Down. It was released on September 19, 1995. The songs on the album were written mainly by Phil Anselmo and Pepper Keenan between 1991 and 1995. NOLA went platinum with 1,000,000 copies sold in America.Down supported NOLA with a 13-date...
. Brian Patton recorded
Soilent GreenSoilent Green is a grindcore and sludge metal band that hails from Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans.-Overview:Soilent Green was founded in 1988. Their debut album wasn't released until 1995, when Pussysoul came out on Dwell Records...
's debut album,
PussysoulPussysoul is the debut album from extreme metal band, Soilent Green. It is the bands first and last album released through Los Angeles based record label Dwell Records...
.
Dopesick
The band had been recording several demos, which were released on various 7" records and splits on various labels, but finally in 1996 settled down to record a full length record, with
Pepper KeenanPepper J. Keenan, , is the vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the Heavy metal band Corrosion of Conformity. He also plays guitar for the band Down, alongside Crowbar vocalist/guitarist Kirk Windstein and former Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown...
of Corrosion of Conformity as
producerIn the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes...
, and new bassist Vince LeBlanc, which would be named
DopesickDopesick is the third album by the American sludge metal band Eyehategod. Released on April 2, 1996, it's been considered the band's best work...
. At the time, Mike Williams was living in
Clinton Hill, BrooklynClinton Hill is a neighborhood in the north-central portion of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. It is bordered on the east by Bedford-Stuyvesant, on the west by Fort Greene, on the north by Wallabout Bay and on the south by Prospect Heights...
in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
, and so had to travel between there and New Orleans frequently for the recording sessions. The recording sessions were infamously chaotic, and involved the studio owner reportedly calling Century to ask if the band were insane, and threatening to kick them out. This particular incident occurred after Mike Williams had attempted to record the sound of smashing glass for the introduction to the album, by smashing a bottle on the floor of the studio. In the process he slashed his hand open badly and bled all over the studio floor (this recording did make it to the record as the introduction to the first track, "My Name is God (I Hate You)"). One of the band members then apparently smeared the words "
HellIn many religious traditions, Hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife, often in the underworld. Religions with a linear divine history often depict Hell as endless...
" and "Death to
PigsA police service is a public force empowered to enforce the law and provide security through the legitimized use of force.The term is most commonly associated with police services of a state that are authorized to exercise the police power of that state within a defined legal or territorial area of...
" in Mike's blood. Brian Patton and Joey LaCaze then flew out to San Francisco to
mixAudio mixing is the process by which a multitude of recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics and panoramic position are commonly being manipulated and effects such as reverb might...
the album. This album was far more chaotic than their previous, but still retained the distinct southern, bluesy feel, distancing it from
In the Name of Suffering. The band then embarked on a US tour in the spring of 1997 to support the album, supporting
White ZombieWhite Zombie was a Grammy Award-nominated American rock band named afterthe 1932 film of the same name, which starred Béla Lugosi.Based in New York, White Zombie was originally a noise rock band. White Zombie are better-known for their later heavy metal-oriented sound, with lyrics heavily...
and
PanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas, formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and "Dimebag" Darrell , then known as Diamond Darrell, in 1981. Bassist Rex Brown then known as Rex Rocker would join in 1982, with vocalist Terry Glaze...
, bringing their music to a far wider audience, raising the profile of
sludge metalSludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that fuses doom metal and hardcore punk. In addition, it sometimes takes inspiration from sources as disparate as industrial music and Southern rock. Sludge metal is typically aggressive and abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted...
, and becoming (in)famous as one of its founding acts.
Confederacy of Ruined Lives
Eyehategod then went through a period of internal disputes, and went on unofficial hiatus as its members scattered again to record and tour with their various side-projects; namely Soilent Green, Corrosion of Conformity and Crowbar. Eventually, in 2000, the band reconvened (again with a new bassist, this time Daniel Nick) to compile their various
Take as Needed for Pain and
Dopesick era singles, 7 inches and split records into one record,
Southern DiscomfortSouthern Discomfort is a collection of rarities by Sludge metal band Eyehategod, released on January 25 2000. The title is a reference to the alcoholic drink, Southern Comfort. Tracks 1-6 are demos from the Take as Needed for Pain era that ended up on splits and singles. Tracks 7-9 are outtakes...
. This reconvention gave them the impetus to knuckle down and record another album, and that album was 2000's
Confederacy of Ruined LivesConfederacy of Ruined Lives is sludge metal band Eyehategod's fourth album, released on September 19 2000. As of 2009, it is their latest studio album...
. The album was a much more polished, sober affair, and so sounded distinctly more like a sequel to
Take as Needed for Pain than
Dopesick. After its release, the band then toured extensively (embarking on a world tour for the first time, with dates in Europe and
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
), while its members still juggled their various side-projects. During this time, Down recorded their second album, and Bower formed the mostly instrumental band,
The Mystick Krewe of ClearlightClearlight is an instrumental heavy metal band from New Orleans, Louisiana. They are also known as The Mystick Krewe of Clearlight due to other bands using the same original name.-History:...
, as well as Soilent Green releasing their third album. Mike Williams also founded Outlaw Order and
Arson AnthemArson Anthem is an American hardcore punk band, formed in New Orleans in 2006. The lineup comprises singer Mike Williams of Eyehategod), guitarist Phil Anselmo of Pantera, Down and Superjoint Ritual), country musician, punk rocker and Assjack frontman Hank Williams III on drums, and bassist Collin...
. During all this activity, Eyehategod found time to compile and release their live album
10 Years of Abuse (and Still Broke)10 Years of Abuse is the title of Sludge metal band Eyehategod's only live album, released on May 29, 2001. Although not all the tracks are live, it is still considered a live album, as the majority of tracks are live, and there are no studio tracks...
(which was mainly released due to a contractual obligation with Century Media), and record and release yet more split records and 7 inches. With the release of their live album, the band were free of their contract with Century, and chose to sign to Emetic Records (with their fifth and current bassist, Gary Mader) for the release of their 2005 stop-gap compilation album,
Preaching the "End-Time" Message, much in the vein of
Southern Discomfort, but this time with some unreleased studio tracks.
Recent events
Following the aftermath of
Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest, in the history of the United States...
, singer
Mike WilliamsMike Williams is the singer for Eyehategod and former associate editor for Metal Maniacs. He has also worked on other projects, always as the vocalist.-Eyehategod:Mike was invited to join Eyehategod by Jimmy Bower in 1989...
and his now ex-girlfriend Alicia Morgan (a member of sludgecore band 13) were arrested in
Morgan City, LouisianaMorgan City is a city in St. Martin and St. Mary parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 12,703 at the 2000 census....
on a narcotics charge. Williams spent 91 days in the
Morgan CityMorgan City is a city in St. Martin and St. Mary parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 12,703 at the 2000 census....
Jail, and kicked his legendary heroin habit. With the help of his Eyehategod bandmates and supporters such as
Phil AnselmoPhilip Hansen "Phil" Anselmo is an American musician who is best known as the frontman for the heavy metal band Pantera. He is currently the frontman for heavy metal band Down. He is also the owner of Housecore Records.-Childhood and early life:Anselmo grew up in the inner city of New Orleans...
, Williams was released from jail on December 2 2005. The band played a set at the 2006
Mardi GrasThe terms "Mardi Gras" and "Mardi Gras season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, ending on the day before Ash Wednesday...
festival, the first since the disaster. Emetic Records released a various artists
tribute albumA tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
to Eyehategod on March 20 2007, titled
For the SickFor the Sick is the title of the various artist tribute album to one of the most influential sludge metal bands, Eyehategod. It was released through Emetic Records on March 20 2007.-CD 1:...
. The band played a few shows in the American South in May.
Jimmy Bower announced in a recent interview that Eyehategod are still active and preparing a new album.
Current line-up
- Mike Williams
Mike Williams is the singer for Eyehategod and former associate editor for Metal Maniacs. He has also worked on other projects, always as the vocalist.-Eyehategod:Mike was invited to join Eyehategod by Jimmy Bower in 1989...
- Vocals
- Jimmy Bower
Jimmy Bower is an American sludge/heavy metal guitarist and drummer who has played with six bands, most notably Eyehategod, Crowbar, Down, and Superjoint Ritual....
- Guitar
- Brian Patton - Guitar
- Joey LaCaze - Drums
- Gary Mader - Bass
Former members
- Steve Dale - Bass
- Mark Schultz - Guitar/Bass
- Vince LeBlanc - Bass
- Daniel Nick - Bass
- Charles Alexander - Bass
- Joey Delatte - Drums
- Chris Hilliard - Vocals
Albums
| Year |
Title |
Type |
Label |
| 1990 |
Lack of Almost Everything |
Demo album |
Self-released |
| 1992 |
In the Name of Suffering In the Name of Suffering is Sludge metal band Eyehategod's debut album, released on December 1 1992. The album was originally released on French label Intellectual Convulsion, but only 1500-2000 copies were pressed of this release before the label disappeared. They were then picked up by Century...
|
Studio album |
Century Media |
| 1993 |
Take as Needed for Pain Take as Needed for Pain is the second album by American sludge metal band Eyehategod, released on November 22 1993. According to Mike Williams, it was the favorite album of nearly all band members, and his favorite album title, with the exception of Poison Idea's Record Collectors Are Pretentious...
|
Studio album |
Century Media |
| 1996 |
Dopesick Dopesick is the third album by the American sludge metal band Eyehategod. Released on April 2, 1996, it's been considered the band's best work...
|
Studio album |
Century Media |
| 2000 |
Southern Discomfort Southern Discomfort is a collection of rarities by Sludge metal band Eyehategod, released on January 25 2000. The title is a reference to the alcoholic drink, Southern Comfort. Tracks 1-6 are demos from the Take as Needed for Pain era that ended up on splits and singles. Tracks 7-9 are outtakes...
|
Compilation album |
Century Media |
| 2000 |
Confederacy of Ruined Lives Confederacy of Ruined Lives is sludge metal band Eyehategod's fourth album, released on September 19 2000. As of 2009, it is their latest studio album...
|
Studio album |
Century Media |
| 2001 |
10 Years of Abuse (and Still Broke) 10 Years of Abuse is the title of Sludge metal band Eyehategod's only live album, released on May 29, 2001. Although not all the tracks are live, it is still considered a live album, as the majority of tracks are live, and there are no studio tracks...
|
Compilation album |
Century Media |
| 2004 |
Live in Tokyo |
DVD |
Press Pause Media/Cassettes |
| 2005 |
Preaching the "End-Time" Message |
Compilation album |
Emetic Records |
Singles and EPs
| Year |
Title |
Label |
| 1994 |
"Ruptured Heart Theory "Ruptured Heart Theory" is a song by Eyehategod, released as the band's first, and currently only, single on 7" vinyl in 1994. The song was later included on their 1996 album Dopesick, and the song and both its B-sides appeared as bonus tracks on the 2006 Century Media reissue of Eyehategod's...
" |
Bovine Records |
| 1994 |
"Serving Time in the Middle of Nowhere" (split with 13) |
Ax/ction Records |
| 1995 |
"Southern Discomfort" (split with 13) |
Slap-A-Ham Records |
| 1997 |
"Sabbath Jam" (split with Anal Cunt Anal Cunt, also known as AxCx and A.C. for censorship reasons, is an American grindcore band that formed in Newton, Massachusetts in 1988. Since its inception, the band has undergone a number of lineup changes, currently consisting of core vocalist Seth Putnam, guitarist Josh Martin and original...
) |
Hydra Head Records |
| 2002 |
"The Age of Bootcamp" (split with Soilent Green Soilent Green is a grindcore and sludge metal band that hails from Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans.-Overview:Soilent Green was founded in 1988. Their debut album wasn't released until 1995, when Pussysoul came out on Dwell Records...
) |
Incision Records |
| 2004 |
"I Am the Gestapo" (split with Cripple Bastards Cripple Bastards is a grindcore band from Asti, Italy. They were formed in 1988 in order to keep their area on the hardcore map as most of the other bands around them were breaking up....
) |
Southern Lord Records |
| 2004 |
99 Miles of Bad Road 99 Miles of Bad Road is the title of an EP by Sludge metal band Eyehategod, released in 2004 by 2+2=5. It contains 3 rare demo recordings of Eyehategod songs; as well as artwork and liner notes written by vocalist Mike Williams. It was released on clear 7" vinyl and came with a full-colour poster,...
|
2+2=5 |
The band also appear on several compilations, namely the
GummoGummo is a 1997 independent American cult film written and directed by Harmony Korine. The film stars Nick Sutton, Jacob Reynolds, Max Perlich, Jacob Sewell, and Chloë Sevigny...
soundtrack,
Cry Now, Cry Later series of 7 inches, and appear on the Melvins tribute album
We Reach: The Music of the Melvins-Track listing:# "Night Goat" – 3:00# "Honey Bucket" – 2:42# "The Bit" – 4:29# "Zodiac" – 3:59# "Claude" – 1:15# "Oven" – 1:27...
covering "Easy As It Was".
Outlaw Order
While Jimmy Bower was busy playing drums for
DownDown is an American heavy metal supergroup formed in 1991 in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2009, the band consists of vocalist Phil Anselmo, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, bassist Rex Brown, and drummer Jimmy Bower....
, the other four members of Eyehategod formed a side-project called
Outlaw Order (abbreviated to
OO%). The band released a limited edition 7"
EPAn extended play is a vinyl record, CD, or music download which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as an LP. Usually, a CD single has around 10–28 minutes of music, an EP has up to 36 minutes, and an album generally has 30–80 minutes. Mini-LPs generally contain 20–30...
in 2003 called
Legalize CrimeLegalize Crime is the name of the debut EP by Outlaw Order - a sideproject of Sludge metal band Eyehategod, released as a limited edition 7" in 2003, and rereleased on CD with a bonus live track on October 25 2006...
, which has since been re-released on CD with a bonus live track and is available through Eyehategod's webstore. The criminal theme is apparently because at the time of the band's formation all 5 of the members were on
probationProbation is a sentence which may be imposed by a court in lieu of incarceration. A criminal who is "on probation" has been convicted of a crime but has served only part of the sentence in jail, or has not served time at all...
, and have consistently been in trouble with the law. Marc Shultz is currently serving a prison sentence and so has been replaced by Justin Grisoli. The band have recorded their debut full-length,
Dragging Down the EnforcerDragging Down the Enforcer is the name of the debut album by Outlaw Order, a side-project of the pioneering American sludge metal outfit, Eyehategod. It was released in November 2008 in both jewel case and metal box formats. It was originally due to be released on the 13th and 14th of October, but...
, and will release it on October 13 2008 or October 14 2008, through
Season of MistSeason of Mist is an independent record label and record distributor with subsidiaries in France and the United States. The record label was founded in 1996 by Michael S. Berberian in Marseille, France. From the start releasing black metal, pagan metal and death metal records, the label moved on to...
.
External links
- Eyehategod at MySpace
MySpace is a social networking website. Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills, California, USA, where it shares an office building with its immediate owner, Fox Interactive Media, which is owned by News Corporation. MySpace became the most popular social networking site in the United...
- Emetic Records' Eyehategod section