DYING FETUS interviewed by NICK YASBEK @ Slims - San Francisco, CA 2006, also on the bill were CANNIBAL CORPSE, UNMERCIFUL & NECROPHAGIST. Dying Fetus are an American technical/brutal death metal band, presently noteworthy for their virtuosity, dual mid-range and gurgling vocals, and reality-based pseudo-political lyrics. Earlier lyrics showcased graphically gory lyrics and themes.
The band formed in late 1991 in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, a suburb of Washington DC, United States, as John Gallagher (guitar, vocals) and Jason Netherton (bass, vocals), though constant line-up changes throughout the years have left Gallagher the only remaining original member. The band's sound i
s characterized by blast beats, complex riffing and hardcore-inspired breakdowns. The vocals range from very low death-growls to more abrasive upper-throat screams. Dying Fetus drew influences from thrash-metal legends Slayer, other seminal death-metal bands like Suffocation, and hardcore-punk, suc
h as Dead Kennedys and Minor Threat. http://dyingfetus.com (1992-1996) The band began in earnest when the pair of Gallagher and Netherton met up with guitarist/vocalist Nick Speleos in 1992. During a year of practicing it was decided that Gallagher would fill in on drums until a proper drummer was
found. The writing of this period resulted in the 1993 demo "Bathe In Entrails." In late 1993, the band found drummer Rob Belton, as well as guitarist Brian Latta, who replaced the departed Nick Speleos, which also thrusted John Gallagher back into the role of guitarist and vocalist. Together the ne
w four-piece lineup recorded the Infatuation with Malevolence demo in early 1994, later released together with the first demo in 1995 as a compilation on California Indie label Wild Rags Records. Songs included all tracks from both demos as one CD. In 1996, the band released their first album, Puri
fication through Violence, on short lived Illinois label Pulverizer Records. The album marked a further refinement of the band's developing sound of technical death metal riffing, combined with hardcore inspired breakdowns/mosh riffs, over seven original songs, and one Napalm Death cover, "Skum". Dr
ummer Rob Belton departed the band after this recording, and the band was joined briefly in 1995 for a year by drummer Casey Buckler, with whom they performed live, yet never recorded with. (1996-2000) With no promotion and no label, Dying Fetus toured off and on, sporadically, for 4 years straigh
t starting in summer 1996 with their first full US tour alongside Kataklysm and Monstrosity, with the first appearance of future drummer Erik Sayenga as drummer replacing the departed Casey Buckler. However by 1997, Erik Sayenga had left the band, and after a short Texas tour in May of 1997, drummer
Kevin Talley was found after opening for Dying Fetus in his local San Antonio outfit 'Deity.' Shortly after sighting Kevin, the band approached him to join the band and later in the summer of 1997 Kevin Talley moved to Maryland and fully joined Dying Fetus. At this point, the band had caught the at
tention of German indie label Morbid Records, who signed them early in 1998 for a one-album deal. Almost immediately afterwards, the band released their 2nd album, Killing on Adrenaline. Songs included "Procreate the Malformed," "Intentional Manslaughter," and the deceptively titled joke song "Kill
Your Mother/Rape Your Dog", which they made a music video for in a junkyard when they were broken down on the side of a road. Morbid Records supplied the band with promotion in the death metal underground, and the band subsequently rose to slightly higher prominence, yet the band's live performance
s still gained them the most attention. However, guitarist Brian Latta left the band in late 1998, ushering in new guitarist "Sparky" Voyles, and in 1999 the band embarked on their first headlining tour of the US, over three weeks dubbed the "Underground Terrorism" tour. The tour was followed shortl
y thereafter by the "Grotesque Impalement" Ep, which the band released on their Blunt Force Records label imprint. (2000-2003) By 2000, Dying Fetus caught the attention of another underground metal label, the indie company Relapse Records, who subsequently signed the band. To date, all Dying Fetus
albums have been on Relapse Records. Once more returning to Steve Carr's Maryland Hit and Run Studios (where every Dying fetus album has been recorded), Dying Fetus recorded in the spring of 2000 their Relapse debut, Destroy the Opposition. Unlike earlier Dying Fetus albums, this one features even
stronger political themes, heard on tracks like "Destroy the Opposition," "Pissing In The Mainstream," "In Times Of War" and "Justifiable Homicide." The album is widely considered their best, and cited as a death metal underground classic. However, following the release of Destroy the Opposition,
original member Jason Netherton left the band for personal reasons, thus causing a disruption that also resulted in guitarist Voyles and drummer Talley leaving the band only months after the album's release (they since went on to form the band Misery Index). Determined to carry on, Gallagher held au
ditions for a new guitarist, bassist and drummer. He ultimately decided on guitarist Mike Kimball, vocalist Vince Matthews, bassist/backup vocalist Sean Beasley, and the returning Eric Seyanga on drums. With the new lineup, the band released their 4th album, Stop at Nothing, in 2003, another album
featuring Carr's production and strong political themes. Songs included "Institutions of Deceit," "Schematics" and "Onslaught of Malice." (2003-Present) Dying Fetus toured extensively for Stop At Nothing, and with the help of satellite radio and digital/internet media, the band reached an even wid
er audience, achieving airplay on extreme metal/hardcore stations. Another tool that led to exposure of the band was more mainstream metal attention of Relapse Records (with acts such as Mastodon gaining popularity), as well as a full North American tour with GWAR in 2005. However, the Stop At Nothi
ng lineup dissolved slightly in the years that followed as drummer Erik Sayenga parted yet again, and vocalist Vince Matthews went on to form Criminal Element. However, Dying Fetus came back yet again, as bassist Beasely took over vocal duties, and new drummer Duane Timlin (ex Divine Empire/Broken H
ope) joined the ranks in 2006. The most recent album, War of Attrition was released in March of 2007, and it has been received warmly by the band's original fanbase as a return to form. However, it is also perhaps the band's most politically-charged album yet: themes include attacking reality TV, t
he war on terrorism, racial ignorance, and the flaws in the criminal justice system. Songs include "Homicidal Retribution," "Raping The System" and "Parasites of Catastrophe." Dying Fetus' first music video was made for "Homicidal Retribution," which has found moderate airing on YouTube, another too
l helping to spread their sound. http://myspace.com/dyingfetus Current Members * John Gallagher: Guitars/vocals * Mike Kimball: Guitars * Sean Beasley: Bass/vocals * Duane Timlin: Drums Former Members * Nick Speleos: Guitar/Vocals * Brian Latta: Drums * Rob Belton: Gu
itar * Jason Netherton: Bass/Vocals * Kevin Talley: Drums * "Sparky" Voyles: Guitar * Eric Seyanga: Drums * Vince Matthews: Vocals Discography Albums * Infatuation with Malevolence (1995) Wild Rags * Purification through Violence (1996) Pulverizer * Killing on Adre
naline (1998) Morbid * Destroy the Opposition (2000) Relapse Records * Stop at Nothing (2003) Relapse Records * War of Attrition (2007) Relapse Records EPs * Grotesque Impalement (1999) Blunt Force * Split 7" with Deep Red (2001) Relapse Singles Series Demos * Bathe in En
trails demotape (1993) * Infatuation with Malevolence demotape (1994) http://capitalchaos.net

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