Have you ever been betrayed? You know, where someone
you trusted did a complete 360 and stabbed you right in the
back? The pain of a trust dishonored and friendship
destroyed leaves nothing but a feeling of emptiness so
profound and thick, it's practically blinding. Now put a
soundtrack to that endless black pain and you'll understand
what SPINESHANK is about.
Formed in February of 1996, SPINESHANK is made up of
Johnny Santos (Vocals), Tom Decker (Drums), Mike
Sarkisyan (Guitars) and Robert Garcia (Bass).
SPINESHANK rose from the ashes of BASIC ENIGMA
which featured Johnny, Mike, and Tom. That band broke up
after hearing the ground breaking Demanufacture by
Roadrunner Recording artists, Fear Factory. The undeniably
brutal sound of FF's industrial-meets-death metal caused
BASIC ENIGMA to realize that the direction in which they
were headed was not where they wanted to go.
Johnny, Mike, and Tom got back together in early `96 and
started writing material that combined the power and
aggression of Fear Factory and Sepultura fused with the
groove and dynamics of Tool and Deftones. Tom came up
with the name SPINESHANK as a nod to the years of
being back-stabbed by their so-called friends in the
unforgiving LA scene. A lot of people will step on you to get
what they want, says Tom. Everybody's too worried about
getting signed and not where they're going with their music,
asserts Mike.
SPINESHANK hit a local studio to record their first demo in
Sept of `96. The band produced one of the most sought after
demos in LA with three extremely powerful tracks: Stain,
Mend, and Novocaine. For a debut demo, it displayed a
level of aggression so severe and fresh it attracted the
attention of Fear Factory guitarist, Dino Cazares. Dino
became the band's biggest supporter and friend, and
provided SPINESHANK the opportunity of a lifetime: opening
for Fear Factory and local faves Coal Chamber at the
Whiskey A-Go-Go in Los Angeles. This show has become
legendary and was the spring-board for bigger and better
things.
While SPINESHANK's demo was a fierce display of anger
and strength, their live shows take their power to a new level.
People who witness SPINESHANK for the first time are
floored by the musicianship and intense energy. Deeply
passionate and energetic, SPINESHANK have taken their
trademark heavy sound and, with the addition of electronics,
given their songs a feeling of immediacy that can't be
denied. Combined with Johnny's intense vocals
SPINESHANK have the ability to push you far into the
reaches of heavy groove and bring you back in with their
undeniable hooks. Their live shows have led them to be
hand-picked for shows with Fear Factory, Coal Chamber,
Snot, Soulfly, Sepultura, and Danzig.
SPINESHANK have always been a band that has never
settled for less than the best. So, with a freshly signed deal
with Roadrunner Records, SPINESHANK entered the studio
to record their debut album, Strictly Diesel with co-producers
Jay Baumgardener and Amir Derakh (Coal Chamber.) Also
on board was electronic programmer, Josh Abraham (Orgy,
Limp Bizkit remixes) who helped to bring out
SPINESHANKs industrial side.
Feeding off the rage and insanity of their live shows, Strictly
Diesel contains some of the most powerfully aggressive and
dynamic songs put on disc. There are no personal politics
that drive this band, no stories about the Man trying to
keep them down or how living on the streets has made them
tough guys. Their lyrics are about their lives and how
overcoming their hardships have made them stronger,
Where we fall/Is where we rise sings Johnny on Where
We Fall. Lyrical bandwagons have no place in an album this
personal. Complete with Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory
lending his vocal strength to the band's song Stain,
SPINESHANK is full on and ready to hit the big time.
Strictly Diesel is the backbone of SPINESHANK, says
Johnny, it's about coming from nothing to something. For a
long time we got no respect. The more people talked shit,
the more it turned us into a machine. Being the bastard
child of a cruel society and a back-stabbing music scene
have hardened SPINESHANK into a well oiled machine that
stops for no one. With the average age of the band being
only 22, SPINESHANK are out to prove they can be
matched by few and challenged by none. Powered by thick
diesel fumes of anger and a lust for retribution against
non-believers, the SPINESHANK machine is roaring on
maximum overdrive. Loud enough to knock you down--and
keep you there.
