Cryogenic (Band)
Encyclopedia
Cryogenic was an Australian thrash metal
/death metal
band formed in 1992 in Wetherill Park, a suburb of Sydney
, Australia
.
band called Mortality, that was formed around the same time by guitarist Darren Jenkins, bass player Luke Ford and vocalist Darren Maloney. Mortality released three demos and toured with Sepultura
before Jenkins was replaced by Craig Figl and original drummer Rick Fuda by Steve Pell, previously of a late-80s metal band known as Kilswitch. While Mortality was arguably the better known of the two bands, their impetus stalled due to a long delay in the release of their debut album Structure. While it was eventually released in early 1997, dispute about musical direction saw Mortality disband six months later.
thrash band Channel Zero but without a permanent drummer Cryogenic was on the verge of splitting up. Late in the year, Mortality's ex-guitarist Jenkins joined tha band as drummer, enabling them to support Fear Factory
in mid-1996 before beginning work on a debut album, Suspended Animation in early 1997. At the same time, the band deliberately cultivated a following amongst the "Westy" headbangers of Sydney's western suburbs. In a further link to Jenkins' former band, in the aftermath to the disbanding of Mortality, Player was then replaced by that band's vocalist Darren Maloney, who re-recorded the album's vocal parts just prior to release.
and then Cradle of Filth
in late 1997; this began a string of tours and opening slots for the band that included a tour with Entombed
and shows in South Africa
, England and Germany to promote Suspended Animation. This was followed by an Australian tour with Slayer
.
In November 1998 the band appeared at Metal For The Brain
for the first time. They would go on to play twice more at Australia's largest heavy metal music festival.
In 1999 Cryogenic played at the Sydney Big Day Out
and late in the year released their second album, ego-noria. 2000 featured heavy touring around Australia including the Big Day Out once again. After a third Big Day Out appearance in 2001 Cryogenic went off the road for much of the year, ostensibly to work on another album. However in October it was announced that Maloney had been replaced by Steve Simmons, formerly with Canberra
nu metal
band Henry's Anger
. Plans were then made for the band to relocate to the United States with tentative plans made for shows in Los Angeles
. However, Simmons was injured in a car accident and was forced to leave the band.
and Atomizer. The band played a single comeback show in Sydney in August 2006, with no plans to continue further at the time. Mortality were reported to have begun writing and rehearsing once more as of mid-2007, but no new material has surfaced to date.
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
/death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band formed in 1992 in Wetherill Park, a suburb of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Early
The band originally featured guitarist Steve Essa, bass player Anthony Henning, singer/guitarist Russell Player and drummer Chad Bartosik, who was also a member of another thrash band called Neophobia. Cryogenic's history is linked to that of another Sydney thrash/death metalDeath metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band called Mortality, that was formed around the same time by guitarist Darren Jenkins, bass player Luke Ford and vocalist Darren Maloney. Mortality released three demos and toured with Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
before Jenkins was replaced by Craig Figl and original drummer Rick Fuda by Steve Pell, previously of a late-80s metal band known as Kilswitch. While Mortality was arguably the better known of the two bands, their impetus stalled due to a long delay in the release of their debut album Structure. While it was eventually released in early 1997, dispute about musical direction saw Mortality disband six months later.
Demo
Cryogenic released its first demo in 1995. However Bartosik left before the band could capitalise on its success on the local Sydney metal scene. Temporary drummer Grahame Goode from Neophobia played with the band on a key support date with BelgianBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
thrash band Channel Zero but without a permanent drummer Cryogenic was on the verge of splitting up. Late in the year, Mortality's ex-guitarist Jenkins joined tha band as drummer, enabling them to support Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
in mid-1996 before beginning work on a debut album, Suspended Animation in early 1997. At the same time, the band deliberately cultivated a following amongst the "Westy" headbangers of Sydney's western suburbs. In a further link to Jenkins' former band, in the aftermath to the disbanding of Mortality, Player was then replaced by that band's vocalist Darren Maloney, who re-recorded the album's vocal parts just prior to release.
Late 1990s
Cryogenic appeared with Strapping Young LadStrapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing...
and then Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
in late 1997; this began a string of tours and opening slots for the band that included a tour with Entombed
Entombed (band)
Entombed is a Swedish death metal band which formed in 1987 under the name of Nihilist. Though Entombed began their career as an early pioneer of Scandinavian death metal which initially differed itself from its American counterpart with its distinct guitar tone, by the early 1990s their sound had...
and shows in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, England and Germany to promote Suspended Animation. This was followed by an Australian tour with Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
.
In November 1998 the band appeared at Metal For The Brain
Metal for the Brain
Metal for the Brain was Australia's largest heavy metal music festival. The event was held in Canberra annually, usually towards the end of the year, and featured Australian bands almost exclusively...
for the first time. They would go on to play twice more at Australia's largest heavy metal music festival.
In 1999 Cryogenic played at the Sydney Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
and late in the year released their second album, ego-noria. 2000 featured heavy touring around Australia including the Big Day Out once again. After a third Big Day Out appearance in 2001 Cryogenic went off the road for much of the year, ostensibly to work on another album. However in October it was announced that Maloney had been replaced by Steve Simmons, formerly with Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
band Henry's Anger
Henry's Anger
Henry's Anger was a Canberra based heavy metal band. Their second album Personality Test was nominated for an Aria Award for Best Rock Album and reached #38 on the alternative charts...
. Plans were then made for the band to relocate to the United States with tentative plans made for shows in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. However, Simmons was injured in a car accident and was forced to leave the band.
In The Name Of
The remainder of Cryogenic then based themselves in Los Angeles and re-launched itself under the name of In The Name Of after recruiting vocalist Ryan David. That band broke up in early 2005, with Jenkins returning to Australia. He now works as a producer and sound engineer. Maloney, Ford and Pell reformed Mortality in late 2005 with guitarist Andrew Lilley, a former member of Psi.Kore, Infernal MethodInfernal Method (band)
Infernal Method was a melodic death metal band from Sydney, Australia. Despite the volatility of its line-up, the band was a dominant presence on Sydney's live metal music scene between early 2002 and late 2006 and notable for featuring an array of members who came from or later joined other bands...
and Atomizer. The band played a single comeback show in Sydney in August 2006, with no plans to continue further at the time. Mortality were reported to have begun writing and rehearsing once more as of mid-2007, but no new material has surfaced to date.