Discordance Axis
Encyclopedia
Discordance Axis was a grindcore
band from East Brunswick
, New Jersey
.
"Discordance Axis was a three piece grind core band that started in NJ around 1992. The band started after myself and Rob's previous band disintegrated and we found Da5e at a Human Remains show. We asked him to play a split 7" with us and it snowballed from there.
The pattern was, we got together and wrote and recorded some material, then would part ways. We never really played live much because...well we couldn't manage to sell more than 500 copies of any of our records and we all had conflicting schedules.
We get asked why we only toured Japan. That's easy. That's where all our records sold. And most of the bands we liked were from over there.
Steve Procopio played live a lot with us and recorded the guitar tracks on the Necropolitan ep. Rob Marton plays guitar on every other recording we produced. Steve and Rob were two really gifted people and I feel fortunate to have played with both them and Da5e.
There's a much more detailed band history in the Original Sound Version and Jouhou resissue CDs that Hydrahead released, but in brief, Discordance Axis started in 1992 and broke up in 2001. All of our music has been re-issued on CD except for our tracks on the Necropolitan EP(because the master is lost) and our track from the Snarl Out Vol 2 7" comp record.
Jon Chang now sings for Gridlink.
Rob Marton writes lots of music but isn't in a band.
Dave Witte
plays for Municipal Waste (among others)."
influenced by the likes of Napalm Death
, but on later releases they showcased a very original style. Robert Marton played guitar lines that were both technical and dissonant, and added creative overdubs to augment the melodies. Dave Witte added complex rolls, fills, and jaring rhythmic shifts to the usual barrage of blast beats found in grindcore. Jon Chang alternated between a shrill shriek and a gastrointestional roar, and based most of his metaphorical lyrics on novels and anime. The band had no bassist and released the majority of their full-length recordings in DVD cases
rather than CD cases coming with unusually large booklets (normally with liner notes for each song longer than the lyrics).
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
band from East Brunswick
East Brunswick Township, New Jersey
The town is located southwest of New York City and 48 miles northeast of Philadelphia.Lawrence Brook, a tributary of the Raritan River, runs along the western border of the township...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Biography
Frontman Jon Chang on the history of the band:"Discordance Axis was a three piece grind core band that started in NJ around 1992. The band started after myself and Rob's previous band disintegrated and we found Da5e at a Human Remains show. We asked him to play a split 7" with us and it snowballed from there.
The pattern was, we got together and wrote and recorded some material, then would part ways. We never really played live much because...well we couldn't manage to sell more than 500 copies of any of our records and we all had conflicting schedules.
We get asked why we only toured Japan. That's easy. That's where all our records sold. And most of the bands we liked were from over there.
Steve Procopio played live a lot with us and recorded the guitar tracks on the Necropolitan ep. Rob Marton plays guitar on every other recording we produced. Steve and Rob were two really gifted people and I feel fortunate to have played with both them and Da5e.
There's a much more detailed band history in the Original Sound Version and Jouhou resissue CDs that Hydrahead released, but in brief, Discordance Axis started in 1992 and broke up in 2001. All of our music has been re-issued on CD except for our tracks on the Necropolitan EP(because the master is lost) and our track from the Snarl Out Vol 2 7" comp record.
Jon Chang now sings for Gridlink.
Rob Marton writes lots of music but isn't in a band.
Dave Witte
Dave Witte
Dave Witte is a professional drummer currently living in Virginia. He is known for his work in numerous extreme metal or hardcore punk bands including Municipal Waste, Discordance Axis, Black Army Jacket, Birds of Prey, and Burnt By The Sun among others. He has also played as a session drummer for...
plays for Municipal Waste (among others)."
Style
In the beginning the band played straightforward grindcoreGrindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
influenced by the likes of Napalm Death
Napalm Death
Napalm Death are a death metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1981. While none of its original members remain in the group, the lineup of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris and drummer Danny Herrera has remained consistent for most of the band's ...
, but on later releases they showcased a very original style. Robert Marton played guitar lines that were both technical and dissonant, and added creative overdubs to augment the melodies. Dave Witte added complex rolls, fills, and jaring rhythmic shifts to the usual barrage of blast beats found in grindcore. Jon Chang alternated between a shrill shriek and a gastrointestional roar, and based most of his metaphorical lyrics on novels and anime. The band had no bassist and released the majority of their full-length recordings in DVD cases
Keep case
A keep case or poly-box is a type of DVD packaging. From the well-known brand Amaray, this type of case is often called Amaray case, creating a genericized trademark and ambiguities about the real manufacturer of the case....
rather than CD cases coming with unusually large booklets (normally with liner notes for each song longer than the lyrics).
Lineup
- Jon Chang – vocals (GridlinkGridlinkGridlink is a grindcore band with members located in New Jersey, Texas and Japan. Their style can be described as technical grindcore with lyrical themes focused around abstract concepts and science fiction.-Members:...
, Hayaino Daisuki) - Rob Marton – guitar
- Dave WitteDave WitteDave Witte is a professional drummer currently living in Virginia. He is known for his work in numerous extreme metal or hardcore punk bands including Municipal Waste, Discordance Axis, Black Army Jacket, Birds of Prey, and Burnt By The Sun among others. He has also played as a session drummer for...
– drums (Burnt by the SunBurnt by the Sun (band)Burnt by the Sun was a band from New Jersey, USA. Formed in November 1999 by ex-Human Remains drummer Dave Witte and guitarist John Adubato. ex-For the Love of... Vocalist Mike Olender and bassist Ted Patterson joined soon after. A split EP with The Luddite Clone on Ferret Records brought them to...
, Human Remains, Municipal WasteMunicipal Waste (band)Municipal Waste is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from Richmond, Virginia.They performed at the UK's Download Festival on June 15, 2008, on the tuborg stage....
, Black Army JacketBlack Army JacketBlack Army Jacket was an American grindcore / power violence band. They released one full length album and many 7" EPs, splits and compilation appearances...
, Melt-BananaMelt-BananaMelt-Banana is a Japanese punk band that is known for playing extremely fast noise music mixed with experimental electronica and pop-based song structures. They have worked with artists as diverse as Merzbow, John Zorn, Mike Patton, and Discordance Axis...
, Exit-13Exit-13Exit-13 was a grindcore band from Millersville, Pennsylvania. The band were formed in 1989 by Relapse Records founder and co-owner Bill Yurkiewicz , guitarist Steve O'Donnell and bassist Joel DiPietro...
, Hope Collapse, East West Blast Test, Birds of Prey, PhantomsmasherPhantomsmasherPhantomsmasher is an experimental grindcore/electronic band led by musician James Plotkin, previously known as Atomsmasher.The band signed to Ipecac Recordings in 2002, and is reportedly currently working on a third album.-Members:...
)
Former members
- Steve Procopio – guitar (live only) (Human Remains) (Gridlink)
- Rob Proctor – drums (filled in for Witte during tour of Japan in 1995) (AssückAssückAssück was an anti-capitalist and anarchist grindcore and deathgrind band from Saint Petersburg Florida, active from 1987 to 1998. The band proved influential, with their album Anticapital voted number 4 in the Terrorizer list of their top 20 US grindcore albums, who described it as a "low-calibre...
, Nasty SavageNasty SavageNasty Savage was a thrash metal band originating from Brandon Florida, USA. The band rose to popularity primarily due to lead vocalist "Nasty" Ronnie Galetti's over-the-top stage show performances The first album featuring the hit single "XXX" was recorded at Progressive Music in Tampa...
, Old Lady Drivers)
Studio albums
- Ulterior (1995), Devour Records/Pulp Records
- JouhouJouhouJouhou is the second studio album by grindcore band Discordance Axis, released in 1997 as a vinyl LP in a limited pressing by Devour Records. The album was re-released on CD by Hydra Head Records on January 27, 2004. "Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said" is based on the novel of the same name by...
(1997), Hydra Head RecordsHydra Head RecordsHydra Head Records is an independent record label which specializes in heavy metal music, founded in New Mexico by Aaron Turner in 1993... - The Inalienable DreamlessThe Inalienable DreamlessThe Inalienable Dreamless is the third and final studio album by grindcore band Discordance Axis, released on Hydra Head Records in 2000. It has since become one of the most acclaimed grindcore albums...
(2000), Hydra Head Records
EPs
- split with Cosmic Hurse (1992), Pulp Records
- split with Hellchild (1993), HG Fact
- split with Capitalist CasualtiesCapitalist Casualties-Discography:*Nuclear National Park demo *The Art of Ballistics EP *Disassembly Line LP *Raised Ignorant EP *split EP with The Dread *split EP with Discordance Axis *split EP with Millions of Dead Cops...
(1994), Pulp Records - split with Def Master (1994), HG Fact
- split with Melt-BananaMelt-BananaMelt-Banana is a Japanese punk band that is known for playing extremely fast noise music mixed with experimental electronica and pop-based song structures. They have worked with artists as diverse as Merzbow, John Zorn, Mike Patton, and Discordance Axis...
(1995), HG Fact - split with Plutocracy (1995), Slap a Ham Records
- Necropolitan (1997), HG Fact
- split with CorruptedCorrupted (band)Corrupted are a Japanese doom/sludge metal band. They are known for their antipathy towards mainstream acceptance, even in their subgenre, which naturally tends towards obscurity. This is reflected not only in their dark and oppressive musical style but their reclusive nature, avoiding interviews...
and 324 (2001), HG Fact
Compilations
- Original Sound Version 1992–1995 (1998), Devour Records
- The Inalienable Dreamless Perfect Version Box Set (2000), self-released
- Our Last Day (2005), Hydra Head Records
Videos
- 7.62mm (1997), self-released
- Pikadourei (2002), Hydra Head Records
External links
- Official website
- [ Discordance Axis on Allmusic]
- Discordance Axis at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Interview with Dave Witte at Lambgoat.com