Art of Butchery

Infobox musical artist
Name = Art of Butchery


Img_capt =
Img_size =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Edmond, Oklahoma, USA
Genre = death metal technical death metal progressive death metal
Years_active = 1990–1995
Label = Carumbo
Current_members = David Overton - lead guitar Chad Lambkin - drums Becky Ayers - bass guitar Brian Alexander - vocals Steve Luther - rhythm guitar Jason Thompson - keyboards and effects
Past_members =

Art of Butchery was an independent American progressive / technical death metal band of the 1990’s.

Biography

Art Of Butchery was an independent death metal band of the 1990s. It was founded in 1990 by guitarist David Overton and drummer Chad Lambkin in Edmond, Oklahoma. The first incarnation of the band was known as “Death Child”.

The inspiration for the name Art of Butchery came from a lyric in the song “Primitive Ways” by Death. After a few early personnel changes, rhythm guitarist Steve Luther and vocalist Brian Alexander joined the group in 1992, along with keyboard and effect specialist Jason Thompson. They played their first live show in October 1992 in Edmond, without a bass guitarist. Local bassist Becky Ayers then joined the group to complete the lineup. Art of Butchery was an immediate (and controversial) hit in Edmond, as it was the affluent suburb’s first and only death metal group.¹ They soon began playing shows in the Oklahoma City metro area, where at the time there was a thriving death metal underground.

The group stood apart from the other bands in the genre for many reasons. The band was much younger than the other death metal groups in the area at that time, at first not even old enough to legally drink in the bars and clubs they were playing in. Bassist Becky Ayers was the only known female member of a death metal group in the state, and one of a handful nationwide. ² Art of Butchery’s sound cannot be directly compared to any other one band, but was influenced by artists such as Death, Sepultura, Cynic, Slayer, and Obituary. Their songs would often alternate between a driving heavy grind to slower, melodic guitar solos and interludes. Alexander’s vocal style was a deep guttural growl typical of death metal groups of the time. Overton’s technical guitar work was often compared to that of Chuck Schuldiner of Death, while Luther’s solid rhythm tracks were similar to those of Eric Peterson from Testament. Ayers played the bass finger style (a rarity in death metal) in the likeness of Steve Harris of Iron Maiden. Thompson provided keyboard intros and special effects. Lambkin was an experienced drummer on the local scene at that time, drawing comparisons to Sean Reinert. The combination of these six musician’s talents resulted in a powerful yet textured sound that was quite different from standard death metal. Their progressive style quickly gained the group an avid fan following.

Art of Butchery recorded their first EP, “Unidentified Human Remains”, in 1993. Although it was independently released and distributed, the album was a success. However, it was the 1994 release “Rituals of the Suffering” (Carumbo Records) that catapulted Art of Butchery to the peak of their popularity. ³ Lyrical topics included misery, loss of faith, fighting, metaphorical collisions of planets, and of course death in general. The album starts out with an eerie keyboard intro, then launches directly into “Witness to the Bleeding”, an aggressive display of mayhem mixed with a triumphant melody. The song “Funeral” from their debut EP was a fan favorite and was re-recorded for Rituals.³ The title track reflects the essence of the progressive death metal genre and speaks of the pain of choosing between suicide or living with a blackened soul. The album was critically acclaimed and gave the group nationwide exposure.

However, the band had found success a couple of years too late. Grunge had taken over the airwaves and the interest of angst-filled youth, as well as that of major record labels. The band continued to perform regularly and refused to change their style although it was clear that the death metal genre was rapidly losing popularity. Tension over the band’s future musical direction combined with lifestyle conflicts eventually became too much for the group to overcome. Art of Butchery played what would be their last show with the original members in May 1995 in Oklahoma City.

Alexander, Lambkin, and Luther continued their musical endeavors and formed the hardcore band Foul. In 2002 the trio re-united to form Skeeter Moses, an experimental metal band with a sound similar to System of a Down and Mr. Bungle. Overton currently plays lead guitar for the rock group The Tingles in the Oklahoma City area. Lambkin, Luther and Alexander are currently teaming up with former Subsanity vocalist Mike Standridge on bass, are currently performing in the hardcore, Grindcore band, Cross Country Killing Spree. The whereabouts of the other band members are unknown.

Discography

Unidentified Human Remains 1993
Rituals Of The Suffering 1994

References

¹ Edmond Evening Sun, June 23, 1993
² Tin Bean Fanzine, Winter 1993
³ Baxter’s Anti-Zine, Winter 1994

External links

* [http://music.download.com/artofbutchery/3600-8657-100931092.html?tag=MDL_quickurl Art of Butchery at download.com]