Vile is an American
death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
band, formed in 1996 in
Concord, California
Concord ( ) is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California. According to an estimate completed by the United States Census Bureau, the city had a population of 129,295 in 2019 making it the eighth largest city in the San Francisco Ba ...
by guitarist-producer Colin E. Davis (who is now the only original member in the line-up) and singer Juan Urteaga, recruiting the rest of the band from the ranks of disbanded groups such as Lords of Chaos, Entropy, Sporadic Psychosis and Thanatopsis.
[Rivadavia, Eduardo " Vile Biography, '']AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
''[Vile](_blank)
at Rockdetector/MusicMight Vile toured the United States and Europe several times since their inception in 1996 including with
Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band formed in Buffalo, New York in 1988, now based out of Tampa, Florida. The band has released fifteen studio albums, two box sets, four video albums, and two live albums. The band has had little radi ...
in 2004.
Their most recent tour was of Japan in December 2013.
The band has released four studio albums between 1999 and 2011 and re-released their demos and some live material on ''Rare Tracks'', distributed by
Hammerheart Records
Hammerheart Records (known as Karmageddon Media between 2004 and 2010) is a Dutch independent record label specializing in death metal, black metal, doom metal and folk metal bands from around the world. The label was founded in 1995 and is current ...
. The band started recording of the fourth album Metamorphosis on January 25, 2009, which was released in late 2011 by Willowtip Records in North America and
Hammerheart Records
Hammerheart Records (known as Karmageddon Media between 2004 and 2010) is a Dutch independent record label specializing in death metal, black metal, doom metal and folk metal bands from around the world. The label was founded in 1995 and is current ...
in Europe.
Vile found publicity in the late 1990s when members of the band
Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band formed in Buffalo, New York in 1988, now based out of Tampa, Florida. The band has released fifteen studio albums, two box sets, four video albums, and two live albums. The band has had little radi ...
praised their sound and wore their T-shirts in publicity photos. Although Vile's sound has a wide variety of influences, their first album contained riffs clearly influenced by Cannibal Corpse and the name Vile itself is the title of an album by Cannibal Corpse. Founding member Davis has stated that these relations were unintentional and his biggest early influence was the Florida band
Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel is an American death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling ...
.
Vile is known for high standards in musicianship and studio quality, and Davis produced and recorded their albums, sometimes in coordination with singer Juan Urteaga.
Several members of the band have held positions in other well known extreme metal bands including Mike Hruboccak and Michael Poggione (both
Monstrosity), Mike Hamilton (
Deeds of Flesh
Deeds of Flesh is an American brutal death metal band from Los Osos, California, U.S. They were formed in 1993 by Jacoby Kingston, Erik Lindmark (1972–2018) and Joey Heaslet, and remained active until Lindmark's death in 2018. They founded t ...
, Exhumed), Reno Kiilerich (
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir () is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, ...
,
Hate Eternal
Hate Eternal is a death metal band from St. Petersburg, Florida. The band currently consists of founding guitarist/vocalist Erik Rutan and bassist J. J. Hrubovcak. To date, Hate Eternal has released seven studio albums: ''Conquering the Throne' ...
), J.J. Hrubovcak (
Hate Eternal
Hate Eternal is a death metal band from St. Petersburg, Florida. The band currently consists of founding guitarist/vocalist Erik Rutan and bassist J. J. Hrubovcak. To date, Hate Eternal has released seven studio albums: ''Conquering the Throne' ...
), James Lee (
Origin
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* Origin (comics), ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* The Origin (Buffy comic), ''The Origin'' (Bu ...
).
History
The first two demos, ''Unearthed'' and ''Vile-ation'', recorded in 1996 and 1997 respectively constituted the original Vile lineup. Juan Urteaga (vocals), Colin Davis (guitar), Jim Tkacz (guitar), Matt Faivre (bass), Mike Hamilton (drums). The band's signature style, namely the mixture of Floridian style death metal riffing with catchy rhythmic grooves, was generated at this time. The band's self-released debut LP, ''Stench of the Deceased'', contained six of the previously recorded demo songs and two new songs, re-recorded. Jim Tkacz left the band before the album was recorded and was replaced by Aaron Strong, who had appeared on the previous demos as a guest lead guitarist.
During this period Vile played often in the Bay Area, often opening for more prominent acts such as
Deicide
Deicide is the killing (or the killer) of a god. The concept may be used for any act of killing a god, including a life-death-rebirth deity who is killed and then resurrected.
Etymology
The term deicide was coined in the 17th century from m ...
,
Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band formed in Buffalo, New York in 1988, now based out of Tampa, Florida. The band has released fifteen studio albums, two box sets, four video albums, and two live albums. The band has had little radi ...
,
Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel is an American death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling ...
and others. They toured eastward into Texas with
Deeds of Flesh
Deeds of Flesh is an American brutal death metal band from Los Osos, California, U.S. They were formed in 1993 by Jacoby Kingston, Erik Lindmark (1972–2018) and Joey Heaslet, and remained active until Lindmark's death in 2018. They founded t ...
in 1997 and played a West Coast mini tour with
Immolation in 1998.
The band received some initial positive attention in the death metal music scene and press due to fact that members of Cannibal Corpse spoke highly of them in interviews and wore their T-shirts publicly.
After the release of their debut LP,
Relapse Records began courting the band and they played the Relapse stages at the 1999
Milwaukee Metalfest as well as the
November to Dismember metalfest in San Antonio Texas the same year. They again played the Relapse stage at the year 2000 Milwaukee Metalfest.
Relapse Records signed the band to a three-album deal in 2000, but then dropped the band in 2001 during a period of quiet after drummer Mike Hamilton quit the band and Vile had a difficult time replacing him.
Hamilton was eventually replaced by drummer Tyson Jupin and the band signed to the French label Listenable Records as well as striking a North American deal with Unique Leader Records.
Vile released their second LP, ''Depopulate'' in 2002. This album was notably faster and more progressive and received good reviews from fans and the press. The band toured Europe in 2003 as a headliner with Mangled, Disavowed and Spawn of Possession. In 2004 they opened for Cannibal Corpse during the Tour of the Wretched North American tour. Both of these tours incorporated guest drummer
Reno Kiilerich
Reno Hilligsø Kiilerich (born October 21, 1976) - is a heavy metal drummer from Denmark. Kiilerich has played with such bands as Panzerchrist, Evil Morgan, Kobeast, 12Gauge, Chthonic, Downlord, Exmortem, Hate Eternal, Strangler, Old Man's Child, ...
who subsequently played with
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir () is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, ...
and
Hate Eternal
Hate Eternal is a death metal band from St. Petersburg, Florida. The band currently consists of founding guitarist/vocalist Erik Rutan and bassist J. J. Hrubovcak. To date, Hate Eternal has released seven studio albums: ''Conquering the Throne' ...
. The Cannibal tour also incorporated James Lee of the band
Origin
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* Origin (comics), ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* The Origin (Buffy comic), ''The Origin'' (Bu ...
as fill in vocalist and Luke Jaeger on lead guitars.
In 2005 the band released their third LP, The New Age of Chaos. This album featured more prominent melodies and song structures were simplified. Singer Juan Urteaga performed on the album but left the band after its release. The band toured the US and Europe in support of the album in 2005 and 2006.
Marco Pitruzella played drums for the band during a California mini tour in 2006 and brothers J.J. and Mike Hrubovcak (guitar and vocals) joined the band.
Vile was relatively quiet during the years of 2007-2011 as Colin Davis, remaining as the only original member of the band and a professional audio engineer (Imperial Mastering), dedicated himself to producing, recording and mastering.
Vile's fourth LP, Metamorphosis was released in late 2011 on Willowtip Records in North America and
Hammerheart Records
Hammerheart Records (known as Karmageddon Media between 2004 and 2010) is a Dutch independent record label specializing in death metal, black metal, doom metal and folk metal bands from around the world. The label was founded in 1995 and is current ...
in Europe. The album's music and lyrics were written entirely by guitarist Colin Davis. The stylistic trend towards increasing melodies and standard song structuring continued. The band headlined a European tour in 2012 and played the West Coast and Japan in 2013. The band is currently on hiatus as founding member Davis is involved in a multi genre act called The 01EXPERIENCE.
Members
Current
*Colin E. Davis – guitar
*Mike Hrubocvak – vocals
*Michael Poggione - bass
*Thomas Luijken – 2nd guitar - (Europe)
*Justin Sakogawa - 2nd guitar - (U.S.)
*Tyson Jupin – drums - (U.S.)
*Timo Häkkinen - drums - (Europe)
Former
*Juan Urteaga - vocals
*Aaron Strong - guitar
*Jim Tkacz - guitar
*J.J. Hrubovcak - guitar
*Luke Jaeger - guitar
*Matt Faivre - bass
*Jeff Hughell - bass
*Mike Hamilton - drums
*Reno Kiillerich - drums
*Lance Wright - drums
*Marco Pitruzzella - drums
Discography
*''
Unearthed'' (demo/1996)
*''
Vile-ation'' (demo/1997)
*''
Stench of the Deceased'' (1999) Listenable Records (2003)
*''
Depopulate'' (2002) Unique Leader - Listenable Records
*''
The New Age of Chaos'' (2005) Unique Leader - Listenable Records
*''
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops including birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. Some inse ...
'' (2011) Willowtip Records - Hammerheart Records
*''
Rare Tracks 1996 - 2004'' (2012) Hammerheart Records
References
External links
*
*O'Connor, Will (2005)
Colin Davis interview, ''The Gauntlet''
Vile interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vile (Band)
Death metal musical groups from California
Musical groups established in 1996
1996 establishments in California
Listenable Records artists