36 Crazyfists

36 Crazyfists
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Predecessor	Grin, Hessian, Broke
Founded	1994 in Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Founder	Brock Lindow, Steve Holt, Ryan Brownell, JD Stuart, Thomas Noonan
Fate	Unknown (possible dissolution suggested in 2021)
Successor	Paradise Slaves (Brock Lindow's project)
Headquarters	Anchorage, United States
Area served	International
Key people	Brock Lindow (vocals), Steve Holt (guitar), Mick Whitney (bass), Kyle Baltus (drums)
Products	Studio albums, EPs, live DVD

36 Crazyfists was a metal band originating from Anchorage, Alaska, established in 1994. Their name is inspired by the 1977 Hong Kong martial arts movie The 36 Crazy Fists. Over the course of their career, they have produced eight studio albums.

Formation and Early Period (1994–1999)

The group 36 Crazyfists came together in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1994, featuring vocalist Brock Lindow, guitarists Steve Holt and Ryan Brownell, bassist JD Stuart, and drummer Thomas Noonan. While Holt is from Kenai, Lindow, Brownell, Stuart, and Noonan all hail from Anchorage.

This band originated from the merging of three regional acts: Grin (with JD Stuart), Hessian (fronted by Brock Lindow), and Broke (featuring Steve Holt and Ryan Brownell). After the passing of Broke’s drummer Duane Monsen in 1994, a benefit show united these musicians, which they regard as their inaugural performance as 36 Crazyfists.

Their debut EP, Boss Buckle, was initially released on cassette in 1995 and quickly became a sought-after local item. On May 13, 1996, they gained broader recognition by opening for Primus at Anchorage’s Egan Center in front of a large audience.

Although they intended to move to Tacoma to pursue greater opportunities, this plan was interrupted by the tragic death of bassist JD Stuart in a car accident in June 1996. Following this event, Brownell exited the band and Mick Whitney stepped in as bassist. The band subsequently relocated to the Seattle-Tacoma region.

In 1997, they issued their second EP titled Suffer Tree, followed by a self-released demo CD called In the Skin. Later on, after moving to Portland, Oregon, they recorded a four-song demo in 1999 that eventually reached Monte Conner at Roadrunner Records through connections with Skinlab. Vocalist Brock Lindow acknowledges Steev Esquivel and Scott Sargeant from Skinlab for their role in producing this demo.

Roadrunner Records Era (2000–2007)

After signing with Roadrunner Records in 2000, the band launched their major label debut album Bitterness the Star on April 4, 2002. To promote the album, they toured alongside bands such as Candiria, God Forbid, Chimaira, Diecast, and Hotwire, followed by participation in the European Road Rage Tour supporting Killswitch Engage and Five Pointe O.

Their sophomore album, A Snow Capped Romance, produced by James Paul Wisner, was released on March 16, 2004. The band embarked on extensive tours with groups including Killswitch Engage and Poison the Well until December before commencing work on their subsequent record.

Recording sessions for their third album Rest Inside the Flames began in October 2005 with producer Sal Villanueva. Although it was released in Europe on June 12, 2006, Roadrunner Records initially withheld its North American release. Eventually, a deal with DRT Entertainment facilitated its US launch on November 7, 2006.

Upon release, the album entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 71 and secured No. 2 on the BBC's Rock Albums chart but only sold 1,858 copies during its first week in the United States.

To support this album, an extensive UK tour commenced on April 1, 2007. The band played at 26 venues with support from Twelve Tribes and Your Rigamortus.

Ferret Music era (2007–2014)

In May 2008, the group unveiled The Tide and Its Takers through Ferret Music. They consistently appeared at the Summer Meltdown Festival in Anchorage, Alaska, with the exception of 2008 when they joined the Rockstar Mayhem Festival tour. Shortly following this tour, bassist Mick Whitney left the band and was succeeded by Brett Makowski.

Their live performance in Anchorage on January 9, 2009, was recorded and later released as their inaugural live DVD, Underneath a Northern Sky, which came out in October 2009.

Collisions and Castaways was launched in the United States by Ferret Music on July 27, 2010, and internationally a day earlier via Roadrunner Records. This album includes guest vocal contributions from Adam Jackson of Twelve Tribes, Raithon Clay from Plans to Make Perfect, and Brandon Davis of Across the Sun. Guitarist Steve Holt took on production duties, with mixing completed by Andy Sneap.

In June 2010, the band participated in European festivals such as the UK Download Festival. They returned stateside in July for a tour alongside Fear Factory, After the Burial, Divine Heresy, and Baptized in Blood.

The band renewed their contract with Roadrunner Records for the UK market; Collisions and Castaways was released there on July 26.

Time and Trauma, Lanterns, and lineup developments (2014–2021)

During their late 2013 UK tour, the band introduced the title track from their seventh studio album, Time and Trauma. By mid-2014, recording was finalized, accompanied by a listening event held on July 24 in Anchorage. The album was officially released on February 17, 2015, through Spinefarm Records, which also issued the single "Also Am I" on SoundCloud.

On September 29, 2017, their eighth studio album, Lanterns, was released via Spinefarm Records as well.

On March 19, 2021, Steven Holt suggested the possibility of the band's dissolution through his personal Facebook account; however, no formal announcement was made. Notably, less than two weeks prior, vocalist Brock Lindow had confirmed that a new album was approximately halfway completed. Subsequently, rumors surfaced about the band continuing without Lindow, though these claims lacked official verification.

Lindow subsequently established a new project named Paradise Slaves and released their debut single "A Fever To Defeat" on October 30, 2024.

Musical style

36 Crazyfists are noted for combining elements of metalcore, alternative metal, and post-hardcore, with their earlier sound exhibiting nu metal characteristics. Adam Rees of Metal Hammer characterizes their music as existing "in a space between abrasive metalcore, nu metal’s rhythmic groove, and the anthemic energy of post-hardcore."

Band members

Final lineup

Brock Lindow – lead vocals
Steve Holt – guitar, backing vocals
Mick Whitney – bass
Kyle Baltus – drums

Former members

JD Stuart – bass
Ryan Brownell – guitar
Thomas Noonan – drums
Brett "Buzzard" Makowski – bass

Studio albums

Year	Title	Label	Chart positions
Year	Title	Label	US	US Heat.	US Ind.	AUS	UK
2002	Bitterness the Star	Roadrunner	—	—	—	—	—
2004	A Snow Capped Romance	Roadrunner	—	21	—	—	—
2006	Rest Inside the Flames	DRT	—	—	—	53	71
2008	The Tide and Its Takers	Ferret	155	4	11	—	83
2010	Collisions and Castaways	Ferret / Roadrunner	161	3	25	47	85
2015	Time and Trauma	Spinefarm	—	2	13	56	61
"Lanterns"	"Spinefarm"	Spinefarm	"—"	"3"	"—"	"—"	"—"

EPs and demos

The band's initial self-produced EP, Boss Buckle EP, was issued in 1995.

Their second independently produced EP, Suffer Tree, came out in 1997.

That same year, they also released a self-produced demo album titled In The Skin.

Following this, the third self-produced EP, Demo '99, was launched in 1999.

In 2008, the group introduced The Oculus EP.

Singles

2015 || "Swing the Noose" || 2016 || "Renegades" || Non-album single rowspan="3"|2017 || "Death Eater" || rowspan="3" | Lanterns

Year	Song	Album
2002	"Slit Wrist Theory"	Bitterness the Star
2004	"At the End of August"	A Snow Capped Romance
2004	"Bloodwork"
2005	"Destroy the Map"
2006	"I'll Go Until My Heart Stops"	Rest Inside the Flames
2006	"On Any Given Night"
2007	"Midnight Swim"
2008	"Absent Are the Saints"	The Tide and Its Takers
2008	"We Gave It Hell"	The Tide and Its Takers
2010	"Reviver"	Collisions and Castaways
2010	"In the Midnights"	Collisions and Castaways
2014	"Also Am I"	Time and Trauma
"Better to Burn"		Time and Trauma
"Wars to Walk Away From"

Other releases

2002: The track Follow, featuring vocals by Brock Lindow and Kyle Novak, appears on Family Tree's album Family Tree 1, distributed by Excessive Use of the Force Records. Family Tree includes David Holt, Steve Holt’s brother, playing guitar synth and touch guitar.
2003: The song "At the End of August" was showcased on MTV2's Headbangers Ball.
2003: Brock Lindow contributed vocals to "Racecar," a track by Delmag, a band led by former 36CF guitarist Ryan Brownell.
2004: Brock Lindow featured on Demon Hunter’s track "Beauty Through the Eyes of a Predator," from their album Summer of Darkness.
2004: The song "Bloodwork" was included in the soundtrack for Resident Evil: Apocalypse.
2004: A cover of "Workhorse," originally by Cast Iron Hike, was part of the compilation Jäger Music Rarities Promotional Giveaway.
2005: Family Tree released two tracks on their album Family Tree 2, issued through Excessive Use of the Force Records: Fall Away, featuring Brock Lindow, Sarah Pederson, and Kyle Novak; and Drawing Contact, with Brock Lindow and Sarah Pederson. David Holt also contributes drums, guitar synth, and touch guitar for Family Tree.
2005: The Destroy the Map EP was released in conjunction with their April tour across the UK and Europe; it includes covers of "Workhorse" and "Sad Lisa".
2006: The track "I'll Go Until My Heart Stops" appeared on MTV2 Headbanger's Ball: The Revenge.
2006: Their rendition of Faith No More’s "Digging the Grave" was featured on both Kerrang! High Voltage and the iTunes edition of Rest Inside the Flames.
2010: Brock Lindow lent his vocals to Witness the End’s song "It Only Gets Harder from Here," found on their self-titled EP.
2011: He also appeared on Heart Attack High’s track "This Is My Nightmare," from their album The Honeymoon Is Over.
2019: Brock Lindow contributed vocals to Distance Defined’s song "Voids," included on their album Hollow Hearts.

Videography

"Slit Wrist Theory" – from the album Bitterness the Star
"At the End of August" – featured on A Snow Capped Romance
"Bloodwork" – included in A Snow Capped Romance
"I'll Go Until My Heart Stops" – part of Rest Inside the Flames
"We Gave It Hell" – off the album The Tide and Its Takers
"Reviver" – from Collisions and Castaways
"Also Am I" – featured on Time and Trauma
"Swing the Noose" – included in Time and Trauma
"Death Eater" – from the album Lanterns
"Better to Burn" – part of Lanterns
"Wars to Walk Away From" – off Lanterns
"Kenai Lanterns Tour" – related to Lanterns
"Sleepsick" – from the album Lanterns

References

Additional sources

External links