Assück

Assück
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1987
Defunct	1998
Headquarters	Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States
Products	Grindcore music

Assück was a grindcore group originating from Saint Petersburg, Florida, active between 1987 and 1998.

History

The band was established by vocalist Paul Pavlovich alongside guitarist Steve Heritage. Throughout its existence, Assück experienced several lineup adjustments, including having four different vocalists. Nonetheless, the band consistently delivered a powerful, rapid musical style paired with a strong anarchist philosophy in their recordings.

Legacy and reception

Assück left a significant mark on the grindcore scene, with their 1991 album Anticapital earning the number 4 spot in Terrorizer's list of the top 20 American grindcore records. The magazine characterized the album as a "relentless barrage of dark, aggressive, doom-infused grindcore situated between early Napalm Death and even earlier Bolt Thrower."

Music journalist Greg Pratt lauded Assück as "an extraordinary band featuring arguably metal's finest drummer [Rob Proctor]," emphasizing their combination of politically charged, poetic lyrics with memorable compositions, outstanding technical skill, and an unparalleled intensity marked by brevity and speed.

Felix von Havoc from Maximumrocknroll noted the group's distinctive blend of punk’s raw anger and social critique with death metal’s instrumental proficiency and production standards.

Members

Final lineup

Steve Heritage – guitar, vocals (1987–1998)
Jason Crittendon – bass (1998)
Rob Proctor – drums (1987–1998)

Past members

Paul Pavlovich – vocals (1987–1993)
Dave "Spinach" Malinksky – vocals (1994–1995)
Daryl Kahan – vocals (1993–1994)
Pete Jay – bass (1991–1992)
Steve Kosiba – bass (1992–1998)

Timeline

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bar:Daryl     text:"Daryl Kahan"
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bar:SteveK    text:"Steve Kosiba"
bar:Jason     text:"Jason Crittendon"

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bar:Pete     from:05/01/1991 till:01/01/1992 color:Bass
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Paul Pavlovich

Paul Pavlovich (born March 3, 1970) is an American visual artist, graphic designer, and musician residing in St. Petersburg, Florida. He co-founded Assück in 1987 and served as its original vocalist. In 2008, IGN Entertainment included Pavlovich among the '10 Best Death Metal Singers,' recognizing his exceptional guttural vocal delivery.

Following his departure from Assück in 1992, Pavlovich shifted his focus toward art and design. After graduating from the Ringling School of Art and Design in 1994, he developed a distinctive painting technique during a short period living in Brooklyn, New York, where he also rehearsed with the band Cattle Press (under Hydra Head Records).

Upon returning to Tampa Bay, he participated in group exhibitions and was featured at the Tampa Museum of Art in 2002. His first solo show, Temporary Past Life, curated by Timothy Warner in 2004, garnered favorable attention both nationally and locally. Pavlovich continues to create visual artwork that is extensively displayed across print and digital platforms.

In late 2004, he provided vocals for Track the Curse’s release The New Land (2006) on Tennessee's Spins Good Records, followed by They've Taken Everything (VA CD; Profane Existence) in 2007. Additionally, he contributed guest vocals on Gridlink's technical grindcore album Longhena (2014), specifically on the track "Chalk Maple."

In 2018, Pavlovich founded Roman Numeral Records and formed the grindcore project Alphanumeric, which debuted an EP through his label in 2019.

Discography

Studio albums

Anticapital (1991, Sound Pollution)
Misery Index (1997, Sound Pollution)

Extended plays

Born Backwards demo tape (1989, Liquified Tapes)
Necrosalvation 7-inch (1990, Rigid Records)
Split 7-inch with Old Lady Drivers (1990, No System)
Blindspot 7-inch (1992, Open Records)
State To State 7-inch (1992, SOA)

Compilation albums

Anticapital/Blindspot +3 (1994, Sound Pollution)

External links