Attaxe
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 in Orange County, California, United States |
| Defunct | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Orange County , United States |
Area served | Southern California and the Bay Area |
Key people | Mike Bonaventura, Jim Houle, Todd May, Tim Cason, Michael Whyte, Robbie Perkins, Swen Rolfs, Gary Sebourn, Jeff Manino |
| Products | Thrash metal music, EPs |
Attaxe was a thrash metal group originating from California, United States, active between 1985 and 1994. The band extensively toured throughout Southern California and the Bay Area, frequently headlining smaller clubs and supporting well-known thrash and metal acts including Anthrax, Testament, Metal Church, Danzig, King Diamond, Sacred Reich, Meliah Rage, and Vio-Lence. A significant moment in their career was opening for Vio-Lence during the Oppressing The Masses album launch event held in June 1990 at the Omni venue in Oakland, California.
In 1990, Attaxe appeared in the inaugural edition of the video magazine Tales From The Pit. Jerry Allen, the founder of TFTP, recognized them as a leading unsigned act whose sound was comparable to established Bay Area thrash bands like Vio-Lence and Testament. He specifically commended their Lethal Deception demo and live shows for demonstrating intense energy and promising talent. Despite this recognition, the band dissolved in 1994.
A reunion took place in 2009 with members Bonaventura, Cason, Houle, and May collaborating to develop new compositions.
Initial formation
Established in Orange County in 1985 by guitarists Mike Bonaventura and Todd May along with drummer Jim Houle, Attaxe soon incorporated bassist Gary Sebourn and vocalist Michael Whyte. Their debut performance occurred on December 6, 1986, at Big John's Billiards located in Fullerton, California.
Changes in lineup
Although the foundational trio of Bonaventura, Houle, and May remained stable, the band featured four different lead vocalists over time, each contributing to shifts in their musical style:
- 1986–1988: Michael Whyte – recorded the July 4th EP Demo
- 1988–1989: Robbie Perkins – featured on Unit G EP
- 1989–1992: Tim "Skelly" Cason – performed on Displaced EP and Lethal Deception EP
- 1993–1994: Swen Rolfs – no recordings documented
Members
Throughout its existence, Attaxe underwent multiple personnel changes but retained founding members Mike Bonaventura and Jim Houle consistently.
- Mike Bonaventura – guitar/founding member (1985–1994)
- Jim Houle – drums/founding member (1985–1994)
- Todd May – guitar/founding member (1985–1992)
- Tim Cason – bass and vocals (1989–1992)
- Michael Whyte – vocals (1986–1988)
- Robbie Perkins – vocals (1988–1989)
- Swen Rolfs – vocals (1993–1994)
- Gary Sebourn – bass (1986–1988)
- Jeff Manino – bass (1988–1989)
Discography
- July 4th EP (demo) (1987)
- Unit G EP (1988)
- Displaced EP (1989)
- Lethal Deception EP (1990)
- Banned in L.A./Band Together/Mosh on Fire (1992/PMRC/Dr. Dream Records)