Enemy Soil (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Headquarters | Sterling, Virginia , United States |
| Products | Grindcore music recordings, live performances |
Enemy Soil was a grindcore outfit originating from Sterling, Virginia, established in 1991. Their sound was deeply rooted in grindcore with strong hardcore punk influences. The band experienced frequent personnel shifts, with Richard Johnson remaining the consistent member throughout. Due to challenges in finding a drummer during their early phase, initial recordings utilized a drum machine. While their lyrics initially focused on political issues, they gradually shifted to more personal and reflective subject matter.
The group dissolved in the spring of 1999 after issuing several splits and full-length releases. Subsequent to the breakup, former members became involved with influential bands such as Pig Destroyer, Pg. 99, and Agoraphobic Nosebleed. A comprehensive collection of most of their material, excluding the Casualties of Progress EP, was issued by the French label Bones Brigade Records as the two-disc set Smashes the State! in 2001. Enemy Soil briefly reassembled in 2001 for a performance at CBGB; footage from this event along with earlier concerts was later compiled into the 2009 live DVD Smashes the State Live released by Selfmadegod.
In June 2017, Enemy Soil declared another reunion, which included an appearance at Maryland Deathfest 2018.
Current
- Richard Johnson – guitar (1991–1999, 2001, 2017–present), bass and vocals (1998–1999)
- Adam Perry – drums (1997–1999, 2017–present)
- J.R. Hayes – vocals (1996–1997, 2017–present)
- Mason – bass and vocals (1991–1992, 1993–1996, 1997–1998, 2017–present)
Former
- Cory Stevenson – bass (1998)
- T.L. Smoot – vocals (1998)
- Jeff Kane – bass (1997–1998), guitar (2001)
- Omid Yamini – bass (1997, 2001)
- Brian Harvey – bass (1995–1996), drums (1996–1997, 2001)
- Doshu Tokeshi – vocals (1993–1996)
- Shane Privette – vocals (1993, 1995)
- Tim Caicedo – vocals (1993)
- Mark Lee – vocals (1993)
- Craig Lenc – bass (1993)
EPs
- Casualties of Progress 7-inch (1995, Relapse) (reissued on CD with additional tracks in 2008)
- War Parade 7-inch (1996, Slap-a-Ham)
- The Ruins of Eden 10-inch (1997, Insolito) (CD version with bonus tracks released in the US via Clean Plate)
- Fractured Theology 3" CD (1998, Profane Existence Far East) (later reissued on 12-inch vinyl by Drop Out)
Split releases
- Split cassette with Parasitic Infestation (1993, Open Eye)
- Split 7-inch with Wadge (1994, Break It Out)
- Split 7-inch with Desperate Corruption (1996, Bovine)
- Split cassette with Abstain (1997, Noise Induced Deafness)
- Split 7-inch with Reversal of Man (1997, Fist Held High)
- Split 7-inch with Agoraphobic Nosebleed (1997, Bovine)
- Split 7-inch with Corrupted (1997, HG Fact)
- Document #2 split 7-inch alongside Pg. 99 (1999, Sacapuntas)
Live recordings
- Live at Fiesta Grande #5 flexi 7-inch (1997, Clean Plate)
- Live in Virginia 7-inch (1998, Dwie Strony Medalu/Czarny Kot)
- Smashes the State Live DVD (2009, Selfmadegod)
Compilation albums
- Smashes the State! double CD compilation (2001, Bones Brigade)