Foreign Objects (band)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Headquarters | West Chester, Pennsylvania , United States |
| Products | Music albums, EPs |
Foreign Objects was a heavy metal group originating from West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States. Established in 1995, the band revolved around vocalist and guitarist Deron Miller, who remained its sole consistent member throughout. In their initial phase, they issued a single EP titled The Undiscovered Numbers & Colors in 1995, before Miller and drummer Jess Margera went on to form CKY.
The project was revived by Miller in 2003 to finalize the album Universal Culture Shock, which featured guitarist James Murphy. Foreign Objects made another comeback in 2014 with a refreshed lineup, culminating in the release of Galactic Prey in 2015.
1992–1998: Origins, formative period, and debut EP
In 1992, Deron Miller and Jess Margera met while attending East High School in West Chester and began performing under the name Foreign Objects in 1995. That summer, they recorded their initial five-track EP The Undiscovered Numbers & Colors with engineers Bob Zeigler and Matt Wacik at Trix Trax Recording Studios located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. The EP was released on October 1 through Distant Recordings.
By 1996, Miller, Margera, and bassist Ryan Bruni had transitioned to performing as Oil, which eventually developed into CKY, though Foreign Objects continued studio work until 1998. The original lineup appeared live twice, including a concert at Henderson High School.
2003–2004: Revival with Universal Culture Shock
In October 2003, Miller and Margera returned to the studio at co-producer John Teague's facility in West Chester to begin recording a new Foreign Objects album. Miller invited former Death guitarist James Murphy, who was collaborating with him on the Death tribute album Within the Mind: In Homage to the Musical Legacy of Chuck Schuldiner, to contribute lead guitar parts. Murphy also took part in mixing and mastering the record, with Miller acknowledging his input as a major enhancement.
Recording concluded by spring 2004. The release Universal Culture Shock/Undiscovered Numbers & Colors, which combined fresh tracks with a remixed and remastered edition of their debut EP, was issued on October 31, 2004, via Distant Recordings. This limited edition run of 2,000 copies was sold exclusively through Amazon.com. In 2009, the album was included within the Distant compilation box set Distant Recordings 15 Years.
2014–2022: Reunion and release of Galactic Prey
Foreign Objects was reactivated by Miller in 2014, announcing work on the album Galactic Prey. Its title track was unveiled in March that year. A crowdfunding initiative on Indiegogo successfully raised $13,000 to finance the project. Early on, songwriter and fan Jonathan Masi contributed ideas for several compositions.
By April 2014, the ensemble consisted of guitarist Dave Sudock and bassist Shaun Luera, with Tim Yeung initially slated as drummer. Subsequently, Miller confirmed Tim Luera had joined on drums; later that year Sudock was replaced by Kenneth Hunter. Miller disclosed that he invited Margera to participate in this reunion but received a refusal. The album Galactic Prey was released on October 18, 2015. In January 2016, Miller revealed intentions for a subsequent album named Lean, Mean and Bleeding Green.
All members of Foreign Objects also performed under the name 96 Bitter Beings. During their U.S. tour in 2022, Tim Luera unexpectedly departed just hours before a scheduled performance, followed shortly thereafter by Shaun Luera's exit. Miller stated neither brother has reached out since their departure and emphasized they are not welcome to return. Currently, he has no plans to continue Foreign Objects beyond reissuing existing recordings.
Musical style and influence
Blabbermouth.net categorizes Foreign Objects' sound as "neo-technical death metal." Founding member Deron Miller describes the band's music as an evolution of the "spacey progressive death metal" style originally developed by Pestilence and Cynic in 1993, specifically citing their albums Spheres and Focus as key inspirations.
Band members
- Deron Miller – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, synthesizers (1995–1998, 2003–2004, 2014–2022); bass guitar, lead guitar (1995–1998, 2003–2004)
- Jess Margera – drums, backing vocals (1995–1998, 2003–2004)
- Dave Sudock – lead guitar (2014)
- Kenneth Hunter – lead guitar (2014–2022)
- Shaun Luera – bass guitar, backing vocals (2014–2022)
- Tim Luera – drums (2014–2022)
Discography
- Studio albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Universal Culture Shock/ Undiscovered Numbers & Colors |
|
| Galactic Prey |
|
- Extended plays
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| The Undiscovered Numbers & Colors |
|
- Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Test It Out" | 2009 | Universal Culture Shock |
| "Test It Out" (reissue) | 2013 | |
| "Genesis 12/A" | 2014 |