Heresy (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Nottingham , England |
| Products | Albums, singles, EPs |
Heresy was a hardcore punk group originating from Nottingham, England, active between 1985 and 1989. During their career, they produced three albums and participated in three sessions for John Peel's program on BBC Radio 1.
History
The band was established by Reevsy (guitar, vocals), Kalvin "Kalv" Piper (bass), and Steve Charlesworth (drums). Prior to forming Heresy, Reevsy and Kalv had played together in the Stoke-on-Trent band Plasmid. Their debut release came in 1986 with a six-track flexi-disc titled Never Healed, which was also the first release on Earache Records. This was succeeded by a split LP shared with Concrete Sox. After recruiting Concrete Sox's drummer John March as vocalist, Reevsy departed and was succeeded by Mitch Dickinson from Unseen Terror. This formation embarked on a European tour.
In 1988, Mitch left the band and Baz from Ripcord joined, contributing to the recording of the Face Up to It album. Their last record, 13 Rocking Anthems released in 1989, compiled their final two Peel Sessions. The group dissolved towards the end of 1988. Following the breakup, Steve and Kalv went on to form Meatfly and currently perform with UK hardcore outfit Geriatric Unit.
Musical style
Heresy's initial sound fused elements of English hardcore punk pioneers such as Discharge with American extreme metal bands like Metallica and Slayer, categorizing them within crust punk. After replacing original vocalist Malcolm Reeves with Kalvin Piper, their style transitioned away from metal influences toward a thrashcore approach inspired by Boston hardcore, early-Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, and Siege. An article in Alternative Press highlighted their distinctive blend of American hardcore intensity combined with metal-infused UK82 punk. Simon Czerwinskyj of Bandcamp Daily referred to them as "proto-grind crust maniacs."
Singles/EPs
- Never Healed flexi EP (1986) Earache
- Thanks! 7" (1987)
- Whose Generation? 7" (1989) In Your Face
- Live at Leeds 7" (1990) Open
Albums
- Heresy/Concrete Sox split LP (1987) Earache
- Face Up To It LP (1988) In Your Face (UK Indie No. 13)
- 13 Rocking Anthems LP (1989) In Your Face
- Never Slit Thanks CD (1990) Earache/Toys Factory (compilation)
- Voice Your Opinion (1992) Lost & Found
- Visions Of Fear (1992) Lost & Found
- Voice Of Fear (199?) Lost & Found
- 1985-87 (2006) Boss Tuneage
- 20 Reasons To End It All (2007) Boss Tuneage
DVD
- 1987 Excerpts From 4 Live Shows (2006) Boss Tuneage
Compilations featuring Heresy
- grindcrusher LP (Earache)
- metal a headbangers companion LP (Earache)