Repulsion (band)

Repulsion
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1984
Headquarters	Flint, Michigan, United States
Key people	Scott Carlson, Matt Olivo, Dave "Grave" Hollingshead
Products	Music albums, demos, singles
Website	myspace.com/repulsion

Repulsion is a grindcore band originating from Flint, Michigan, formed in 1984 by Scott Carlson and Matt Olivo. Widely acknowledged as a foundational influence within the grindcore and goregrind scenes, their only album, Horrified, is considered a groundbreaking work in these genres.

Following several changes in their band name, Carlson and Olivo departed from Death during the mid-1980s and established Repulsion, bringing on drummer Dave "Grave" Hollingshead. They recorded the album Horrified in 1986, which was eventually released three years later.

Repulsion's legacy has influenced prominent bands such as Cannibal Corpse and Napalm Death.

History

In 1984, Matt Olivo and Scott Carlson, along with bassist Sean MacDonald, created a metal group named Tempter that primarily covered Bay Area thrash metal acts like Slayer and Metallica. Their musical direction shifted toward hardcore punk following the addition of Phil Hines, drummer from Flint’s punk band Dissonance. The band underwent name changes to Ultraviolence and then Genocide, producing their first demo in 1984. Although Genocide gained underground recognition, they faced difficulties maintaining a stable lineup.

During the summer of 1985, Chuck Schuldiner of the pioneering death metal band Death invited Carlson and Olivo to Florida to join his band. However, creative disagreements led to a swift end to this collaboration. Returning to Flint, Carlson and Olivo aimed to revive Genocide and recruited local punk drummer Dave "Grave" Hollingshead after discovering his arrest related to grave robbery.

The reformed Genocide in 1985 recorded the Violent Death demo with Carlson on bass and resumed performing locally. Later that year, Aaron Freeman joined as a second guitarist. They recorded what was meant to be their debut album titled The Stench of Burning Death, which ultimately served as their third demo. By 1986, their sound evolved into raw shouted vocals, heavily distorted down-tuned guitars, punk-inspired riffs, sprawling solos, deep bass lines, and relentless blast beat drumming.

In 1989, Repulsion gained posthumous recognition when UK grindcore pioneers Carcass issued a Repulsion compilation called Horrified through their Necrosis Records label (a division of Earache Records). This resurgence sparked renewed interest leading to the band's reformation in 1990 with Scott Carlson handling bass and vocals, Aaron Freeman on guitar, and Dave Grave on drums; Matt Olivo contributed guitar when available. In 1991, they self-produced two demos: Rebirth and the Final Demo, which were criticized for lacking the ferocity of earlier works. That same year saw the release of the single Excruciation via Relapse Records. Despite generating new material, Repulsion disbanded once more in 1993. Following this split, Carlson briefly joined Cathedral, while other members either engaged in short-lived projects or stepped away from music.

Relapse Records reissued Horrified in 2003, reigniting interest in the band and encouraging them to resume live performances. In 2008, Repulsion opened for At the Gates during the "Suicidal Final Tour" across California alongside acts like Darkest Hour and Municipal Waste.

Musical style

Repulsion is generally recognized within the Grindcore and Goregrind genres. According to William York of AllMusic, their sound served as a link between the early grindcore of Napalm Death and the proto-grind influences of Boston hardcore band Siege, pioneering lyrical themes centered on horror and gore that shaped future acts.

Their compositions are characterized by rapid tempos and brevity, typically lasting between one and two minutes, frequently incorporating Thrash Metal guitar riffs alongside intense blast beat drumming. The band has cited a diverse range of influences such as Venom, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Discharge, Possessed, N.Y.C. Mayhem, Slayer, Slaughter, Exodus, and Crucifix.

Legacy

Despite their raw production values and straightforward song arrangements, Repulsion's impact endures, as noted by William York of AllMusic.

The band has left a lasting mark on numerous musicians: Fenriz from Darkthrone famously tattooed the Horrified album cover; Shane Embury and Mitch Harris have acknowledged the album’s significant influence on Napalm Death; and Anders Björler of At the Gates credited Repulsion with introducing him to grindcore and death metal genres.

Dan Lilker, bassist for Brutal Truth, was impressed by their velocity, while vocalist Kevin Sharp highlighted Carlson’s distinctive bass tone as a defining feature of the genre. Drummer Dirk Verbeuren of Soilwork described Horrified as a pivotal grindcore release, and artist Mortiis included it among records that shaped his creative outlook. The album also paved the way for bands like Cannibal Corpse, Death, and Pestilence.

Numerous groups have paid homage by covering Repulsion tracks, including Napalm Death, Impaled, and Entombed.

Current

Scott Carlson – vocals (1984–1985, 1985–1988, 1990–1993, 2003–present), bass (1985–1988, 1990–1993, 2003–present)
Matt Olivo – guitar (1984–1985, 1985–1988, 1990–1993, 2003–present)
Chris Moore – drums (2014–present)

Former

James Auten – drums (1984)
Sean MacDonald – bass (1985)
Phill Hines – drums (1984)
Aaron Freeman – guitar (1985–1988, 1990–1993, 2003–2005)
Dave "Grave" Hollingshead – drums (1985–1988, 1990–1993, 2003–2005)
Col Jones – drums (2005–2014)
Thomas Puro – drums (1986)
Matt Harvey – guitar (2005–2008)
Mike Beams – guitar (2008–2011)
Marissa Martinez – guitar (2011–2013)

Demos

Rehearsal Tape (1984)
Stench of Burning Death (1984)
Violent Death (1985)
WFBE (1986)
Slaughter of the Innocent (1986)
Rebirth (1991)
Final Demo (1991)

Single

"Excruciation" (Relapse Records, 1991)

Album

Horrified (Necrosis Records, 1989; Relapse Records, 1992, 2003; Southern Lord Records, 2006)

Split

Relapse Singles Series Vol. 3 (Relapse Records, 2004)

Bibliography

Bennett, J. (April 2013). "Slaves to the Grind." Terrorizer, Dark Arts Ltd, pp. 28–29, issue 234.
Mudrian, Albert (2004). Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal & Grindcore. Feral House.
Widener, Matthew (August 2008). "Scared to Death: The Making of Repulsion's Horrified." In Mudrian (ed.), Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces. Da Capo Press, pp. 73–84.

External links