Superjoint
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990s |
| Founder | Phil Anselmo, Joe Fazzio, Jimmy Bower |
| Fate | Disbanded in 2004; reunited 2014; disbanded again by 2021 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Key people | Phil Anselmo (lead vocals), Jimmy Bower (rhythm guitar), Kevin Bond (lead guitar), Stephen Taylor (bass), Jose Gonzalez (drums) |
| Products | Studio albums, demos, live DVDs |
Superjoint, initially known as Superjoint Ritual, was a sludge metal and hardcore punk ensemble from the United States, established in the 1990s and led by Pantera's frontman Phil Anselmo. The group produced three studio albums during their career.
History
Formed in the early 1990s by Phil Anselmo, Joe Fazzio, and Jimmy Bower, the band later included members Hank Williams III and Kevin Bond. What began as a side endeavor alongside Anselmo's commitments with Pantera evolved into his primary focus following Pantera's disbandment.
Although Superjoint Ritual originated in the early 1990s, their recording activity commenced only after Pantera had ended. They achieved visibility through appearances on MTV2's Headbangers Ball and Fuse TV's Uranium. The group dissolved in late 2004 due to internal conflicts between Anselmo and Fazzio, a split later confirmed by Hank Williams III and Jimmy Bower.
The band reunited under the shortened name "Superjoint" for legal reasons at the Housecore Horror Film Festival held in Austin, Texas in October 2014. While Hank Williams III was expected to participate, he withdrew citing personal circumstances.
Initially planned as a singular reunion event, Superjoint proceeded to perform at Hellfest in 2015. Their most recent album, Caught Up in the Gears of Application, was released on November 11, 2016, via Housecore Records.
In January 2017, Superjoint embarked on a tour alongside Battlecross and Child Bite. By June 2019, Anselmo communicated a lack of interest in continuing with the band. As of October 2020, bassist Stephen Taylor expressed uncertainty regarding Superjoint’s future. Guitarist Jimmy Bower confirmed in 2021 that the band had concluded its activities, attributing this to both his and Anselmo’s dedication to other projects such as Eyehategod and Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals.
Musical style and influences
Superjoint’s sound is a fusion of sludge metal and hardcore punk, heavily influenced by bands including Venom, Slayer, Celtic Frost, Voivod, and Darkthrone. The original name "Superjoint Ritual" was inspired by a lyric from Darkthrone’s track "The Pagan Winter". According to Jimmy Bower, Phil Anselmo was responsible for composing approximately 70–80% of the band’s material.
Band members
- Final lineup
- Phil Anselmo – lead vocals (1993–2004, 2014–2019), supplementary guitars (1993–1998, 2002–2004, 2014–2019), lead guitar (1998–2002)
- Jimmy Bower – rhythm guitar (1993–2004, 2014–2019)
- Kevin Bond – lead guitar (2002–2004, 2014–2019), bass (1994–1995)
- Stephen Taylor – bass (2014–2019)
- Jose Gonzalez – drums (2014–2019)
- Former
- Joe Fazzio – drums (1993–2004)
- Michael Haaga – bass (1993–1994, 1995–2002)
- Marzi Montazeri – lead guitar (1993–1994)
- Hank Williams III – bass (2002–2004)
- Timeline
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Studio albums
- Use Once and Destroy (2002, released by Sanctuary Records)
- A Lethal Dose of American Hatred (2003, Sanctuary Records)
- Caught Up in the Gears of Application (2016, under Housecore Records)
Demos
- Demo from 1995
- Demo from 1997
DVDs
- Live in Dallas, TX 2002 (2002, issued by Sanctuary Visual Entertainment)
- Live at CBGB's (2004, Sanctuary Visual Entertainment)