Xentrix
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Preston, Lancashire , England |
| Products | Studio albums, singles, EPs |
| Website | www |
Xentrix () is a thrash metal group hailing from Preston, Lancashire, England. The band originally formed in 1984 under the name Sweet Vengeance before adopting the name Xentrix in 1988. They released four albums during their initial run: Shattered Existence (1989), For Whose Advantage? (1990), Kin (1992), and Scourge (1996), disbanding shortly thereafter in 1997. Following brief reunions in 2005–2006 and again in 2013, Xentrix produced two additional studio albums: Bury the Pain (2019) and Seven Words (2022). Emerging from the underground metal movement spanning the late 1980s to mid-1990s, Xentrix is recognized as one of the "big four" of English thrash metal alongside Acid Reign, Onslaught, and Sabbat.
History
Initially known as Sweet Vengeance from 1984 until 1988, Xentrix garnered early acclaim with a five-star review from Kerrang! magazine, which helped secure a contract with Roadrunner Records. This partnership led to their debut album, Shattered Existence, released in 1989. Following this launch, they toured alongside Sabbat.
In 1990, the band gained attention due to their rendition of Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters," which initially featured unauthorized cover art and was subsequently reissued with revised artwork. That year also saw Xentrix opening for Bay Area thrash act Testament and releasing their sophomore album, For Whose Advantage?, which included their first music video. The band supported the album through tours with Skyclad and performed shows alongside notable groups such as Slayer and Sepultura.
The 1992 album Kin marked a stylistic shift toward progressive metal. While critically praised, some listeners viewed it as a departure from their roots. The track "The Order of Chaos" received airtime on MTV, and the band toured with Tankard during this period.
Following lineup alterations that replaced Chris Astley with Simon Gordon and Andy Rudd, Xentrix released their fourth studio effort, Scourge, in 1996. This record embraced a slower groove metal approach. Soon after its release, declining interest in the British metal scene contributed to the band's dissolution.
In 2005, the classic lineup reunited briefly for a series of UK shows in 2006 alongside bands like Onslaught and Evile, but disbanded again later that same year.
The group reassembled once more in 2013 for a UK tour featuring Kreator and Evile, initially reuniting the full Shattered Existence lineup. Later that year, bassist Paul MacKenzie was succeeded by Chris Shires. Plans for new compositions were announced following this reunion.
Xentrix continued performing select dates through 2014 and embarked on a UK tour in October 2015 with reunited acts Acid Reign and Shrapnel. In July 2017, founding member Chris Astley departed again and was replaced by Jay Walsh.
On 27 March 2019, the band revealed plans to release Bury the Pain, their first studio album in over two decades, which came out on 7 June via Listenable Records. Guitarist Kristian Havard disclosed in June 2019 that work had commenced on a subsequent album.
By March 2021, Xentrix had composed and demoed at least twelve tracks for their upcoming record and entered recording sessions that August. Completion of the album titled Seven Words was announced by June 2022, with its release on 11 November. To support Seven Words, Xentrix joined the European MTV Headbangers Ball Tour alongside Vio-lence, Whiplash, and Artillery. During this tour, Chris Astley temporarily returned to substitute for Jay Walsh.
As of September 2023, Xentrix continues developing new material and renewed their contract with Listenable Records in November.
Members
Present roster
- Kristian Havard – lead guitar (1988–1997, 2005–2006, 2013–present)
- Dennis Gasser – drums (1988–1997, 2005–2006, 2013–present)
- Chris Shires – bass guitar (2013–present)
- Jay Walsh – rhythm guitar and vocals (2017–present)
Previous members
- Paul MacKenzie – bass guitar (1988–1997, 2005–2006, 2013)
- Chris Astley – rhythm guitar and vocals (1988–1994, 2005–2006, 2013–2017, 2022)
- Simon Gordon – lead vocals (1995–1997)
- Andy Rudd – guitars (1995–1997)
Timeline
Studio albums
- Shattered Existence (1989)
- For Whose Advantage? (1990)
- Kin (1992)
- Scourge (1996)
- Bury the Pain (2019)
- Seven Words (2022)
Additional releases
- Hunger for Demo (demo, 1987)
- Ghostbusters (single, 1990)
- Dilute to Taste (EP, 1991)
- The Order of Chaos (single, 1992)
- Demo (demo, 1994)