Switchblade (band)

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Switchblade

Background information
Origin Sydney, Australia
Genre(s) Melodic death metal
Thrash metal
Death metal
Metalcore
Years active 2001−present
Label(s) MGM Distribution
Associated acts Infernal Method
The Amenta
Vaticide
Descend
Friar Rush
Prime Evil
Website www.switchblademusic.com
Members
Adam Helmrich
Andrew Najdek
Anthony Delvecchio
Mat Piccolotto
Symon Alhaddad
Former members
Colin "Sway" Druery
Scott Bernascone
Ben Bessant
Chris Apps

Switchblade is a 5-piece metal band from Sydney, Australia, formed in 2001. Their debut album, The End of All Once Known, was released in 2005 through Australian independent record label MGM Distribution. Since their inception the band have played alongside such notable international metal acts as Machine Head, Trivium, Nevermore, Skinless and Australian acts The Amenta, Daysend, Infernal Method, Devolved, Dungeon and Vanishing Point. Switchblade are currently in pre-production for their as yet untitled new album, due for release in 2008.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Formation (2001−2003)

Switchblade was formed by guitarist Andrew Najdek, drummer Mat Piccolotto and bassist Ben Bessant in 2001. The trio spent the better part of their final high school years playing metal cover songs and writing a handful of originals which would become early Switchblade demos. Vocalist Chris Apps joined the band prior to the recording of the band's very first demo, but split from the group directly following the recording. The 2001 demo was a very poor recording and the band scrapped the songs and continued to evolve and mature musically.

In early 2002 Switchblade recorded a new (much heavier) demo, and began to audition vocalists. The auditions were quite unsuccessful, and the band struggled to find a like-minded frontman. It wasn't until Mat answered an internet messageboard post by a vocalist in Sydney looking for a metal band, that Switchblade would meet Colin "Sway" Druery, who shared a similar musical vision and joined the band in 2002. The band began working together on original material, however only a few short months into rehearsals, "Sway" would permanently damage his vocal cords and was forced to leave the band. Switchblade was once again looking for a suitable frontman.

Months of auditions passed and the band grew increasingly frustrated with not being able to find a singer to suit the band's new musical direction. In was at this time Switchblade guitarist Andrew Najdek began using a seven-string guitar, and tuning much lower than he previously did. As a result of this the band's musical style moved away from its thrash metal and death metal core and took on a much more groove metal approach, similar to bands like Pantera, Machine Head and Fear Factory.

Switchblade once again found themselves recording yet another instrumental demo at the end of 2002, the first of the new material written completely on a 7 string guitar. This new demo was again used to audition potential vocalists, however things changed when Sway got a copy of the demo and was compelled to return to the band he left only months earlier. Inspired by this new sound, Sway quickly wrote lyrics for the new Switchblade material, recorded his vocals on the instrumental tracks, and Switchblade's 2003 Demo "Incoming" was released in early 2003.

[edit] Incoming (2003−2004)

After almost two years of finding their sound, and a capable front-man, Switchblade began doing the rounds on the Sydney metal scene. Sharing the stage with the likes of Dark Order, Vaticide, Syphilis and many more, Switchblade was soon touring interstate, playing shows in Sydney, Newcastle, Canberra, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. More touring followed and Switchblade found themselves playing bigger and better shows, supporting high profile bands such as Daysend, Sunk Loto, Dungeon and many more. Switchblade were well and truly making their mark on Sydney's metal scene as Piccolotto briefly joined local thrash metal band Descend, who disbanded shortly after, and Najdek became a member of local power metal band Friar Rush.

Switchblade continued to write new material while touring behind the self-recorded demo, however the band's new music would constantly surpass previous efforts. Slowly the band dropped the songs off the "Incoming" demo from the set, and eventually Switchblade were playing a whole set of new material, none of which was recorded or available to the public. In mid 2004 the band realised its musical output was limited by only having one guitarist, so a second guitarist was added in Scott Bernascone, who played his first show with Switchblade on June 19, 2004. Scott's addition to the band made it possible for him and founding guitarist Andrew Najdek to push the boundaries of Switchblade's music, and the band's material was re-worked to make room for a second guitarist.

Switchblade's profile jumped to new heights and the band was invited to play at the 25th anniversary of Sydney's largest and most respected Rock and Metal music store, Utopia Import Records, along with Dungeon, Infernal Method, Dark Order and Flesh Mechanic. Following this, Switchblade ended 2004 with a string of shows with now LA based tech-metal outfit Devolved, Sydney metalers Daysend, and the Sydney support slot for American Bay Area metal legends, Machine Head.

Switchblade put all shows on hold and booked themselves into the studio to record their long overdue debut album.

[edit] The End of All Once Known (2005)

The End of All Once Known(2005)
The End of All Once Known
(2005)

On March 12, 2005, Switchblade released their debut album The End of All Once Known. Produced by ex Dimmu Borgir guitarist Astennu, the album sold well locally, and was released nationally in April 2005 by independent record label MGM Distribution. The album was hailed by many as one of the best debut albums by an Australian metal band in recent times. Indeed The End of All Once Known showed a maturity and complexity not seen in Switchblade's earlier works. Somewhat shedding the groove metal sound of their past and displaying a more melodic and technical approach, songs like "Wings of Redemption", "Concrete" and "Cataclysm" highlighted the band's musical development and re-affirmed the need for a second lead guitarist. Reviews of the album now started to compare the band to more melodic death metal bands such as Arch Enemy, In Flames and The Haunted, although the groove metal influences such as Machine Head and Lamb Of God were still very prominent.

Switchblade once again hit the road touring in support of their debut album, playing shows right along the east coast of Australia in places such as Sydney, Newcastle, Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne, and shared the stage with some of Australia's top metal bands such as The Amenta, Daysend, Infernal Method, Alarum, Contrive, Shallow Grave, Sakkuth and many more.

Switchblade's status as one of the most promising young bands on the Australian metal scene was at an all time high, and in October 2005 it came as a shock to many when it was announced guitarist Scott Bernascone and vocalist Sway were to leave the band. Their last show with Switchblade was the highly successful Under Raven Skies Festival which took place in Sydney on October 29, 2005, and also featured prominent Australian metal acts Dungeon and Vanishing Point.

For the final song of Switchblade's set ("Convulse" from the debut album) vocalist Sway was joined on stage by a good friend of the band, Adam "Adz" Helmrich who shared the final vocal duties with Sway. Almost immediately following the show, "Adz" was asked to join the band as Sway's replacement.

In late 2007 it became known that Bernascone would fill in as temporary live guitarist for Sydney based industrial death metal band The Amenta, on their 2007 Australia and New Zealand tour, replacing Psycroptic guitarist Joe Haley.

[edit] Comeback (2006)

Following the departure of Sway and Bernascone, Switchblade's original members Najdek, Piccolotto and Bessant decided to take a short break from the live scene and focus on finding a second guitarist. With Helmrich already confirmed as new vocalist, the band received a great deal of interest from guitarists all over Sydney and abroad. In early 2006 Anthony Delvecchio was announced as the new Switchblade guitarist and immediately began learning the material from the debut album and one brand new Switchblade track named "Revelation". Primarily written by Najdek and Piccolotto during the band's recent down time, "Revelation" also featured riffs which Bernascone had contributed during his time in the band, as well as riffs and ideas from new guitarist Delvecchio. "Revelation" has been confirmed to appear on Switchblade's second album due for release in 2008.

The new lineup of Helmrich, Najdek, Delvecchio, Piccolotto and Bessant began booking shows for 2006, the first of which was the annual Metalstock Festival, held in the NSW Hunter Valley. Two weeks before the show Bessant would relocate to Perth, Western Australia and cut off all contact from the band. With the first comeback show of 2006 fast approaching Switchblade called on the services of good friend Symon Alhaddad, guitarist for Sydney death metal/thrash metal band Vaticide, to temporarily fill in on bass guitar. As it became more and more obvious Bessant was not to return to Sydney, Alhaddad joined Switchblade as permanent bass guitarist.

With the band's lineup now solidified, Switchblade went on to play a number of key local shows with bands such as Infernal Method, Daysend, Double Dragon and Mortal Sin, including the 2006 Come Together Festival, and a show at The Marquee, Sydney, which was filmed and recorded for a future live DVD. Lineup changes aside, Switchblade ended 2006 on a high, appearing at Australia's premier heavy metal festival Metal For The Brain, and supporting Seattle metal giants Nevermore in Sydney.

[edit] Album #2 (2007−present)

At the start of 2007, Switchblade had originally planned to cease all live shows and focus on the recording of the band's second album, however these plans were short lived when the band was offered the support slot for yet another American metal band, Trivium. Switchblade once again found themselves playing to yet another sold out, all-ages crowd and gained themselves a multitude of new fans in the process. Choosing to capitalise on the shows success, the band proceeded to book a string of tour dates around the country, and in 2007 the band returned to Melbourne, Adelaide, Newcastle and of course Sydney, and was featured as part of Post Mortem Record's national touring metal festival, Festival of the Dead, alongside Daysend, Five Star Prison Cell, Lynchmada and Double Dragon.

Following the Festival of the Dead shows Switchblade has officially ceased all live performances until the release of the band's second album, due in 2008. In a recent interview with Pyromusic.net drummer Mat Piccolotto revealed some new song titles as being "Revelation", "As the Sun Dies" and "From Ashes".

[edit] Members

[edit] Current members

  • Adam Helmrich − vocals (2006−present)
  • Andrew Najdek − guitar (2001−present)
  • Mat Piccolotto − drums (2001−present)
  • Anthony Delvecchio − guitar (2006−present)
  • Symon Alhaddad − bass guitar (2006−present)

[edit] Past members

  • Colin "Sway" Druery − vocals (2002−2005)
  • Scott Bernascone − guitar (2004−2005)
  • Ben Bessant − bass guitar (2001−2005)
  • Chris Apps − vocals (2001)

[edit] Discography

The End of All Once Known

[edit] References

  • [1] - Album Review from TheMetalForge.com
  • [2] - Album Review from NoiseTheory.com
  • [3] - Album Review from Blastwave.co.uk
  • [4] - Live Review from FasterLouder.com
  • [5] - Live Review from TheMetalForge.com
  • [6] - Live Review from Pyromusic.net
  • [7] - Interview with Mat from TheMetalForge.com
  • [8] - Interview with Mat from Pyromusic.net

[edit] External links