Skinless

Skinless is an American death metal band.^[1][2] The band formed in 1992 and disbanded in 2011,^[3] but reformed in 2013.^[1]

History

Skinless was formed by Ryan Wade and Noah Carpenter^[4] in the town of South Glens Falls, New York. After relocating to various New York towns and cities such as Saratoga, Clifton Park, and Cohoes, the band settled in Troy, New York.

Skinless is known for its consistently intense performances^{[citation needed]}, as well as for its lyrical mix of end-of-the-world cynicism and comedy, which at times satirizes well known death metal lyrics from bands such as Carcass and Cannibal Corpse, and death metal in general. These lyrical themes are demonstrated in songs such as "The Optimist", about a crumbling human society, and "Tug of War Intestines", which depicts children playing schoolyard games with a surgery patient's internal organs. The band has occasionally brought the "Skinless Girl" on stage and let her be roughed up, covered in fake blood, while the band performed. Earlier in the band's career, Skinless handed out long tubes of foam for the moshers to beat each other while the band played. These tubes were nicknamed "The Logs of Brutality".

Skinless's 1998 debut album, Progression Towards Evil, was an independent release which garnered the band high praise by fans and critics.^[4] Skinless has released four albums, the most recent being Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead in 2006. In June 2010, Skinless played a reunion show with the line-up from the first 2 full-length albums.<ref name="BMClassicReunion>"Classic Skinless Lineup Reunites For One Off Performance". Blabbermouth.net. June 28, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2013. </ref> Guitarist Noah Carpenter wanted Skinless to continue in this formation but the band's "fire" wasn't there anymore.^[3] In April 2011, Skinless officially split up,^[3] but soon after announced a farewell performance at Maryland Deathfest 2011. All the members are continuing as musicians in other bands.^[3]

Skinless reformed in 2013 with the original line up from Progression Towards Evil.^[1] The band then added a second guitarist, Dave Matthews.^[5]

Skinless is currently working on a new album, which is due for release in late 2014.^[6]

Members

Current members

• Noah Carpenter – guitars (1992–2011, 2013–present)
• Joe Keyser – bass (1997–2011, 2013–present)
• Bob Beaulac – drums (1997–2002, 2003–2011, 2013–present)
• Sherwood "Thunder Wheel" Webber IV – vocals, drums (1994–2004, 2010–2011, 2013–present)
• Dave Matthews – guitars (2013–present)

Previous members

• Dan Bell – vocals (1992)
• Ted Monsour – bass, vocals (1992–1994)
• Ryan Wade – vocals, drums (1992–1996) (on Demo, Swollen Heaps)
• Jeff Vanloan – bass (1993)
• Mike Levy – vocals (1993–1994) (on Demo)
• Martin Oprencak – vocals (1994)
• Adam P.Lewis – bass (1995–1997)
• Joe Clark – drums (1996)
• George Torres – drums (2002) (on Miscreant)
• John Longstreth – drums (2003) (on From Sacrifice to Survival)
• Jason Keyser – vocals (2005–2009) (on Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead)
• Chris Mahar – drums (touring; 2006–2009)

Discography

Albums and EPs

• Progression Towards Evil (1998)
• Foreshadowing Our Demise (2001)
• Miscreant (EP, 2002)
• From Sacrifice to Survival (2003)
• Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead (2006)

Other releases

• Demo (demo, 1994)
• Swollen Heaps (demo, 1995)
• Frozen Dawn (compilation, 1996)
• Common Ground: A Compilation of Upstate NY's Hardest (split, 1997)
• Maledictive Pigs / Skinless (split, 2001)
• Skinflick (DVD, 2004)
• Regression Towards Evil: 1994–1998 ("best of" compilation, 2007)

References