Ulcerate

Ulcerate is a New Zealand-based technical death metal band formed by guitarist Michael Hoggard and drummer Jamie Saint Merat in 2000 with the aim of creating dark, oppressive death metal. This focus has since developed and metamorphosed into a far more dynamic approach with a fully realised sense of atmosphere and mood, while furthering their foray into the darker end of the genre’s spectrum. They have gone on to become one of New Zealand's best known metal bands.

History

Early days (2000–2005)

The core membership of Ulcerate, including Jamie Saint Merat, Michael Hoggard and Mark Seeney, formed in 2000 under the name "Bloodwreath". In early 2002, guitarist Jared Commerer and vocalist James Wallace were added to the line-up while Seeney departed. The band began writing material for its debut recording, Demo 2003, and changed its name to Ulcerate prior to its release.^[1] In 2004, the band released their second demo, The Coming of Genocide. Both demos were subsequently compiled and released by The Flood Records and Deepsend Records under the title, The Coming of Genocide.^[2]

Of Fracture and Failure and Everything is Fire (2006–2010)

In early 2006, Ulcerate signed with Neurotic Records. Vocalist James Wallace left the band in 2006, as the band were preparing to record their first full-length album, Of Fracture and Failure. Ben Read was recruited to fill the vacant vocal position. In contrast with Wallace's lower-pitched growls, Read relied on higher pitched screams, reminiscent of hardcore vocals. Jared Commerer also left the band and was replaced by guitarist Michael Rothwell. Of Fracture and Failure was recorded and mixed by Jamie Saint Merat and Michael Hoggard. It was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Studios, New York, USA. The album artwork was created by Jamie Saint Merat.^[1]

In 2008, Read and Rothwell departed the band, with Oliver Goater recruited as Ulcerate's new guitarist and bassist Paul Kelland assuming vocal duties. Kelland's approach returned the band to a lower-pitched vocal style. Ulcerate then started writing and recording their second full-length album, Everything Is Fire. The album was acknowledged by critics for its unique approach to death metal, with Allmusic's Phil Freeman praising Everything Is Fire for incorporating the "percussive intricacy of Isis", "intricate scaffold of jagged, art-metal guitar", and use of repetition that was closer to Shellac than Suffocation.^[3]

The Destroyers of All (2011–2012)

In April 2010, Ulcerate announced that they were writing songs for a new album. Oliver Goater parted ways with Ulcerate in late 2010, and was replaced by William Cleverdon. They released their third full-length album, The Destroyers of All, on January 25, 2011, through Willowtip Records. They then spent the next two years tours extensively through North America, Europe and Australia in support of The Destroyers of All.

Vermis (2013)

In 2012, Ulcerate signed to Relapse Records and announced plans to record a new album. "After almost exactly twelve months of exhaustive work we are now in the final stages of preparation for our fourth album. This week we enter the studio to track what has become a violent, monolithic piece of work". The album was recorded during March and April of 2013 at MCA Studios in Auckland. In July, the band revealed the new album, titled Vermis, would be released on September 13th in Germany and Benelux, September 16th in the UK and Internationally and September 17th in North America. An in-studio teaser of the album was released by Relapse via YouTube later in July.

Band members

Current members

• Paul Kelland − vocals, bass guitar (2005 - present)
• Michael Hoggard − guitars (2000 - present)
• Jamie Saint Merat − drums (2000 - present)

Discography

Studio albums

• Of Fracture and Failure (2007)
• Everything Is Fire (2009)
• The Destroyers of All (2011)
• Vermis (2013)

Extended plays

• Ulcerate (2003)
• The Coming of Genocide (2004)

Compilation albums

• The Coming of Genocide (2006)

References

External links

• Official website