Segression
Encyclopedia
Segression is a heavy metal
band from Wollongong, Australia
. Originally known as Eezee and playing sleaze metal, the group decided to change its name after moving into in a thrash direction in mid-1994.
, Machine Head
and Deicide
. The line-up at this time was Christiaan Rand (bass, vocals), Chris Sellin (guitar), James Broadbent (guitar) and John Buckley (drums). The sleaze version of Eezee had also included Rand and Sellin, along with Lloyd Burton on vocals and Jamie McGarva on drums.
and a rigid touring schedule that took in several centres in regional New South Wales
followed. L.I.A., an abbreviation for lesson in aggression, was released in October 1996.
In 1997 Segression continued to tour solidly, featuring on several shows of Mortal Sin's comeback tour at the same time as working on its second album. Fifth of the Fifth took its name from a prediction that the world would end on 5 May 2000 and was released in September. The album consolidated the band's success on the Australian metal scene and also saw the introduction of the nu metal
elements into their music.
During 1998 the group played a national support tour with Ozzy Osbourne
and late in the year Buckley was asked to leave, opening the door to Red, a very experienced local session drummer. Red's first tour was with Strapping Young Lad
which started three days after he officially joined the band. With this new line-up, Segression then headlined one of the 1st annual Australian Metal Festivals Metal For The Brain
, then toured nationally with Fear Factory
, then toured most of Australia doing their own shows or playing smaller festivals. The later part of 1999 was spent writing and recording a new album and playing live rarely.
which culminated in Chris being asked to perform the song "Bleed" with Soulfly at the Sydney Big Day Out
. The Smile album surfaced in early 2000 during a national tour with Slipknot
. The album was released to critical acclaim on Roadrunner Records
' Australian development label Dark Carnival. The relationship with Roadrunner soured almost immediately and Segression was forced to do virtually all of the promotion for the album itself but due to the hugely successful tour with Slipknot the Smile album went on to become the most successful of their career, and to this date it is still one of the highest selling metal albums released in Australia. Segression toured extensively behind the "Smile" album and in fact were voted Best live band, Best Drummer, Best Guitarist and Best Vocalist in a public poll held in a high profile music magazine. After being announced as part of that year's Metal for the Brain
festival, Segression decided to withdraw from the show, instead announcing a move to the United States
after a final near sold-out Australian tour.
Segression moved to Chicago
in early 2001 and played some club shows on their own as well as with Hatebreed
and Shadows Fall
. Although these shows were a success they were mainly there to write and record new material which ended in a week-long recording session at Chicago's Groove Master Studios where Disturbed and Sevendust
had recorded albums. They returned to Australia in May to tour nationally with Pantera
and Corrosion of Conformity
. Red quit the band after this tour and was replaced by Keith Owen.
June 2002 saw the release of the band's fourth album Segression. The album was not particularly successful and after touring for the rest of the year, Segression played a final show in December in Wollongong NSW. After the show the band had gone into the studio to record the follow-up album. This album took a new direction. Scared the Segression fans would not accept it they had released the album under the name Side Effect X. This then put Segression on hold. Many people thought Segression broke up but there was never an official word from the band about a split.
After a small tour and small push by the band for this album, the band finally decided to go their separate ways. Leaving both Side Effect X and Segression up in the air with no plans for either band to tour or play shows again.
After the success of this show the band decided to return full time adding guitarist Michael Katselos(Fozzy
) with long term guitarist Chris Sellin opting out of the reformation. They have now completed a brand new album titled " Never Dead" which was produced by Singer/Bass Player, Chris Rand. According to the bands Facebook and Myspace postings," this album is just us being us completely". The album will be released through Riot/Warner on 22 April 2011 and it will be preceded by a special iTunes only single, "Hero Anthem" on 18 March 2011.
In November 2010 Segression were confirmed as the "Special Guests" on the December 2010 Australian east coast tour by Fozzy
which features WWE star Chris Jericho
and Stuck Mojo
guitarist Rich Ward
. The band has stated that they will be touring extensively throughout 2011 in support of the new album.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Wollongong, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Originally known as Eezee and playing sleaze metal, the group decided to change its name after moving into in a thrash direction in mid-1994.
Early years
As Eezee, the band had recorded an EP in 1993 and the 1995 album Rise From Darkness. The group had also played support shows with Morbid AngelMorbid Angel
Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida. UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked one Morbid Angel album in its “Top 40 greatest death metal albums”, with their 1989 debut Altars of Madness appearing at number 1...
, Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
and Deicide
Deicide (band)
Deicide is an American death metal band formed in 1987. Their first two albums, Deicide and Legion, are ranked second and third place in best-selling death metal albums of the SoundScan era.-As Amon/Carnage :...
. The line-up at this time was Christiaan Rand (bass, vocals), Chris Sellin (guitar), James Broadbent (guitar) and John Buckley (drums). The sleaze version of Eezee had also included Rand and Sellin, along with Lloyd Burton on vocals and Jamie McGarva on drums.
Segression
Formed from a conjunction of the words "segregated" and "aggression" (which was later a track on the fourth album), Segression announced its new name on New Year's Day 1996 and played its first show, at the Cambridge Hotel in Newcastle, a few weeks later. By this time, Broadbent had been replaced by Shane Partridge. Some of Broadbent's playing appears on the first album, which was already underway. A show in Sydney with Fear FactoryFear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
and a rigid touring schedule that took in several centres in regional New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
followed. L.I.A., an abbreviation for lesson in aggression, was released in October 1996.
In 1997 Segression continued to tour solidly, featuring on several shows of Mortal Sin's comeback tour at the same time as working on its second album. Fifth of the Fifth took its name from a prediction that the world would end on 5 May 2000 and was released in September. The album consolidated the band's success on the Australian metal scene and also saw the introduction of the nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
elements into their music.
During 1998 the group played a national support tour with Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
and late in the year Buckley was asked to leave, opening the door to Red, a very experienced local session drummer. Red's first tour was with Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing...
which started three days after he officially joined the band. With this new line-up, Segression then headlined one of the 1st annual Australian Metal Festivals Metal For The Brain
Metal for the Brain
Metal for the Brain was Australia's largest heavy metal music festival. The event was held in Canberra annually, usually towards the end of the year, and featured Australian bands almost exclusively...
, then toured nationally with Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
, then toured most of Australia doing their own shows or playing smaller festivals. The later part of 1999 was spent writing and recording a new album and playing live rarely.
2000s
The early part of 2000 was spent touring with SoulflySoulfly
Soulfly is a heavy metal band formed in 1997 based in Phoenix, Arizona. The original lyrical content revolved around spirituality and religious themes, with later albums encompassing other themes including war, violence, aggression, hatred and anger. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max...
which culminated in Chris being asked to perform the song "Bleed" with Soulfly at the Sydney Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
. The Smile album surfaced in early 2000 during a national tour with Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
. The album was released to critical acclaim on Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
' Australian development label Dark Carnival. The relationship with Roadrunner soured almost immediately and Segression was forced to do virtually all of the promotion for the album itself but due to the hugely successful tour with Slipknot the Smile album went on to become the most successful of their career, and to this date it is still one of the highest selling metal albums released in Australia. Segression toured extensively behind the "Smile" album and in fact were voted Best live band, Best Drummer, Best Guitarist and Best Vocalist in a public poll held in a high profile music magazine. After being announced as part of that year's Metal for the Brain
Metal for the Brain
Metal for the Brain was Australia's largest heavy metal music festival. The event was held in Canberra annually, usually towards the end of the year, and featured Australian bands almost exclusively...
festival, Segression decided to withdraw from the show, instead announcing a move to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after a final near sold-out Australian tour.
Segression moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in early 2001 and played some club shows on their own as well as with Hatebreed
Hatebreed
- History :Hatebreed was formed in 1994 in Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. They began by recording a three song demo and selling it to locals. Those three songs would eventually be released on a split seven inch with New York's Neglect in 1995...
and Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from Eastern philosophy and some references to the Rastafari culture...
. Although these shows were a success they were mainly there to write and record new material which ended in a week-long recording session at Chicago's Groove Master Studios where Disturbed and Sevendust
Sevendust
Sevendust is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1994 by bassist Vince Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joined the group...
had recorded albums. They returned to Australia in May to tour nationally with Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
and Corrosion of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina formed in 1982. For almost the majority of its existence, the band has consisted of guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Mike Dean , drummer Reed Mullin and vocalist and rhythm...
. Red quit the band after this tour and was replaced by Keith Owen.
June 2002 saw the release of the band's fourth album Segression. The album was not particularly successful and after touring for the rest of the year, Segression played a final show in December in Wollongong NSW. After the show the band had gone into the studio to record the follow-up album. This album took a new direction. Scared the Segression fans would not accept it they had released the album under the name Side Effect X. This then put Segression on hold. Many people thought Segression broke up but there was never an official word from the band about a split.
2003 - Side Effect X/Hiatus
In late 2003, Segression announced that the band was on indefinite hold. With the addition of bass player Michael Caruana, all members of Segression now play in Side Effect X, a melodic heavy rock band. That group has recorded a single, "Turn the Page" and an album called Life.After a small tour and small push by the band for this album, the band finally decided to go their separate ways. Leaving both Side Effect X and Segression up in the air with no plans for either band to tour or play shows again.
2009 - Return and current
In mid 2009 a new Myspace and Facebook page became active, and rumours went around that the band was back together. This was later confirmed with an official Facebook page post stating that Singer/Bass Player Chris Rand, Guitarist Shane Partridge and Drummer Red had in fact reformed the band and in Oct 2009 the band announced on their Myspace that they will be playing a return show at Sydneys Gaelic Club. Segressions return show on 30 November 2009 was completely sold out.After the success of this show the band decided to return full time adding guitarist Michael Katselos(Fozzy
Fozzy
Fozzy is an American heavy metal/hard rock band, formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 1999. Lead singer Chris Jericho , who is also a professional wrestler, resides in Florida, while the rest of the band lives in Georgia. The band is currently signed to Riot! Entertainment...
) with long term guitarist Chris Sellin opting out of the reformation. They have now completed a brand new album titled " Never Dead" which was produced by Singer/Bass Player, Chris Rand. According to the bands Facebook and Myspace postings," this album is just us being us completely". The album will be released through Riot/Warner on 22 April 2011 and it will be preceded by a special iTunes only single, "Hero Anthem" on 18 March 2011.
In November 2010 Segression were confirmed as the "Special Guests" on the December 2010 Australian east coast tour by Fozzy
Fozzy
Fozzy is an American heavy metal/hard rock band, formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 1999. Lead singer Chris Jericho , who is also a professional wrestler, resides in Florida, while the rest of the band lives in Georgia. The band is currently signed to Riot! Entertainment...
which features WWE star Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
and Stuck Mojo
Stuck Mojo
Stuck Mojo is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1989 by guitarist Rich Ward, Stuck Mojo is considered to be one of the pioneers of rap metal. Touring alongside bands such as Machine Head and Slapshot. Stuck Mojo's most successful album, Rising, peaked at #48 on the...
guitarist Rich Ward
Rich Ward
Richard Park "Rich" Ward is an American guitarist, also known by his stage name, "The Duke". Ward is best known as a founding member of Stuck Mojo, a popular and influential underground rap-metal band of the 1990s, but he is also known as lead guitarist of heavy metal band Fozzy.-Early life:Ward...
. The band has stated that they will be touring extensively throughout 2011 in support of the new album.