Wehrmacht is an American thrash metal

Thrash metal

Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...

/hardcore punk

Hardcore punk

Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

 band, that was formed in Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

 in 1985. After releasing two albums on New Renaissance Records

New Renaissance Records

New Renaissance Records is an American record label founded in 1984 by Ann Boleyn, who also is the lead singer of the group Hellion and is credited for coining the term speed metal.-History:...

, the band split up. Later, both albums were re-issued on one CD.

Tito Matos and Marco Zorich went on to form Spazztic Blurr

Spazztic Blurr

Spazztic Blurr were a joke metal band formed in 1985, in Portland, Oregon. The original lineup consisted of Tape Head Tito on vocals, Marco Sharko on guitar, Booger Bass Dave on bass and Burger King Eric on drums. They played a mix of avantgarde, hardcore punk, death metal and grindcore. For...

 and Brian Lehfeldt went to Cryptic Slaughter

Cryptic Slaughter

Cryptic Slaughter was a Santa Monica, California-based crossover thrash band.-Biography:Cryptic Slaughter was formed in 1984 by Les Evans , Scott Peterson and Adam Scott , who met through their mutual participation in the American Youth Soccer League . Soon they were joined by Bill Crooks , a...

. Matos now appears as a DJ under the name Mestizo69 and also continues as a vocalist. Lehfeldt also played with Sweaty Nipples and toured with Everclear

Everclear (band)

Everclear is a rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1992 best known for their radio hits spanning more than a decade. For most of its existence, Everclear has consisted of Art Alexakis , Craig Montoya , and Greg Eklund . Eklund replaced original drummer Scott Cuthbert in 1994...

. His most recent projects are Drumattica and Tri-polar. Shann Mortimer went on to play with the Nervous Christians and Bastard Children of the Roman Empire. He is now a criminal defense attorney. John Duffy has continued playing music, most recently with the band Kapuda.

Despite the band's name they do not have Nazi ideals.

Reunion

On August 15, 2009, the band reunited to start playing again. Wehrmacht also played a show in Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

 on November 15, 2009 with Dirty Rotten Imbeciles

Dirty Rotten Imbeciles

Dirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...

. They have announced work on new material, but have not yet provided a date.

Style & Genre Debate

Among their influences, the members of Wehrmacht list Destruction

Destruction (band)

Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "three kings" of the Teutonic thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator and Sodom...

, Slayer

Slayer

Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...

, D.R.I.

Dirty Rotten Imbeciles

Dirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...

, G.B.H, and Raw Power

Raw Power

Raw Power is the third studio album by American rock band The Stooges. Though not initially commercially successful, Raw Power gained a cult fanbase in the years following its release and, like its predecessor , is generally considered an influential forerunner of punk rock.-Recording history:After...

. Most label Wehrmacht as thrash metal

Thrash metal

Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...

, but they are also commonly seen as a crossover thrash band.
Marco Zorich was a lead guitarist.

Discography

• Blow You Away (Demo, 1985)
• Rehearsal '85 (Demo, 1985)
• Beermacht (Demo, 1986)
• Death Punk (Demo, 1986)
• Live at Pine St. Theatre (Demo, 1986)
• Shark Attack (LP, 1987)
• Biermacht (LP, 1989)
• Hardcore Classix! (Best of/Compilation, 2009)
• Viva Sharko! (Boxed set, 2010)
• Fast as a Shark Attack (EP, 2010)

Line-up

• Tito Matos (aka Tape Head Tito) - vocals
• Marco Zorich (aka Marco Sharko) - guitar
• John Duffy - guitar
• Shann Mortimer - bass
• Brian Lehfeldt - drums