Septic Death was a thrashcore band fronted by artist Brian "Pushead" Schroeder on vocals. Septic Death's music became a major influence on bands like Integrity, Von, Citizens Arrest, Infest, Rorschach and many other bands tied to the hardcore punk and extreme metal scenes. The band played only a few shows during its active years, mostly in Boise, Idaho. The band initially never intended to perform live at all, however they eventually did. Their first show, held at a local pizza restaurant, ended early after the band was kicked out after playing only six songs. Other than that, the band mostly opened for touring groups that stopped off within the town before they left Idaho in 1985. Most of Septic Death's discography is out-of-print, and due to this there have been a large number of bootlegs released over the years, some of which have been noted for being of good quality. Since 2000, Prank Records has been working on a Septic Death discography compilation titled Chumoku, however it has yet to be released. Currently, Pushead continues his work as an artist. Drummer Paul Birnbaum would go on to play in groups such as Attitude Adjustment, Haggis, and currently plays with Septic Death guitarist Jon Taylor in Little Miss and the No-Names. Bassist Michael Matlock moved to Los Angeles and graduated at USC with a film school degree.
Style and influence
The band's music was known for their extreme style, which would in turn influence later hardcore sub-genres such as metalcore and powerviolence. Their style has been dubbed as "horror hardcore" by fans, such as Dwid Hellion of Integrity in the liner notes to their 2005 compilation albumSilver In The Hands of Time. Common lyrical themes in the band's catalog include death, paranoia, and mental illness. They've also written a few songs concerning then-current social issues. Brian Schroeder operated Pusmort Records, which has been noted as a "legendary label" and also released the compilation album Cleanse the Bacteria, which is now seen as an important record that influenced fusion genres that combine elements of punk rock with elements of heavy metal. He has also made a name for himself within the American underground by making artwork for various bands and zines, as well as writing for Maximumrocknroll. Bands that have covered Septic Death songs include Rorschach, Extreme Noise Terror, Napalm Death, and Integrity.
Discography
Studio albums
Now That I Have The Attention, What Do I Do With It?
