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Pissgrave
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Pissgrave is an American death metal band formed in 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The current line-up of the band consists of Tim Mellon (guitar, vocals), Demian Fenton (guitar, vocals), Matt Mellon (drums) and Brad Dumville (bass). The band is known for its "extreme old-school death metal" sound and graphic album covers, that depict actual gore images.[1]
Key Information
History
[edit]Pissgrave was formed in 2013 by guitarists Tim Mellon and Demian Fenton, drummer Matt Mellon and bassist John Guarracino. The band released its self-titled demo tape in 2014 on Graceless Recordings,[2] which attracted attention for its "primitive production" and extreme sound.[1] Following its release, the band signed to Profound Lore Records, which issued their full-length debut album Suicide Euphoria in 2015. The record was produced by Arthur Rizk.[1]
Following the band's North American tour, founding bassist John Guarracino departed the band to focus on his other project, Hæthen. He was replaced by Brad Dumville. The band collaborated again with Arthur Rizk on its second studio album, 2019's Posthumous Humiliation.[1] The record was described as "one of the best death metal albums of 2019" by Pitchfork[3] and Exclaim![4] Pitchfork additionally listed Posthumous Humiliation on its list of "The Best Metal Albums of 2019."[5]
Musical style
[edit]Pissgrave's sound has been characterized primarily as death metal,[1][5][6][7] with AllMusic's Thom Jurek describing the band as "one of the more outrageous acts to emerge from the barebones ethos of old-school death metal with a war metal production aesthetic."[1] The band's sound has been compared to that of Deicide,[1] Revenge[3] and Cannibal Corpse.[4] The band's cover arts feature graphic violence.[1][3]
On the band's sound and aesthetic, guitarist Tim Mellon has stated: "The overall aesthetic is reality-based death. Pissgrave are rooted in reality rather than fantasy. Images of violent, offensive death [are] what is necessary to portray us musically and visually."[7]
Members
[edit]- Current members
- Matt Mellon – drums (2013–present)
- Tim Mellon – guitar, vocals (2013–present)
- Demian Fenton – guitar, vocals (2013–present)
- Brad Dumville – bass (2017–present)
- Former members
- John Guarracino – bass (2013–2017)
Discography
[edit]- Studio albums
- Suicide Euphoria (2015)
- Posthumous Humiliation (2019)
- Malignant Worthlessness (2025)
- Demos
- Pissgrave (2014)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h Jurek, Thom. "Pissgrave". AllMusic. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ Kelly, Kim (June 5, 2015). "Premiere: Impale Yourself on the Hellish Vibrations of Pissgrave, Profound Lore's Latest Signing". Vice. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ a b c O'Connor, Andy (March 8, 2019). "Pissgrave - Posthumous Humiliation". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Turenne, Brayden (February 28, 2019). "Pissgrave - Posthumous Humiliation". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Sodomsky, Sam (December 18, 2019). "The Best Metal Albums of 2019". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ Gordon, Connie (July 21, 2015). "Pissgrave: Suicide Euphoria". Louder Sound. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Zorgdrager, Bradley (August 28, 2015). "Pissgrave - Posthumous Humiliation". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
External links
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Pissgrave
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History
Formation and early releases (2013–2015)
Pissgrave was formed in 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by guitarists Tim Mellon and Demian Fenton, drummer Matt Mellon, and bassist John Guarracino.[1] The band's initial motivations centered on channeling raw, extreme death metal to express constant mental and physical suffering, aiming to evoke infinite terror and inflict auditory pain through their sound.[8] In April 2014, Pissgrave independently released their self-titled demo as a limited-edition cassette through the local label Graceless Recordings (catalog GRACE014), which quickly sold out due to strong interest from the underground extreme metal community.[9][3] The demo featured six tracks—"Blood Fog," "Prevail in Hell," "Fields of Scattered Bones," "Second Sorrowful Mystery," "Rusted Wind," and "Desolate Hallucination"—characterized by primitive, lo-fi production that emphasized the band's gritty, unpolished aesthetic and was distributed primarily through DIY channels in Philadelphia's metal scene.[9][10] This release garnered attention for its visceral intensity, helping establish Pissgrave within the local underground circuit through early performances at Philadelphia venues.[11] The demo's acclaim led to a signing with the Canadian extreme metal label Profound Lore Records.[12] In June 2015, the band completed recording their debut full-length album, Suicide Euphoria, which was released on August 7, 2015, and incorporated re-recorded versions of select demo tracks alongside new songs exploring themes of depraved euphoria amid suffering and violence.[12][13] The album received positive initial reception for its brutal, raw execution, with critics hailing it as a standout in contemporary death metal for its repulsive yet captivating ferocity.[14]Posthumous Humiliation and beyond (2016–present)
In 2017, Pissgrave underwent a lineup adjustment when founding bassist John Guarracino departed after four years with the band, subsequently focusing on his project Hæthen; he was replaced by Brad Dumville, who brought a continued emphasis on the group's raw, aggressive low-end drive.[1][4] This change occurred amid preparations for the band's sophomore effort, solidifying their core sound while allowing for subtle evolutions in intensity. The band released their second full-length album, Posthumous Humiliation, on March 1, 2019, through Profound Lore Records, exploring themes of extreme depravity and moral decay through unrelenting, gore-soaked death metal. Produced by longtime collaborator Arthur Rizk, the record garnered critical acclaim for its visceral production and boundary-pushing extremity, with outlets praising it as one of the year's standout death metal releases for its messy, carnage-reflecting chaos and controversial aesthetic.[15][16][17] To promote the album, Pissgrave embarked on extensive tours across three continents, including North America, Europe, and Australia, performing at major festivals and headlining runs that amplified their underground notoriety.[3] The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 severely disrupted these activities, halting live performances and delaying new material as global restrictions took hold, forcing the band to pause touring for over a year. Pissgrave resumed roadwork in 2021, undertaking three extended tours over the subsequent years to rebuild momentum and connect with fans amid the industry's recovery. This period underscored their resilience, maintaining their relationship with Profound Lore while steadily expanding their international fanbase through these post-pandemic efforts.[3] On February 21, 2025, Pissgrave issued their third album, Malignant Worthlessness, again via Profound Lore and produced by Arthur Rizk, delving into themes of nihilism, existential torment, and life's inherent futility with a barrage of psychedelic-tinged brutality and knotty riffing. Recorded with an emphasis on raw aggression and atmospheric discomfort, the album received strong post-release reception for its sophisticated savagery and memorable hooks, positioning it as a high point in the band's discography and further cementing their reputation in the death metal scene.[18][19][20] This release, following a nearly six-year gap, highlights the band's enduring partnership with Profound Lore and growing global recognition, evidenced by increased streaming presence and festival bookings.[7]Musical style and influences
Style characteristics
Pissgrave's music is characterized by extreme old-school death metal, drawing on raw production aesthetics reminiscent of war metal to create an aggressively inaccessible sound that prioritizes brutality over polish.[1][21] The band's sonic identity emphasizes a lo-fi, abrasive quality in early works, evolving into thicker, coarser mixes in later releases while maintaining an unrelenting hostility that immerses listeners in a wall of sonic violence.[19][17] The vocal style features harsh, guttural screams delivered with a dual-layered intensity, often blending low growls and high-pitched shrieks to produce a filthy, unintelligible barrage that amplifies the music's depraved tone.[22][17] Lyrics center on themes of death, negativity, torment, and nihilism, portraying life's malignant worthlessness through graphic depictions of violence and immorality that reject escapism in favor of reality-based confrontation.[1][19] Instrumentally, Pissgrave employs blasting drums and intricate blast beats that drive a pummeling rhythm section, paired with tremolo-picked guitars delivering bass-heavy riffs, stop-start dynamics, and occasional melodic leads to foster a chaotic, catastrophic atmosphere.[19][17][21] This combination yields a relentless energy, with breakdowns and solos adding momentary structure amid the overall putrid frenzy.[23][17] Thematic consistency permeates the band's discography, reinforced by album artwork that depicts explicit depravity, such as mutilated faces and repulsive gore imagery, mirroring the music's focus on posthumous humiliation and existential filth.[1][17] Production has evolved from the demo-era's unrefined rawness—evident in the repulsive sonics of their 2015 debut Suicide Euphoria—to slightly refined aggression in albums like Posthumous Humiliation (2019) and Malignant Worthlessness (2025), incorporating modernized clarity without diluting the core sense of obscenity and brutality.[19][17][21]Influences
Pissgrave's sound draws primarily from old-school death metal pioneers like Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, and Revenge, informing their aggressive riffing, guttural vocals, and unflinching thematic extremity. Producer Arthur Rizk, who recorded several of the band's albums, described their style as a fusion of Deicide's precision and Revenge's ferocity, emphasizing how these elements create a visceral, unrelenting attack. Comparisons to Cannibal Corpse highlight the band's adoption of grotesque, gore-infused imagery and relentless brutality in both music and visuals, though Pissgrave often grounds this in more explicit, reality-derived horror rather than stylized fantasy. The incorporation of war metal and black metal further amplifies Pissgrave's raw, lo-fi production and nihilistic worldview, blending bestial chaos with death metal structures to evoke unrelenting despair. Reviews note how these genres contribute to the band's muddy, abrasive aesthetic, evoking the unpolished aggression of early 1990s extreme metal while pushing boundaries into more depraved territory. This hybrid approach manifests in chaotic passages that prioritize sonic filth over technical polish, aligning with the subgenre's emphasis on auditory assault. Rooted in the early 2010s Philadelphia underground metal scene, Pissgrave reflects the DIY ethos of local acts through self-produced releases and a commitment to uncompromised extremity, fostering a cult following in America's raw death metal circuit. Their broader inspirations stem from extreme metal's horror and gore traditions, where lyrics explore themes of degradation and violence drawn from real-world offensiveness, as articulated by guitarist/vocalist Tim Mellon. Across albums, these influences intensify; Malignant Worthlessness (2025) escalates war metal aggression in tracks like "Heaping Pile of Electrified Gore," heightening the sense of deranged nihilism compared to earlier works.[24]Band members
Current members
The current lineup of Pissgrave consists of four members, all contributing to the band's raw death metal sound through their instrumental and vocal roles.[1] Tim Mellon – guitars, vocals (2013–present)As a founding member, Tim Mellon serves as the primary songwriter, crafting the band's lyrics with themes of nihilism and torment, as exemplified in the 2015 album Suicide Euphoria.[1][8] Demian Fenton – guitars, vocals (2013–present)
A founding member, Demian Fenton shares guitar duties and contributes to the band's aggressive dual vocal attack alongside Mellon.[1] Matt Mellon – drums (2013–present)
Founding drummer Matt Mellon, brother of Tim Mellon, drives the band's punishing rhythms; he previously played in the grindcore band Jail and performed live drums for Abhomine.[1][25] Brad Dumville – bass (2017–present)
Bass player Brad Dumville joined in 2017, bolstering the rhythm section with his low-end support.[1]
Former members
John Guarracino served as the founding bassist for Pissgrave from the band's inception in 2013 until 2017.[4] As a key original member, he contributed to the group's early releases, including the 2014 self-titled demo and the 2015 debut album Suicide Euphoria.[26] His departure occurred in 2017, prior to the recording of the band's second studio album Posthumous Humiliation (released in 2019), after which Brad Dumville joined as bassist to ensure lineup stability.[4][6] No specific reasons for Guarracino's exit have been publicly documented in available sources. No other former members or transient/session players from early demos are noted in band records.[26] The 2017 bass transition marked the primary lineup change, allowing Pissgrave to maintain creative continuity amid their evolving death metal output.[4]Discography
Studio albums
Pissgrave's studio albums are released through Profound Lore Records and characterized by raw production emphasizing brutal death metal aesthetics, with all three full-lengths produced by Arthur Rizk.[27][6][5] The band's discography includes vinyl, compact disc, and digital formats for each release, with Posthumous Humiliation receiving a vinyl reissue in 2025 due to high demand.[28]Suicide Euphoria (2015)
Released on August 4, 2015, Suicide Euphoria marks Pissgrave's debut full-length album, running 31 minutes and 44 seconds across nine tracks.[12][29] The album was recorded and produced by Arthur Rizk.[27]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perpetual War | 3:38 |
| 2 | Impaled Vibration | 3:43 |
| 3 | Pain Enchantment | 3:13 |
| 4 | Fields of Scattered Bones | 4:07 |
| 5 | Prevail in Hell | 2:48 |
| 6 | Thelema Anarcha | 3:24 |
| 7 | A World Without | 3:20 |
| 8 | Deformed Theology | 3:48 |
| 9 | Purge | 3:43 |
| Total length: | 31:44 |
Posthumous Humiliation (2019)
Posthumous Humiliation, Pissgrave's second studio album, was released on March 1, 2019, with a runtime of 43 minutes and 26 seconds over nine tracks.[30][31] Produced by Arthur Rizk, the album features artwork by Ryan Haley, depicting grotesque, visceral imagery of decay and torment.[6][32] It garnered critical acclaim for its intensity, with Pitchfork praising its "extreme gore and extreme sonics" in a 7.7/10 review.[15]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Euthanasia | 4:26 |
| 2 | Canticle of Ripping Flesh | 4:45 |
| 3 | Funeral Inversion | 4:12 |
| 4 | Catacombs of Putrid Chambers | 5:18 |
| 5 | Into the Deceased | 4:38 |
| 6 | Decomposers | 5:02 |
| 7 | Posthumous Humiliation | 4:55 |
| 8 | Rebirth Depression | 5:10 |
| 9 | Suffer in Silence | 5:00 |
| Total length: | 43:26 |
Malignant Worthlessness (2025)
The third studio album, Malignant Worthlessness, was released on February 21, 2025, completing a thematic trilogy begun with the band's prior releases, and spans 31 minutes and 13 seconds across nine tracks.[18][33] Produced by Arthur Rizk, it was recorded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[5] By November 2025, the album had accumulated over 500,000 streams on Spotify, reflecting strong initial reception in the underground metal scene.[33]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | In Heretic Blood Christened | 4:02 |
| 2 | Three Degrees of Darkness | 2:59 |
| 3 | Malignant Worthlessness | 3:25 |
| 4 | Heaping Pile of Electrified Gore | 2:56 |
| 5 | Dissident Amputator | 3:11 |
| 6 | Noose of Dissonance | 3:32 |
| 7 | The Black Mouth | 3:02 |
| 8 | Defiled | 3:18 |
| 9 | Worthless | 3:48 |
| Total length: | 31:13 |