Blind Spite
Blind Spite are an extreme metal band from the English border city of Carlisle. Principal members briefly re-located to north east England through studies and work.
This led to some confusion over our origin after we frequently played live with Death in Blood(Sunderland) and Articulo Mortis(Newcastle) amongst others. Carlisle has a growing extreme metal movement but Blind Spite rarely play there to avoid familiarity. Focus is maintained within the band by travelling to play live-new audiences to generate wider appreciation and satisfy the members’ wanderlust.
Anthony(drums) is the founding member, in 1996 he brought together Ian Maxwell (vocals), Ian Donaldson (guitars), Andy Gateshill (guitars) and Kevin MᶜCall (bass) as the first line up. Steve Whatman replaced Kevin on bass in 1997 before the band recorded ‘What is Past is Prologue.’ This release brought gigs all over England and recognition from earache founder Digby Pearson who saw the early line up play in Workington at Monroe’s. the playing style was quite primitive on this demo and has significantly developed over the band’s existence-drawing equal influence from both death metal and black metal.
Andy moved to London before the band recorded its second release ‘Grievolution’ as a four piece in 2000. Material from this is still played live. ‘The Olden Horde’ served as a rousing set closer whilst ‘Purge’ and ‘Phoenix’ invoke a dark shrouding tone. Andy Gateshill is credited with writing the track ‘Forever Fear.’
in November 2000 Andy was replaced by Matthew Langley who was invited to rehearse with the band after the members heard his guitar demo featuring renditions of thrash metal classics and lead guitar. This allowed the band to play ‘Grievolution’ material as a five piece and new songs were created in the meantime with a new contributor to composition. ‘Carry No Cross’ was the first song with the new line up which laid down the trademark ferocity and aggressive atheist lyrics. ‘Forgotten Dark’ featured James Herbert inspired malevolence and ‘Contemplating The Mortal Vortex’ has remained in the live set ever since it’s creation. In June 2004 the band recorded ‘Sermon of Despisal’ which received notable reviews from Terrorizer, Zero Tolerance, Metal Maniacs and various websites. Blind Spite played many gigs across England after this recording alongside Desecration, Nailed, Dawn of Chaos and Sarpanitum amongst others.
2005 saw vocalist and lyricist Ian Maxwell quit the band after being involved from the beginning. Lee Kelly briefly held the mic before Paul Mcfarlane became the vocalist in 2006. the band temporarily split up in 2006 after Donaldson and Whatman departed. In early 2007 Blind Spite were mentioned in a Zero Tolerance feature on unsigned UK Death Metal bands which inspired Anthony, Langley and Mcfarlane to reform the band. This line up was supplemented when Ian Maxwell briefly re-joined and Tony Young joined on bass - Paul became the guitarist. this line up played a few gigs but did not record as Max and Tony left the band in 2009 and 2010 respectively. James Watts became the vocalist in 2009 after having an immediate impact on the band’s sound. He also handles the artwork and promotions. James’s younger brother Philip joined the band in 2010 on synthesiser and keyboards.
In January 2011 Blind Spite finished recording 'Dethrone The Earth' after many years since the songs inception. The tracks are ‘Dethrone The Earth’, ‘Epoch of Despondency’, ‘Oblivion Embraced’, ‘Deus’ and ‘This is Our Abomination’. Lyrics are mostly credited to Ian Maxwell but Langley and Watts are also credited. Langley and Paul shared the bass playing on the EP and keyboards were included for the first time on a Blind Spite release.
Blind Spite are a perpetual extreme metal entity. Our music is an expression against our surrounding culture devoid of any philosophy or morality. We feel organised religion is the lowest common denominator in our increasingly decadent culture and we refuse to embrace the blindness.
Find them at www.myspace.com/blindspite
This led to some confusion over our origin after we frequently played live with Death in Blood(Sunderland) and Articulo Mortis(Newcastle) amongst others. Carlisle has a growing extreme metal movement but Blind Spite rarely play there to avoid familiarity. Focus is maintained within the band by travelling to play live-new audiences to generate wider appreciation and satisfy the members’ wanderlust.
Anthony(drums) is the founding member, in 1996 he brought together Ian Maxwell (vocals), Ian Donaldson (guitars), Andy Gateshill (guitars) and Kevin MᶜCall (bass) as the first line up. Steve Whatman replaced Kevin on bass in 1997 before the band recorded ‘What is Past is Prologue.’ This release brought gigs all over England and recognition from earache founder Digby Pearson who saw the early line up play in Workington at Monroe’s. the playing style was quite primitive on this demo and has significantly developed over the band’s existence-drawing equal influence from both death metal and black metal.
Andy moved to London before the band recorded its second release ‘Grievolution’ as a four piece in 2000. Material from this is still played live. ‘The Olden Horde’ served as a rousing set closer whilst ‘Purge’ and ‘Phoenix’ invoke a dark shrouding tone. Andy Gateshill is credited with writing the track ‘Forever Fear.’
in November 2000 Andy was replaced by Matthew Langley who was invited to rehearse with the band after the members heard his guitar demo featuring renditions of thrash metal classics and lead guitar. This allowed the band to play ‘Grievolution’ material as a five piece and new songs were created in the meantime with a new contributor to composition. ‘Carry No Cross’ was the first song with the new line up which laid down the trademark ferocity and aggressive atheist lyrics. ‘Forgotten Dark’ featured James Herbert inspired malevolence and ‘Contemplating The Mortal Vortex’ has remained in the live set ever since it’s creation. In June 2004 the band recorded ‘Sermon of Despisal’ which received notable reviews from Terrorizer, Zero Tolerance, Metal Maniacs and various websites. Blind Spite played many gigs across England after this recording alongside Desecration, Nailed, Dawn of Chaos and Sarpanitum amongst others.
2005 saw vocalist and lyricist Ian Maxwell quit the band after being involved from the beginning. Lee Kelly briefly held the mic before Paul Mcfarlane became the vocalist in 2006. the band temporarily split up in 2006 after Donaldson and Whatman departed. In early 2007 Blind Spite were mentioned in a Zero Tolerance feature on unsigned UK Death Metal bands which inspired Anthony, Langley and Mcfarlane to reform the band. This line up was supplemented when Ian Maxwell briefly re-joined and Tony Young joined on bass - Paul became the guitarist. this line up played a few gigs but did not record as Max and Tony left the band in 2009 and 2010 respectively. James Watts became the vocalist in 2009 after having an immediate impact on the band’s sound. He also handles the artwork and promotions. James’s younger brother Philip joined the band in 2010 on synthesiser and keyboards.
In January 2011 Blind Spite finished recording 'Dethrone The Earth' after many years since the songs inception. The tracks are ‘Dethrone The Earth’, ‘Epoch of Despondency’, ‘Oblivion Embraced’, ‘Deus’ and ‘This is Our Abomination’. Lyrics are mostly credited to Ian Maxwell but Langley and Watts are also credited. Langley and Paul shared the bass playing on the EP and keyboards were included for the first time on a Blind Spite release.
Blind Spite are a perpetual extreme metal entity. Our music is an expression against our surrounding culture devoid of any philosophy or morality. We feel organised religion is the lowest common denominator in our increasingly decadent culture and we refuse to embrace the blindness.
Find them at www.myspace.com/blindspite