*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*
This month’s State is New York!
If you were listening to metal in the late 90’s and early 2000’s there is a good chance you are familiar with the band DRY KILL LOGIC. The band formed in Westchester, NY in 1995 under the name HINGE. It was in 1997 that the band would release their first EP titled ‘Cause Moshing Is Good Fun’ via Psychodrama Records – the band’s own label. The second EP ‘Elemental Evil’ (1999) is when the band truly started garnering attention. The impact of that EP led them to opening for some well-known bands including Coal Chamber, Incubus, Anthrax and System of a Down. In 2000, (still performing under the name HINGE) they signed a record deal with Roadrunner Records but soon after signing with the label, they were forced to change their name due to a recording studio owning the copyright to the same name. They briefly changed their name from HINGE to HINGE A.D., but ultimately settled upon DRY KILL LOGIC after the studio threatened legal action if they used the word “Hinge” anywhere in their name. It was around this same time that ‘The Darker Side Of Nonsense’ was released. The album was released both under the name HINGE, as well as DRY KILL LOGIC. From then on Dry Kill Logic singer Cliff Rigano, guitarist Scott Thompson, bassist Dave Kowatch, and drummer Phil Arcuri were known as DRY KILL LOGIC. The band boasted a huge amount of groove in their music and were sometimes placed in two genre categories; Nu metal and New Wave Of American Heavy Metal. Both genres are very fitting but the band is a multidimensional band that really exceeded the limitations of any genre. ‘The Darker Side of Nonsense’ went on to become one of the heaviest and most revered albums of the year. On October 5, 2004, the band released their second major album ‘The Dead And Dreaming’, via Psychodrama Music Group. This album included one of the bands’ all-time greatest hits, “Paper Tiger” which showcased the bands ability to be incredibly heavy while still having those melodic anchoring moments that made their music special. In June of 2006, the band produced, designed and directed their first DVD/EP combo, ‘The Magellan Complex’. By this time the band had wrangled in a huge fan base and the DVD had a tremendous amount of behind the scenes footage, interviews and exclusive content filmed while the band was on tour. It also included the music video for “Paper Tiger”. The band was often compared to Pantera throughout the years and especially during their rise to popularity. DRY KILL LOGIC always remained humble and in regards to the comparison stated “I am just delighted people are liking the record and I have heard and read some great comparisons with great bands. It is humbling to be in the same breath as Pantera” during an interview with MetalRage.com. Continue reading
