Metal Mania Community

In 1993, founding members Lenzig (vocals) and Zac Joe (guitar) recorded and released their first demo, 'Scrape My Lungs.' Although the recording was well-circulated in the underground, the band split up soon afterwards. In 1996, CEPHALIC CARNAGE reformed and added members John Merryman (drums) and Steve Goldberg (guitar). The infusion of new blood into the CEPHALIC ranks kicked things into high gear for the band and only two months after the new lineup had been together, a second demo, titled 'Fortuitous Oddity,' was recorded and released. A four-piece at the time of the recording, the band was stronger than ever as the duel-guitar onslaught merged effortlessly with extremely technical drumming and Lenzig's wildly schizophrenic vocal attack. The word was out, and CEPHALIC CARNAGE were making a name for themselves. The band hit the road for a self-financed U.S. tour in the fall of 1997, alerting many to the unbelievable intensity of the CEPHALIC CARNAGE live show.

In 1998, CEPHALIC released their debut album, Conforming To Abnormality. 'Conforming...' unveiled a style of extreme music that was completely original in its makeup: blending mind-melting guitar technicality with inhuman drumming, varied vocal assaults, smatterings of jazz sensibilities and devastating sub-bass drops. The level of musicianship displayed on Conforming To Abnormality was critically-acclaimed upon the album's release. CEPHALIC CARNAGE then added bassist Jawsh Mullen to the fold and hit the road in support of the album. A crushing set at the 1998 Milwaukee Metalfest cemented the band's name in the minds of music fans and journalists and verified all accounts of their (now) legendary live performances as the band laid waste to Metalfest attendees with one of the best sets of the entire festival. The band also appeared at the 1999 Dallas Grindfest, the 1999 March Metal Meltdown, the 1999 Ohio Deathfest, the 1999 Denver Hatefest, the 1999 Milwaukee Metalfest and the 1999 November To Dismember, stopping at nothing to bring their futuristic sounds to the masses.

Soon following, CEPHALIC joined the Relapse Records family. The band's initiation consisted of joining labelmates SOILENT GREEN, TODAY IS THE DAY, EXHUMED and MORGION on the Relapse 1999 Contamination Tour. In December, 1999, CEPHALIC entered New Orleans' Festival Studios with producer Keith Falgout (SOILENT GREEN, CROWBAR, ACID BATH) and recorded their Relapse debut, Exploiting Dysfunction. Destroying parameters, CEPHALIC CARNAGE stupefied and astounded with 'Exploiting Dysfunction,' blending and configuring styles of music with surgical precision. Shortly after the mastering of 'Exploiting...' a U.S. tour with labelmates THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, showcased two of extreme music's most forward-thinking and jaw-dropping live acts. CEPHALIC then lit up the crowd at the 2002 SXSW Festival in Austin, TX (alongside labelmates MASTODON, HIGH ON FIRE and ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY), debuting new material in front of a crowd of unsuspecting music fans.

In 2002, CEPHALIC CARNAGE unveiled 'Lucid Interval,' a high-impact dose of unique sound(s) combining various styles of heavy music with elements of jazz-fusion and an ultra-keen sense of progression. Bending genres with wild counter-rhythms, exceptional musicianship and hairpin twists and turns, CEPHALIC CARNAGE accelerated their creativity while delivering a thought-provoking eye-opening to the musical status quo. Press accolades poured in upon the album's release and the band hit the tour trail yet again.

CEPHALIC returned to SXSW in March, 2003 as one of the featured acts of the Relapse Records Showcase. The band then hit the road as part of the Relapse Records North American Contamination Tour 2003 (with labelmates MASTODON, UPHILL BATTLE and DYSRHYTHMIA) before joining up with SHADOWS FALL and HATEBREED for U.S. treks. CEPHALIC kicked off 2004 with a European tour with labelmates EXHUMED and followed that up with a Euro trek with MACABRE.

Upon returning home, CEPHALIC CARNAGE began writing for what would become their fourth full-length album, Anomalies. Anomalies was recorded in late 2004 with Dave Otero at Flatline Audio in the band’s hometown of Denver and showed CEPHALIC’s skill for intermixing spine-tingling passages of hypersonic grindcore, slow motion doom metal and far-out rock and roll, beckoning listeners to enter their outlandish musical world.

Relapse Records proudly released Anomalies in March of 2005 and it was backed by endless touring from the band that included headlining North American and European tours and appearances at Independence D Fest, SXSW, New England Metal and Hardcore Fest, WKDU Fest, Monsters of Metal IV. CEPHALIC was in the company of many metal-elite during these tours including MASTODON, SHADOW’S FALL, HIGH ON FIRE, ORIGIN, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and more.

2006 started for CEPHALIC CARNAGE with their fourth appearance at the SXSW Music Fest. The band is currently gearing up for another North American tour in support of Anomalies with A LIFE ONCE LOST with much more touring to follow.