Pat Hall, guitar / Mike Poggione, bass / Sam Molina, vocals / Lee Harrison, drums / Tony Norman, guitars
As one of the front runners in the Florida death metal scene, Monstrosity began their course in late 1990. Underground tape trading and strong international networking made Monstrosity a viable entity in the metal realm with their infamous “Horror Infinity” demo and the band was signed by Nuclear Blast Records Germany. The first effort was to be called “Imperial Doom” and is now considered a death metal classic. The album went on to sell 40,000 worldwide and received excellent ratings in the press. A triumphant tour of Europe was accomplished by traveling to Austria, Switzerland, Holland and Germany. While in Germany, the group shot a video clip of the song “Final Cremation” and was later released on a video compilation “Death is the Beginning by Nuclear Blast. Upon release in the US, “Imperial Doom” placed #21 in sales on the CMJ charts. With disagreements with Nuclear Blast regarding royalties, Monstrosity left the label.
Consequently, Monstrosity signed with Conquest Music in the US. With the second release, “Millennium”, the band showcased stronger playing techniques with more focused arrangements. The album release was launched with the “Extremities Tour”, a seven week tour of North America. The editor of Metal Maniacs Magazine selected “Millennium” number one on his play list and the album placed #19 on the CMJ “Loudrock charts. “Millennium” was simultaneously released on Nuclear Blast Germany as Conquest licensed the album to the label in Europe.
Concentrating on touring after the second release, Monstrosity forged ahead playing shows in Mexico City, Lima, Peru, Bogota, Columbia followed with a tour with Vader in Europe taking Monstrosity to nine countries in four weeks.
With touring out of the way, Monstrosity went back in the studio and emerged this time with “In Dark Purity” Their third album contained 14 songs including a cover of Slayer’s “Angel of Death” which provided the finest metal from the death metal elite. “In Dark Purity” rose to # 9 on the CMJ college radio charts. Conquest Music licensed this album to Olympic/SlipDisc in the US for the Mercury distribution pushing their sales right up there consistent with their debut album, “Imperial Doom”, which had been issued years earlier.
Now, they bring to the table, a double cd titled “Enslaving the Masses”. Disc one consists of remixed versions from “Imperial Doom”, the raw and brutal songs of Horror Infinity and songs from Slaves and Masters. All vocals are those of George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, now of Cannibal Corpse and a co-founder of Monstrosity. Disc two is a “live” album recorded during different shows and mixed and mastered at Morrisound Studios. New vocalist, Jason Avery, shows on Disc two that he can more than fill the “Corpsegrinders” tomb. “Enslaving the Masses” can be found in fine stores everywhere.
Unfortunately, Monstrosity's vocalist, Jason Avery, could no longer continue with the band due to personal reasons. Consequently, Sam Molina was recruited to take over the vocal duties. Monstrosity then proceeded to tour some 80 cities over the spring and summer in support of "Enslaving the Masses". With crowds of 500 in TX, 600 in Rimouski, 400 in Montreal, Canada and 400 in Los Angeles to name a few, Monstrosity is one of the most hard working bands on the scene today. Monstrosity will enter the studio in the fall (2001) to work on their fifth album which is expected to be released in early 2002.
