UPTOWN RUMBLE: Extreme metal
“Extreme Metal” includes thrash metal, death metal, black metal, speed metal, and other underground styles of heavy metal that have emerged since the early ’80s. As with other varieties of heavy music featured in this exhibit, Bronx bands and musicians have been central in the development of many of these genres as well.
Anthrax, with Bronx members Charlie Benante and Frank Bello, were among the pioneers of thrash metal in the ’80s. The genre’s name comes from one of their early songs, “Metal Thrashing Mad,” and they remain one of the most influential bands in the genre.
The history of death metal partially overlaps with the history of thrash and speed metal. All started to be played in the early ’80s, were heavily influenced by British heavy metal of the day like Iron Maiden and Venom, and were generally considered part of the same push of metal into more intense registers. Still, even the earliest examples of death metal, before its sound became more distinctive, tended to display chaotic tempo changes and ferocious vocal delivery, hallmarks of the genre as it came into its own in the late ’80s. Early trailblazers of these death metal stylings were Arsenic from the South Bronx. Henry Isaac, the teenage Cuban mastermind behind the band, traded demo tapes and corresponded regularly with other early death metal creators like Chuck Schuldiner of Death, Killjoy of Necrophagia, and Jeff Becerra of Possessed.
Above: Members of early South Bronx death metal band Arsenic, late ’80s. Uptown Rumble collection, The Bronx County Archives
A local underground extreme metal scene even emerged in the late ’80s and early ’90s, centered at places like Lehman High School, Kennedy High School, and Theodore Roosevelt High School. Lehman, in particular, is remembered as hosting some of the most legendary battles of the bands during this period. In fact, the full-blown Bronx hardcore scene of the ’90s grew out of this first explosion of Bronx metal. Many of the members of later hardcore bands first fell in love with heavy music while growing long hair and head-banging to local acts like Requiem, Rampage, or Broom Hellda in their Bronx high schools.
Bronx native Frank Bello, bassist of Anthrax, at a show in New York City, 1988. Frank came from the Throggs Neck section of The Bronx, along with his uncle Charlie Benante, drummer for Anthrax. Their band were one of the most important bands in the development of thrash metal, along with Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and other bands that might not have been as commercially successful but were formative in the wider scene. Uptown Rumble collection, The Bronx County Archives.
Bronx thrash band Nervous Wreck, which includes John Reilly, the McLarnon brothers, and Dom Siano, who played in Bronx band Kruciform before joining Nervous Wreck. This photo is from the late ’80s/early ’90s, when thrash metal was still at the height of its popularity in the underground metal scene. Nervous Wreck came from the area around the Mosholu Parkway stop on the 4 line in The Bronx, although other thrash bands came from the active scenes at Kennedy High School, Theodore Roosevelt High School, and Lehman High School. Courtesy of Nervous Wreck.
Henry Isaac rehearsing in the late ’80s with Arsenic, an early death metal band from the South Bronx. Henry was the mastermind behind the project, which started in 1984, although his brother John was involved off and on throughout the ’80s. Arsenic were playing an early style of death metal right around the time that other bands like Death, Possessed, and Necrophagia were developing the style elsewhere in the U.S. Henry was particularly close with Killjoy of Necrophagia, though he also corresponded with Chuck Schuldiner of Death and Jeff Becerra of Possessed. Courtesy of Henry Isaac.
Bronx death metal band Goatamentise during the recording of their Self-Titled full length in 2006. The band started in 1993 and was one of the first death metal bands to incorporate influence from the New York hardcore scene, which they were also a part of in The Bronx throughout the ’90s with the Boogie Down Crew (BDC), which included more than a dozen local bands. Courtesy of Ramon Soto.
Nitrous Oxide, one of multiple bands in The Bronx’s metal scene of the early 2000s, remembered for their powerful and melodic vocals, progressive sound, and technical playing style that reflected their Dominican, Argentinian, and Bronx roots. Lineup pictured consists of Jenny Blue, Marz Matinez, Miguel Nittous Melendez, and Cesar Tejeda. Courtesy of Jenny Blue.