Skrew

Not to be confused with screw.

SKREW
Background information
Origin	Austin, Texas, United States
Genres	Industrial metal, thrash metal, death metal (later), extreme metal (later)
Years active	1990–1998; 2009–present
Labels	Metal Blade Records
Members	Adam Grossman Ricktor Ravensbrück Laurent Le Baut
Past members	Danny Lohner Mike Robinson Clay Campbell Bobby Gustafson Mike Peoples Brandon Workman Robb Lampmann Chris Ault Mark Dufour Chadwick Davis Steve Green Jason L. Eddie Travis Steve Green Marc Frappier Jim Vollentine Chris Istas Paul Gooch Dusty Kohn William Ables
Website	Official website

SKREW is an influential industrial metal band. Formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1998, the group announced its return in 2009.

Biography

Skrew was formed in 1990 in Austin, Texas, by Adam Grossman and Danny Lohner. The band rose from the ashes of crossover thrash band Angkor Wat, of which Grossman and Lohner were members. Skrew recruited Al Jourgensen of Ministry, to record and produce its 1991 debut album Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame. The album fared well commercially (out-selling every debut on the Metal Blade catalog) and received high praise from critics. It was during this period that Lohner left the band initially auditioning for the Red Hot Chili Peppers before being hired by Nine Inch Nails.

Skrew proceeded to work on its second release, Dusted, which was released in 1994. This album saw the addition of keyboardist Jim Vollentine, who would remain with the band through 1998. Like its predecessor, Dusted was highly praised by critics and fans, and is still considered a classic in field of industrial metal by many fans of the genre. Commercially, however, it was less successful than Burning.

The band's music then underwent significant change, probably due to a head on automobile collision that Grossman experienced in 1995, the result of which was the 1996 album Shadow of Doubt. The album largely moved away from the band's previous sound, featuring more of a slow, extreme thrash metal sound somewhat similar to other 1990s metal bands such as Machine Head. The band went through several member changes in the next year, but by 1997, Grossman had a stable line-up and released the band's final album, Angel Seed XXIII, which featured a style somewhat reminiscent of the then-emerging nu metal genre. The album received even less attention than its predecessor due to a lack of support from their label. Skrew went on hiatus in 1998.

In late 2009 Grossman began putting the pieces of SKREW back together again. SKREW are set for their live Debut on February 12, 2011 in Austin, Texas with a follow-up appearance in March 2011 at the SXSW music festival. The new material is much more politically oriented in terms of lyrics and musically might be more comparable to the Scandinavian extreme metal scene all the while maintaining the roots of what always set SKREW apart from the field, a twisted, sickly bed of electronic discomfort.

On July 4, 2014, SKREW digitally released Universal Immolation, their first album in 17 years. Worldwide touring was confirmed to commence in 2015.

Members

Current members

• Adam Grossman - vocals, guitar, programming (1990-1998, 2009–present)
• Ricktor Ravensbrück - guitar (2014–present)

Former members

• Danny Lohner - guitar, vocals (1990-1991)
• Dusty Kohn - guitar
• Mike Robinson - guitar
• Clay Campbell - guitar
• Bobby Gustafson - guitar (1996)
• Mike Peoples - bass
• Brandon Workman - bass
• Robb Lampmann - guitar
• Chris Ault - keyboards, programming
• Mark Dufour - drums
• Chadwick Davis - bass
• Eddie Travis - drums
• Steve "Snake" Green - guitar
• Marc "Frap" Frappier - bass
• Jim Vollentine - keyboards, programming (1994-1998)
• Chris Istas - drums
• Kyle Sanders - bass
• Paul Gooch - programming
• Jason Lindgren - guitar
• William Ables - guitar

Discography

Studio albums

• Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame (1992, Metal Blade)
• Dusted (1994, Metal Blade)
• Shadow of Doubt (1996, Metal Blade)
• Angel Seed XXIII (1997, Metal Blade)
• Universal Immolation (2014, Awesome Kickass Records)

Cultural references

• Skrew is referenced in the Wesley Willis song "Skrew"

External links

• [1] - Interview with Adam Grossman (2006)
• [2] - Interview with Adam Grossman (2009)
• [3] - Interview with Adam Grossman and Ty Pickett (2011)
• More than sounds - Interview of Adam Grossman about the future and past of SKREW
• AllMusic entry