Infant Annihilator
{{Short description|Deathcore band from England and the USA}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Infant Annihilator
| image = Infant annihilator logo.jpg
| image_size =
| landscape = yes
| alt =
| caption = The band's logo, which was drawn by guitarist Eddie Pickard.
| alias =
| origin = Kingston upon Hull, {{nowrap|East Riding of Yorkshire,}} United Kingdom
| genre = {{flatlist|
- Deathcore
- {{nowrap|technical death metal}}
}}
| years_active = 2012–present
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website = {{Facebook|InfantAnnihilator}}
| current_members = Aaron Kitcher
Eddie Pickard
Dickie Allen
| past_members = Dan Watson
}}
Infant Annihilator are an English-American deathcore band formed in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire in 2012 by drummer Aaron Kitcher and guitarist Eddie Pickard. The band is noted for its technical, eclectic and extreme musical style; parodistic and satirically graphic lyrical content and shock humour;{{cite web|author1=Mike|title=Infant Annihilator – NSFW Animated Music Video |url=https://www.thecirclepit.com/2017/02/infant-annihilator-nsfw-animated-music-video|website=The Circle Pit|access-date=19 April 2018|date=28 February 2017}} and music videos that feature ribald themes.{{cite web|author1=Jonty Simmons|title=INFANT ANNIHILATOR // Is The Best Deathcore Band You're Not Listening To – Hysteria Magazine|url=http://www.hysteriamag.com/infant-annihilator-is-the-best-deathcore-band-youre-not-listening-to/|website=Hysteria Magazine|publisher=Hysteria Media|access-date=19 April 2018|date=2 August 2016}}{{cite web|author1=Rock Feed|title=INFANT ANNIHILATOR Just Released The Most Outrageous Music Video Of All Time|url=http://www.rockfeed.net/2016/06/22/infant-annihilator-just-released-outrageous-music-video-time/|website=Rock Feed|access-date=19 April 2018|date=22 June 2016}}
Their debut album The Palpable Leprosy of Pollution, which is the only album to feature American vocalist Dan Watson, was released in late 2012. After replacing their vocalist with Massachusetts-native Dickie Allen, their second album The Elysian Grandeval Galèriarch was recorded and mixed by Jesse Kirkbride at his home studio Kirkbride Recordings and was released in 2016. Their third album, The Battle of Yaldabaoth, was released on 11 September 2019.
Infant Annihilator were described by the Hysteria Magazine as an Internet band and even though they have stated that touring is a possibility, they have performed only as a studio project so far.{{cite web|author1=sin23ou|title=NEW DISC REVIEW + INTERVIEW 【INFANT ANNIHILATOR : THE ELYSIAN GRANDEVAL GALERIARCH】 |url=http://sin23ou.heavy.jp/?p=7652|publisher=Marunouchi Muzik Magazine|access-date=10 April 2018|language=en, ja|date=1 August 2016}}{{cite web|author1=Dan Cece|title=INTERVIEW: Dickie Allen of INFANT ANNIHILATOR|url=http://www.itdjents.com/interviews/interview-dickie-allen-infant-annihilator/|website=It Djents|access-date=16 April 2018|date=29 June 2016}}
History
= Formation and ''The Palpable Leprosy of Pollution'' debut album (2012–2013) =
Infant Annihilator were formed in 2012 in Hessle near Kingston upon Hull by guitarist Eddie Pickard and drummer Aaron Kitcher. The name "Infant Annihilator" came from a song bearing the same title that was composed by Kitcher's previous band As the Blessed Fall, and was chosen as a parody of death metal band name stereotypes. In a 2016 interview, they explained "We wanted the song names and band name to be as completely over-the-top as our music..."
Pickard and Kitcher wrote and created homemade recordings together using a form of recording software on Pickard's computer. They wrote, recorded and edited the instrumental tracks for their debut album, The Palpable Leprosy of Pollution (abbreviated The PLOP). After releasing instrumental songs online, the pair met American vocalist Dan Watson from Indiana online, who discovered Infant Annihilator on Facebook.{{cite web |last1=Pecoraro |first1=Andrew |title=Enterprise Earth Interview 9.02.17 // New Album // Religion // Stay Sick // Infant Annihilator |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llB1dIICvBE |website=YouTube |access-date=21 February 2019 |format=Video |date=2 September 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Kevin |title=INFANT ANNIHILATOR/ENTERPRISE EARTH Interview – Dan Watson Part I – March 2016 – YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqkDrCmZ9C4 |website=YouTube |access-date=20 February 2019 |format=Video |date=18 March 2016}} Pickard and Kitcher were impressed with his performance, and asked of him to perform vocals for the album.{{cite web|author=hammer|title=Interview with Dan Watson (Infant Annihilator): A Christian Missionary Family child crucifies Christ | Everything Guttural|url=http://everythingguttural.blogspot.com/2013/05/interview-with-dan-watson-infant.html|website=Everything Guttural|publisher=Blogspot|access-date=15 April 2018|language=en, sk|date=27 May 2013}} They soon began garnering viral popularity online—growing to around 20,000 "likes" within a month—with the release of the music video for their song "Decapitation Fornication".
Following the release of the video, the group promoted the release for their debut album The Palpable Leprosy of Pollution, which was released on 12 December 2012 (12/12/12). The idea to release the album on 12/12/12 was an idea pitched by Watson, which the band loved. However, Watson retrospectively has expressed regret for such a release date as it caused him to rush his work in order to get the album released on time, leaving him ultimately unhappy with the result of his vocals.
Watson left the band in late 2013 and publicly announced his departure from the band on 22 February 2014.{{cite web|author1=erizen 826|title=Infant Annihilator Vocalist Leaves | Sputnikmusic|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/news/30217/Infant-Annihilator--Vocalist-Leaves/|website=Sputnikmusic|access-date=15 April 2018|date=22 February 2014}}{{cite web|author1=Ty A. (xFiruath)|title=Infant Annihilator Splits With Vocalist – in Metal News ( Metal Underground.com )|url=http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=100368|website=Metalunderground.com|access-date=7 May 2018|date=22 February 2014}} He later explained that he left the band because he did not feel like an equal compared to the other two members, and also because he was upset over the two members agreeing to a contract without consulting his input first. After his leaving, Watson would later form the Washington-based deathcore group Enterprise Earth with former Takeover guitarist BJ Sampson.
= Dickie Allen and ''The Elysian Grandeval Galèriarch'' (2014–2017) =
In late 2014, while he was drumming for fellow UK band Desolated during their first US tour, Kitcher met vocalist Dickie Allen in person for the first time. The tour line-up included the band Traitors, who had brought Allen, a close friend, along with them on the tour. Hearing Allen's vocals in person convinced Kitcher that he was a good fit for the band. Infant Annihilator announced via social media on 1 June 2016 that they had brought on Dickie Allen as their new vocalist.
Infant Annihilator's second album The Elysian Grandeval Galèriarch (abbreviated The EGG) was officially released 29 July 2016. The album was Infant Annihilator's first to chart, making it onto several Billboard charts, including the Top Heatseekers, Independent Albums, Top Album Sales, Top Rock Albums, and Top Hard Rock Albums charts.{{cite magazine|url= https://www.billboard.com/music/infant-annihilator |title=Infant Annihilator | Billboard|magazine=Billboard|access-date=9 May 2018}}
= Third album ''The Battle of Yaldabaoth'' (2019–2023) =
On 25 July, Infant Annihilator posted a music video for their first single "Three Bastards" to YouTube, along with the upcoming album's release date, title, art, track list, and preorder information. The Battle of Yaldabaoth (abbreviated The BOY) was released on 11 September, coinciding with Kitcher's 29th birthday.{{cite web |title=NEWS: Infant Annihilator detail third album, 'The Battle Of Yaldabaoth'! |url=http://www.deadpress.co.uk/news-infant-annihilator-detail-third-album-the-battle-of-yaldabaoth |website=DEAD PRESS! |access-date=27 July 2019 |archive-date=27 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727020551/http://www.deadpress.co.uk/news-infant-annihilator-detail-third-album-the-battle-of-yaldabaoth/ |url-status=dead }}
= EP ''Mister Sister Fister: Re-Conception'' and upcoming fourth studio album (2024–present) =
On 15 October 2024, Infant Annihilator released an EP titled Mister Sister Fister: Re-Conception, a remake of a release from Mister Sister Fister, a band that Pickard and Kitcher had previously been a part of. The EP included vocal performances by both Dickie Allen and Alex Teyen. They also revealed that they had a fourth studio album in the works.{{cite web |last=wookubus |date=15 October 2024 |title=Infant Annihilator Release "Mister Sister Fister: Re-Conception" EP, New Album In The Works |url=https://www.theprp.com/2024/10/15/news/infant-annihilator-release-mister-sister-fister-re-conception-ep-new-album-in-the-works/ |access-date=15 October 2024 |website=Theprp.com}}
Musical style and influences
Infant Annihilator's musical style has been described as both deathcore and technical death metal. Their lyrical content is intentionally extreme and covers controversial topics such as rape, paedophilia, murder, infanticide, "mass programming", religion, cult, and the Catholic Church. These topics are derived from the history of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. In September 2017, their music was deemed "too offensive" and was pulled from the online music streaming platforms Spotify and iTunes as a result.{{cite web|author1=Greg Kennelty|title=Spotify Removes INFANT ANNIHILATOR Catalog, Deem The Band Too Offensive|url=http://www.metalinjection.net/metal-in-the-mainstream/spotify-removes-infant-annihilator-catalog-deem-the-band-too-offensive|website=Metal Injection|access-date=19 April 2018|date=14 September 2017}}{{cite web|author1=Tommy Gimler|title=Spotify Has Removed 'Infant Annihilator' From Its Site|url=http://www.mandatory.com/culture/1323529-spotify-removed-infant-annihilator-site-dying-fetus-fans-can-rest-easy|website=Mandatory|publisher=Evolve Media|access-date=19 April 2018|date=18 September 2017}} They were returned to both platforms after three days.
They have listed various subgenres of death metal and hardcore punk to be influential to their music, including: deathcore, slam death metal, technical death metal, “down-tempo hardcore”, grindcore and mathcore.
Artists they have taken influence from include Carnifex, Bring Me the Horizon (particularly their older deathcore style), System of a Down, Slipknot, Chimaira, Despised Icon, Thy Art Is Murder, The Black Dahlia Murder, Beneath the Massacre, Cattle Decapitation, Waking the Cadaver, and GG Allin.
Members
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
Current
- Aaron Kitcher – drums (2012–present)
- Eddie Pickard – guitars, bass (2012–present)
- Dickie Allen – vocals (2016–present)
{{col-2}}
Former
- Dan Watson – vocals (2012–2014)
{{col-end}}
=Timeline=
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea = left:100 bottom:100 top:25 right:25
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/2012 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:2
ScaleMajor = increment:1 start:2012
Colors =
id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals
id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitars,_bass
id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:Studio value:black legend:Studio_album
id:other value:gray(0.6) legend:EP
LineData=
layer:back
at:12/12/2012 color:Studio
at:29/07/2016 color:Studio
at:11/09/2019 color:Studio
at:15/10/2024 color:other
BarData =
bar:Watson text:Dan Watson
bar:Allen text:Dickie Allen
bar:Pickard text:Eddie Pickard
bar:Kitcher text:Aaron Kitcher
PlotData=
width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Watson from:01/05/2012 till:22/02/2014 color:Vocals
bar:Allen from:01/06/2016 till:end color:Vocals
bar:Pickard from:start till:end color:Guitar
bar:Kitcher from:start till:end color:Drums
}}
Discography
= Studio albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of studio albums, with selected chart positions !rowspan="2"|Year !rowspan="2"|Album details !colspan="6"|Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US Hard Rock {{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/infant-annihilator/chart-history/mtl/|title=Infant Annihilator Chart History: Hard Rock Albums|magazine=Billboard|access-date=18 April 2018}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US |
|---|
| 2012
|align="left"|The Palpable Leprosy of Pollution
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 2016
|align="left"|The Elysian Grandeval Galèriarch
| style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| 22 | style="text-align:center;"| 90 | style="text-align:center;"| 14 | style="text-align:center;"| 4 |
| 2019
|align="left"|The Battle of Yaldabaoth
| style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| 22 | style="text-align:center;"| 54 | style="text-align:center;"| 20 | style="text-align:center;"| 6 |
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; font-size:8pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country. |
= Extended plays =
- Mister Sister Fister: Re-Conception (2024)
= Singles =
- "Decapitation Fornication" (23 July 2012){{cite web|title=Infant Annihilator – Decapitation Fornication (2012) [Single] – Metal Kingdom|url=https://www.metalkingdom.net/album/Infant-Annihilator-Decapitation-Fornication-61652|website=Metal Kingdom|access-date=8 May 2018}}
- "Pray for Plagues" [
Bring Me the Horizon cover] (11 January 2013) - "Motherless Miscarriage" (22 June 2016)
- "Three Bastards" (25 July 2019)
- "Swinaecologist" (31 August 2019){{cite web |title=Sing, Swinaecologist, Infant Annihilator |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/1WUECiiTy3W8hSGzn7BCKO |website=spotify |access-date=28 September 2022}}
References
External links
- {{facebook|InfantAnnihilator}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:English musical trios
Category:English death metal musical groups
Category:English deathcore musical groups
Category:Musical groups established in 2012