Opiate for the Masses
{{Short description|American rock band}}
{{about|the band|the Marxist phrase|opium of the masses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Opiate for the Masses
| origin = Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| genre = Alternative metal, gothic metal, industrial metal{{cite web |last1=Monger |first1=James Christopher |title=Opiate for the Masses |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/opiate-for-the-masses-mn0000890076/biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=5 August 2023}}
| years_active = 1999–2009
| label = Warcon Enterprises
Century Media
| website =
| past_members = Ron Underwood - vocals
Dustin Lyon - Guitars
Elias Mallin - Drums
Ryan Head - Bass
Seven Antonopoulos - drums
Anna K. - bass
Andy Gerald - Guitars
Jim Kaufman - keyboards/guitar
}}
Opiate for the Masses was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California in 1999.
History
Opiate for the Masses was founded in 1999 by singer Ron Underwood, drummer Elias Mallin, guitarist/keyboardist Jim Kaufman, and guitarist Dustin Lyon.[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/opiate-for-the-masses-mn0000890076/biography Opiate for the Masses biography], AllMusic The group's name is an alteration of Karl Marx's famous aphorism, "Religion is the opium of the people".[http://exclaim.ca/music/article/opiate_for_masses-spore The Spore review], Exclaim!, July 1, 2005. Opiate for the Masses self-released a demo album entitled New Machines and the Wasted Life in 2000. In 2005, the band signed with Warcon Enterprises and issued the album The Spore.[https://www.punknews.org/review/4438/opiate-for-the-masses-the-spore Staff Review], Punknews.org, September 27, 2005. By this time the group had added Seven Antonopoulos on drums and Anna K. (of Drain STH) on bass. The group played the Taste of Chaos tour and opened for Static-X, Avenged Sevenfold, My Chemical Romance, and Disturbed on tour.[http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/opiate-for-the-masses-signs-with-century-media-records/ OPIATE FOR THE MASSES Signs With CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS]. Blabbermouth.net, February 4, 2008. In 2008, the group signed with Century Media and released the album Manifesto.[http://www.melodic.net/Index.php?page=review&id=6853 Review]Melodic.net, July 2008.[http://www.popmatters.com/review/opiate-for-the-masses-manifesto/ Review]. Pop Matters, September 9, 2008. The group followed the release of Manifesto by touring with Filter.[http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/opiate-for-the-masses-new-video-interview-available/ OPIATE FOR THE MASSES: New Video Interview Available]. Blabbermouth.net, July 1, 2008. In 2009, the group disbanded.
Original members
- Ron Underwood – vocals
- Elias Mallin – drums
- Dustin Lyon – guitars
- Ryan Head – bass
- Jim Kaufman – keyboards, guitar
Touring members
- Seven Antonopoulos – drums
- Anna K. – bass
Discography
- New Machines and the Wasted Life (Self-released, 2000)
- Seven EP (Self-released, 2001)
- Goodbye EP (Self-released, 2003)
- The Spore (Warcon Enterprises, 2005)
- Manifesto (Century Media, 2008)
Reunion
In 2010, original Opiate for the Masses members Ron Underwood, Elias Mallin, Dustin Lyon, Ryan Head, and guitarist Andy Gerold played a reunion show to a sold-out crowd in Tempe, Arizona.