Group

Discharge

UK hardcore punk/d‐beat band

From: Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
Since: 1977–present
Rating: ★ 3.5 (2 votes)
Releases: 49

d-beat
hardcore punk
punk
heavy metal
metal
thrash metal

About

Discharge are an English hardcore punk band formed in 1977 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. The band is known for influencing several sub-genres of extreme music and their songs have been covered by many notable artists in heavy metal and other genres. The musical sub-genre of D-beat is named after Discharge and the band's distinctive drumbeat.

The band is characterized by a minimalistic approach to music and lyrics, using a heavy, distorted, and grinding guitar-driven sound and raw, shouted vocals similar to a political speech, with lyrics on anarchist and pacifist themes, over intense drone-like rhythms. The band's sound has been called a "grave-black aural acid assault." Discharge "paved the way for an astounding array of politically motivated, musically intense and deeply confrontational bands" and displayed a "revolutionary/activist" political attitude that moved British hardcore punk away from its pub rock origins and towards a "dangerous and provocative" or anti-establishment leftist territory.
Discharge influenced various extreme metal styles such as thrash metal, black metal, crust punk and grindcore. The band's "brutal, extremist approach" and "extreme thrash noise" style of playing eventually led to the thrash genre. "Discharge's influence on heavy metal is incalculable and metal superstars such as Metallica, Anthrax, Machine Head, Sepultura, Soulfly, Prong and Arch Enemy have covered Discharge's songs in tribute." Discharge is a major influence on at least two generations of metal.

From Discharge (band) on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Members

Tezz 1977–1977, 1977–1980, 2001–2006, 2014–now · original member lead vocals, drums (drum set), guitar
Rainy 1977–1977, 1977–1987, 2001–now · original member guitar, bass guitar
Bones 1977–1980, 2001–now guitar
Dave Bridgwood 2006–now drums (drum set)
Jeff Janiak 2014–now lead vocals
Tony Atkinson 1977–1977 · original member · former drums (drum set)
Ivan Rivera 1977–1977 · former lead vocals
Nigel Bamford 1977–1977, 2001–2001 · original member · former bass guitar
Cal 1977–1987, 1991–1999, 2001–2003 · former lead vocals
Bambi 1981–1981 · former drums (drum set)
Keith Haynes 1981–1981 · former drums (drum set)
Garry Maloney 1981–1984, 1991–1995 · former drums (drum set)
Pooch 1983–1984 · former guitar
Michael Gibson 1984–1986 · former drums (drum set)
Steve Brookes 1986–1987 · former guitar
Rocky Shades 1987–1987 · former lead vocals
Andrew Green 1991–1995 · former guitar
Anthony Morgan 1991–1995 · former bass guitar
Nick Bushell 1995–1999 · former bass guitar
Labanthorsen Ekeroth 1995–1999 · former guitar
Rat 2003–2014 · former lead vocals